Army Training, Education and other services, assistance and programs
Promotion points for technical certifications
Soldiers who are seeking promotions to Sergeant and Staff Sergeant can help their cause by adding technical certifications to their resume for additional considerations. Credentialing Opportunities Online (COOL) helps to source civilian credentials that are within the soldier's field or discipline, or specifically the soldier's Military Occupational Specialty (MOS).
Programs are also available to assist in funding these certificate courses. These relevant certifications can add to the soldier's qualifications and are partly considered when applying for promotion. The benefits of these certifications can extend beyond the Army's requirements, and into civilian life and assist those who wish to pursue careers outside of an Army career.
Some certificates are available to a soldier fairly early in their Army careers, however some advanced certifications are available and are usually based on more advanced Army training and education.
Members of the National Guard or Army Reserves may qualify for GI Bill reimbursement for the licensing and certification testing fees, now totaling $2,000 for each test. This benefit has been available on the GI Bill beginning in 2002 and extended benefits to the Guard and Reserves in 2006. For more information on these programs, please consult the offices of the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Assistance Programs
There are two assistance programs available, one for the soldier returning from current deployments (Special Recruiter Assistance Program - SRAP) and one for soldiers who have completed their Advanced Individual Training courses, Unit Training or the Army Civilian Acquired Skills Training programs (Hometown Recruiter Assistance Program - HRAP), both designed to allow soldiers to share their experiences with people local to their community such as family, friends, potential Army recruits, veterans and other key members of the community.
Army Tuition Assistance (ATA)
As of April 2006, the Army's continuing education system allows soldiers to apply for tuition assistance, and helps them to enroll in Army training and education courses online. This assistance reduces the wait times that often occur at Army Education Centers.
Service Members Opportunity College (SOCAD)
This program offers associate and bachelor degrees on or available from Army bases and installations across the globe. Colleges within the network are able to accept credits from other network colleges to ease and streamline the Army education and training process. This opportunity makes it possible for soldiers to continue to work towards degrees regardless of where in the world the soldier may be deployed or transferred. The classes are conducted online and require no traditional classroom participation.
eArmyU
This is a new college that conducts its Army education online, offering 100% tuition assistance, required study materials, the costs for the courses, and the required technology to take advantage of this program including a computer, printer and internet access. Their mandate is to offer the most streamlined opportunity to reaching the milestones in the student's Army training and education.
Army Education programs
The Army Emergency Relief and Spousal Education Assistance programs provides for an additional $350 for those stationed in Europe, Japan or Korea to go towards continued education, while the Army College Fund affords more than $20,000 to those who sign up for the GI bill, is a high school graduate and score a 50 or better on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, and qualifies for certain jobs and specialties. The Student Loan Repayment Program (LRP) will pay up to $65,000 for student loans at the College level, once the recruit has enlisted with the Army.