European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 29, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cover Story. Page 4 q from the cover now he a planning to be the one in front of the. Blackboard. Milliken a 20-year air Force Veteran and pharmacy technician at Span Dahlem a Ger Nany has been accepted to participate in the troops. To teachers program. A a i believe the program provides an Avenue where with a Little bit of Effort on my part to obtain the Ere denials i should be Able to get a Good teaching Job a said Milliken 38, who hails Froid Ridgecrest Calif. Milliken a master sergeant figures troops to teachers Quot makes me very appealing and schools in need arc going to be receptive to those program participants coming in. I feel better about that people interested in the program must meet certain criteria. Service members must have been on Active duty for at least six straight years before their honorable discharge. They must apply within one year of separation from the military. Requirements for civilians Are different employees of the Dod and Doe must have received a nor Tice of termination from government work As a result of reductions in defense spending or the closure or realignment of a military installation and they must apply within 60 Days of their termination. Milliken Learned of troops to teachers while going through the transition process As part of retire mint. He received a letter from transition officials telling him about the program after he sent in a re sum that included a Bachelor s degree in history from the University of Maryland and a masters in Public administration with emphasis in health care policy from Troy state University. He earned both while serving overseas. Dod officials have been pushing the program since 1992. Yet it Wasny to until january that troops to teachers started working says Jeffrey Cropsey dip Uty director for the defense activity for non traditional education support Dantes. In its first few months More than 1,600 Active duty personnel have applied for the troops to teachers program Cropsey said. Quot i anticipate that in the next few months hundreds of the applicants will be selected to participate in the  for the most part applicants Are officers and so Nior noncommissioned officers said Cropsey. Senior cos have made up the bulk of the applicants thus far. A a a a. A a a if selected for the program applicants can receive up to $5,000 to offset the Cost of obtaining a teaching certificate or credentials to work As a teachers aide Quot if a person went Back to their Home state and Parade Magazine reports that Texas school officials working with the defense department have turned mess sergeants into cafeteria managers motor poor mechanics into school bus Drivers and supervisors arid maps into school Security officers. A at the Core of the military experience is discipline and respect a said Andy Bock a staff development officer in the Harlan Dale Independent school District in san Antonio. A i done to see that in a lot of people who Haven to had the military experience a last summer officials at fort Sam Houston in san Antonio found 700 vacancies in schools around the City a from bus Drivers and cafeteria workers to teachers and administrators. Army it. Col. Ron Kettler was assigned to the Texas education Agency a office to find ways in which military personnel could ease the states shortage of education workers including 5,000 openings in the classroom. A there is a tremendous need for teachers Quot said Stella Tenorio a regional education official a we have set up a program to respond to that , a s4s John to beef David Milliken could soon be teaching pupils like Span Dahlem fifth grader Matthew Haynes. Went to a state University or College $5,000 goes a Good Way toward covering the Cost of teaching certification a said John Devlin an education Counselor at Wiesbaden a Germany when Milliken returns to the United states he wants to teach students in the Middle school level at a school in the  i started thinking about teaching when i entered into my last year of undergraduate school a he said. He knows that in order to teach Quot in a going to have to take some classes to greater understand the youngsters and i will have to take the certification  Vav. A a a As for actually teaching classes that wont be a new experience for Milliken he has done Volunteer work in schools in the Span Dahlem Community teaching science math and history. If Milliken Isnit ready for full time teaching the government could help. A the Iii tent of the program is to make the applicant More attractive to those who hire teachers a said Jim Rumpler a european representative for Dantes in Heidelberg Germany. A a we re Here to make the applicants More competitive. It s a placement assistance program not a placement program. What if the. Applicant still Isnit getting in the door of a stateside school the government can offer a $50,000 incentive Grant to the school that hires the sex Soldier. The Money will be applied to the teachers salary Over his or her five year contract. Only certain schoo i s Are eligible to re be Ive the Grant. A in order to qualify a school must receive chapter one funds a said Rumpler. This generally. Means the school is Torisi defend economically Der priced and at least half the student population can qualify for free or reduced Price 1 u Nch is. Economically deprived does no to necessarily mean inner City schools. Rural America also has school. Districts with limited Industry or a Low tax base Milliken sounds ready for any District. A i would Welcome the Opportunity to teach in an inner City school a he said. A there Are a lot of myths with Ingier City schools a and t h is program could he in dispel some of those myths. If Given the resources and exposure they the Stu dents can learn a soldiers with an Eye toward teaching Arentt the Only ones benefiting from this program. Students have a Chance to learn from people who often can share experiences from working overseas. A either Way its a win win situation Quot said Devlin a because the school gets a person who a qualified. And the Soldier gets a Job a Good news for soldiers searching for teaching jobs the department of education is predicting a shortage of teachers in the United states in the near future. Quot. A a a a a More Good news soldiers who enter troops to teachers after leaving the service Early can apply up to five years of their teaching time toward their military re to Rem c it pens Ion Cropsey a i d. By e n Rol i i no in the National Public service Register servicemen be is can raise the e in r e tire men t b e n edit by on e Yea for each year they teach. A a a a. A a. For More information about the troops to teach a e is program or the a cd i no Cert Ficat him cent act Youir local education Center of Dantes Europe in Sci Delberg Germany by calling Dan 370-6s85 or 7223 or commercial 06221-57-6885 or 7223 or by writing he Usa eur attn Dantes unit 29351, Apo a 09014. A a. A. On the stateside front write defense activity for non traditional educational support troops to teachers 6490 Saufley Field Road Pensacola Fra. 32509. Active duty personnel interested in o ther school related jobs can write Headquarters department of the army office of the assistant Secretary far manpower and Reserve affairs 111 army Pentagon attn schools a Washington , 20310.trying to make the Grade teaching qualifications vary Between states and even Between school districts. As a Rule you must have a baccalaureate degree to earn a teaching certificate or an associates degree to earn certification As a teachers aide. A few states allow teachers to begin work while they Nail Down qualification. Some states participate in another Dantes defense activity for non traditional education support program known As alternative certification which allows service members to earn teaching certificates under special circumstances and is available for 32 of the 50 states. Most Dantes offices and education centers have a Book that lists certification requirements for each state. Called the National association of state directors of teachers education and certification the Book serves As a guide to teaching certificate re a quire ments.  .�. A aft r d e termin in g we a t req Reimen to y of Nee d to teach a person could begin working toward them while still on Active duty said Devlin. A you can Start working through the education Center now and if it requires testing you can do so through  one of the key ingredients to earning a teachers certificate is the National teachers exam said Dev Lini service members May take the test at almost any education Center. For Active duty military it will Cost nothing. A. The exam was first administered in 1940 by the american Council on education. It is now combined with hew subject assessments in what is called the praxis series which was introduced in october 1993. The tests first part is dedicated to the National teacher s exam Core Battery arid covers three Sec Lions general know lege communication skills professional knowledge. In addition to the Core part a subject assessment and specially area test is administered in one of 90 categories ranging from chemistry to world civilization. For dependents and civilians interested in taking. The test the Cost is $25 per Core Battery Section and s35-s50 for a subject assessment test for a total Between $110 and $125 to take the entire test. Wayne v. Hal sunday May 29, 1994