# PhD while on Active Duty



## SemperEruditio (Dec 9, 2008)

Hey there AD Chaps! Got a question for you. Is it possible to earn a PhD in theology or philosophy from either a seminary or secular while on active duty? I say no but a few of the Chaplain Candidates are telling me yes. Called the recruiter and that was no help. Told me most chaplains leave active duty with PhD's... 

The reason for my question is I believe I am called to the chaplaincy and also cannot get rid of my desire to teach and earn a PhD. If I were able to earn the PhD on the Army's dime then so much the better. I know that the Medical Service Corps has this option available to them. I can see why and it makes perfect sense for them. For the Chaplain Corps I just don't see what good a PhD in theology or philosophy would do and so cannot see the Army paying for someone to earn one. Yet these CC's tell me it is indeed possible. 

While I do not claim to know all things military my ten years of service have taught me that if it sounds too good to be true then you're probably talking to a recruiter or someone who gets their info from a recruiter. 

Anyhow, any help you gentlemen can provide would be great. If you have a number for a recruiter who knows their stuff I am all ears. Send me a PM with the details. Any advice or guidance is always welcome.


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 9, 2008)

I guess it depends on who awards that PhD. I've met at least one Chaplain with a Doctor in Theology but she didn't impress me with her depth of knowledge.


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## Archlute (Dec 10, 2008)

I know of a fellow who did something similar. It was a psychology degree though, so this may be of no help to you in the long run. I have no idea how the process works, and if memory serves me well, many of the courses that he had taken were completed through some sort of military/military backed institution. However, I think that your selection will most likely not be your school of choice. Probably not your school of choice if you're going for some competitive studies.

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Semper Fidelis said:


> I guess it depends on who awards that PhD. I've met at least one Chaplain with a Doctor in Theology but she didn't impress me with her depth of knowledge.




I met one with her D.Min., and thought to myself "How can you claim that you have mastered any area of pastoral theology when you can't even follow basic instructions on how to wear your beret without making it look like a well-leavened pizza?"


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Dec 10, 2008)

Well I think the primary problem is that the Army wears berets in the first place.


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## LawrenceU (Dec 10, 2008)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Well I think the primary problem is that the Army wears berets in the first place.


Yep. I'm old school. They should be reserved for specific forces.


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## tellville (Dec 10, 2008)

LawrenceU said:


> Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> 
> 
> > Well I think the primary problem is that the Army wears berets in the first place.
> ...



Exactly! Like the Canadian Forces


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Dec 10, 2008)

Canadian Army? Is that not like the Swiss Army?


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## tellville (Dec 10, 2008)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Canadian Army? Is that not like the Swiss Army?



If by "Swiss Army" you mean "totally awesome army", then yes


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## Pergamum (Dec 10, 2008)

tellville said:


> LawrenceU said:
> 
> 
> > Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> ...



Ah...aren't they cute...trying to look all tough and such....


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## SemperEruditio (Dec 10, 2008)

Canadian Army? I guess you guys believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and Reverend Dr. Joel Osteen too. 

I have met those with PhD's in psychology and business but I am interested in any who have earned their degrees in theology, philosophy, religion, religious studies...along those lines. When I spoke to BG Lee he cannot recall any who earned their PhD while on active duty. He did put me in contact with those who have earned their degrees in psych and business but I am not interested in either of those.

I will continue to research however I suspect God-willing once I join back up with the military that I will just do my 10 years and go after the PhD at that point. I will be an older fart than I am now but starting a PhD at 48 on a military retirement seems possible.  ....I think


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## Whitefield (Dec 10, 2008)

Before we make fun of the Canadian Army, we should remember the contribution it made to the RAF during the Battle of Britain, and that it performed well at Juno Beach Centre on June 6, 1944 and following.


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## SolaScriptura (Dec 10, 2008)

SemperEruditio said:


> Hey there AD Chaps! Got a question for you. Is it possible to earn a PhD in theology or philosophy from either a seminary or secular while on active duty? I say no but a few of the Chaplain Candidates are telling me yes. Called the recruiter and that was no help. Told me most chaplains leave active duty with PhD's...
> 
> The reason for my question is I believe I am called to the chaplaincy and also cannot get rid of my desire to teach and earn a PhD. If I were able to earn the PhD on the Army's dime then so much the better. I know that the Medical Service Corps has this option available to them. I can see why and it makes perfect sense for them. For the Chaplain Corps I just don't see what good a PhD in theology or philosophy would do and so cannot see the Army paying for someone to earn one. Yet these CC's tell me it is indeed possible.
> 
> ...



I'm a chaplain on AD.

I know there are chaplains who DO find a way to get a PhD while on active duty - including the current XVIII Airborne Corps chaplain, but I've never had the opportunity to ask him how he managed it. With the Army's tuition assistance program you can get help paying for just about any degree - I know of 2 chaplains who are having the army foot the bill for an MBA. 

Continued education is highly encouraged and strongly recommended. It is a discriminator when it comes to promotions to the senior ranks. 

So, can it be done? Yes. How, specifically, is it done? I don't know. 

What I AM fairly sure of is that the nature of being a battalion chaplain - what you'll do for the first several years of your career - is such that you'll need a modular or online - or some other nonresident format - for whatever degree you pursue.

Ben


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## Archlute (Dec 10, 2008)

LawrenceU said:


> Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> 
> 
> > Well I think the primary problem is that the Army wears berets in the first place.
> ...



Oh yeah. This actually happened right after Shinseki took the black beret from the Ranger battalions and made it an army-wide standard for all who wanted to feel special, but technically weren't.

The girl was also pregnant and wearing her BDU's around campus for show. You men don't realize how much self-restraint it took to keep from coming unglued. It was the restraint of the Holy Spirit, I am sure.


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