From green to gold: ACES shapes a retiring officer’s educational journey

By Linda Willer-Wright Special to U.S. Army Installation Management Command Public and Congressional Affairs

When Col. Larry Workman walked into an Army Education Center as a young private, he wasn't pursuing a commission.

He wasn't planning a distinguished 36-year Army career.

In fact, he wasn't even sure college was possible.

"I came into the Army, and academics and education weren't a priority for my parents or for me," said Workman, whose last duty station was as Observer Controller/Trainer with Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky. "The first thing the Army did for me was introduce me to the education center. I didn't even think getting an education while serving on active duty was possible."

That first visit changed everything.

After improving his General Technical score through Basic Skills Education Program classes offered by the education center, new opportunities quickly followed. Tuition assistance, College Level Examination Program exams, and college coursework gradually became part of his routine as he balanced military duties with nights and weekends in the classroom. He also discovered that he could receive college credit for his Army training through his Joint Services Transcript, helping accelerate his progress toward a degree. Eventually, he earned an associate’s degree, opening the door to Officer Candidate School and a commission after 10 years as an enlisted Soldier.

Workman would later complete a bachelor's degree, earn two master's degrees, deploy six times, and command at the company, battalion, and brigade levels.

Reflecting on his accomplishments, however, Workman doesn't begin with promotions, deployments, or command assignments.

He begins with the Army Education Center.

"That was the original thing that got me on the education train," he said.

Paying opportunity forward

For Workman, education fundamentally changed the way he viewed leadership. Because he remembered the challenges of balancing military service, family responsibilities, and education, he made a conscious decision as a commander to remove barriers for the Soldiers he led.

"When Soldiers were approved for college, I made sure they had that opportunity," he said. "I never allowed the Army to become the obstacle."

That commitment wasn't simply about supporting education; it was about investing in people. He knew a single opportunity, coupled with someone willing to encourage it, could alter the course of a Soldier's life.

"I wanted young Soldiers to know the opportunities were there," Workman said. "I wanted to use my own story as an example. If you want Soldiers to truly trust you, you have to show them you care. One way you do that is by making time for them to improve themselves, to be with their families, and to pursue their education."

He credits one of his earliest leaders for setting that example.

His first squad leader personally walked him to the education center and encouraged him to improve his GT score.

"That," Workman said, "is what true leadership is."

Throughout his career, he worked to pass that lesson forward.

More than a career

Today, as he concludes 36 years of service — including 10 years as an enlisted Soldier and 26 years as an officer — Workman believes the Army's investment in education extends far beyond degrees. Education develops better thinkers, stronger leaders, and more capable Soldiers, he said.

"I think you have to be a well-rounded person to lead people," Workman said. "Education opens your mind to different perspectives. It teaches you how to think, not just what to think."

During his final week in uniform, Workman reflected on everything the Army had given him: discipline, purpose, confidence, opportunities to see the world, and a career that exceeded anything he imagined as an 18-year-old private from West Virginia.

Yet when asked what mattered most, his answer returned to where it all began.

"I wouldn't be here without ACES," he said: "I think it's probably the greatest institution inside the Army

For the young private who never imagined where that first visit would lead, one lesson has remained constant: education isn't a destination.