FORT CARSON, Colo. — Cpl. Steve Mateo, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, who is conducting an internship at the education center through the career skills program, helps Master Sgt. Courtney Renee Smith, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, navigate the ArmyIgnitED website during the ArmyIgnitED workshop held Nov. 18, 2021, at the Fort Carson Education Center. (Photo by Norman Shifflett)
By Norman Shifflett
Garrison Public Affairs Office
FORT CARSON, Colo. — This year marked the 37th year that the Army Continuing Education System celebrated American Education Week.
The Fort Carson Education Center used the AEW to bring education to the forefront through workshops and briefings on credentialing assistance, GI Bill benefits, financial aid and many other topics. Each day at least two workshops or briefings were held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to ensure Soldiers had time to attend.
The AEW was created in 1921 by the National Education Association and the American Legion after those organizations learned that 25% of World War I draftees were illiterate, and 9% were physically unfit to serve.
Vanessa Eymann, an education services specialist and the college program manager, was responsible for organizing the events, which she began planning two months prior, based on the most requested topics by Soldiers.
“Knowing that Soldiers have a hard time during the duty day to take care of personal business, I scheduled the events during their lunch break to make it more convenient for them,” said Eymann. “We selected the most popular topics that we see Soldiers come into the education center for.”
She also created this year’s slogan for the ACES support of AEW which was “Army Credentialing and Continuing Education: Spark an Interest, Ignite your Future.”
One of the topics that Soldiers really wanted help with was the new program ArmyIgnitED, which replaced GoArmyEd.
“The ArmyIgnitED workshop is for service members who are having difficulty establishing their account, choosing their education path or requesting tuition assistance,” said Angela Murphy, a supervisory education services specialist. “The goal of the new ArmyIgnitED website is to simplify the tuition assistance request process for Soldiers.”
An attendee of the ArmyIgnitED workshop, Master Sgt. Courtney Renee Smith, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, was previously in the GoArmyEd program while she was pursuing her bachelor’s degree and then the program changed over. Smith said that when she first went into the ArmyIgnitED website she did not know what she needed to do.
“When it became ArmyIgnitED, I was lost,” said Smith. “Coming here really helped me. I tried to log on and do it on my own, and I couldn’t do it.”
Eymann wasn’t alone in setting up the events for AEW; she had some help to make it all come together.
Cpl. Steve Mateo, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is preparing to transition out of the Army and is currently doing an internship at the education center through the career skills program, he helped Eymann organize the event.
“American Education Week is a community-based event,” said Mateo. “We get to spread the word and spread awareness about the programs and services that are offered at the education center.”
Even though AEW has come and gone, Soldiers can still pursue their educational goals.
“We encourage service members to not just think about American Education Week to be a single one-week event,” said Marie Robinson, a supervisory education services specialist. “We are here throughout the year, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to assist with their education needs.”
Regardless of rank, service members should take advantage of the educational benefits that the Army offers while they are still serving. These benefits will help them with the transition to civilian life and prepare them for their next career.
“I have been in 17 years, and I am getting out in three years, and I am going to do other things,” said Smith. “So, I think that having an education is very important to ensure I am successful when I do get out.”
For more information about the education center’s briefings schedule, visit https://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=2527417 or the Fort Carson Army Education Center Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FortCarsonArmyED.