Running head: ARMY LEARNER SUPPORT 1

Wendell A. McKenzie

OMDE 608 Section 9040

1 July 2018

Army Learner Support

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Army Learner Support

To be successful, army learners require various types of support. The amount and type of

support army learners receive and utilize can determine the level(s) of success achievable. There

are various types of support services and resources that army learners have access to. These

services include but are not limited to academic support, technical support, social and

community support, logistical support and support for individual needs. Having access to these

services play an integral role in ensuring army learners are properly equipped with every possible

tool to meet the necessary requirements of army training. However, merely providing support

services is only half the battle. Every army learner is different and, often, require a support plan

tailored to their specific personal and professional needs. It is important to identify what support

services, as part of a learner support plan, will be most beneficial to army learners.

Individual Needs

An important aspect of developing an effective learner support plan is identifying the

needs of the individual army learner. Per Starr-Glass (n.d.) in the article “Rules of Engagement:

Considering Good Policy and Practice with Online Military Learners,” “The respectful

recognition of the uniqueness of the individual is the starting point from which the process of

effective learning begins” (p. 1). One need that soldiers require assistance with is meeting

familial care obligations. Some of these obligations include ensuring their children get picked up

and dropped off at school and/or at before and after school care facilities, some are single

parents, and some have family members with disabilities that they provide care for. In these

instances, providing an alternative means of appropriate and affordable family member care is

important. One way these soldiers can be supported here is through community involvement.

Trusted members of the soldiers working and living communities could volunteer to provide
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family member care. This will allow the soldiers to have more time to dedicate to the learning

material. Another way that working and living communities can support army learners is through

monetary donations. Providing these donations can help soldiers cover costs associated with

finding alternative family care services.

The army is a culturally diverse institution, and all learning support plans should be tailored

to the individual’s cultural needs. Numerous soldiers enlist in the army to earn U.S. citizenship.

For some of these soldiers, English is a second language. Not being able to speak and/or

understand the primary language spoken regularly during daily army operations poses a big

problem. This language barrier is also a problem when it comes to army learning. This needs to

be taken into serious consideration as part of the learner support plan. However, the army

community is doing something to support these army learners overcome language barriers. The

English as a Second Language program is a two-week course initial entry soldiers must

successfully complete before they attend army basic training. Once soldiers complete basic

training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) and report to their units, their servicing

education centers provides additional language proficiency services. Planning for these soldiers

to attend language improvement courses enhances the learner support plan tremendously. It also

caters to the individual learner’s needs, setting them up for success.

Another thing to take into consideration regarding the individual needs of army learners as

part of the learner support plan is the learner’s level of technical expertise. Most soldiers are

adult learners. Some characteristics of adult learners include: 1). “They’re usually 25 or older,”

2). “They have more experience than traditional students, having already started a career or

served in the military,” and 3). “They may feel some anxiety about going back to school and may

fear failure” (pierce.edu, n.d., para. 2). Some soldiers are far removed from present-day
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technology. Outside of being familiar with certain social media platforms, some soldiers’ jobs

don’t require them to be technically savvy. When told that they must participate in online

learning as part of their career progression, some army learners might become apprehensive and

begin to self-doubt. There are various technical support services that are provided by the army.

Soldiers can explore these services either online or face-to-face with experienced counselors at

their army installations. Soldiers with more technical experience can also serve as a component

of the learner support plan. The army learner might feel more comfortable in a one-on-one

setting with someone they are familiar with.

Each individual army learner’s academic and socioeconomic past is unique. Some come

into the army with advanced degrees that they earned in the civilian sector. Others come in

with General Equivalency Diplomas (GEDs). Some come from well-to-do backgrounds

while others come from more rural and/or urban areas. All initial entry recruits are treated the

same and are expected to perform in the same manner regardless of these differences. This

can pose learning and communication problems in both army training and online learning

capacities. The army is very good at supporting soldiers who may be struggling to adapt to

the army learning culture. There are remedial programs in place to provide additional training

and support for these soldiers. The higher education institutions that cater to the military

community are also very good at providing support to army learners. Most of these

educational entities make soldiers take entrance exams to see where they are academically.

These exams serve as guides in determining where army learners should begin their

academic programs and which programs would be more beneficial to the individual.

While the army is all about teamwork and working collectively as a group, soldiers must

complete most online training individually. Moreover, most army learners that pursue higher
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education do so on an individual basis. Having peer group support is an important part of the

learner support plan. Peer group support is a big part of the army culture. There are support

programs for a wide array of things in the army that include but are not limited to soldiers

who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and support for soldiers who must

spend extended periods of time away from family members to perform mission essential

tasks. Support for army learners regarding education and training is no exception. Per

Adkinson (2012), the army, “…encourages peer-to-peer learning, collaboration, problem

solving, and social networking… (p. 40). There are also peer mentors that are available to

help army learners successfully navigate learning materials. These peer mentors are models

of successful students that army learners can emulate and use as pillars to sharpen their

academic prowess.

Logistical Support

Additionally, the army learner will need logistical support as part of the learner support

plan. Present-day, a good majority of army training is computer-based, and soldiers are

pursuing their higher education goals online. The army has done a great job at ensuring

soldiers have access to the necessary technological equipment to be successful. Almost every

U.S. Army installation has an education center or some sort of computer center. These

centers provide soldiers with computers, printers, and various multimedia equipment and

access to the internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Most of these facilities are equipped

with on-site education professionals who can assist soldiers with any issue(s) that might

arise. These facilities also allow army learners to access library resources. Per Corbett and

Brown (2015), “The delivery of library resources and services has adapted to include

delivery via online instruction, websites, videos, tutorials, television, blogs, etc.” (para. 13).
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These education facilities are designed to ensure army learners have access to all the

resources necessary to be successful in the pursuit of their educational goals.

With a good majority of army training being computer-based, the need for hard copy

training material is becoming less important. To keep pace with recent advances in

technology, the army has made a big push towards making all army training material digital.

Doing so not only saves the army money, it also drastically reduces the cost to the army

learner. An example of this is the army Human Resources Credentialing Program. In the past

soldiers would have to pay out of pocket for study materials. The costs that would be

associated with these hard copy materials has been greatly reduced, if not eliminated, now

that it comes in digital Open Educational Resource (OER) formatting. Per Jensen and West

(2015), “… open education is about saving students money on textbooks, which helps

institutions to meet equity of access missions” (para. 3). If there happens to be any cost to the

army learner, they can offset it by using army tuition assistance.

The army has equipped soldiers with the technology they need to be successful at little to

no cost. Moreover, the army has given the army learner one of the most valuable tools they

can use; time. Army learners are afforded the opportunity to complete training during normal

business hours with the approval of their supervisors. Higher education institutions at some

army installations offer on-site and/or hybrid classes. Some of these classes can be taken

during the duty day (i.e. during lunch). The army also has established the degree completion

program. Per the Department of the Army Degree Completion Program Policy and

Procedures (2014), this program allows qualified active duty soldiers to, “… attend an

accredited university on a full-time basis to complete an undergraduate degree… in the

minimum uninterrupted time required…” (para. 5). The soldier continues to receive all
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medical and monetary benefits while attending the university. Once complete, the soldier

returns to active duty.

Core Support Services

Continuing, the role of the administrator is an incomparable part of the army learner

support plan. When soldiers attend army training the administrator sets the initial tone for the

learning environment. Not only does the way the administrator verbally communicates the

learning material have an affect on the learning environment, the nonverbal behavior(s) play

a role as well. An effective administrator will make a diligent effort to connect with the

group and each individual. Their verbal delivery will be clear and concise and conform to the

target audience’s needs. Their nonverbal behaviors (i.e. eye contact, active listening abilities,

etc.) will aid in establishing trust and rapport. This goes for both online and traditional

classroom settings. In the online environment, however, there is no chance to develop

interpersonal association. The administrator must focus on supporting learners through

effective computer-mediated communication. Responding in an acceptable amount of time,

the quality of feedback provided, and course design are important factors administrators must

consider as part of the learner support plan.

The army is not just concerned with ensuring soldiers are successful while on active duty.

Army learner support continues after soldiers complete their service obligations. The army

has a program called the “Soldier For Life-Transition Assistance Program,” or SFL-TAP.

The SFL-TAP, “provides information, tools, and training to ensure Service members… are

prepared for the next step in civilian life whether pursuing additional education… or starting

their own business” (military.com, n.d., para. 1). Some of the support services the SFL-TAP

offer includes resume writing classes and job placement. The tuition assistance services
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offered to transitioning service members include the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which offers veterans

up to three years of educational benefits, the Yellow Ribbon Program, which entitles veterans

to additional educational funding if they are fully qualified to receive 100% of the Post-9/11

GI Bill, and the Veterans Educational Assistance Program, or VEAP, in which the

government will match your contributions to the program on a 2-for-1 basis.

Conclusion

In closing, an effective learner support plan is an absolute necessity for the army learner.

An effective learner support plan needs to consider the individual needs of the army learner

and the logistical, social and communal essentials associated with supporting the army

learner. The army, along with the higher education institutions that accommodate army

learners, continue to provide a multitude of support services. These services are designed to

aid army learners in developing support plans that can be tailored to their learning style. Even

as soldiers’ transition from the service, the army continues to support veterans in various

ways. As technology continues to develop and the individual and collective dynamics of the

army learner change, the learner support plan will be refined and become more beneficial to

the army learner.

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References

Adkinson, D. F. (2012). Peer-to-peer learning and the army learning model. Retrieved June 29,

2018, from http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a562855.pdf

Corbett, A., & Brown, A. (2015). The roles that librarians and libraries play in distance

education settings. Retrieved June 28, 2018, from

https://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer182/corbett_brown182.html

Defining adult learners. (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2018, from https://www.pierce.edu/degrees-

programs/additional-resources/adult-learners/who-are-adult-learners

Department of the army acquisition, logistics and technology (AL&T) noncommissioned officer

degree completion program policy and procedures. (2014, February 21). Retrieved June

28, 2018, from https://asc.army.mil/web/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nco-degree

completion-policy-21-feb-14.pdf

Jensen, K., & West, Q. (2015). Open educational resources and the higher education

environment: A leadership opportunity for libraries. Retrieved June 28, 2018, from

https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/9298/10384

Starr-Glass, D. (n.d.). Rules of engagement: Considering good policy and practice with online

military learners. Retrieved June 27, 2018, from https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content

/272393/viewcontent/12561342/view
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Transition assistance program overview. (n.d.). Retrieved June 29, 2018, from

https://www.military.com/military-transition/transition-assistance-program-

overview.html