A great benefit of serving in the United States Armed Forces is the opportunity to receive scholarships available only to active-duty military members. If you’re enlisted personnel and you’re not taking advantage of this — the time is now.
Active-duty military personnel in the Army, Coast Guard and Air Force may be eligible to receive scholarship opportunities for credentialing programs found through the Department of Defense’s Education Benefits programs – Credentialing Assistance (CA) or COOL, (Credentialing Opportunities OnLine) depending on the branch.
Army CA, Coast Guard COOL and Air Force COOL are the systems that help enlisted service members gain the skills they need to level up in their careers both while serving and afterward in civilian careers. This online platform is an important step to gaining access to active duty scholarships and academic benefits available to you.
However, like most processes in the Armed Forces, there are specific steps to take to use these benefits fully. When you know the facts about these scholarships, you can gain the education that will make you a more valuable service member. You’ll be better prepared for life after your service, as well.
What Are Active-Duty Scholarships?
For eligible active-duty servicemen and servicewomen, the U.S. Department of Defense provides funding – up to $2,000 for the Army, $4500 for the Coast Guard and Air Force – to cover the costs of credentials that are available through the Army CA, Coast Guard COOL and Air Force COOL.
There are other scholarships for enlisted personnel, too. These all have strict eligibility requirements and application processes that take time.
If you are eligible for Credentialing Assistance-related benefits, these funds are used to cover educational costs, including books and exam fees. You’ll want to make sure the academic institution you choose for your credentials is an approved vendor with the U.S. Armed Forces since the scholarships are directly paid to the vendor. You don’t want to waste your scholarship.
To access to this low-cost or no-cost education, you must be an enlisted active-duty member of one of the branches of the U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard or U.S. Air Force.
How Do Military Credentialing Assistance Programs Work?
After determining your eligibility, the next step is to review the COOL platform associated with your branch of service. Look for credentialing opportunities that are related to your military specialty. This will help you enhance your career and set you up for success after you complete your service.
For example, you may want to earn IT certifications or leadership credentials. You can plan out a multi-year learning trajectory to maximize your scholarships — and your career. That’s why we recommend starting right away!
The Next Step: Talk to an Expert
You probably have a lot of questions about your active-duty scholarships. MedCerts, a military-friendly school with remote-learning credentialing programs, can help.
Each prospective student is matched with an experienced military student expert who can help you navigate Credentialing Assistance and your benefits. They can assist you in creating an academic program that helps you reach the next level while enlisted and beyond.
The Department of Defense is not affiliated with MedCerts and does not endorse our services.
