Options for someone who's going to be on a ship for 9 months!

[SolarKat]

A few weeks on shore and they'd have 12 credits on their transcript and the GI bill would be still available to them once they got out.

I can't emphasize this enough - GET THE EDUCATION WHILE YOU'RE AD. Use the TA for your degree (you can still combine that with the fast/cheap credits via CLEP, DSST, Study.com, whatever), but GET THE DEGREE. You might use it for advancement, or you might just hang onto it for when you get out. Then when you get out, instead of wasting those GI Bill dollars on undergrad scutwork, you can use it for a great masters, or a second degree, etc...but you have a lot more options post-service if you come out with a degree in hand. Don't wait. Max out your TA. It's worth it!!