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Education Resources
Army Knowledge Online (AKO)
Army Knowledge Online (AKO) is rapidly moving to
become the central repository for Army Web Sites and access to
secured information. As part of the Army Transformation, the
personnel community is moving rapidly toward streamlining its
systems and giving Army National Guard Members access to their
military personnel information on-line. We are currently using
AKO for Career Field Designation (CFD), Command, and Senior
Service College preference statements submission via the web. In
the very near future you will no longer have to send away for a
copy of your fiche, you will be able to view your file to
include your photo on-line. Eventually you will be able to view
and possibly update some of your personnel data through the web.
We are strongly encouraging all officers to sign up for an AKO
account. With this you receive an e-mail address that will
follow you throughout your career, eliminating the every 2-3
year updates and ensuring you receive the latest information
from your assignment branch. If you have an account and do not
know your password, you can call the toll free number on the AKO
WebPages to receive it. To access AKO, type
www.us.army.mil into your browser.
DEFENSE ACTIVITY FOR
NON-TRADITIONAL EDUCATION SUPPORT (DANTES)
The following information provides an overview of
the programs and services available to Guard members, Guard
spouses and civilians through DANTES. Overview
http://www.dantes.doded.mil
·
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
·
Excelsior College Examination Program (ECE)
·
DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs)
·
General Educational Development (GED)
·
American College Testing (ACT)
·
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
·
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and GRE Subject
Tests
·
Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
Note: Re-tests for the SAT or ACT are funded for
Guard members enrolling into an OCS program only if original
test scores are over six years old.
Authorized Tests for
National Guard Spouses and Civilians
National Guard spouses and civilians are
authorized to take CLEP exams, DSST and ECE free of charge
(though some may require a registration fee). All other tests
(i.e. GRE, GMAT, etc.) are available to ARNG spouses and
civilians but require payment from the examinee.
Testing Locations
The following testing locations are available to
Guard members, Guard spouses and civilians as indicated.
·
Guard members may test at any DANTES Test Center.
·
Guard spouses may test at an Army National Guard,
Air National Guard, Army Reserve or Air Force Reserve DANTES
Test Center.
·
Guard members, Guard spouses and civilian
employees may test on a reimbursement basis on the CLEP, DSST,
and ECE at National Credit-by-Examination Centers (colleges,
universities and Sylvan Prometric test centers).
To register for a DANTES TCO Course contact the
ESO at National Guard Bureau (NGB-ARH), CPT Elizabeth Kirby,
703-607-5821 or
Elizabeth.Kirby@ngb.army.mil
Student Guide to
Success
The Student Guide to Success is made up of
professionally developed study courses on video and
audiocassettes available to help ARNG soldiers, spouses and
civilians prepare for the CLEP, DSST, and ECE exams. Many
courses require an administration fee for National Guard spouses
and civilian employees and a textbook may also be required to
pass these exams. Materials can be order through the State ESO,
or on line through the Army National Guard Institute (www.ARNGI.org).
Education Software
Packages
The following education software packages can be
downloaded by the ESO to assist in the education counseling and
development of National Guard soldiers, spouses and civilians.
·
Career Guidance Information System (CAGIS).
·
DISCOVER for Colleges and Adults.
·
Military Experience and Training Evaluation
Consultant (METEC).
·
AZTEC Software Package. (AZTEC Discs can
currently be requested through DANTES while supplies last.)
Use the following contact information for the
latest updates regarding the benefits and services available
through DANTES.
·
DOD VOLED Web Site
Visit
www.voled.doded.mil for ARNG access to the best source of
voluntary education information. In addition, the DANTES
Military Counselors Net is provided on the DOD VOLED Web Site
for ARNG ESOs and Education Counselors to access for specific
information from other military educators and counselors around
the world.
·
DOD VOLED Hotline
DANTES manages
the DOD Military Voluntary Education Information Hotline at
1-800-492-4533 for ARNG access.
·
DANTES National Guard Point of Contact
Point of contact for the ARNG is Mr. Tim Furches, DANTES Army
National Guard Liaison, CML 850-452-1760, FAX 850-452-1528, DSN
922-1760, or email at
tfurches@voled.doded.mil
RESERVE COMPONENT EDUCATION
PANEL (RCEP)
The RCEP endorses several initiatives to support
voluntary education efforts in the Reserve components including:
·
The Reserve Component Testing Program
·
The Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Air
National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Coast Guard Spouse and
Civilian Employees Testing Program
·
Reserve Component Regional Test Control Officer's
Workshops
·
The expansion of the Army/American Council on
Education Registry Transcript and the Sailors and
Marine/American Council on Education Registry Transcript
·
Expansion of SOCAD, SOCNAV, SOCMAR, and SOCCOAST
to support the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Reserve
·
Promotes the DANTES Military Counselor Network (MCNet)
·
Promotes the DANTES Military Education
Information Hotline (MEIH):
1-800-482-4533, also at
http://dantes.doded.mil/counselorsupport/infoline
INFORMATION ON
COLLEGE CREDIT FOR MILITARY JOB SKILLS
Educational Reference Publications
The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional
Education Support (DANTES) distributes educational reference
publications for use by Education Services personnel in
counseling Military Service members. Many of these publications
are acquired from the civilian education publishing community.
DANTES also develops and prints publications to support other
DANTES and service education programs.
American Council on Education
The American Council on Education (ACE), founded
in 1918, is dedicated to the belief that equal educational
opportunity and a strong higher education system are essential
cornerstones of a democratic society. The Military Evaluations
Program of ACE makes it possible for service members to receive
college credit for service school courses and most enlisted
occupations. The credit recommendations for evaluation of
service school courses and occupations are published in the
Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed
Services commonly referred to as the ACE Guide.
In the Higher Education arena, DANTES provides
primary professional leadership and manages two Department of
Defense (DoD) contracts. The contracts are with the
American Council on Education (ACE) for the Military
Evaluations Program and the American Association of State
Colleges and Universities (AASCU) for the
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Program. The
services and support provided by the Higher Education Programs
area impact heavily on (1) all military headquarters, education
center personnel, and (2) on every Service member participating
in the Services' voluntary education programs. The
non-traditional Higher Education Programs under these contracts
are available worldwide. The ACE contract provides for the
evaluation of Service School courses, selected enlisted, warrant
officer and limited duty officer occupations, Navy enlisted
classifications, Department of Defense courses, National Guard
and Reserve courses.
Thousands of Service members earn college credit
for their military training and occupation through evaluations
conducted by ACE. These credits can be applied to a college
degree or a vocational certificate that can lead to career and
educational advancement.
The ACE contract also provides for ACE to research and write
manuscripts and copy for use as DANTES publications such as the
2000 Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the
Armed Services, the 1954-1989 Guide to the Evaluation of
Educational Experiences in the Armed Services, the Handbook to
the ACE Guide, and brochures and posters, and to work with
colleges in explaining and interpreting academic credit for
military experiences. The ACE Guide is also online at
http://www.militaryguides.acenet.edu.
If you are enlisted and your pay entry basic date
(PEBD) is on or after 1 October 1981, you can request your
Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript (AARTS)
by completing a DA Form 5454-R dated May 1995 or contact the
AARTS at
https://aarts.leavenworth.army.mil.
Troops to Teachers
The primary function of Troops to Teachers
http://www.proudtoserveagain.com/pages/808014/index.htm and
http://www.jobs2teach.doded.mil is to provide referral
service-to-service personnel to assist them in their pursuit of
teaching as a second career. This successful program also helps
in the placement of these individuals in areas of the greatest
need. Troops to Teachers is a U.S. Department of Education and
Department of Defense program that helps eligible military
personnel begin a new career as teachers in public schools where
their skills, knowledge and experience are most needed.
Click here for the Troops To Teachers Home Page
Click here to enter the Troops To Teachers Job Referral Site
MILITARY EDUCATION
Army Continuing Education System (ACES)
The Army Continuing Education System (ACES)
through its many programs promotes lifelong learning
opportunities and sharpens the competitive edge of Army, 2010
and beyond. ACES is committed to excellence in service and
innovation. You can earn a degree, obtain scholarships, and much
more. For further information go to
http://www.armyeducation.army.mil/.
Guard and Reserve members are eligible to attend
DOD professional education programs, services' Command and Staff
schools, and a broad spectrum of specialty field training
schools.
The Services' Educational programs include many
opportunities for Reservists. In 1983, the Vice Chief of Staff
Army directed that the Army Continuing Education System (ACES)
be opened to the Army Reserve and Army National Guard. This
program is available to Army Reserve and National Guard members
through their ESO. The Army National Guard and the Army Reserve
offer the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) to members who
enlist or extend in a unit or military occupation specialty
established by the Secretary of the Army as bonus eligible. It
repays 15 percent or $500 whichever is greater, each year on the
outstanding balance for certain federal student loans plus
annual interest. Up to $20,000 in loans may be repaid on the
member's behalf under this program. Guardsmen and Reservists in
Arkansas, Iowa, Florida, Montana, Oregon, Massachusetts, West
Virginia and Wyoming may take college-level exams at National
Test Centers for a $10.00 administrative fee. For further
eligibility requirements, contact the service representative in
your area.
Service Members Opportunity
Colleges Army Degree (SOCAD)
The Service Members Opportunity Colleges Army
Degree (SOCAD) system consists of groups of accredited colleges
and universities that offer job-related degree programs at the
associate and bachelor’s degree level on or accessible to Army
installations and communities. It is a system of college
curriculum networks designed by
SOC for Army soldiers and their family members. The SOC is
adding a career option to SOCAD, which maximizes Army learning
experiences and minimizes additional college study. This option
is called the SOCAD Army Career Degree Program.
SOCAD is the Service Members Opportunity Colleges
(SOC) degree program for the Army. It consists of colleges that
offer associate and bachelor's degree programs on or accessible
to Army installations worldwide. These colleges have joined
together to form networks in which each college accepts credits
from all the others. This guarantees that Army students and
their adult family members can continue toward completion of
their degrees even though the Army may transfer them several
times. There are also degrees available by distance learning
that require no classroom residency.
SOC Guard
SOC Guard
http://www.soc.aascu.org/socguard/Default.html was
established to foster partnerships in education in support of
Army National Guard recruiting and retention activities. SOC
Guard functions as the liaison between the higher education
community and the Army National Guard. The SOC Guard project
staff, in cooperation with the National Guard Bureau and
National Guard strength maintenance and education services
personnel within each state, provides ARNG soldiers with
educational advice and coordinates with high schools and SOC
colleges to help ARNG soldiers realize their full military and
civilian potential by pursuing a college education and
developing career plans. Additionally, SOC Guard encourages
colleges and universities to apply for SOC membership, partner
in education with the ARNG and further educational opportunities
for Guard members.
Reserve/Guard Activation and Mobilization SOC
Service Members Opportunity Colleges (SOC)
supports our service members called to active duty in the fight
against global terrorism. In cooperation with the Department of
Defense, we are providing assistance to activated
Student-Reservists and the colleges/institutions in which they
are enrolled. Included in this section is a
checklist for Army National Guard soldiers who are currently
attending college and have been called to active duty;
sample letters to college and student loan administrators
advising them of the student's activation; and information on
the disposition of
MGIB benefits and student loans upon activation. In
addition, we provide related Web links with valuable information
to both students and college administrators.
Policy letters and state laws addressing activation of
student-Guard/Reservists include letters issued by the American
Council on Education (ACE) and the American Association of State
Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to their member institutions.
Currently, Arkansas, New Jersey and Texas have a state law
governing a call to active duty of students.
ARMY CIVILIAN
EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Army Civilian Personnel Online
Department of the Army Civilian Personnel Online http://www.cpol.army.mil/index.html
site is a tool for Army civilian personnel professionals,
managers and employees and access to Army civilian employment,
training and career opportunities. This site also allows you
admittance to the Army civilian personnel library, Personnel
Management Information and Support System (PERMISS), Position
Description PD Library, and links to other civilian personnel
information and sites.
AIR FORCE CROSSROADS
EDUCATION
Welcome to the Education section of Air Force
Crossroads
http://www.afcrossroads.com/education/. Here you will find
essential information on institutions, services, and resources
from around the world. To get started, please choose from one of
the categories below.
Official DoDEA Website
U.S. Schools (k-12)
U.S. Colleges
International Colleges
Collegebound
Scholarships
College & Beyond
Homeschooling
Special Needs
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Partnership with Parents
Relocating with School-Age Children
Related Websites
Civilian Employee Training and Career
Opportunities
Information about civilian employee training and
career opportunities can be found at
http://www.afcrossroads.com/employment/sitemap_refresh.cfm?page=gov_af.
AIR NATIONAL GUARD
The Air National Guard provides access to all
DANTES credit-by-examination programs, Community College of the
Air Force Associate Degree programs, federal tuition assistance
for AGR members, state education benefits for all members, and
the Student Loan Repayment Program, which will repay up to
$10,000 in student loans for enlisted members and up to $20,000
for medical officers.
Spouse and Civilian Testing Program - Spouses of
Air National Guard members and federal civilian employees are
eligible to take CLEP general and subject examinations and
DANTES Subject Standardized Tests free of charge at Reserve
Component DANTES Test Centers (there is a minimal registration
fee).
For additional
information on Air National Guard Voluntary Education Programs
contact CMSgt Art Hafner, 3500 Fetchet Avenue, Andrews AFB,
Maryland 20762-5157; DSN 278-8677, commercial 301-836-8677;
e-mail:
hafnera@ang.af.mil. Alternate POC is MSgt Karen Peters,
XXX-8672, e-mail:
petersk@ang.af.mil.
MILITARY FAMILY RESOURCE
CENTER (MFRC)
The Military Family Resource Center (MFRC) is a
tool for enhancing the effectiveness of military family policy
and programs. MFRC's mission is to act as a catalyst of
information between the Department of Defense Military Community
and Family Policy (MCFP) office, military policy makers, and
program staff, and to deliver timely, efficient, and effective
information services through cutting-edge technology.
HOW...through
our E-mail alerts, we advise you of new publications and events.
Review the
Policy Information and
Program Manager Resources sections of the MFRC Web site to
learn of new policies and to obtain tools that will enhance your
programs. Review our
Research/Evaluation and
Statistics sections for the latest on military family
research and demographic and statistical information. You also
have access to our military quality of life document collection
and organizations database. Our
Current Events section will keep you updated on the latest
news, conferences, and special events, and visit our
Networking/Partnerships area to keep in contact with
colleagues and other organizations that work with military
families and family programs.
MFRC also incorporates the
National Clearinghouse for the Military Child Development
Program. The Clearinghouse was created by the Department of
Defense in response to President Clinton's urging that the
lessons learned from the Military Child Development Program be
widely shared with the rest of the nation to improve the quality
of childcare in the United States. While this remains the
central mission, the focus of the Clearinghouse has been
expanded to include information on military youth programs.
DOD VOLUNTARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS U.S. RESERVE
FORCES
Education
programs for the Army National Guard can be accessed at:
Army National Guard (ARNG) or
Army National Guard Institute.
MAPPING YOUR FUTURE
Mapping Your Future is an award-winning public service Web site
that provides college, career and financial aid information and
services for schools, students, and families, and can be
accessed at
http://www.mapping-your-future.org/planning/. It can help
you choose a career and then map out a plan to achieve your
goal.
Be sure to visit the Web sites of Mapping Your Future sponsors
to learn more about the services and programs they offer.
American Education Services (AES) - a division of PHEAA
American Student Assistance
Colorado Student Loan Program
Connecticut Student Loan Foundation
EdFund /
California Student Aid Commission
Education Assistance Corporation
Educational Credit Management Corporation
Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)
Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance
Georgia Student Finance Commission
Great Lakes Educational Loan Services Incorporated
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority
Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority - Michigan
Guaranty Agency
Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program
MOSTARS/Missouri Student Loan Program
National Student Loan Program
New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation
New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority
New Mexico Student Loan Guarantee Corporation
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
Northwest Education Loan Association
Oklahoma Guaranteed Student Loan Program
Oregon Student Assistance Commission
Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority
South Carolina Student Loan Corporation
Student Loan Guarantee Foundation of Arkansas (SLGFA)
Student Loans of North Dakota
Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation /
Adventures In Education
United Student Aid Funds, Inc.
Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MILITARY
CHILDREN PROGRAM
The Scholarships for Military Children program is administered
by the nonprofit Fisher House Foundation, best known for
building family comfort homes near military medical facilities.
The program has awarded 920 scholarships and nearly $1.5 million
in its first two years. The scholarship program is open to
dependent unmarried children (under the age of 23) of active
duty personnel, Reserve, Guard and retired military. Eligibility
will be determined using the Defense Enrollment Eligibility
Reporting System (DEERS) database. Applicants should ensure that
they, as well as their sponsor, are currently enrolled in the
DEERS database and that they have a current ID card. All
applicants must be citizens of the United States. The applicant
must be planning to attend, or already attending, an accredited
college or university full-time in the fall term of 2003.
www.commissaries.com or
www.fisherhouse.org
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