Uncovering how close we came to mutually-assured destruction

Thursday, July 14
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. ET

Register Today!

The Cold War gave birth to an age where nuclear weapon scares were a bitter reality. With military build-ups, economic competition, and cultural insecurities, relations between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were on the verge of disaster. But how much do we really know about what happened between 1978—1995? Will history repeat itself, leading us even closer to thermonuclear war? 

Find out by joining American Military University as we analyze the inner-workings of the socio-political decisions that steered the U.S. and U.S.S.R. through the most dangerous incidents of the Atomic Age.

Leading the discussion, we are joined by Dr. Steven Schwalbe, who served as the lead analyst for Soviet General Staff-directed military exercises in the Defense Intelligence Agency in the 1980s. Additionally, during his Air Force career, Colonel Schwalbe served as Assistant Defense Intelligence Officer for the Middle East and Terrorism; Pentagon IG Inspection Director; Air Attache to Korea; Air Attache to Jordan; and, Chief of the Air Force Military Assistance Program in Jordan.

Join American Military University as we break down all aspects of the death of Osama Bin Laden. Intelligence Analyst and Program Director at AMU, Elena Mastors discusses what the death of Osama Bin Laden means for the United States of America and the world.

[Learn more about degrees in intelligence.]

Tune into the special podcast below to learn more about the death, and it’s future impact on our country.

Interested in understanding more about the inner workings of the criminal mind? To catch a criminal, one must study the behavioral clues left behind by the perpetrator. But what does this investigative process entail and what type of a person is fit for piecing together the crime scene puzzle?

Learn more about the criminal investigative process at American Military University’s (AMU) live webcast event:
Principles of Criminal Investigative Analysis (CIA)
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 – 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET

Join American Military University for this live event presenting the general principles of Criminal Investigative Analysis (CIA), otherwise known as Profiling. This analysis focuses on the perpetrator’s behavior, which in turn reveals certain aspects of his/her personality. A trained investigator can use this technique to link cases in a pattern, include or exclude cases from those patterns, identify likely suspects, and exclude others. These techniques are also useful in developing interviewing strategies. After a presentation of the general principles, we will examine CIA’s use in two types of investigations where it has been particularly useful: arson and serial sexual assault.

Register today to learn more about the fascinating processes that go into place to catch criminals.

- J. Mason

In honor of AMU and APU‘s graduation ceremony tomorrow, I thought, that as a DC native, I might put together a quick post with some to-dos and must-sees in Washington, D.C. — so if you’re in the area for graduation, here are my personal top ten favorite things to do (in no particular order)!

1. Visit the Capitol - You can either purchase a ticket at the kiosk just outside the building (for an official, guided tour),  or admission is free, so you can just wander in (after a security screening) and people-watch.
   • Hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm
   • No backpacks permitted
   • More information here
   • List of restaurants in this area here
2. Check out the Smithsonian/The National Mall – Both the Blue and Orange Metro* lines go to the Smithsonian (the Smithsonian stop is on the Mall).
   • The Mall stretches from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and is dotted by Museums, cafes & restaurants and more
     • The Hirshorn Museum of Art (beautiful sculpture garden)
       • 7th Street SW & Independence A, Washington, DC; 202-633-1000
     • The National Museum of American History(Lincoln’s top hat, Julia Child’s kitchen, Nintendo GameBoy, etc.)
       • 14th Street NW & Constitution, Washington, DC; 202-633-100
     • National Museum of Natural History (Hope Diamond, insect zoo, IMAX theatre)
       • 10th Street NW & Constitution, Washington, DC; 202-633-1000
   • You can also find the National Museum of the American Indian, the WWII Memorial, and an old-fashioned carousel in front of the Arts & Industries Building.
   • Restaurants on/near The Mall
3. Visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial – Located at the west end of The Mall, this memorial is absolutely a must-see while you’re in the area.
   • Henry Bacon Drive NW, Washington, DC 20037; 202-426-6841
4. Visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum – Located just outside the mall, this museum is a sobering experience, but one of the best (IMO) museums DC has to offer.
   • 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, Washington, DC; 202-488-0400
5. Say hi to Mei Xiang and Tian Tian (our giant pandas) at the National Zoo – It’s free and open from 10:00am until 6:00pm daily.
   • 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; 202-633-4800
6. Visit the Newseum- Accessible by Green, Yellow and Red lines on the Metro* the Newseum is an awesome museum (sadly, not free… tickets are around $20/person) featuring front page news from around the world.  Here you’ll have access to 15 theatres and 14 galleries – and I promise a really great, interactive and informative experience.
   • 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., 888-639-7386
7. Walk around Penn Quarter & China Town- If you hit the Newseum, you’ll already be in this area, and the following attractions are all within a 15-20 minute walk:
   • Museum of Crime & Punishment
   • Ford’s Theatre (very cool)
   • International Spy Museum
   • Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
   • The U.S. Navy Memorial
   • The Verizon Center
   • E Street Cinema (eclectic movie theatre)
8. Eat some chili on the U Street Corridor- Home to DC’s famous Ben’s Chili Bowl (1013 U St. NW), the 9:30 Club (815 V St. NW), and plenty of bars, shops, cafes and night clubs.
   • More Food on U St.
9. Take a stroll through Georgetown – Unfortunately, the nearest metro stop (Foggy Bottom) is about 8-9 blocks away, but Georgetown is worth the trip if it’s a nice day.  Here, you’ll find tons of restaurants and shops (from boutiques to big name stores) and it’s just a really beautiful, cute little town that backs up to the water.
   • Georgetown’s main thoroughfares are M Street and Wisconsin Avenue (located right at the end of Key Bridge)
10. Visit Dupont Circle- Accessible by the Red line on Metro, Dupont boasts several posh restaurants and bars, as well as a variety of museums and parks:
    • The Textile Museum
    • Woodrow Wilson House
    • The National Museum of American Jewish Military History
    • The National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall
    • Embassy Row (pretty cool)

Obviously, I’ve given you a TON to do.  And let me put a disclaimer out there: it is highly unlikely that  you would be able to accomplish all of this in one day, so pick and choose, visit the websites I’ve linked to for you above, compare your list to a map and enjoy yourself! Washington, D.C. is really an incredible place (perhaps I’m a bit biased)!

Since this is Nicole’s Corner, and I’m the Social Media Guru here on Online Learning Tips, here are a few apps (iPhone mainly, but I believe some are available on Blackberry and Droid platforms) to facilitate your DC visit:

• Urban Spoon (to help you find good food nearby)
• Yelp (find restaurants, attractions, and events nearby— all rated by locals)
• DC Metro Map (a convenient way to have a Metro map in your pocket at all times!)
• UStream Broadcaster (set up a live streaming video channel online to share your graduation and DC visit with friends and family back home)

Congratulations, grads, and best of luck in your future endeavors…

Cheers, and happy downtown wandering!

*Metro Map

Bored to tears with your job? You are not alone. According to the Conference Board research group, more than 45 percent of workers surveyed expressed that they were dissatisfied with their current jobs. Many factors are to blame for this shift in contentment in the workplace such as,

• jobs are not as interesting as they used to be
• incomes have not kept up with inflation
• climbing cost of health care is eating away at take-home pay

If you are in the same boat, why not try something new? This economy is not ideal for most when it comes to researching and trying new careers, but you can broaden your range of possibilities with an advanced degree, and you can earn it while keeping your job. With the job market slowly climbing back into a healthy status you do not want to be left behind in a career that is unsatisfying. Start by searching for classes today.

View the full worker’s dissatisfaction  report >

Students demonstrate their ability to take classes and perform course work from anywhere in the world in this slideshow. The following photos were submitted by actual American Public University and American Military University students from their home locations.

If you’re taking a course online, you’re not alone. According to a Sloan-C survey report titled Staying the Course: Online Education in the United States, in 2008 nearly 3.9 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2007 term.

How can you successfully finish your courses and continue to earn your degree?

“There are common mistakes many students make — whether they study online or attend traditional ‘brick and mortar’ universities,” says Dr. Frank McCluskey. “Unfortunately, these mistakes can stand in the way of career advancement.”

McCluskey is provost of American Public University System (APUS), which serves more than 30,000 online learners worldwide. American Military University (AMU) and American Public University (APU) are part of the University System.

Here are Dr. McCluskey’s tips for successful online learning:

1. Manage time effectively

It is critical that you effectively manage work, family and school responsibilities — week in and week out. If you are concerned about time pressures, don’t be too ambitious in the beginning with your course load.

One of our students began pursuing his degree in criminal justice, despite a demanding schedule. He had just returned from Iraq. He was working full-time for the National Guard Bureau and part-time for his local police department. And he was helping raise four children. But, he decided, he couldn’t put off his education any longer and “was never going to be any less busy.” So, he began with just two courses.

2.  Make time for family

A supportive family is key to earning a degree as an adult learner. It’s up to you, though, to encourage such an environment by remaining involved with your family.

One business administration student at APUS attends class while stationed with the U.S. Air Force in Portugal. He spends 30 minutes each Sunday evening planning his week’s work. He reserves the rest of the day for his wife and three children. During the week, he studies in the evening — after he’s helped his kids with their homework.

His family understands that he is trying to “better our life situation.” In turn, they respect his privacy when it’s time to buckle down and get schoolwork done.

3. Create a good study environment

Like any higher education offering, online schools require a tremendous amount of reading and “thinking” time. A single course may require up to 10 hours of reading each week, in addition to research and assignments.

Find or create a quiet space that minimizes distractions and lets you stay focused. Some service members continue studying while deployed in Iraq. If they can carve out a good learning space, so can you.

4. Make the most of your university community

Online learning doesn’t have to be — and shouldn’t be — solitary.

• Look for ways to be part of a community.
• Take advantage of student services.
• Readily participate in newsgroups or chatrooms.
• Seek out professors that can be mentors, even after you leave school. For example, one student earned his master’s degree in security management and now works for a private security firm. He turns to a former professor for input regarding difficult workplace issues. Another student regularly uses AMU’s online research center — and calls on its librarian for tough research assignments. It has paid off. A paper he wrote as part of his master’s program was recently published in a history magazine.

5. Value the journey

Keep in mind that each course — each assignment — brings you closer to earning your degree. Certain courses may even benefit you immediately. For example, AMU students who complete the global terrorism course receive a United Nations certificate in peacekeeping.

It’s not only about earning your degree. It’s about lifelong learning. Ongoing education can help you make a difference in your family life, hometown, community, country — and even the world.

By Online Learning Tips Staff

Time management is an issue of supreme importance to working adults who are juggling school with already demanding schedules. Terry Grant, the Director of Admissions Management for American Public University System, understands this very well, as she went back to school primarily to improve her ability to provide for her family as a single parent of three. Today she uses that experience, as well as her background in psychology and higher education administration, to help others achieve their goals.

The first problem for adults contemplating additional education is making the time commitment. Dr. Randy Pausch of Carnegie Mellon’s lecture on “Time Management” at the University of Virginia in November, 2007 referred to what he called the ”Time Famine”. His condition made his subject more poignant; he was battling terminal cancer and died the following year at the age of 49.  He said in essence, “The time you spend is time you can’t get back, so the issue is not how much the courses cost, but ’is it worth two years of your life?’” 

Bob Brzenchek is a former police officer and former US Navy Reserve Intelligence Specialist who owns his own business. “Consultant4Hire07” conducts vulnerability threat assessments for private and government agencies. In spite of all the other demands on his time, he attends American Public University System online and expects to graduate soon with a Master’s in Strategic Intelligence with a minor in terrorism studies.

He points out that “If you want that stellar job or promotion you will always need education to advance yourself.  In these days, having a master’s is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.  You need to stand out from the crowd.”

He also agreed with Dr. Pausch’s equation, ‘Bad time management = Stress.’  Pausch had explained that one has to make fundamental adjustments to the way one spends time, and Mr. Brzenchek acknowledged this.  “Students with poor time management skills cause themselves and others around them stress.  If you work as a team or individually, goals are important.  A clear path and direction for your day, week, month and year will take you a long way.”

Ms. Grant explained, “Time management tools are built into college classes from day one; the syllabus is there for a reason!  You know from the start what your workload is, when readings and assignments are due, when exams will be administered. You can map the whole semester out to fit your schedule and never feel rushed.  Each student has a different learning style and his or her own unique set of strengths and weaknesses.  Our introductory class at American Public University, Foundations of Online Learning, will help students determine their learning style so they can prioritize their work in a way that makes sense for them.”

Academic services help students manage their time more effectively. Mr. Brzenchek noted that, “The University has a great online network that is very streamlined.  When you go to the homepage after logging in, everything you need academically is at your fingertips. My advisor has been instrumental in ensuring that I am on track to graduation and has contacted various offices to follow up on my behalf.  My mom was diagnosed with cancer and I have been granted much needed course extensions which have been approved by my professors.”
 
Ms. Grant remarked, “Using the syllabus to plan ahead is vital.  And if unexpected circumstances arise, communicate, communicate, and communicate.  Let your advisors and instructors know what’s going on in your life and ask for their assistance and advice.  You’ll find more often than not that there are ways to work around special circumstances, but you won’t know if you don’t ask.”

As Mr. Brzenchek summarized, “I think back to my law enforcement days and what I always heard from my sergeant with respect to responding to calls. ‘You are no good to anyone if you get in an accident enroute.  Take your time and assess your surroundings, then proceed with caution’.  To avoid the time famine, it’s also a good idea to assess your situation from time to time, and proceed accordingly.”

By Online Learning Tips Staff