DoD Worldwide Education event highlights Paxen programs
ATLANTA—Programs conceived, developed, and implemented by Paxen Learning were cited as exemplars at the recent Department of Defense Worldwide Education Symposium in Atlanta. The triennial conference brings together military and civilian education leaders. Paxen’s programs, operated in conjunction with the Army National Guard, have helped bolster National Guard recruiting and retention efforts.
Army Brig. Gen. Maria Britt, commanding general of the Georgia Army National Guard,
spoke to nearly 2,200 conferees here at the Department of Defense Worldwide Education
Symposium about the Guard’s youth and voluntary education programs.
“The Guard has a proud tradition of initiating and funding education programs that reach
out to nonmilitary adults, youth and … schools,” said Britt, who was part of a senior
officer's panel with leaders from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast
Guard. “We do this because we want to be good stewards in the communities that we
serve.”
Britt highlighted several programs within the National Guard that impact the lives of
thousands of youth across 54 states and territories. The youth and adult outreach
programs include: the "About Face" dropout prevention program; the "Forward
March" employment program; and the Youth Challenge at-risk youth program.
The military support to schools programs include: the Starbase math and science
elementary youth program; the Counterdrug Demand Reduction “Stay on Track” youth
program; and the Partners in Education program. The "Future Soldier" education
programs include the GED Plus program and the Patriot Academy initiative.
The theme for the symposium was “Educating America’s Patriots,” so Britt also spoke on
voluntary education for the Guard’s approximate 460,000 Soldiers and Airmen. “As we
go about our work this week, you must remember the role that education plays in our
own success, both as a nation and as a military power,” she said. “So let’s work together
to provide our serving men and women with the most lethal weapons in their personal
arsenal: that’s a personal education.”
Tens of thousands of Guardmembers receive education benefits every year. Federal
education benefits are the same for Guardmembers who serve on federal, Title 10 active
duty, but their state benefits vary. Officials said that most states have some form of
education monies, which may cover tuition costs when they do not qualify for federal
benefits.
At the symposium, officials and conferees from all military components joined with
educators from the nation’s universities and training institutions and discussed voluntary
education, education services and support, distance learning, as well as legislation and
Total Force initiatives. The weeklong symposium is held every three years.
Army Master Sgt. Mike Sharman of the Texas National Guard’s education office said he
was there with 17 others from his state to learn about education benefit available to
Guardmembers, including the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill. “We have a lot of Soldiers who are
taking advantage of the many benefits we have,” he said.
Sharman’s Texas Guard office manages federal tuition assistance, the Texas tuition
reimbursement program and has a G.I. Bill team that manages those programs, among
other missions. “We are a liaison between the Soldiers and the programs,” he said.
Officials said federal and state education programs provide Guardmembers a versatile
military education benefit, which enables them to pursue education and training from
college to vocational and technical schools, to apprenticeship and on-the-job training
programs, flight training, and licensing and certification and entrepreneurship programs
By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
National Guard Bureau
OUR MISSION