For Aaron Goodman, recreation and the military go hand in hand — so much so that he has combined the two fields into one career. Like a fast-growing segment of veterans, Goodman got his introduction to parks and recreation through the military’s recreation programs, often referred to as Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR).

“It would make perfect sense that military personnel are pursuing degrees in parks and recreation and then looking at military recreation as a career,” Goodman says. “Many service members utilize the recreational services offered by their garrison while on active duty, so they become familiar with it and then in college have a chance to look at pursuing this as a career. There are many benefits to working in the field of recreation, and doing so in a military setting offers additional benefits and rewarding challenges.” 

Goodman, who joined the Navy at age 17, describes his route to his current role as chief of community recreation for U.S. Army Garrison in Vincenza, Italy, as an adventure. It initially began as a conversation with a friend who was a recreation major, and he urged Goodman to give the field a try.

“I began taking college classes while on active duty but did not finish my undergraduate work until completing my enlistment and becoming a full-time college student once out of the military,” Goodman says. “I received my B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University in May 2003. It’s an excellent school, and I made great use of the GI Bill to pay for college. My master’s degree is in management from Austin Peay State University, and I completed this great program in August 2009.  

“When I began to do my research on the program and look at long-term career opportunities, the degree program fit well for me,” Goodman continues. “I was interested in military recreation and looking for a way to continue serving my country in a civilian capacity, and this was a way to combine my passion for parks and recreation as well as taking care of service members and their families. I don’t think you could ask for anything better in life. We get to make a difference in the lives of people every day as well as do our part to ensure our forces are mission-ready.”

Goodman examined his career goals and then matched his education to meet them.

“I absolutely tailored my courses in recreation to fit what I was looking for,” Goodman recalls. “I have a passion for outdoor recreation but also wanted to ensure I had a solid foundation on the business side of things. So on top of my recreation fundamental classes and skill-development work, I minored in business administration and took key recreation classes that also centered on operations and management.

“My master’s degree is in management, and it was another important degree program for me,” he says. “I had been working as a recreation professional in the field for several years before beginning this program, and that made a real difference. It gave me an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge I had attained thus far and enhance existing skills. I began and completed my master’s program while working at Fort Campbell. Every class, from those dealing with finance and strategic planning to management applications and labor relations, related back to my work. There wasn’t one class that was wasted time or not applicable in the field.”

A Second Career
Ever since high school, Mike O’Neill wanted to be a park ranger, a career confirmed by aptitude tests. But first came the 11 years he served in the Navy when he started his family, so his plans for a career in parks and recreation got put on hold. His job in information technology at George Mason University in northern Virginia slowly and agonizingly confirmed his initial instinct for parks and recreation.

“I wanted to change careers, and I found GMU has a parks and outdoor recreation degree program …and I was delighted to find classes in all the things I do for fun,” O’Neill says. “It was a no brainer for me to change my career.”

O’Neill chipped away at his degree a class or two at a time until his daughter, upon her graduation from college, challenged him to finish his degree by his 50th birthday. Today, the finish line is in sight, and O’Neill next plans a second career in military MWR.

“I have my sights set on MWR because I have positive memories of MWR activities and programs from my time in the Navy, and it seems like a good fit with my military background and my new degree in recreation,” O’Neill says. “I know what it is like to be on a ship or a base and not know what there is to do for fun. 

“The time I spent overseas with my family in Rota, Spain, was the best of Navy career,” he continues. “We enjoyed it very much and would someday like to live there again. Working for MWR would make that a possibility.”

In looking back at the path to his degree in parks and recreation, O’Neill explains it was never clear-cut or easy.

“Returning to school has been difficult,” he says. “I’m always the oldest student in the class, sometimes even older than the professor. I’ve had times when I’ve doubted myself and my plan to change careers at this point in my life. But it always comes down to two things: It has been my life’s goal to get a college degree and do a job that I love. If I can get paid to do it, that’s icing on the cake.”

Using Their Experience
Not every veteran pursues a university degree to practice in the field of parks and recreation. Some learn in the military and then take their experience into the civilian sector.

Dane Matthew of Clear Creek, Colorado, retired in 2009 as a lieutenant colonel with 20 years of service in the Air Force. During his military career, Matthew oversaw the management of wide variety of services on bases around the world: food service, lodging, fitness centers, clubs, golf, bowling, skills centers, outdoor recreation and community centers. For nearly six years, Matthew served as a MWR squadron commander in New Mexico, Alaska, Arizona and California. He is now district director for Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District.

“I did not go back to school for a degree in parks and recreation, but I did use my previous military experience to get my current position in 2010,” Matthew says. “While this is a very small recreation program with just one recreation center, it is in my dream location.

“Why did I choose recreation? For me, recreation equals quality of life,” he says. “As a former Air Force services officer, that is what my mission was all about — improving the quality of life for airmen and their families.

“Recreation is the cornerstone that helps unite a community and give the residents a sense of pride,” Matthew continues. “If a community has run-down parks and recreation facilities, it is not going to attract young, healthy, active and vibrant families to the community. Bottom line, leading a community park and recreation program was a perfect fit for my military experience.”

Jason Lang currently serves as camp coordinator for Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services in Virginia. It’s doubtful Lang would be where he is without his four years in the Army that included service in Iraq and Alaska. He left the service with the rank of sergeant in 2007 and soon set out to add a master’s degree in recreation leadership from James Madison University to his undergraduate degree in political science.  

“Serving overseas helped crystallize my interest in public service,” Lang says. “I met so many great families and children overseas who didn’t have many of the luxuries or even necessities we have here in the states. I had always been a part of parks and recreation during my youth and felt it would be the best path to continue my public service...and because I love to have fun!”

While many veterans take advantage of the GI Bill to finance their post-service education, Lang received his education during active service. “My undergraduate loans were paid as a part of my military service compensation,” he says. “I was a teaching assistant during my graduate studies, teaching health promotion classes along the way.”

Driving the Degree
The historic GI Bill, which followed the end of World War II and assisted waves of veterans in their education, got an extensive overhaul during the administration of George W. Bush. Dubbed the “New GI Bill,” the program increased assistance from $40,000 to $90,000 and allows in-state public universities to provide full scholarships for veterans.

Dale Larsen, professor of practice for the Arizona State University School of Community Resources and Development, sees a significant correlation between the GI Bill and increased enrollment in the school. Nearly 300 veterans are enrolled in the college of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Nonprofit Studies. “We have more veterans enrolled in our college than any other ASU College — and this number continues to increase,” Larsen says.

“The numbers of enrolled veteran students are increasing every year, largely because of the fabulous benefit established in the GI Bill,” he says. “The ASU College of Public Programs houses four related schools: Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Nonprofit Studies (School of Community Resources and Development [SCRD]); Social Work; Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJ); and Public Affairs.

“My educated guess is that the majority of veteran students are likely enrolled in CCJ,” Larsen explains. “This makes sense, largely because of the police and public-safety concentration area following military tours of duty. The veteran students enrolled in SCRD (the school I teach in) are very interested in long-term military jobs related to Welfare and Morale Services located on military bases.

“As much as I would like to speculate that a large percentage are interested in public parks, recreation and public administration,” Larsen adds, “the unfortunate truth is that this area has been cut the most in recent budget cycles, not leaving much opportunity for veterans seeking careers in federal, state and local public-sector employment.”

Larsen’s caveat means veterans considering degrees in parks and recreation need to be strategic in their planning in order to find not just employment, but employment that satisfies their long-term goals in the field.

Thinking Ahead
“I would definitely advise someone thinking of a park and recreation career to get as much practical experience as possible,” says Lang. “Whether that’s through interning, volunteering or paid positions, experience as many of the unique career paths available in parks and recreation as you can. Success in the field is a study in multitasking, creativity and team-building — all skills attained through tangible service in front of the public.”

“My advice to military members who think they would like to enter civilian parks and recreation someday is to earn a recreation degree and/or acquire national recreation certifications before they separate from the military,” says Matthew. “By having a degree or national certifications, you will open up many more doors of opportunity in the civilian career field.”

Goodman advises assessing one’s goals in parks and recreation from a high level: Does the veteran want to be a programmer or an administrator?

“Depending on their career path, this can determine what classes or career assignments they should look at pursuing,” Goodman says. “A business or programming foundation is something college students need to look at.

“Having good classes on leadership and practical opportunities along the way to apply this knowledge in both an academic setting and later a professional setting are crucial,” Goodman continues. “Managing processes and leading people are the two things you can boil operational success down to. If you can manage processes, but you cannot lead people, you will not be as successful as those who can.”

Matthew has a parting piece of advice he believes anyone interested in pursuing parks and recreation should consider.

“Don’t expect to earn a huge salary,” he says. “Even at the top of my organization, my salary is nowhere comparable to the salary I earned as an officer in the Air Force. However, I am doing something I truly enjoy doing and find the intrinsic rewards of helping to improve my community much more satisfying than earning a big salary. Besides, how many people can go swimming, lead a hiking group down a mountain trail, lift weights, take a jog, ride a bike on a trail, take a group skiing, shoot hoops, play baseball, kick a soccer ball or toss around a lacrosse ball with community youth, all while having been at work all day long?”


Phil Hayward is a northern Virginia-based writer and editor and former editor of Parks & Recreation.