Stand-To!- ARNG General Educational Development (GED) Plus Program

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Edition: Thu, September 18, 2008
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SENIOR LEADERS ARE SAYING
"Our enemies took a fearsome beating they will not soon forget.  
Reinforced and fortified by our own people, the soldiers of Iraq  
found new courage and confidence. And the people of Iraq, resilient  
and emboldened, rose up to take back their country."

- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, at the change of command of  
Multinational Force Iraq

Bush praises Petraeus, denounces attack in Yemen
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
“We are a link in the strong chain of America that binds us to the  
heroes of the past. We honor that past, and all the warriors who have  
marched into history so that we may live in freedom.”

- Staff Sgt. Jason Seifert, the Army’s 2007 NCO of the Year and  
Master of Ceremonies for the Army’s Spirit of America showcase

Spirit of America connects with Rochester
TODAY'S FOCUS
ARNG General Educational Development (GED) Plus Program

What is it?

The ARNG General Educational Development (GED) Plus program was  
implemented in January 2006. The program has a school located at The  
National Guard Professional Education Center (PEC), on Camp Robinson,  
in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Students experience both a military  
basic training and a structured academic environment. To attend, the  
student must complete ninth grade and be withdrawn from high school  
for at least six months. Applicants must be 18 years of age or be  
otherwise ineligible to return to their local high school. In  
addition, the student must be fully qualified for enlistment and  
achieve a minimum AFQT score of 31 on the Armed Services Vocational  
Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test.

What are the accomplishments?

The number of students tested increased from 709 in FY06 to 1942 for  
FY07 and 2030 students as of Aug. 20, 2008.  In FY07 1422 students  
passed for a 73 percent success rate. In FY08, GED Plus opened an  
instructional lab. As of Aug. 20, 2008, 2030 students tested and  
passed out of 2137 students, resulting in a success rate of 95  
percent. The success-rate increase from 73 percent in FY07 to 95  
percent in FY08 was due in part to implementing the instructional lab  
and modifying instructional techniques.

What continued efforts does the ARNG have planned for the future?

Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2008 on an $18.4  
million GED Plus training complex to be located at PEC. This facility  
will allow the program an annual throughput of approximately 7,500  
students.

The GED Plus program will complete the IET Soldier training path by  
directly shipping the students to basic training once they  
successfully pass the GED test.

The program will also collect and analyze data to determine the  
success rate of GED Plus students completing their Military  
Occupational Skill Qualification (MOSQ).

Why is this important to the Army National Guard?

According to the 2007 GED Testing Program Statistical Report, 1.23  
million students fail to graduate from high school each year and  
approximately 39 million adults in the United States (18 percent of  
the U.S. population) have not earned a high school diploma. This  
program has the potential to produce thousands of new Army National  
Guard recruits that would have previously been ineligible to enlist  
in the Army National Guard.

Resources:

ARNG Web site
INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
• 2008 Strategic Communication Guide - Read the 2008 Army Strategic  
Communication Guide for key messages and updates

• Strategic Communication Coordination Group (SCCG) Workspace

• Army Public Affairs Portal

• Stories of Valor

• Speaker's Toolkit

• Information Papers with " 2008 Army Posture Statement"

A CULTURE OF ENGAGEMENT
The Army Community Relations Calendar

Bloggers Roundtable

Spirit of America connects with Rochester

CALENDAR
September 2008
: National Preparedness Month

Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, 2008
: National Hispanic Heritage Month (Go to Web site)

Sept. 18, 2008
: National Preparedness Awareness Day
Sept. 19, 2008
: POW/MIA Recognition Day

SOCIAL NETWORKING
Army Media Player
Flickr: Army images
YouTube: Army videos
Twitter: Army updates
del.icio.us: Army links
NEWS ABOUT THE ARMY
U.S.: 7 soldiers die in helicopter crash in Iraq (WP)
Soldiers use biometrics to increase force protection (ARNews)
Army reduces service obligation for health care officers to two years  
(BW)
Relief efforts continue along Ike's path (ARNews)
Australian troops clear buildings in 'Cooperative Spirit' (ARNews)
TCS to ship $23.4 million of deployable satellite solutions under  
U.S. Army SNAP Program (MW)
WAR ON TERROR NEWS
Pakistan: No warnings from U.S. ahead of suspected missile strike (CT)
Defense secretary says Iraq experience has shown value of apologizing  
first, probing later (CT)
U.S. concern rises about future of Iraq's detainees (CSM)
Material was sent to Iran for for bombs, indictment alleges (WP)
OF INTEREST
3 U.S. Soldiers charged with murder in Iraq deaths (LAT)
Others involved in anthrax attacks (ABC)
Senators question FBI's handling of anthrax inquiry (LAT)
Essay: Sick and chugging gatorade in Iraq (NPR)
WORLD VIEW
Pakistan 'not warned' of U.S. raid (AJ | Story)
Iraq PM questions U.S. troop deal (BBC | Story)
Yemen arrests 19 after U.S. embassy attack (LDT | Story)
Opinion: How General Petraeus led Iraq out of its darkest moment (TO  
| Story)
Haemorrhaging of western influence at U.N. wrecks attempts to push  
human rights agenda (GRD | Story)
WHAT'S BEING SAID IN BLOGS
A visit from the president (SM)
A tribute: A son comes home (SP)
Taliban admits receiving supplies from Iran (AR)
One of my favorite speeches, and very timely (ADP)
Part 2 of 11: Battlemind skills — B is for Buddies (HHH)
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