Sergeant (SGT) Denys Bulikhov is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 75th Regimental Special Troops Battalion (RSTB) at Fort Benning, Georgia. He has served for four years as an active duty Soldier. He is pursuing a Master of Science from the University of North Dakota. SGT Bulikhov’s long-term goal is to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy and eventually work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
SGT Bulikhov shared that he likes to study and is always looking to improve himself. “Education is very important in the field I want to work in, and the Army gives a great opportunity to get a degree with Tuition Assistance (TA) so it is smart to use it.” He also points out, “Almost everything with TA can be done online now, which is very convenient.”
When asked about his key to success, SGT Bulikhov discloses that to be successful in distance learning you need to be committed and willing to sacrifice time. “For two years, I literally had almost no free time. It is hard and frustrating.” He describes a time when he was deployed to Afghanistan and struggled with his studies due to a very limited connection. However, he was determined and found a way to succeed even if it meant giving up sleep to do chats and homework in the middle of the night.
When asked what advice he has for others, SGT Bulikhov answered, “You just have to know that you want it. And continue doing it even it is hard–just like anything else in life”.
SGT Bulikhov thanks the staff at the University of North Dakota for making every effort to cater to military students.