Some occupations have certain professional and technical standards.
The process of meeting these standards and earning official recognition
(in the form of credentials– licenses or certifications) is called credentialing.
Private and government organizations set credentialing standards to
ensure that individuals meet the standards for their profession. These
organizations are generally called credentialing boards.
Licensure and certification are the two primary
types of credentialing.
Licensure – Governmental agencies—federal,
state, or local—grant licenses to individuals to practice a
specific occupation, such as a medical license for doctors. State
or federal laws or regulations define the standards that individuals
must meet to become licensed. Licenses are typically mandatory.
Certification – Non-governmental agencies,
associations, and even private sector companies may grant certifications
to individuals who meet predetermined qualifications. These qualifications
are generally set by professional associations (for example, National
Commission for Certification of Crane Operators) or by industry and
product-related organizations (for example, Novell Certified Engineer).
Certification is typically an optional credential, although some
state licensure boards and some employers may require certification.
For many occupations, more than one organization may offer certifications.
Credentialing is important for several reasons:
Federal, state, or local law may require specific
credentials to legally perform some jobs.
Employers may choose to hire only employees who have
certain credentials, or to pay those employees more.
Credentials may improve an employee’s prospects
for promotion.
Credentialed servicemembers demonstrate to prospective
civilian employers that their skills are on par with their civilian
peers.
Civilian credentialing can contribute to military career development,
and may be accepted for self-development requirements and in performance
evaluations.
Do all states have the same requirements?
If not, how does this affect me?
Requirements for occupational licenses vary by state. Not all states
license the same occupations and for those that do, requirements can
differ substantially. If you hold a license in one state but plan to
relocate to another state, you need to find out if that state requires
a license for your occupation and if it recognizes your license.
Some states will give consideration to individuals licensed in another
state. For example the licensing board may:
Recognize licenses granted by other states as equivalent,
called “reciprocity.”
Issue a license based on the individual having met
similar requirements out-of-state, called “endorsement” or “license
by credentials.”
Credit equivalent out-of-state training, education, and examinations.
Even if a state recognizes another’s license, you may still
need to take an exam or pay a fee. Check with the state licensing board
to find out more about the specific requirements.
You can obtain state licensing board contact information from the “Licensed
Occupations” section of the U.S. Department
of Labor’s America’s
Career Information Network.
How does licensure and certification
affect transitioning Soldiers?
Not all Soldiers will need a license or certification to practice the
equivalent of their military occupation in the civilian workforce.
For those who do, the impact of licensure and certification requirements
vary depending upon if credentials were earned while in the military,
and if military education, training, and experience meet the civilian
credentialing requirements.
Five basic scenarios describe how licensure and certification affect
transitioning servicemembers:
The civilian equivalent of the military occupational
specialty does not require a license or certification.
Soldiers seeking employment in this category do
not necessarily need to pursue credentialing.
Military training and experience provides all of the
necessary credentials to practice the occupation as a civilian.
For example, the Army requires Medical Specialist MOSs
to obtain Emergency Medical Technician certification from the National
Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
Military training and experience provide certification
in the field, but not a license.
The transition to the civilian workforce may be
relatively seamless because certification and licensure requirements
are often similar. However, you may still need to obtain a license
from the appropriate government agency.
A military career provides education, training, or
experience necessary to become licensed or certified, but not the
formal license or certification from the credentialing board.
Soldiers in this situation may have to follow an
administrative process that typically requires completing an application,
documenting military training and experience, and possibly taking
an exam.
Military education, training, or experience may need
supplementation to meet licensure and certification requirements.
Soldiers in this situation may experience a period
of unemployment or underemployment until they are able to meet
the requirements. See the COOL Costs
and Resources section to learn about available resources.
Preparing for Civilian Credentialing While
in the Army
How should I decide whether or not to pursue
a credential while in the military?
Use the following steps to help decide whether or not to pursue a
credential while in the military.
Ask yourself if you like what you are doing in the
military and if you expect to pursue a civilian career in this field.
If you do expect to continue in your
military occupational field, use the COOL Credential
Search page to determine whether the civilian counterpart for
your field requires a license or certification.
If there are license or certification requirements,
determine whether the Army requires or encourages you to obtain
the credential while in the military. Make sure you keep your credential
current and renew it, if necessary, during your military career.
If the Army does not require the credential during
your military service, then consider obtaining it on your own during
your military service.
If you don’t expect to continue
in your military occupational field, use the COOL Credential
Search page to determine whether the civilian occupation you
are interested in requires a license or certification. Consider what
would be required to obtain the credential during military service.
Some factors you might consider when thinking about
credentialing are:
What are my prospects for obtaining civilian employment
without the credential? Remember, licensure is typically mandatory
while certification is usually optional.
What delays in obtaining civilian employment might
I face if I wait until after I leave the military to obtain the
credential?
What will obtaining the credential while in the
military entail and will I be able to fulfill the requirements
while carrying out my duties?
What costs are associated with the credential and
will the military or VA subsidize
any of them? Refer to the COOL Credentialing
Costs and Resources section for more information.
Will I need to renew my license or certification during military
service and, if so, what is required?
What documentation do credentialing boards
need to verify my military training and experience?
Credentialing boards may require different types of documentation.
Some credentialing boards are familiar with military documentation
and have explicit requirements for military documentation of education,
training, and experience.
Other boards may not be familiar with military documentation. If the
credentialing board is not familiar with or has questions related to
your military training or experience, inform them about the types of
documentation that you have or can obtain. They may be more willing
to consider your training and experience if they are aware of these
documents.
The Army provides three types of education, training, and experience
documentation: two official military forms and a military transcript.
Army American Council of Education (ACE)
Registry Transcript System (AARTS) – is
a computerized transcript system that produces official transcripts
for eligible Soldiers upon request by combining a Soldier's military
education, training and experience with descriptions and credit
recommendations developed by ACE.
The transcript is available to Soldiers who entered the service
after 1981. Eligible servicemembers or veterans can access the AARTS Web
site. Active duty Soldiers can request a transcript through
the local
education center.
Verification
of Military Experience and Training (VMET)
(DD Form 2586) – The DD Form 2586 is created
from a servicemember's automated records on file. It lists military
job experience and training history, recommended college credit
information, and civilian equivalent job titles. Verification
documents are provided to transitioning servicemembers from the VMET Defense
Manpower Data Center Web site.
Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD
Form 214) – The DD Form 214 is a source of significant
authoritative information used by civilian and governmental agencies
to validate veteran eligibility for benefits. It is issued to every
servicemember at time of discharge. The National
Archives and Records Administration provides information on
DD Form 214.
What are the typical steps that I must take
to become licensed or certified?
Step 1: Use the COOL Credential
Search page to determine if the civilian equivalent of your military
occupational specialty is licensed or certified and by whom.
Contact potential employers or review employment ads to determine
if certification is critical to getting the type of job you want.
Step 2: Contact the credentialing boards to request
applicable licensure or certification requirements and application
forms. Find out whether an exam, experience, or education are involved
and if the credentialing board has preparation materials available.
Step 3: Review credentialing requirements to determine
whether the Army training or experience you already have is accepted
by the credentialing board.
Determine what additional steps, if any, you need
to take to become licensed or certified.
If the credentialing board does not explicitly recognize
military training and experience in its written requirements, it
may be necessary to contact the board directly.
If the credentialing board indicates that military training and
experience are not automatically recognized, find out if the board
can conduct an individual assessment of your military training and
experience, and what you need to do to initiate the assessment.
Step 4: If necessary, obtain the additional training
and experience to qualify for licensure or certification. Refer to
the COOL Resources
for Credentialing for more information.
Step 5: Follow the credentialing board's application
procedures, which often include:
Submitting an application
Submitting documentation of military training and
experience
