"National Guard provides educational opportunities," The Capital, October 18, 1998 <p>The Capital (Annapolis, MD.), October 18, 1998 <p>Copyright 1998 Capital-Gazette Communications, Inc. The Capital (Annapolis, MD.) October 18, 1998, Sunday <br>SECTION: Editorial; Pg. A11 <br>HEADLINE: Guest column National Guard provides educational opportunities <br>BYLINE: By Lt. Gen. JAMES F. FRETTERD <p>Perhaps more than at any other time in our nation's history, education is vital to the survival and well-being of our free people. Competition within the global econ omy will reward those with the knowledge and skills to navigate the high-tech econ omic landscape of the future. <p>The young people of Maryland must be equipped to lead the technological revol ution in ways unimaginable just a generation ago. Technologies such as the Internet and distance learning are shrinking the classroom, making it more accessible than ever before. <p>Ironically, as more and better opportuni ties for education appear on our horizons, the cost of these opportunities is climbing at an alarming rate. The possibility exists that soon our high-tech culture will divide into a realm of haves and have-nots, with education being the precious commodity sought by all, but held only by those of financial means. <p>With all the futuristic challenges and opportunities of the next millennium nearly upon us, it may seem ironic that an institution that has been a part of the very fabric of Maryland life for nearly three centuries is providing a very real and timely solution to this dilemma. <p>This institution is the Maryland National Guard, an organization older, in fact, than the United States and responsible for secur ing and defending our liberties in every major conflict and war since the Revolution. While most Marylanders think of the National Guard only in times of emergency, the guard is actually involved continually in community activities. <p>The Maryland National Guard has established a Partnership in Education with 12 of Maryland's community colleges, whereby members of the guard receive a 50 percent tuition waiver. When coupled with state tuition assistance and the Montgomery GI Bill, this waiver allows guard members to attend one of the 12 community colleges at little or no cost. We are actively pursuing relationships with Washington College, Morgan State University and the University of Maryland system. <p>We feel very fortunate that we enjoy a flourishing relationship with Anne Arundel Community College. The partnership between the Maryland National Guard and Anne Arundel Community College is a natural one, since these institutions have strong and lasting roots in the community and are committed to improving the quality of life for their fellow citizens. <p>In a speech prepared for delivery in Dallas the day of his assassination, Nov. 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy wrote: "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." This simple, declarative sentence underscores the importance we in the Maryland National Guard place on education. It also explains why we believe our Partnership in Education is a win-win situation for all parties: Our citizen-soldiers and citizen-airmen can gain an affordable education to succeed in both their military and civilian careers, and the community benefits by gaining a better educated, more valuable population. <p>But the Maryland National Guard is more than just an excellent way to pay for college. The guard leads the way in pioneering distance learning technologies, or socalled Distributive Training Technology, which we are making available to the public as part of our plan to make our armories community centers again. <p>Through a complex network of voice and video computer links, students can further their education throughout our state at specially constructed sites located at our facilities in Laurel, Camp Fretterd (Reisterstown), Oakland and Warfield Air National Guard Base, home of the Maryland Air National Guard's 175th Wing in Middle River. Degree programs are available from the associate's degree level right on through the master's degree level, allowing students located in Cumberland, Laurel, Oakland and Warfield ANG Base in Middle River to attend classes taught by a professor located at Bowie State, hundreds of miles away. <p>We live in a world in which partnerships between public institutions are vital in maximizing services to our citizens. We must be interdependent to survive and prosper in an increasing complex society. We need to pool our resources and optimize our institutional strengths. When the end result is a quality education for those in both urban and rural areas, the benefit is inestimable. __ The writer is the adjutant general of the Maryland National Guard.