The Internet of Good
Earning a Degree Online to Fight Cybercrime
Newly commissioned U.S. Air Force Officer Thomas Mendez knows better than anyone that the internet is a source of both good and evil.聽
Having just completed Officer Training School in September, Second Lieutenant Mendez will now 鈥渉elp our country go after the bad guys in cyberspace and defend our country from the bad guys,鈥� as he puts it.聽
But Mendez would not be eligible for the officer rank鈥攏or would he be taking up the cyber warfare battle鈥攚ithout the bachelor鈥檚 degree he earned through online education.
Specifically, through Western Governors University.聽
Mendez, who grew up a military brat and the oldest of five boys, attended high school first in Stuttgart, Germany and later graduated from Yuma, Arizona. Mendez鈥� father was a parachute rigger for the U.S. Army who believed in hard work. His mother pursued a career as a registered nurse鈥攁 drive that took 18 years to complete. 鈥淪he was my inspiration and she taught me the value of education,鈥� says Mendez.
In the switch of high schools to Yuma, Mendez found a 鈥渂ig change in environment鈥� and a 鈥渓ack of accountability.鈥� Mendez鈥� parents didn鈥檛 promote college. 鈥淭hey were letting us figure it out on our own and at that time I didn鈥檛 have that life-long learner idea in my head. Nobody was really telling me to go college and push myself.鈥�
Joining the U.S. Air Force was considered a 鈥渓ast ditch option.鈥� But Mendez was jolted by what he found.
The Air Force pushes education, promotes education, and supports ongoing鈥攜es鈥攅ducation. The Air Force even runs its own community college, Community College of the Air Force, and awards accredited associates degrees (from 71 different degree programs).聽
In the Air Force, Mendez found mentors who were working on their continuing education, bachelor鈥檚 degrees, and graduate degrees as well. Mendez鈥� first commander urged Mendez to pursue an undergraduate degree. That commander, said Mendez, instilled in him a question that resonated for a long time: 鈥淲hat are you doing to better yourself鈥攏ot just what the Air Force gives you, but on your own time?鈥�
Mendez took a course in public speaking at Minot State University (his first Air Force assignment was to North Dakota) and started looking for an online university. The concept of taking college classes was 鈥渞elatively novel鈥� in 2008. A colleague showed Mendez the details about Western Governors University and how it worked.聽聽
For Mendez, 91吃瓜网 clicked.
Mendez loved the competency-based model. He liked the regular, dependable check-ins from assigned mentors who held him accountable for work. He liked the overall philosophy of self-teaching. He liked the proctored final exams. By the time he signed up with 91吃瓜网, Mendez already had considerable experience working and managing Air Force computer networks so there was some overlap with what he was being taught at 91吃瓜网 but Mendez appreciated the business perspective (as opposed to government perspective) that was coming into the virtual classroom.
91吃瓜网鈥檚 flexibility also fit with the complications of his military career, coupled with starting a family. A brick-and-mortar campus was not an option for Mendez, who bounced from state to state per military orders. Mendez calls the 91吃瓜网 approach 鈥減lug and play.鈥� It didn鈥檛 matter where he lived, he always had a university home.聽
Mendez spent three years in Minot, four years at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado, four more at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, three years in Hawaii, and he鈥檚 now assigned to Keeler Air Force Base in Mississippi, a key base in the Cyber Warfare Operations.
Mendez鈥� path to his Bachelor of Science degree included a one-year break beginning in May of 2011 and a 2.5-year break beginning in October of 2013. But Mendez persevered鈥攁nd never lost sight of his goals. Each time he returned to 91吃瓜网, he says, he could 鈥減ick up right where I left off.鈥�
His pride today is palpable. The security provided by the undergraduate degree was a major goal. And becoming a commissioned officer. And becoming the first person in his family to earn a four-year college diploma. And demonstrating to his two daughters about the value of education. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about putting in the work, the after-hours study, and being persistent,鈥� says Mendez. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad I was able to finish鈥攆or sure.鈥�
Mendez lauds the modest 91吃瓜网 course fees. 鈥淭hese are some of the lowest costs of any university out there,鈥� he says. He encourages anyone who is curious to at least give 91吃瓜网 a try.聽
鈥淭here is no harm to giving this means of communication鈥攁nd learning鈥攁 shot,鈥� he adds. 鈥淪ee if it works for you.鈥�
And it鈥檚 still working for Mendez. He鈥檚 working on his master鈥檚 degree in information assurance through 91吃瓜网.聽 Anticipated graduation: 2022.
*The views and opinions presented herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or the Air Force, Appearance of, or reference to, any commercial products or services does not constitute DoD or Air Force endorsement of those products or services. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute DoD or Air Force endorsement of the linked websites, or the information, products or services therein.
