The Red Bulls

COB BASRAH – The Contingency Operating Base Basrah education services team is ready to school Soldiers during Education Week, November 15th through 21st.

“Our goal is to get Soldiers excited about college,” said First Lt. Lisa Cullen, education services officer with the 34th Infantry Division, a Minneapolis native.

Cullen and her team will have a table set up November 16th during lunch at the Redbull Cafe, where Soldiers can get information about the different services offered at the education center.

Currently, the center can give active duty, National Guard, and Reserve Soldiers the information and skills to navigate the website www.goarmyed.com, which can be used to take advantage of the GI Bill and federal tuition assistance.

Also available are courses in career management, efficiency reporting, and even a “fast class” which focuses on Soldiers wanting to improve their GT score on the ASVAB.

For those with previous schooling, and looking to speed up their next promotion with a degree, the education services team can assist Soldiers in having their Army training evaluated for college credit.

“Some soldiers are afraid to come in to the education center,” said Sgt. Alyssa Vasquez of the 105th Personnel Co., the education center’s noncommissioned officer in charge, and Nashville, Tenn. native.

“They are first time students from high school and we are here to make the process easy and not as intimidating,” she said.

There is no time like the present to begin planning for the future, according to Cullen.

 “The new semester starts in January.” said Cullen. “Now is the time for soldiers to start getting enrolled, get books, and get excited about their education.”