On the first day of my freshman year of college, I was handed a schedule that included five days of 8 a.m. classes.

I did not consider myself in the least bit lucky.

Today, as I watch many of my military spouse friends balance 3 a.m. wake up calls with newborns, year-long deployments and homework, I realize just how lucky I was. 

At 18 I had a full class load, I slung beers at a local bar when I had time and my biggest decisions for a long time amounted to picking a movie to see on Friday night. I was in and out of college in a cool five years, which included several semesters dedicated to internships. I never had to bother with transferring credits and the Dean knew me by my first name when he handed me my diploma.

Now, I watch in amazement as my friends hassle with transferring credits with each PCS move. They carry cartons of books to each new duty station. Sometimes they finish. Sometimes they don’t. Graduation day often comes via mail because there just isn’t time or means to attend the ceremony.

While we complained about going to class, these women are longing to go. These are the students who want it the most.

Please meet my dear friend, Jennifer Spare. We met when we were both stationed at Fort Bragg and attended a meet and greet with the cast of the show, Army Wives. Jennifer was a fan. I was a reporter on assignment who harassed her until she agreed to be interviewed.

Since then, our kids have become friends. Her daughter was in the first Daisy Girl Scout troop I led. We’ve both moved on to new locations but remain in near daily contact on Facebook.

When she earned her associate’s degree, I couldn’t have been prouder.  Jennifer’s candid, honest outlook on the world is what I enjoy most about her and her friendship. As she works toward her bachelor’s degree, I know she is an inspiration to me. I hope she is to you too.

Please look for Jennifer’s column to begin appearing on Tuesday, May 22.

 Last week the Department of Defense asked the Senate to cut $120 million from the Military Spouse Career Advancement program for fiscal year 2012.

Sources told Military.com and other media outlets that the cuts do not mean the program will be changed, but rather that fewer spouses are using the scholarships, meaning less money is needed.

When MyCAA was launched in 2010, the program offered $6,000 scholarships to all spouses, regardless of their sponsor’s rank. Months later, Pentagon sources said the popular program simply ran out of money. It was redesigned to focus on junior spouses and offer fewer funds per student.

The DOD is currently awaiting top leaders to finalize a $260 billion reduction in planned spending over the next five years. A total of $450 billion in cuts to defense spending are planned over the coming decade. The department could lose another $500 billion as Congress tries to cut $1.2 trillion from the government budget by Thanksgiving.

Officials told media members this week that the smaller MyCAA budget is not a result of the overall spending cuts and that the scholarship program will not change how it operates or what spouses are eligible.