A-6. Army Emergency Relief

A-7. Soldier for Life and Credentialing

The Army wants to be a partner in your lifelong success. Everyone leaves active duty at some point, and most will need (or want) a civilian job. We want to help you have a successful transition to civilian life and civilian employment.

It’s never too early to start thinking about your long-term goals and taking steps, even small ones, to achieve them.

While in the Army, you will learn valuable skills. Strive to be the best in your specialty. One of the reasons veterans sometimes have trouble finding jobs is that they have trouble explaining their military experience in terms that are meaningful to civilian employers.

One of the best ways to do that is by earning a credential. A credential is government license (usually state governments) or a certification from a non-government credentialing agency.

Commercial truck driver’s licenses and medical licenses are examples of government-issued credentials.

Non-government credentialing agencies that offer certifications include the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, the American Culinary Federation, and the American Welding Society.

You can learn about credentials related to your MOS on the website “Army Credentialing Opportunities On-line at https://www.cool.army.mil/ (or do a search under “Army COOL”). You will learn more about credentialing in your military training and from the leaders in your unit of assignment.

Soldiers in some fields are required to earn credentials, such as an FAA license for Air Traffic Controllers, but for most Soldiers, credentialing programs are voluntary.

You may work on a credential on your own, or you might have the opportunity to participate in an Army sponsored credentialing program.

Most of these programs are offered to students in Army schools. When you go to an Army School, you might be asked if you want to volunteer to take a credentialing exam. The Army might give you study material, including web-based training. They might pay your fees and make arrangements for you to take the exam. We encourage you to take advantage of these programs, take them seriously, and study.

You might earn a valuable credential that will someday make your job application stand out.

It is difficult to provide general information about credentials, because there is so much variety among military specialties and among credentials and credentialing agencies.

Some military specialties (for example, Motor Transport Operators, Wheeled Vehicle Mechanics, Food Service Specialists, and many others) closely match civilian jobs. Other valuable military specialties, such as Infantrymen and Armor Crew Members, do not match civilian jobs.

If you are in a specialty that does not closely match a civilian job and does not have a lot of credentialing opportunities, there are several things you can do. Some of these are good ideas for all Soldiers:

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  In the words of the Chief of Staff of the Army, the best credential is often a college degree. When you finish your Initial Military Training, talk the Career Counselor in your unit and to an Education Counselor, they can advise you about continuing your education.
  
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  Remember that you are still learning life skills that will be valuable to an employer. Army Veterans tend to be reliable, hard-working, goal-oriented, “team players” and drug-free. As a future Non-Commissioned Officer (sergeant), you will learn leadership, effective communication, how to train others, and how to supervise a job site.
  
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  Even if your “main job” doesn’t match a civilian job, take advantage of any opportunities that come your way to learn new skills, for example, computer skills and operating and maintaining different types of equipment.
  
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  Keep checking! The Army is developing new credentialing opportunities.
  

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  If you did your best, don’t be discouraged if you don’t pass on the first try. Remember everything you learned by studying to take the exam, and consider trying again.
  
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  If you choose a credential to work on, be sure that the credential is the right one for you. Before you spend your money or use up some of your military benefits, make sure that the credential is offered by a reputable agency and is known and valued by employers.
  
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  Many credentials have re-certification requirements or continuing education requirements. Know what they are.
  
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  Army COOL, Army Career Tracker, and credentialing agency websites contain a wealth of information. Talk to your instructors and leaders, your unit Career Counselor and education counselors. Ask questions!