Graduates win military equality

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The Senate's passage of the National Defense Reauthorization Act in December advances the gains home-schoolers have made in their quest to be treated equally by the military. Included within the act is an amendment called Section 522, which instructs the Pentagon to develop a policy whereby home-school graduates can compete equally with their peers from institutional schools.

It has taken many years for home-schoolers to reach this point. As recently as 1998 most home-educated graduates were barred from full military service. Prior to 1998, home-schoolers were considered to be dropouts and therefore could not enter the military on the same footing as public school graduates.

Home-schoolers were placed in a lower category, or tier, and consequently experienced discrimination simply because their high school diploma was earned through an alternative method of education.

The tier structure, which governs how new recruits are admitted into the military, posed significant problems for home-schoolers. New recruits without traditional high school qualifications are placed in Tier II, which is designed for people who are thought to possess fewer skills and abilities. Starting a military career in Tier II, rather than Tier I, disqualifies recruits from making significant upward progression. The rigid tier structure of the military left little room for home-schoolers.

Fortunately, a five-year pilot program was started by Congress in 1998 that allowed home-schoolers full access to the armed services. But this program was ended, after a one-year extension, in fall 2004.

Home-schoolers were left in limbo, and many of the Home School Legal Defense Association's member families were unable to get their children into the military and asked for our help. In response, we have been negotiating with the Department of Defense to resolve the problems facing home-schoolers when they try to enlist.

In January 2005, the Department of Defense issued a letter stating that home-schoolers were considered "preferred enlistees" and that there were no "practical limits" to the numbers of home-schoolers who could obtain entrance into the armed services. Ever since then, the Department of Defense has worked with HSLDA to resolve almost every local recruitment problem concerning home-school graduates.

In particular, the Army has been favorable to home-schoolers and adhered to the assistant secretary of defense's January 2005 policy. Recently, the other branches (Navy, Air Force and Marines) began offering the same benefits for home-schoolers as the Army, including cash bonuses, college funds and availability of positions.

The "preferred enlistment" status currently given to home-school graduates enhances the Tier II category so that it is essentially equivalent to Tier I. There should be no significant difficulties experienced by home-schoolers seeking to gain access to the military.

With the passage of the new legislation, Congress will declare that the military must always treat home-schoolers fairly. Without the legislation, it would be possible for the Department of Defense to simply change its policy and exclude home-schoolers again.

HSLDA looks forward to continuing to work with the Department of Defense to ensure that home-schoolers are simply treated equally. If home-schoolers are treated equally, then HSLDA is confident that, over the years, thousands of home-schoolers will be welcomed into the ranks of the military, distinguish themselves, and prove the merits of a home education while protecting our nation's freedom.

Michael Smith is the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He may be contacted at 540/338-5600; or send e-mail to media@hslda.org.