Ohio National Guard News
COLUMBUS, Ohio (10/04/16) — Maj. Angela Bailey joined the Ohio Army National Guard as a teenager to serve her community, not realizing that over time she would find that the education benefits and incentives available to her would be strong motivators to build a career. She began her military career in signal (now called communications). While there, her readiness noncommissioned officer took her under his wing and explained to her how she was missing out if she did not take full advantage of her education benefits. “He told me the Guard (at that time) would pay 60 percent of my college tuition,” Bailey said. “He also said I would not make it far in the Guard if I did not get an education.” Armed with that advice, she chose to attend Ohio University in Athens. It was there that she learned how much she loved the idea of teaching, and in 1998, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education. Bailey soon found herself assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment in McConnelsville, where Brig. Gen. Ron Young, then the Ohio assistant adjutant general for Army, learned she had her bachelor’s degree and recommended she consider becoming a commissioned officer. Bailey took his advice and received a direct commission in 2001. Since then, she also has earned a master’s in education administration and principal licensure. Throughout her career, Bailey has held many positions in the National Guard. She said they all came as a direct result of obtaining her teaching degree. She credits her success to having fellow Soldiers steer her in the direction to get her education while serving in the National Guard. Fittingly, Bailey now serves as the education services officer for the Ohio National Guard, a challenging job that gives her the opportunity to help educate Guard members about all of the benefits for which they are eligible. Bailey said she is continuously strategizing how her team can best educate the field on the various benefits and incentives that are available. She said her team is constantly finding opportunities to go out into the field and educate Guard members. “We use a program we like to call, ‘Each One, Teach One’,” Bailey said. “The team encourages every Soldier and Airman they come in contact with, to go back to their unit or wing and tell their battle buddy or wingman what they have learned about the different educational incentives available in the Ohio National Guard.” By following this simple advice, which helped Bailey get to where she is today, she said she hopes more Soldiers and Airmen will learn about the education benefits that are available to them and, ideally, take advantage of them to better themselves and as well as make them a more skilled and knowledgeable member of the organization. Since 1999, the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program pays 100 percent of undergraduate tuition for eligible Guard members at state schools, and the average state school tuition cost at private universities and colleges. Through federal tuition assistance programs, eligible Guard members can also get funded for about 75 percent of the tuition toward a master’s degree. “I am very fortunate that someone took the time early in my career, to inform me of the importance of education and incentives provided by the National Guard,” Bailey said. “If not for that, I don’t think I would be in the position I am today.” Information about various education benefits, including the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program, is available on the ONG Education Services web page. NOTE: The spring semester/winter quarter application deadline for the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program is Nov. 1. |
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