Though Yorktown University just received its national accreditation with the Distance and Education Training Council in 2008, it is already becoming well known among the ranks of military students. The online-based school is focused on the armed forces at a time when higher education is moving to the forefront of all military service members' careers.

In the case of Yorktown student Capt. Austin Smith, who is a C-17 pilot stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord-McChord Field, pursuing a secondary degree was spurred on by the opportunity for career advancement.

"There is a big push for Air Force officers to get advanced degrees," said Smith.

"Specifically for me, it's about being prepared for the majors board. From the moment I arrived here three years ago, I was advised to start school. Right now most of the officers in my squadron are working towards degrees."

Smith is impressed with the accessibility of his professors and feels they truly value students' feedback, not to mention understand his challenges as an airman. In fact, in one class Smith's teacher is the president of the university, and Smith has already spoken to him numerous times since beginning the semester.

"As competitive as the job market is today, service members need all the advantages they can get," said Dr. Wade Shol, director of Military Admissions for Yorktown, who could not stress enough how important it is for every soldier or airman - enlisted or officer - to get an education. "A degree will just help them to succeed once they separate from the service."

Shol, who has 12 years of active duty service in the Marine Corps and Navy, is preaching what he practiced. He used tuition assistance for his associate and bachelor's degrees, and then after he was out, he used the GI Bill for his graduate and PhD studies.

"The challenges are unfathomable to many civilians pursuing the same education objectives. In addition to the demands of their specific job, military personnel are constantly aware that a sudden change to their daily routine can arise at a moment's notice, threatening to undermine everything," said Shol.

Aside from the portability that an online university offers, being considered a military friendly school lays in the flexibility the institution affords its students, whose schedules can be anything but static. Furthermore, a streamlined admissions process and favorable credit transfer policy are attractive to those juggling so many obligations. Lastly, creating classes that attract the military is key. This held true for Smith, whose choice in school was solidified by the option of a master's in government.

According to Chris Evans, director of Admissions for Yorktown, the master's degree in government is definitely atypical when compared to what brick and mortar schools offer. Even courses such as the Origins of the Constitution or Frontier America cannot easily be found at many schools.

"I think the difference in caliber of student cannot be clearer," Shol surmised. "It is the military member who will stand head and shoulders above the rest. He or she, despite facing countless other obstacles, managed to succeed in achieving their education goals."