Installation and activity commanders (to whom the Secretary of Army has delegated appointment authority (AR 690-200, chapter 250, subchapter 1)) may redelegate the authority to approve short-term (120 calendar days or less) training for employees under their command jurisdiction to line managers. Line managers who are involved in the approval process must be trained on the proper procedures (see References, below for links to the two relevant Army Training policy memos dated 7/26/93 and 10/15/93) and their responsibilities before exercising such authority.
Employees may not be assigned to training or permitted to enroll in a course, regardless of course length, before formal approval has been granted by the management official delegated authority to approve training. Such approval is documented by signature on the manual DD Form 1556 or electronically authenticated through an automated training request system. Requests for approvals after employees have enrolled or actually begun the training must be disapproved. Employees who enroll in a non-Government training course without written prior approval are personally responsible for the total training cost.