As a U.S. Air Force Service member, you’ve worked hard to serve your country. Part of your duties include staying current on skill sets and completing training as required.
If you need new training or wish to broaden your skills when transitioning to civilian life, you might wonder how to achieve these goals. What are your educational options and how will you finance your training? This is where AF COOL and the following AF COOL guide can help.
Understanding AF COOL
AF COOL, or Air Force Credentialing Opportunities On-Line, is a program from the U.S. Department of Defense that helps enlisted military members find suitable training and other resources. It also provides financial assistance for educational training at approved providers and credentialing agencies.
How Does it Work?
To apply for AF COOL funding assistance, you’ll need to meet several requirements:
- Be and remain an active-duty service member on Title 10 or Title 32 (502F) orders.
- Be in the Air Force, Air Force National Guard (ANG), Air Force Reserve (AFRES) or US Space Force (USSF).
- Be current on the latest fitness tests.
- Have at least a Skill Level 5 on your Primary Air Force Specialty Code.
- Not have UIF or be on a Control Roster.
- Create an AFVEC profile and get approval for a credentialing goal.
What’s the Application Process?
The first part of the process is to create an Air Force Virtual Education Center (AFVEC) account with a complete profile. Once you have your profile, head to Education Programs within the AFVEC account. From there, you’ll select AF COOL.
AF COOL lists the different credentialing opportunities available, which you can sort alphabetically or by funding type. Find your desired credential and click on “Create Education Goal.” During this part of the application, you’ll upload documents to support your educational goal. This documentation should prove your eligibility and support your need for or desire to get the training.
To apply for funding, — up to $4,500 per lifetime — head back to your credential goal and select Apply for Funding. You’ll need to include all required information, such as:
- Credentialing agency/program center
- Total cost, including any administrative fees
- Testing window as applicable, which should be within 120 days
After you submit the application, wait for further information from your supervisor. They’ll need to approve your credential goal and funding request before AF COOL will pay for the expenses.
MedCerts as an Approved Training School
When searching for an AF COOL certifications list and credentialing opportunities, it’s best to choose trusted institutions. MedCerts has been an approved vendor for AF COOL programs since 2022, with additional credentialing for Army COOL and MyCAA. As a Military Friendly® institution, MedCerts has the programming, educational support and low-cost training to meet your needs.
Here are some certification examples:
IT Security Specialist: This 6-week program teaches you how to assess, monitor and control security threats on networks, hardware, software and other application systems. You’ll complete the program by taking the CompTIA Security+ certification exam.
PC Technician: In this 6-week program, you learn how to build computer components, diagnose and repair issues and configure operating systems. You’ll finish the program by taking the CompTIA A+ certification.
Medical Billing Specialist: After completing this 14-week program, you’ll be able to accurately input medical diagnosis and procedure codes, update records, verify insurance and submit medical claims. This program leads to exam certification as a Medical Coder & Biller (MCBC).
As an approved vendor, MedCerts offers these and other healthcare and IT programs designed to boost your military or transitional career. With MedCerts, your educational future looks bright.
The Department of Defense and the Department of the Air Force are not affiliated with any of MedCerts’ programs and do not endorse our services.
