I applied to the WGU Master of Science program for Data Analytics – Data Science earlier in 2026. I finally contacted an enrollment counselor to start the process of enrollment. Now I have a WGU account and a page in the enrollment portal.
The last time that I had attempted to get enrolled was back in 2024. Because of my Bachelor’s Degree, I was approved for immediate entry. I didn’t enroll because I was sorting out potential service in the US Navy, I didn’t have a financial plan or a clear source of financial resources, I didn’t have a clear method to avoid working full-time while also having the ability to handle financial hurdles, etc. No major social connections and no marriage. I have never been married, nor have I ever attempted to have a romantic relationship. It seems like people tend to underestimate the practical value of a spouse, like shared income and insurance benefits.
The eligibility requirements have shifted, since 2024. In 2026, if I don’t have a 4-year STEM degree, then I need to fulfill alternate requirements. Psychology is a social science, so I suppose it doesn’t count as STEM. The easiest alternate requirements are two courses that are only 25 dollars apiece, if they’re completed in two months. If I go beyond two months, then it’s 90 extra dollars per course.
The first course is Foundations of Coding.
Going by the syllabus, it’s basically “learn Python and SQL.” I can already use both Python and SQL, and I’ve given myself some refreshers for them. This course probably won’t be too tricky.
The second course is Data and Decisions: Applied Statistics:
It seems like this course is mostly going to be a refresher course, for me.
Apartment
My apartment is basically set up for every day life. I’ve been living and sleeping in it for over a week now. Multiple laptops are set up. There are likely no major barriers for taking courses. Just a bit more work and it will be more fully set up.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
I’m currently qualified for VR&E, which used to be known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. I already applied for VR&E and I’ve had my first assessment meeting. I can use either VR&E or my partial GI Bill coverage to pay for WGU’s tuition. Hypothetically, my Master’s Degree is a done deal so long as nothing disrupts everything. Life is complicated so disruptions can always occur.
I do have the advantage of relatively simple social and family circumstances. I don’t think that anyone is likely to pressure me into anything.
Social and Family Circumstances
My default state has been ‘nerdy friendless recluse.’ That caused some issues during my awkward 18-month attempt at US Navy enlistment. The weird thing is that, for a lot of people, they want to connect with others, but the issue is that they’re too awkward with their efforts. I’ve been closer to active avoidance and passively losing interest (or passively never developing interest).
Based on my personal recollections, several people have been interested in my involvement in life. Pressure to be involved has existed. My own response has typically been disproportionate; I’ll almost always resist getting involved if I hadn’t already planned on getting involved.
This tendency became a lot more obvious during my enlistment period in the US Navy. I compiled a timeline file several months, which I kept updating.
Here is my approximate timeline for my time in the US Navy.
19AUG24 – go to boot camp.
31OCT24 – graduate from boot camp. Go to Outback Steakhouse with parents and aunt.
01NOV24 – arrive at SCSTC; immediately go on overnight liberty with parents and aunt at her home in Minooka. Go to Outback Steakhouse with parents and aunt, then go to Walmart.
03NOV24 – get back to SCSTC. Immediately in student holds for about a month.
Within two weeks – firefighting training for two days.
As quickly as possible – Phase II liberty status
02DEC24 – class up to ATT; ATT indocs on first day, first aid and CPR training on second day.
21DEC24 – first Mass-X (holiday leave); return home.
05JAN25 – return to SCSTC.
February or March 2025 – Phase III liberty status
Around 14MAR25 – graduate from ATT. Immediately in student holds for about a month.
In April or May 2025 – class up to ET ‘A’ School.
June 2025 – go off-base for off-base liberty for first time with aunt, who acted as my liberty buddy. Go to her home in Minooka, after grocery shopping.
28AUG25 – go off-base to reclaim center in nearby off-base Nex via duty drive while in uniform. Needed properly fitting dress whites to participate in the graduation ceremony. Parents and aunt were already invited and ready to attend the ceremony. Informed the staff members overlooking the graduation practice that I am unable to get liberty buddies, and that I have never been off-base on liberty with a liberty buddy. Technically true, if “liberty buddy” means “student liberty buddy.”
29AUG25 – graduate from ET ‘A’ School. Get an immediate emergency psychiatric evaluation in respond to PHA packet. Stuck in indefinite student holds.
All off-base activity in remainder of 2025 is for visits to Lovell FHCC via duty driver, except for the following.
20DEC25 – second Mass-X (holiday leave); return home.
04JAN26 – return to SCSTC; realize NorthShore Care Supply facility is near Naval Station Great Lakes during Uber ride from ORD to SCSTC.
All off-base activity up to now is for visits to Lovell FHCC via duty driver.After 03NOV24, all on-base liberty is limited to the Galley, Nex, and Open Learning for ATT. This is true for the remainder of 2024.
In 2025, on-base liberty is expanded to include gyms. Specifically Gym 440. During ET ‘A’ School, on-base liberty includes Open Learning for ET ‘A’ School and occasional visits to the Epicenter for food and bowling. Some visits are made to the USO and the Loft, but only to accomplish specific goals, like printing something or using a computer with a CAC reader to get PI qualified.
After ET ‘A’ School graduation, on-base liberty for gyms is extended to Gym 4.I did have some goals for liberty, but none of it came to fruition. During ATT, a student named [redacted] wanted to go Lincoln Park Zoo. We created a plan to go. He was going to text me as a method of coordinating our plan. I ghosted his text. The risks of going off-base for liberty were too high seeming, particularly when liberty buddy accountability is taken into consideration.
I would like to know how unusual my liberty patterns and off-base access are. I have zero familiarity with anything nearby that is off-base. I don’t even order food to pick up at the gates for the base. My only reliable source of fresh food has been a Farmer’s Garden vending machine at Lovell FHCC. Considering my background, I should have the technical aptitude that’s needed for off-base access.
27FEB26 – separate from US Navy; unexpectedly given a driving itinerary; book a stay at the Days Inn by Wyndham Great Lakes Naval Base
Finally explore the NorthShore area via Uber. Purchase incontinence supplies for direct pick-up at NorthShore Care Supply.
28FEB26 – leave Great Lakes, IL for home via aunt driving me home.All previous issues at SCSTC now rendered moot.
SCSTC Incidents of Declined Participation
There a handful of other incidents that were similar to the Lincoln Park Zoo invitation. When I was at ET ‘A’ School, there was at least one moment where my classmates took note of how I never went off-base, so I was told to go ‘touch grass.’ A few more incidents happened during my six-month holds period after ET ‘A’ graduation, before my separation.
I was more open with my personal distress after ET ‘A’ graduation, which includes being open in the barracks GroupMe chat. That led to a few social incidents. The biggest one happened on Veterans Day.
Veterans Day was a day off, and it wasn’t my duty section day. Chicago, IL is next door to Naval Station Great Lakes, and there was a large amount of free food available on Veterans Day in Chicago. That was advertised in the GroupMe chat.
I decided to complain about the nature of social capital, since it’s a practical necessity to get anything done, like go off-base for liberty. I had very little of it, so I couldn’t go off-base if I had wanted to. My tone and wording were interpreted as a ‘cry for help,’ so I got pulled into the main administrative office of the barracks to speak with the petty officer that was on-duty to watch over everything.
I was told that I wrote something that was totally depressing, so now people were worried that I was going to do something drastic. I had to assure the petty officer that I didn’t plan on doing anything, so the GroupMe posts were interpreted as me venting. She gave me advice for finding a few people with which I was comfortable and relying on them to act as a my liberty buddies, and she informed me that, for my enlisted life in the US Navy, if I was going to be stationed off-base, liberty buddies are a constant reality for going off-base.
Student leadership announced, over the 1MC intercom system, that there were students that were available to act as liberty buddies, with arranged transportation. I was obviously the primary target for this; responses in the GroupMe chat included posts like “be sure to invite Justine.” The petty officer indicated the opportunity. I said I didn’t want to actually go anywhere on Veterans Day. She says that she feels better after she goes out to eat. I just declined everything and was eventually given the chance to leave the office.
I went back to my room, which housed five total students. I had plans to go to the USO to print a few things. My designated liberty buddy went straight to my room and knocked on my door. I opened the door and he just assumed that I was going to go out on Veterans Day with him, my assigned liberty buddy. I said I didn’t want to go out. He asked why. I said ‘just no’ and closed the door. Then I left for the USO as quickly as possible.
There was no follow-up by anyone for that. One student spoke with me later, regarding how I’d never actually seen Chicago, IL. She said she’d take me to see the city. Days later, she tried to speak with me again about this. She got distracted when someone else walked by and started to speak with this other person. I took advantage of the distraction and slipped away. No further attempts to speak with me, regarding the topic.
Aside from that, one of my roommates made a handful of efforts to actively engage with me. Asking questions for which I was evasive. Asking me if I’d like food from a restaurant from which he was ordering food and making suggestions after I initially declined the offer. Asking me if I wanted anything from the commissary during his semi-regular visits to the commissary. He had some sort of arrangement where he was able to keep a vehicle, possibly based on the maintenance work he did.
I was actively seeing a mental health provider during my six-month holds period, before my separation. The sessions were a month apart. In the last two sessions, I was given an assignment to go off-base with this roommate. Just for something basic, like a visit to the commissary. I made no active efforts after the second to last session, so I reassigned the assignment during the last session. Then I was separated a week or so after that session.
While I was leaving the room and the barracks for the last, he asked if there was no lasting friendship. I just gave a blunt “nope.” He gave a final remark for how I wasn’t a bad person, then I left.
I only have two phone numbers for people from SCSTC. Two of my peers through ATT and ET ‘A’ School. I sent text messages to both of them more than a few months ago, just to reestablish a connection. Everyone in my graduating ET ‘A’ class had orders for San Diego, CA, including myself.
I never wanted a good duty station for enlistment. I just wanted to become a commissioned officer, and to have a Master’s Degree.
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