GGU Alumni Robert Harold: Safe Guy, Safe Bets
Photo courtesy of Robert Harold.
Golden Gate University is committed to supporting student veterans. Periodically, we share stories of distinguished alums who have connected their military service and higher education experience to continue contributing to their communities.
Transitioning from Active Duty
Raised in Louisiana, Robert Harold joined the military in 2013 at 18. He served as an aircraft loadmaster in the Air Force for the next six years. In 2019, after his exit from active duty service at Travis Air Force Base, Robert knew he wanted to utilize his GI Bill®️ to pursue a degree. Armed with personal research and glowing recommendations from friends in the area, he chose GGU for its reputation as a veteran-friendly school. With a smooth enrollment process, easy access to veteran education benefits, and high academic standards, GGU was the obvious choice.
Class Experience and Education Benefits
Not knowing that the COVID-19 pandemic was just weeks away from disrupting in-person learning, Robert started classes at GGU in January 2020. By July, all of his classes had shifted to an online format. Challenging as it was, Robert maintained a full-time course load while working full-time as a flight scheduler for an airlift squadron. By his final year of classes, as the academic demands increased, Robert knew it was time to pause his job to focus on completing his degree. Thanks to his education benefits, especially the monthly housing allowance (MHA) that accompanied his GI Bill®️ eligibility, Robert could live comfortably, maintain his lifestyle, and keep his attention and momentum directed at his studies.
Coordinated Degree and Career Specialization
In December of 2022, Robert graduated from GGU with a bachelor's in business management with a concentration in information technology. Self-described as a "safe guy who makes safe bets," Robert purposefully planned to pursue a career similar to what he'd experienced during his military service. Equipped with specialized training and a degree, he now possessed the tools to open doors to new organizational leadership and project management opportunities.
Professional Impact
Currently, Robert works as a Training Manager with the Oregon National Guard. He helps manage formal schools, pilot training, and basic military training (BMT) for around 1,500 enlisted and officer airmen. He is responsible for a 1.7 billion dollar mission-essential skills training budget. Robert loves providing foundational on-the-job knowledge for airmen who return to their bases for training. He also loves the stability his General Schedule (GS) employee status offers him through excellent healthcare and retirement benefits, for which his active duty Air Force time continues to accrue.
The GGU Experience for Veterans
Robert credits his GGU experience as one of the great contributors to his professional success. During his years as a student, he highlights his experience in his classes that were engaging and challenging and his personalized experiences with GGU's veterans benefits certifying officials and advisors. Specifically, GGU's Diller Center helped to supplement GGU's support services for student veterans. While Robert admitted he didn't need a ton of support, he knew that if he did, he could find it. Despite pandemic policies and restrictions, Robert could stay connected to GGU about events on campus and utilized common study spaces with some of his Air Force buddies who were also studying at GGU.
Experience the Personalized GGU Difference
Are you curious about Robert's story and want to learn how GGU and The Helen Diller Center for Veterans of US Military Service can support your academic journey? Our team is standing by to help!