Frequently Asked Questions — Army

Click here for a directory of military forms specifically used by the Army that may also provide additional documentation of completed educational training. These forms may be used at the discretion of the individual reviewing them for the appropriateness of the credit requested. However, users are advised to use the AARTS and SMART transcripts as primary source documents for the review of military training completed by the servicemember, verified by the services, and evaluated and endorsed by ACE.

1. Which learning experiences have been evaluated for the Army?

The online Guide contains exhibits for formal courses offered by the Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard, and for Army enlisted and warrant officer military occupational specialties (MOSs). This includes all courses and occupations that have been evaluated by ACE to date, including previously archived exhibits dated from 1954 through 1989.

2. Does ACE issue Army transcripts?

No. ACE does not generate military transcripts. The Army/ACE Registry Transcript System (AARTS) is a product of the Army and must be ordered from: AARTS Operations Center, 415 McPherson Avenue, Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027; by phone at 1-866-297-4427 (toll-free); via the AARTS website at: http://aarts.army.mil; or by e-mail at: aarts@leavenworth.army.mil.

3. What information is found on the transcript?

The transcript is divided into separate sections that include:

• Personal servicemember data;
• Military course completions — all courses that have been evaluated by ACE, with full descriptions and credit recommendations;
• Military occupations — full descriptions, skill levels, and credit recommendations;
• College-level test scores — CLEP, DSSTs, NCPACE, ACT/PEP, and Excelsior Test score data; and;
• Other Learning Experiences — additional completed courses and occupations not evaluated by ACE for college credit.

4. Who is eligible to receive an AARTS transcript?

AARTS transcripts are available to enlisted, warrant officers, and commissioned officers of the regular Army, Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve and veterans with a BASD of 1 October 1981 or later. Soldiers with a BASD before 1 October 1981 should request a VMET transcript at: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/vmet/.

As this change may also affect Army National Guard soldiers and veterans on active duty as of January 1, 1993, with pay entry basic dates/basic active service dates on or before October 1, 1981, these individuals are advised to seek further information by calling AARTS Operations at their toll-free number: 866-297-4427, or by visiting the AARTS website at: http://aarts.army.mil.

5. What if a soldier or veteran is not eligible to receive a transcript?

In such cases, the student should submit a DD Form 295, Application for the Evaluation of Learning Experiences during Military Service, a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or course completion certificates. The DD Form 295 is available to all active duty servicemembers and may be obtained from Education Counseling Centers at the onsite duty location. For veterans who do not have these documents, copies may be obtained from the National Personnel Records Center (Military Personnel Records), 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 or by visiting their website at http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html.

6. If an applicant has served in more than one branch of the Armed Services, can all the information be consolidated into one transcript?

No. However, if servicemembers have served in more than one branch of the military, they may be eligible for more than one transcript. Military transcripts are products of the individual services and must be ordered separately. They are available at no charge to the servicemember or the institution. Please remember that the services maintain their own training and service records, with varying dates of eligibility. Thus, servicemembers are advised to check with their respective Operation Centers to confirm their eligibility to receive a transcript.

7. What is the Community College of the Air Force?

Serrvicemembers who started an Air Force course after April 1972 can obtain a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript at www.maxwell.af.mil/au/ccaf/contact.asp. Servicemembers who take courses after this date should contact CCAF for information on transcript availability. The transcript may be used to request transfer of credit to another institution or to otherwise document college credit. CCAF does not award credit for all Air Force courses, but only those regularly attended by Air Force enlisted personnel and taught by CCAF-affiliated schools.

To obtain a CCAF transcript, send a completed AF Form 2099 (available to active duty personnel from the Education Office) or a brief letter requesting a transcript to CCAF/RRR, 130 West Maxwell Boulevard, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL 36112-6613. A certificate of training must accompany the request.

DD Form 214 is acceptable for Basic Training only. A copy of the ID card, front and back, is also needed. Servicemembers requesting transcripts should specify the type of transcript (personal or official) and the address to which the transcript is to be mailed, provide full name and social security number, and sign the request form. The transcripts are free. Official transcripts will be mailed only to institutions.

8. Are Army correspondence courses evaluated?

The Army, with few exceptions, has not established an ongoing proctored end-of-course examination program, one of ACE's criteria for reviewing correspondence courses. Those listed are, for the most part, high-level schools or specialized schools, such as the Army Logistics Management College. They can be found in the Keyword Index under Correspondence for easy identification. The advanced search capability in the online Guide (keyword: correspondence or by correspondence) will also quickly identify and list those courses that ACE has evaluated for college credit for all of the services.

9. Why are most Defense Language Institute (DLI) courses end-dated in 1990? What do I do for foreign language courses taken after that time?

The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center has been authorized by Congress, the regional Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges to grant an Associate of Arts Degree in Foreign Language to qualified students. Details regarding eligibility, general education requirements, and petition forms can be found on the DLI webpage: http://www.dliflc.edu; click on "AA Degree Program."

For those not eligible for a transcript, credit recommendations are based on successful completion of the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) end-of-course examination.

ACE's Credit by Examination Program began evaluating DLI's end-of-course examinations in October 1990. Credit recommendations are now based on successful completion of the DLPT III and IV series. These examinations may be taken by servicemembers who complete the DLI courses, as well as by servicemembers who must demonstrate ongoing language proficiency without having taken formal training. Evaluation of the tests is a way to ensure that both groups receive appropriate recognition. See the Defense Language Proficiency Test charts for more information on the ACE review process and how the examination results are reported.

For DLI to prepare a DLPT score report, the applicant must submit a signed DLPT Score Request Form, directed to

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
Attn: ATFL-APO-AR (Registrar Office)
Presidio of Monterey, Monterey, CA 93944-5006
Phone (831) 242-5366/6439, DSN 768-5366/6439, FAX (831) 242-5146
E-mail: transcripts@monterey.army.mil

10. What are USAFI and DANTES? Should I grant credit for those courses and tests listed on an applicant's USAFI or DANTES military test reports?

USAFI was the United States Armed Forces Institute, which offered an extensive educational program to active-duty personnel. USAFI correspondence, seminar, self-study courses, end-of-course tests, and Subject Standardized Tests (SSTs) were made available to servicemembers worldwide until 1974, when USAFI was disestablished. Credit recommendations for USAFI courses and examinations are listed in the Handbook to the Guide.

The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) was established in 1974. DANTES continues the development and administration of Subject Standardized Tests (SSTs) and other educational services. Summaries of ACE Credit recommendations for DANTES SSTs are listed in the Guide to Educational Credit by Examination, which is available from the ACE Credit by Examination Program.

In verifying completion of USAFI or DANTES courses or tests, the military test report is not to be considered official. That report is given to all servicemembers who have taken a course or test. To obtain official USAFI or DANTES transcripts, refer to the addresses provided in Other Resources

11. Which military schools grant degrees?

The following list contains the only military schools with degree-granting status at publication time:

• Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL; accredited at the two-year community college level;
• Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS; accredited to grant an M.A.;
• Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH; accredited through the doctoral level;
• Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center; accredited to grant Associate of Arts degrees in foreign language;
• National Defense Intelligence College (formerly Joint Military Intelligence College and Defense Intelligence College), Washington, DC; accredited to grant a B.S. in Intelligence and an M.S. in Strategic Intelligence;
• Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA; accredited through the doctoral level;
• Naval War College, Newport, RI; accredited to grant an M.A.;
• Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD; accredited through the doctoral level;
• The National Defense University's National War College; accredited to grant an M.A.;
• Industrial College of the Armed Forces; accredited to grant an M.A.; and
• The service academies.

12. What is the Defense Acquisition University?

The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) is a consortium of a number of schools offering courses in contracts, logistics, management, and acquisition. A number of years ago, some courses, offered by various sponsors, were evaluated by ACE's CREDIT office, because attendees were primarily civilian. Military Programs evaluated other courses offered by military schools. In the mid-1990s all component schools came under the oversight of the Department of Defense. All courses were standardized, so that now there is consistency in the courses offered by all component schools. CON 101, for example, will have the same content, regardless of the component school offering the course. Because of that standardization, Military Programs recommends credit for the courses when they are offered with DAU as the school of record. Credit recommendations can be found under Department of Defense course exhibits in the Guide.

13. What are primary, secondary, and duty MOSs?

All soldiers receive a primary MOS in which they normally work and are evaluated. Some soldiers receive a secondary MOS, which is generally related to their primary MOS. They are evaluated every other year in the secondary MOS.

A soldier works in a duty MOS, which in most cases is the same as the primary MOS. In instances in which the duty MOS is different from the primary MOS, soldiers are evaluated by their supervisor in their duty MOS. Credit may be awarded in either the primary or duty MOS or both. The soldier must maintain proficiency in the primary MOS as well as the duty MOS.

Ordinarily, the primary, secondary, and duty MOSs are in the same or a related career field. If this is the case, there is apt to be some duplication in the credit recommendations.

14. Most MOS exhibits do not carry a specific credit recommendation for Skill Levels 10 and 20. Why is that?

Recent MOS exhibits contain the following statement for Skills Levels 10 and 20: Credit may be granted on the basis on an individualized assessment of the student.

One of ACE's criteria for evaluating an occupational system is that it must provide for the assessment of the individual. Since the Army no longer offers a standardized testing system, ACE recommends credit for Skill Levels 30, 40, and 50. For additional information, refer to the ACE Occupation Evaluation System.

15. How does a college conduct its own assessment of the student?

The process of conducting an individual assessment to verify MOS proficiency is not very different from making a portfolio assessment of a student's experiences. The Guide can simplify the steps in the assessment process.

When a student submits a portfolio, the institution official must (1) determine the thoroughness and preciseness of the documentation of the experience, (2) identify the learning outcomes that have been achieved, (3) judge the equivalence of the learning outcomes to those achieved through the institution's programs of study or courses, and (4) translate the learning outcomes into credit. In considering whether to grant credit for an MOS, keep in mind that ACE evaluation teams have already accomplished three of these steps. They have (1) determined expected learning outcomes of that MOS, (2) judged the compatibility of the MOS training with postsecondary curricula, and (3) translated the learning outcomes into credit recommendations for specific postsecondary courses.

In order to make a recommendation, ACE evaluators first identify the skills, competencies, and knowledge associated with a given MOS. They use various resources, including the official Army MOS regulation, which describes the duties and qualifications for each MOS skill level; technical manuals, soldier's manuals, and other publications used by soldiers in the day-to-day performance of their duties and to prepare for their evaluation tests; and study guides that outline the proficiency requirements for each MOS skill level. During site visits to Army installations, evaluators interview soldiers and may observe them on the job.

Thus, ACE provides a sound initial assessment of MOSs in terms of their equivalency to postsecondary learning. The institution must verify whether the individual actually possesses the skills and knowledge described in the Guide entry before awarding the recommended credit. Although the ACE MOS credit recommendations are valid in a general way, they cannot be applied routinely to every individual seeking MOS-related credit. When you can confirm that the individual has attained some or all of the skills and knowledge represented by the MOS, the ACE recommendation can be utilized or appropriately modified.

16. I have looked up several courses and MOSs for one applicant. It appears that a lot of the recommended credit is in the same subject area. How can I avoid granting duplicate credit to this person?

You may grant credit for any combination of learning experiences. In doing so, however, you must be alert to the possibility of overlapping credit recommendations. When the student is applying for credit for more than one learning experience, the recommendations might cover some of the same learning. In such cases, awarding a simple total of the recommended credit could result in the award of more credit than the learning merits.

To determine how much credit should be awarded without duplication, use the following steps:

• Read and compare all the descriptions, and, on the basis of the person's program of study, identify the appropriate recommendation in each exhibit.
• Read and compare all the recommendations. It may be necessary to obtain additional information from the individual through interview or further assessment.
• Make decisions on how much credit might be awarded without duplication. Credit should be awarded as appropriate to the educational goals of the individual and the policies of the institution.

If you cannot determine whether duplication exists, contact ACE.

17. Does the Center for Lifelong Learning still publish a newsletter?

The newsletter, the Center Update, has been replaced by an electronic newsletter now available on the web. It is known as Centerpoint. It contains new features including: legislative actions affecting adult learning; innovative programs and partnerships; letters to the editor; guest editorials; the latest in adult education; ACE news; and compelling stories of real people who have used the Center's services to build successful futures.

To subscribe to Centerpoint, free of charge, simply send an e-mail to centerpoint@listserv.nche.edu and type 'subscribe' in the subject line. With each new issue, you'll receive an e-mail including content highlights and direct links to the stories and information you want.

18. How can I contact ACE if I have questions?

ACE maintains an advisory service as well as a Military/CREDIT Call Center to assist students and schools with questions about the Military Guide, courses and occupations that have been evaluated by its Military Evaluations department, and to provide information on ordering the AARTS and SMART military transcripts. If you have any questions, please contact the toll-free ACE Call Center at 866-205-6267 (CREDIT Program) or 866-641-2099 (Military Programs).