I hit the books. It hit my wallet.

I was always a student who showed exceptional academic promise growing up. My teachers always gave glowing reports. Everyone assumed I would always do well scholastically and so did I. Fast forward to high school. It was assumed I would make National Honor Society. I didn't. For some reason, my junior year, my grades plummeted. It could have been because of my insane extracurricular and work schedule. It could also have been party due to peer pressure and slacking off. Whatever the reason, my grades suffered because I stopped putting in the effort I always had. I started having other interests and not having my nose in a book all the time didn't fit in. I still studied and did well, but I was certainly not the top in my class -- by a long shot.

This cost me a number of scholarships and potential collegiate pursuits.

I decided, the summer before my senior year of high school, to join the United States Marine Corps. This had nothing to do with my grades. Instead, I always felt called to service. I come from a military family and had it in my blood, in a way. I enjoyed the romance and history of wars of bygone eras; but the tragedies were not lost on me. Still, I felt untouchable. It was a time of peace when I enlisted and I assured my parents there was nothing to worry about.

I started taking some college classes when I was on active duty. Because of operational commitments interfering and some bad choices of not going to class a time or two, I withdrew. In 1999, I left active duty with an Honorable Discharge. I still hadn't finished school. Looking back, my recruiter had instilled in me that I would and it would be a piece of cake. Funny thing, is, it wasn't, for a number of reasons.

I rejoined the civilian world and started a full-time job and began taking community college courses at night. It was hard. It was grueling because while my friends were out and about having fun, I was in class or doing homework. I excelled at most of my classes, but almost begrudgingly, if you can imagine that. I was still young. I loathed spending my nights and weekends in school. I had applied for my GI Bill and was planning on using that because I felt I had to. To be honest, at that point in my life, my heart wasn't in school and I didn't give it the effort I could have. I wasted a lot of time and money on classes that would end being nontransferable when I switched schools.

I met my boyfriend (now husband) not long after I started night classes. He was very supportive and encouraged me to keep going to school even when I had no desire to do so. About six months into our relationship, things got very serious and we moved. So, I withdrew from community college and transferred to a private college in New Hampshire near where we lived.

Still working full-time and having a heck of a commute into and out of Boston each day, the school just got to be too much for me. I couldn't give it the attention it deserved and I didn't want to waste anymore of my GI Bill. A bunch of my community college and military credits didn't transfer or translate to my new college's program. I was dismayed, to say the least. For awhile, I stopped going to school.

We got married and within a year I was expecting our first child. Reality began to set in. If I don't go back to school now, when was I going to, I asked myself. All I could envision was my child graduating college before I had. This was and is perfectly acceptable. However, at that point in my life, it didn't sit well with me and I finally realized I had to make the commitment to my education.

Eight months pregnant, still working full time, and with my husband about to join a deploying unit, I went back to school. Crazy? Yes, perhaps. I had some months left on my GI Bill and I gave it my all. My professors thought I was a bit loopy for even attempting this given my situation, but they were supportive anyway, especially two I can recall fondly.

Even though I was using my GI Bill, my education was costly early on. When I couldn't attend enough classes to qualify for the GI Bill, I had to pay out of pocket and take out student loans. I had to because it was the only thing that worked for my family situation at the time.

I decided to start taking online classes first so that I could still be home with my baby when my husband was deployed. This worked for quite awhile. I would work and study when she napped and then stay up late hours at night while she slept in her crib. As you can imagine, there were many tough nights with colic and a cranky mommy and an absent husband that made college very trying. I kept my eyes set on my goal and made a plan to graduate within two years with my Bachelor of Arts.

By the time 2005 rolled around, I had another child. I was caring for two babies and enduring numerous deployments as my husband was still at his same unit. I did it though. In May 2005, I graduated with my BA! My husband was away at a school and wasn't even sure if he could make it to the graduation, but he did. He got there in the nick of time and my mom and him and two daughters watched me walk down the aisle in my cap and gown and receive my degree.

My eyes were still set on continuing my education. Unfortunately, after 36 months, my GI Bill ran out. I decided I would still go on in school. I applied for grants, scholarships and loans. I only was able to get the loans (of course). I started graduate school in the spring of 2006. If you can believe it, shortly thereafter, I found out I was expecting (unexpectedly) my third child. I almost had a melt down. How was I going to do this? How could I manage grad school and three kids? I considered dropping out, but opted to give it a go. I am so glad I did. My son arrived in April of 2007 and I kept at it, remembering all I had endured just to get my BA. I knew I could do this!

Sure, I incurred another set of student loans, but I graduated in 2008 with my Masters.

Going back to school certainly came with numerous obstacles as an adult learner. I was far from the youngest in my class, but I also wasn't the youngest. When I finally made the serious commitment to go back and stick with it in 2003 my life changed. I said that I will do this for myself and for my family. I did.

There are so many who find finances an obstacle, but you can get assistance. I am sure there was much more available to me, but I didn't have the resources to get them. And, as a Coast Guard spouse, many of the DOD assistance programs weren't available to me.

It's not as easy and readily available as most military spouses wish for it to be, but that is something I am committed to changing. The difficulties I faced with deployments, childcare expenses, tuition and course costs, etc. helped me to understand what so many other military spouses face. Education is attainable, but for so many it feels unattainable. I am eager to work on some progressive and positive changes in this vein and am already doing what I can to see improvements made in this area.

A simple blog with a powerful impact.

One of the most rewarding things happened the other day. A friend told me that she and her husband made the decision to join the USCG because of me. Well, in a way it was because of me. She said she had been reading a blog I started a few years ago, www.onebigcoastiefamily.blogspot.com (also known as Waiting for Ships) which has now become the CGFO blog.

She enjoyed the blog and what she read and encouraged her husband to join the CG. I am sure there was much more to it than that, but I was so moved and giddy inside that this is mostly what I took away from it.

Can you imagine how great that feels? To know I started something, a simple something, and it so directly impacted a family’s life? I am hopeful that as she and her husband are surrounded by great moments and opportunities as continue their Coast Guard journey. They recently PCSd away from where I currently live and I am honored to have gotten to know them and befriend them. Fair winds and following seas my friends.

It's Monday and it's a busy one!

This morning's festivities kicked off with responding to a military spouse's concerns about her housing situation. They are living in shabby housing to say the least. That's not the big problem though. The issue is that no one is helping her out and she is getting nowhere fast. Hopefully the information I was able to give her will provide her with enough ammunition to get things taken care of.

On tap for today is some freelance legal work (a girl's gotta pay the bills) and then volunteering at my daughter's school for a bit.

One issue I am seriously addressing this week is working collobaratively on a milspouse education matter that was recently posed to me. I am elated to support the brains behind the mission and see some changes put into place. Our military spouses sacrifice and serve so much, but often feel that education is still not within their reach due to financial strains, childcare matters, inability to transfer enough credits between schools and so on and so on. It's about high time this ridiculousness is put to an end. Military spouses need a strong voice and need a team of people working on their side and I am more than thrilled to be on that team!

Have a fantastic day everyone and don't forget to vote at MSOY. Thank you!

MSEI

Next month 2011 Military Spouse of the year Bianca Strzalkwoski will present her EDU Initiative for MilSpouses. Please help her and this effrot by completing this survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H9W2WX7

Making Changes

I am an outstanding Coast Guard wife. There I've said it. Chances are, if you are here on this page, you are an outstanding military family member and are interested in seeing positive changes in your community and the world. We can make things happen together.

I have a number of blogs that I contribute to as well as some other private ones for family and friends, but this is a new adventure. You can see my video about the changes I am working on in my profile...what profile? Read on....

Jennifer Bassett is one of the top five finalists for Coast Guard Spouse of the Year and in the running for 2012 Military Spouse of the Year. If you would like to read about her commitment and work on behalf of CG and other military families, please visit her profile and vote at: http://msoy.milspouse.com/ViewProfile.aspx?id=144Voting runs through 11:59pm on 2/3. 2/6th-13th they will be announcing 1 branch winner per day. National voting runs 2/14 to 3/5.