Currently considering Online MFIN Programs- Thoughts?

Hey WSO,

I am wondering what you all thought about pursuing an online masters of finance given my current position and career goals. I am currently an active duty military officer, with about 5 years left in my commitment. I attended an Ivy for undergrad and I hope to attend a strong MBA program at the end of my commitment. I have strong work and above average volunteer experiences outside of the military, but a mediocre ugrad GPA (3.2).

My goal with these programs are to learn about finance, determine if I would like to enter finance, and prove my academic chops to MBA programs (get a better GPA). I also view potential tertiary benefits as securing a recommendation/relationship with a prof or increasing my marketability for part time internships during my service. Independent of these benefits, I miss the academic rigor of academia (my current job offers next to no intellectual stimulation) and I would like a formalized way to further my education. While I could achieve this goal with a non-business program, I simply find finance to be the most interesting option.

My concern with entering these programs is that I would have a tougher time answering the "why an MBA" question if I already have a graduate business degree and that I would have to re-cover a large amount of the material, as it seems like many MBA programs require a standardized first semester/year. My top pick is Harvard Extension School, but I am also considering Penn State and Indiana University. The military will pay for about 30% of Harvard and 50% of the other schools with no downside.

Any thoughts on if these programs would have a considerable downside, or no net benefit? Thanks!