1. She will be entitled to utilize her Post 9-11 GI Bill. As long as she had sufficient time to earn it. Her intentions as stated to go back school tells me she has it. She will collect Per Diem as living expense money and will be eligible for unemployment.
2. Do not waste the GI Bill on a Community College just to be close to home. (no offense I attended Community College for awhile) Unless it is unavoidable, use it at a major university. Post 9-11 is the Cadillac of educational grants. There may be better out there I have not seen it. Schools love it, even Harvard likes military folks, but only if they have the Post 9-11 GI Bill. She will also have State Veterans Benefits coming to her. If she goes to a local Community College, try utilizing a State Grant vice the GI Bill. It is such a waste to use 24 months of a 36 month free university education on an Associates Degree.
3. Nursing, Nurse Practitioner, Physicians Assistant or Programmer/Administrator. Obama care will make NP & PA’s golden. Doctors will be too expensive, will leave the practice or not bother to come to USA as those of us that can afford will now travel to them. Son had complete reconstructive knee surgery in China for $2K (US). Healthcare Administrators will become invaluable as doctors and hospital wander through the Obamacare minefield. VA is hiring, as are many other Fed Agencies. Not exactly popular people on this site, but with Bronco Bama in office, I doubt the Fed will shrink.
4. She has the TS, if it is a TS/SCI or above she is already worth $80K - $100K per year to many contractors or Fed Agencies. They really do not care if she passes a PRT, that clearance saves them and easy $150K. If her field was intel, tell her to look at MEA “Hot Jobs.” (Marine Executive Association) Do not worry it is open to all services and they link to NAVVET jobs also.
5. Did she deploy to Southwest Asia or Afghanistan? She may be entitled to free VA medical care for up to 5 years. She must check in with the local VA clinic when she returns and have a physical done. They will tell her what benefits she rates.
If all other aspects of her service were honorable, it is simply time for her to move on to something new. Military life is not for everyone, many people never quite adapt. ADSEP (under honorable conditions) is how the military deals with those who never quite adapt. This is especially true during a draw-down. If she was really making an effor and was a good Sailor, 10 years ago her Chief or CO could have found a way to keep her through her enlistment. With Perform to Serve boards and Officer rank reductions, even the Chiefs and CO's are at risk.
Thank you all for your informative posts and the private messages. My daughter thanks you and so do I. Lots of great posts already and any further ideas and advice is most appreciated also. I have my daughter perusing this thread and if she has any questions, etc. I will post them for her. (Still trying to get her to become a FReeper! lol)
wow—very thorough and enlightening answer! Thanks so much—hope it gets forwarded to the young woman who’s at the focus of this thread.