Many young people have started college on campuses across the country. Can you imagine having a wife, 5 children and a full-time job and going to college, as well? Imagine adding being an active soldier in a war.
Two college degrees may be enough for many people, but not for Capt. Tom Noble. As he currently serves his second deployment in Iraq, Noble’s passion for education has led him to be selected to remotely present a research paper Aug. 9 at a U.S. international business conference.
Serving a 12-month deployment since November 2007, Noble is an assistant team chief and operations officer for a national police transition team in Iraq. When he is not training Iraqi national police officers to take over security of their country, he continues his pursuit of a master’s degree from Central Michigan University, which he began in May 2005.
Noble, originally from Macon, Ga., will remotely present a research paper from Iraq at the Global Strategic Management Inc. First International Business Conference in Dearborn, Mich. The paper, "Analysis of Iraqi Market Suitability for Individual Home Water Purifiers," was a project for his CMU international marketing class that addresses the need for water purifiers in Iraqi homes to prevent illness from contamination.
"With so many gastro-intestinal diseases and health related issues here in Iraq and poor water quality being the prime reason, I thought what better way to bring this issue to the front than to talk about it," said Noble, who also has degrees in psychology and public health from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga.
Soldiers like Noble benefit from tuition assistance provided by the U.S. military, and many have been able to pursue their education free of charge thanks to CMU’s military tuition discount, which is set at the military tuition assistance cap.
"The Army gives us such a great opportunity to continue an education, and with new improvements to the Montgomery G.I. Bill, a soldier would have to be insane not to take advantage of it and get something better out of their military career," said Noble.
Noble credits his thirst for education to his father, who has served in the U.S. Army for 33 years and received a master’s degree in psychology while on active duty. After receiving his degree from CMU, Noble plans to pursue a doctoral degree in business psychology.
"This degree from CMU is just one of many goals that I have written on a tattered sheet of paper that’s over 10 years old now, and it keeps me focused and on track for the future," said Noble. "A Ph.D. is the next educational goal on my list."
Following his military career, Noble plans to move with his wife and five children to his wife’s native Morocco, where he would like to start a business in marketing.
Noble shows that non traditional students shouldn’t let fear or personal situations stop them from obtaining their educational dreams that may advance their career. He works to encourage those who think they live in a war zone and strives to be a role model promoting education as the answer to success.
