Frequently Asked Questions

Tuition Assistance is a Department of Defense benefit that you may draw from while serving on active duty. It exists in order to help you with career and educational opportunities and serves as a "use or lose" benefit. You do not pay into Tuition Assistance (as you previously did with your MGIB account) and once you qualify for and receive funding, you must successfully complete the course with a passing grade. Our Student Admissions Representatives are standing by to assist you and help you process Tuition Assistance requests.

Troops 2 Roughnecks (T2R) is an industry leading rig safety and skills training program. We provide on-base training for active duty servicemen and women seeking a career in the lucrative oil and gas industry. Our students graduate with an International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Rig Safety Pass, WellCAP certification, and a broad knowledge and awareness of working on a rig. Following completion of the program, our placement services professionals will also provide you with job placement opportunities if you need and want assistance (which includes developing your resume and preparing you for interviews).

No cost to you means our courses are covered 100% via military tuition assistance. Our programs are operated in conjunction with our partners, Central Texas College & InovaTech - College of Business and Technology. Upon enrollment, our staff will provide you with the necessary Tuition Assistance forms to be completed, signed by your Command, and submitted to your Base Education Office for approval.

The Tuition Assistance provided to you by the Department of Defense generally requires that you possess a GT Score of 100 or above (Active Duty and Reservists). For Marines, you will also have to attend a College 101 briefing. If you are a National Guardsman you will receive Tuition Assistance based on slightly different criteria, but again we will assist you through the entire process. Should you have any questions, please notify a Troop Transition, Student Admissions Representative.

Your GT Score is a measurement of your Verbal Expression (VE) and Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) skills as assessed by the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. Your test score measures your General Technical abilities and will help determine your access to Tuition Assistance dollars.

For Marines and sailors, you can now qualify for Tuition Assistance by taking the Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE) at Base Education Centers aboard Camps Pendleton or Lejeune. The test has a two-hour completion time and you will receive your test results the very same day. Once you have successfully completed the TABE, you will be eligible for Tuition Assistance.

For soldiers, contact your education centers for more details.

Our programs are designed for Active Duty servicemen and women, Reservists (currently on active duty), and National Guardsmen.

Our programs are currently offered at Camp Pendleton, CA, MCAGCC 29 Palms, Ca. and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. We expect to be located on three to five additional military installations across the country by 2012.

We work with producers, drilling contractors, and oilfield services employers based in the United States. Most drilling operations in the United States can be found in TX, CA, OK, AR, LA, PA, CO, NY, WY, ND, AK, and WV. You'll typically start out in an entry level role (Floorhand or Roustabout) and then with time, experience, and good performance, you'll progress into other positions with more pay & responsibility. It is not uncommon to see a promotion after 30 days and even two promotions in one calendar year. You'll learn all about career paths and various jobs as a part of the program.

Never. Even if you chose another career, even if you give this a try and decide roughnecking is not for you...we will never ask you to sign a contract, nor will our employers.

Troops 2 Roughnecks delivers a no-strings-attached job offer... it's up to you to accept the offer. We do seek your commitment to the program - to satisfactorily complete the course within the allocated schedule and should you accept a job offer, our sincere hope is that you'll invest the same commitment and discipline as you did during your active duty service. We know that roughnecking is demanding, but certainly no tougher than what you've been through. We also know that two years into this career, you'll have the scheduling flexibility and earning power that will make a lasting difference to you and your family.

YES! There are some practical issues that must be addressed, however, our partners will never restrict your ability to work hard, contribute to the company, and earn a great living. Troops 2 Roughnecks is committed to ALL servicemen and women.

We expect and understand that you will not have any experience. Furthermore, your personal safety is most important to us. That is why two entire weeks of our program is focused on SAFETY. The rest will prepare you for getting off to a good start with your employer and learning about the equipment, duties of the job, etc. That is why we have spent so much time and resources creating the best course curriculum in the oil industry, taught by the most qualified professionals.

We offer a number of start dates on all bases throughout the year. Contact Troops 2 Roughnecks or register online now and together we can get you started as soon as possible! If our class is at maximum capacity, we will do our best to schedule you for the next available class. Please check our Class Schedule for more information.