RE: http://www.military.com/opinio...15202,196734,00.html

Surely there's a way to compromise between now and 2016. I agree with Dustin, go ahead and get your master's degree now. There's no guarantee that you would get hired on as a professor immediately anyway (and academia may prove to be one of those "snugger fit" sectors of this down economy), but you'd get the coursework out of the way. Then you might consider finding an opportunity as an adjunct professor at your next duty station to see how you feel about teaching and to have another line on your CV when you're finally at a point where you can secure full-time employment. It may not be exactly what you want to do, but it wouldn't require you to cut the family in two while you're waiting for him to hit retirement age. But put your foot down if he decides he wants to try and make captain ;-)

I am in a similar situation. My husband has decided I should use his GI Bill to go back for my Master's degree as well. My dilemma lies in when/where we are transferred to next. I want to go for a Master's in Biomedical Technology, there are no on-line schools for Biology related Master's Degrees so I have to physically attend college (which is fine with me). I am really excited to go back to school. My husband is on a 36 month sea/ 36 month shore rotation. So I will have to time everything perfectly to fit the two years for my Master's Degree into his rotation schedule so he doesn't have to transfer again before I finish school. Where we are currently located the closest College or University is a 3 hour drive away. I can't choose a college to attend or apply until we know our next duty station. Even then we may have to live separately while I attend school if there is not a college close enough. So you may have the same issue if you transfer with your husband after you obtain your degree there may not be a college close enough for you to start your teaching career. Would you have the option of being an on-line professor until your hubby finishes his commitment? I love your column and I think you will be an amazing professor! I am sure everything will work out!

Sarah Smiley - get your facts straight. 10 years of marriage is not an automatic entitlement to a service member's retirement. FSPA does not automatically grant a former spouse any of the service member’s retired pay. Whether military retired pay will be treated as marital property and how the service member’s military retired pay will be divided between the parties is decided according to state law. The "10 Year Rule" allows DFAS to provide a direct payment of retirement pay to the former spouse. Without 10 years, the service member will need to pay the former spouse by other means.

I agree, get it now! Who knows what will happen in the future? With an education degree, you can do a lot. Also, a masters program gives you many opporunities to explore fields that are available to your degree and you may change your mind and find something else you'd rather do. Hearing this makes me so thankful that I decided to get my masters degree before my husband and I got married. I'm now 24 and set for life in the education field. I also didnt know about this 10 year retirement deal since I am newly married and new to this world of life.