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CASPA and Military Awards/Schools


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Military awards can be listed under Awards, Honors, & Leadership. Military schools can be entered under Completed Professional Sessions. As far as awards, I only listed my honor graduate status from my combat medic course and I listed my terminal rank of Sergeant under leadership. I didn't list each award and medal I've ever been awarded because it didn't seem pertinent to the application. Hope that helps!

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  • 3 months later...

Be sure to spell them out.. The days when admin types actually had personal military experience and understand the lingo are go.

 

Even so, even the most lame civilian will have a faint stir in his consciousness when he/she reads Combat ( infantry/action) badge, purple heart, Or Bronze Star...

 

They may even think.. " hey, these things may actually represent something important!"

 

List 'em. You earned them and they (should) elevate you above those without them.

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for the input. I will probably just list them - the other question that came to mind are all those "correspondence courses" or MCI's (USMC lingo??) I took for college credits. My school used some of them as elective credit, most of them 1.0-2.0 credits per course.

Also I got my paramedic cert at night while active duty, but it was through a con ed program not a curriculum credit hour program so pass/fail I guess.. does that get listed too?

 

Thanks for the help!

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I don't think I listed any of my MCI type courses, unless they were particularly relevant. The paramedic cert absolutely list with a "pass" on it.

As for your awards, definitely list them out like has already been said. Like rcdavis said, they really don't know the difference. They'll see Nat'l Defense service medal or GWOT and think you're the second coming of Chestly Puller.

I can't remember if Caspa specifically asks for type of discharge, but make it a point to put that on there as well.

Good luck!

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  • 3 months later...
  • 1 month later...

How did you guys describe you duties and responsibilities on CASPA?  Did you list them all or did you break them down by assignment?  I was active duty for 21 years.  I worked labor and delivery, locked psych units, was an IDC on a carrier, small clinic and with 2ND MARDIV. 

I broke it down by duty stations and assignments.  If there was a section move (L&D to ER, for example) I put the dates I had while I was in L&D and described those duties.  Then I would put the dates and duties of the ER as a separate entry.  I did the same for changes of duty stations. 

 

It makes for a long CASPA app, but it gives the reader a good look at what you did.  Don't forget to list your leadership roles while performing your duties (LPO type stuff or CPO duties if they apply).  Most schools like to see folks who have the medical experience not only as a worker bee, but as a leader as well.

 

That's how I did it.  It was a pain remembering everything, but I got it done.  I did 20 years, so I was in a similar position when I applied.

 

Good luck.

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  • 1 month later...

Under the coursework section, I listed the credits that ACE recommended.  Should I spell out the course under institutes attended?  Should I put Naval School of Health Sciences Basic Hospital A School  from Sept to Dec 84.  Field Medical Service School  etc., etc. etc.?  This is my third cycle of applying and have not been granted a single interview.  I know my GPA is a factor.  But with over 28 years experience in a wide variety of settings I should be able to pull one interview from somewhere.  I have applied to a total of 22 programs over the 3 cycles.  I am continuing to take more classes.  Some of the classes are repeats and some are upper level bios.  I am taking a hard look at my CASPA application and seeing where to "beef up"  the statements I made regarding my experiences.  I am definitely going to follow the advice of Will352ns, and break out each assignment and describe my responsibilities of each assignment.  Each cycle I have done a complete re-write of my personal statement.  I am even considering highering a coach.  Any input here would be much appreciated. 

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