Credentials
Once you have selected a credential, reviewed any requirements, and obtained any additional training or experience needed, you are ready to apply for and take the credentialing exam. Follow the credentialing boards' application procedures which often include:
- Submitting an application
- Submitting documentation of military training and experience
- Taking an exam
- Possibly paying application and exam fees
After you've earned the credential, make sure you are aware of any requirements to keep your credential active. Check with the credentialing agency regarding the following items:
- Is there a renewal period for the certification and if so, how long is it? Many certifying agencies require you to renew your certification after a period of time, for example every three years.
- Are there renewal requirements? Credentialing agencies may require additional training or education, commonly called continuing education, after you earn a credential to demonstrate up-to-date knowledge. Others may require that you take the certification exam again at the end of the renewal period. Renewal requirements, and costs, will vary by credentialing agency.
Most certifications and licenses have fees associated with them that are charged by the credentialing board or agency such as application fees and exam fees. In addition, you may need to pay for additional training or education if you do not meet the requirements set by a credentialing board or certification agency. To prepare for a credential, consider the following questions:
- Do you need additional training and experience to qualify for licensure or certification?
- Do you need financial assistance to pay for additional training or for credentialing exam fees?
There are resources available to help Service members cover some of the costs associated with credentialing. For example, eligible service members and veterans can use the Montgomery GI Bill to pay for fees for approved civilian occupational licensing and certification exams. GI Bill benefits can also be used for costs associated with an undergraduate degree at a college or university, a certificate or diploma from a business, technical or vocational school, training programs, and apprenticeships.
See the Cost & Resources on COOL for more information on the resources available.
After using the Find and Select Related Credentials search to find the credentials related to your MOS, learn about credential requirements by following these steps:
- Look for the certifications marked as D (directly related) or S (skill related) in the Related Credentials table. These certifications have the most potential for you to take advantage of the training and education you've received in the Army by using the knowledge and skills you've learned to help you earn a civilian credential.
- Click on the certification name in the table to open up a Credential Snapshot page. The Snapshot pages contain a brief description of the certification, a summary of the credential requirements, and links to the certification agency's web page for additional information.
- Review the Summary and Eligibility tabs on the snapshot page to get an overview of what is required by the certification agency (on the Summary tab) and specific details (on the Eligibility tab), if applicable. Credentialing boards determine the requirements for licensure and certification. Typically they require a combination of the following:
- Education
- Training
- Work or professional experience
- Examinations
- Other unique job-related requirements
- Contact the credentialing agency to confirm applicable licensure or certification requirements and request application forms and exam preparation materials if available. If the COOL snapshot page is under development, find out if exam, experience, or education requirements are involved. Inquire about any fees associated with applying for a credential.
- Determine if the Army training or experience you already have is accepted by the credentialing agency.
- Determine what additional steps, if any, you need to take to become licensed or certified.
- If the credentialing agency does not explicitly recognize military training and experience in its written requirements, it may be necessary to contact the board directly to ask.
- If the credentialing agency indicates that military training and experience are not automatically recognized, find out if they can conduct an individual assessment of your military training and experience, and what you need to do to initiate the assessment.
Following are common questions and answers for credentialing agencies related to the Army COOL program. Click on a question to show and hide the answer.
Show AllHide AllHow can I get my agency's credential(s) considered for COOL or get information on COOL about my agency's credential updated?
If you would like to have a credential considered for COOL or if you would like to recommend a change to COOL, please complete a COOL Contact Form.
How can I get my agency's credentials approved to be paid for through the GI Bill?
Through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), the GI Bill provides eligible Service members and veterans financial assistance with licensing and certification, as well as supplemental education and training. If your agency offers licensing or certification tests and you are interested in attaining approval so that Service members and veterans may receive reimbursement for exam fees, you must seek approval from the State Approving Agency for the State where the headquarters of your organization is located. If you represent a State or local licensing board, the approval requirements are minimal. If you represent a non-governmental organization, your test must be generally accepted within the industry, must have been in existence at least two years, and must meet other requirements. Use the links below for more information:
What best practices can credentialing agencies consider to facilitate credentialing of Service Members and Veterans?
Credentialing agencies can do their part to help our deserving Service members and Veterans attain civilian credentials that maximize credit for their military training and experience and help demonstrate the transferability of the substantial skills they acquire in military service. Some of the key practices credentialing agencies might adopt include:
- Ensure Quality/Value. Service members and Veterans, like the general public, have a right to know that the credentials they pursue are of high quality and hold value to industry. Credentialing agencies can help Service members and Veterans identify these types of credentials by having their credentials accredited by a third party, nationally recognized accrediting organization. COOL identifies those credentials that have been accredited by one or both of the following organizations. Follow the links to find out more about each agency’s accreditation process.
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accreditation
- National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) Accreditation
- Facilitate Payment of Credentials. The GI Bill will pay for credential exam fees up to $2,000 per test. Credentialing agencies should work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to get their credentials approved for payment through the GI Bill.
- Provide Maximum Credit for Military Training and Experience – Credentialing agencies should take steps to assess the equivalency of military training and experience and should explicitly recognize military training in credentialing requirements, when possible.
- Utilize existing assessments of military training and experience. The Army, Navy, and Air Force, have matched military occupations to civilian credentials and, for some credentials, conducted detailed gap analyses of these credentials. In addition, the American Council on Education (ACE) makes college credit recommendations for military training and experience. Some web sites that might be helpful include:
- U.S. Army's Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (Army COOL)
- U.S. Navy's Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (Navy COOL)
- U.S. Air Force’s Credentialing and Education Research Tool (CERT)
- American Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide
- Use available Service documentation to assess individual Service members’ and Veterans’ unique qualifications –credentialing agencies can use standard forms of Service documentation to assess an individual’s military training and experience. More information on Service Transcripts and other forms of documentation can be found on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Career One Stop web site.
- Accommodate Military’s Unique Needs – Credentialing agencies can make accommodations for such things as deployments and the geographical dispersion of Service members:
- Make accommodations for deployments – Service members who are deployed may have difficulty meeting recertification requirements (e.g., continuing education units) or the period for which their credential is valid may expire while they are deployed. Credentialing agencies can extend recertification requirements for deployed Service members.
- Ensure exams are widely available – Service members are often geographically dispersed and may not be able to take exams that are offered only periodically throughout the year. Credentialing agencies can consider using national testing companies to make their credentials widely available and can offer credential exams on demand.
