Shoot for your degree p1 - Military - Education Strategies and Tips - Military Times EDGE

A rifle is a natural extension of Bill Corley’s arm. He’s felt that way since age 12, when his daddy down in Mobile, Ala., gave him his first firearm.

Corley learned not just to shoot but to care for the weapon, to take it apart, clean it, make its moving parts turn together as they should. Now, with two years of fresh schooling under his belt, he’s parlayed that lifelong passion into a post-military career as a professional gunsmith.

Corley, 52, retired from the Marine Corps as a master gunnery sergeant in February 2006 after 30 years in uniform. A radio technician by trade, he wanted to get back to the things he loved best. Knowing he’d need a degree, he took the plunge at Montgomery Community College in Troy, N.C. Now he works at Bushmaster Custom in Jacksonville, N.C., building high-end bolt-action rifles that sell for $20,000 and up.

Well-rounded student

Many community college programs dig deep in their efforts to teach technical trades.

“I thought I would go there and just get a piece of paper that said I know what I already know, but I found out pretty quick there was a lot I didn’t know,” Corley said.

In addition to gunsmithing basics, college taught Corley a lot that he missed in high school. He studied to meet requirements in English, psychology, humanities, religion, trigonometry and geometry, and basic computer skills.

“I was a little leery,” Corley said. “When I graduated high school, they kind of ran me out the door and said, ‘Don’t come back.’ But I actually maintained a 4.0 average when I was in college. I guess over the years I learned to apply myself a little more than when I was in high school.”

In picking a program, Corley looked for a school close to home. More important, though, were the referrals he got from trusted sources.

Corley heard about the attentiveness of the school’s instructors, and it proved true. Despite his firearms background, he hadn’t done much machining and knew little about lathes and mills. “I had a learning to curve to catch up, but the instructors there, if you have a problem, they will stay right there with you until you catch up.”

Why college mattered

Sprung from academia, Corley had options. He could open his own gunsmith shop — a common enough practice — or go to work with a larger operation (Bushmaster Custom has 20 employees) where he works on guns and continues to learn.

These days, Corley sees continued learning as the core of his career success. “There is no requirement to have a gunsmithing license, so you can do it on your own. But in school, I learned to take a chunk of wood and make a really beautiful stock out of it — out of nothing but a plain old chunk of wood. You can’t learn that on your own.”

Community college 101

Thinking of community college? Here’s how to find your way.

• Look up local schools through the American Association of Community Colleges college finder.

• Find your niche. Many colleges offer unique or specialized degrees.

• Follow the money. Scope out financial aid through your college or the U.S. Department of Education. Also visit your military education counselor or consult the Veterans Administration on military education benefits.

• Going further? Many community college credits will transfer to four-year schools. If you have a four-year school in mind, find out up front which credits will or will not transfer.

Source: AdvantageEDU.com, a community college portal