Honoring Those Who Serve — And Study

CUNY SPS is proud to share the remarkable stories of our hardworking, dedicated, and heroic students who are also active military or veterans.

In this post, we feature a Q&A with Clinton Hunter, a student in the CUNY SPS BS in Information Systems program. Clinton is a member of the Army National Guard and works as a Black Hawk Helicopter Mechanic, rank SPC.

Q: What inspired you to join the military? When did you join and what branch? Where are you serving today (if applicable)?

A: I was inspired by my wife who joined several years before I did. I saw the opportunity and benefits, mostly educational, offered by the military and also the benefit of fast tracking my citizenship as I had been a resident prior to enlisting. I joined in November of 2020. I am still serving today and my unit is in Troy, NY.

Q: What specific work do you do in the military? Are your studies at CUNY SPS connected to that work?

A: I mostly worked on Black Hawk helicopters. Anywhere from general maintenance to phases which involves almost taking the entire thing apart. I am now in the process of reclassing to another MOS (25S — Satellite Communication Systems Operator) which was my original goal, but I couldn’t get into that job during enlistment because I lacked security clearance since I was not yet a citizen. My studies generally align with my new MOS but not necessarily with my current/old one.

Q: How does CUNY SPS fit into your busy life? Do you find your CUNY SPS program works particularly well for active military and if so, in what way?

A: This particular program has fit my life perfectly as it is fully online and accredited so I am able to make time for school during my busy civilian work and military schedule.

Q: What are your dreams for the future? How is your military service — and your studies at CUNY SPS — helping you to achieve that dream?

A: My dreams for the future generally involve getting more into the IT branch of healthcare. I currently work in healthcare as a trainer but I have aspirations of moving more so in the backend and I believe my degree will assist me in doing so. The military also pays for courses/certificates to assist in that manner, so that’s a big plus.

Q: What advice would you give to somebody joining the military? Considering CUNY SPS?

A: For joining the military: make sure you have a goal or goals in mind before joining. There are so many opportunities and benefits to joining, just make sure you’re aware of most if not all of them. Housing, schooling, retirement, just to name a few. If you’re young, I’d recommend going active but if you already have an established job or career then the reserves or the National Guard can be a good fit.

For considering CUNY SPS: Their programs are almost tailor made for busy individuals like myself. Also if you’re in the military and looking at schools, always consider CUNY since the majority of our tuition is covered through the RIRP program.

Q: What is the one thing (or two or three) you wish everybody, especially the CUNY SPS community, knew about what it means to serve in the armed force?

That it comes with sacrifices. Sometimes you’ll be called away for a deployment or critical mission and then you have to put a pause on your everyday life. Luckily there are federal laws in place to protect you when things like that happen so you don’t get replaced at your civilian jobs.

If you’re in the National Guard, you have an obligation to drill once a month and 2 weeks of Advanced Training for the year. So even though it’s “part time”, the military is still a major part of your life.

Visit here to learn more about how CUNY SPS supports our military or veteran students.