AMU Military

Importance of an MBA to Active Duty Military and Veterans

By Dr. Kathleen Shriver and Jodi Bouvin
American Military University

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is important to active duty military, to those who are no longer on active duty, and to those who have served our country and are now veterans.

One of the statistics reported by the U.S. Census Bureau is the number and percent of higher education degrees attained by the population. Based on the 2010 survey, for the first time, more than 30 percent of U.S. adults aged 25 years and older have earned a degree. Almost 18 percent have a bachelor’s degree, 10 percent earned a master’s, and the remaining received a doctorate.

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs documented in a 2009 report that there were close to 600,000 veterans enrolled in educational programs. That number increased to slightly more than 900,000 in 2012. In our current political climate, across the board cuts in spending and a reduction in our military forces are inevitable. The sequestration in 2013 had an immediate detrimental effect on military students and veterans. The cutbacks required in 2014 (and beyond) are causing members of our military to reconsider the options for their future.

All branches of the armed forces require members to be high school graduates or have equivalent credentials, such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Officers usually need a bachelor’s degree. As the number of people in the general population who possess a bachelor’s degree increases, the requirement for a higher level degree, such as an MBA, has gone up significantly.

The Air Force encourages its members to obtain a master’s degree to advance in their military career. Officers entering as military lawyers need a law degree. For commissioned officers, promotions may require a combination of a degree with training and experience.

An MBA can provide numerous opportunities for all military personnel. These opportunities can stem learning new concepts and ideas, collaborating with peers, examining research, and applying classwork to the workplace. There can be both personal rewards from learning new things and professional rewards from bringing new skills and credentials to the workplace.

In the introduction forum posts for one of the business courses at AMU, one student pointed out that his main reason for getting an MBA is because it’s required to continue progressing in rank in the Air Force. Another student is anticipating that a balanced background of a bachelor’s degree in engineering and a master’s degree in business management will make him a more competitive job candidate in the aerospace industry.

A MBA program covers proven business practices, strategic planning, operational management concepts, and budgeting—all useful skills for those who might be transitioning from a military career into a civilian one. For example, AMU student Mike S. will be returning to the private sector after more than 12 years of military service and is planning a new career in the finance field. Tim W., a student at AMU, has a few years before he will reach 20 years of military service and is planning a post service career in the area of business management. A current student, retired after more than 30 years of service in the Air Force, shared an interesting reason for returning for an MBA: to motivate his children to never stop achieving and to keep pace with the high caliber of people now joining our military. He will graduate in June 2014.

Whether a personal goal or a requirement for career advancement, earning an MBA can be an important learning experience and may open up new opportunities in the future.

About the Authors

Dr. Kathleen Shriver is an Associate Professor at American Military University. Since 2010, she has been teaching Business and Finance courses. Dr. Shriver has over 30 years of experience in both the private and public sector, in the areas of business, management, and technology.

Jodi Bouvin works as an instructor within American Military University. She has been actively involved at APUS for more than eight years. Jodi’s educational focus ties directly to the business programs at AMU and serving as a resource for all active duty, reserve, and veteran students.

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