Stand-To!- College of the American Soldier - February 8 2008

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Edition: Fri, February 08, 2008
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College of the American Soldier

What is it: An enduring training and education partnership between the Army and participating colleges and universities focused on expanding existing civilian education support for our Soldiers and leaders. This partnership will provide an optimum balance of training and education that accelerates Soldier and leader development and motivate Soldiers to stay while preparing for the future.

What has the Army done: On Nov. 14, 2007, the Commanding General of TRADOC hosted a kick-off meeting with representatives from ten Universities/ Colleges and representatives from the Service Members Opportunity Colleges. This meeting established the foundations for continuing to grow the training and education partnership. Effective Nov. 1, 2007, the Army implemented a Career NCO Degrees Program. Available to ALL NCOs at any point in their career, with maximum credit for Army leadership schools based on completion of NCOES up to the Sergeant Majors Course (SMC). This program provides:

• Business and management-related Servicemen Opportunity Colleges Army Degrees (SOCAD) through GoArmyEd
• Participating colleges and upfront certification for credit to be applied to the Career NCO Degree based on American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations
• Credit awards ranging from 45-67 percent of associate degree for Soldiers completing SMC Resident (62-89 percent of ACE- recommended credits) and from 31-38 percent of bachelor’s degree for Soldiers completing SMC Resident (82-100 percent of ACE- recommended credits)
• Process for colleges to evaluate individual Soldier’s Army American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS) transcript for additional credits that may apply to the degree from MOS experience, testing, professional certification, and prior learning
• Degree selection by TRADOC and Army Continuing Education System (ACES) for inclusion was based on the following factors: degree type; SOCAD membership; maximized credit awards; limited academic residency with home college; and tuition cost

What continuing efforts are planned? The Army will continue to expand existing civilian higher education degree choices to provide Career NCOs with a broad degree option not tied to enrollment in a MOS specialty degree and that:

• Enhances NCOs leadership and warfighting capabilities – grows the multifunctional Soldier characteristics
• Is accepted and supported by ACE and ACES
• Provides flexibility in degree completion time
• Maximizes credit transfer between colleges
• Maximizes college credit for military training and education
• Minimizes academic residency requirements
• Includes distance learning courses

Why is this important to the Army? This program facilitates the ease with which Soldiers can complete college degrees which, in turn, has multiple benefits for the Army. Encouraging the pursuit of higher education contributes to the development of adaptive and innovative Soldiers and leaders, and also provides and recruitment and retention incentive. Tying military training and education with specific degree requirements allows a Soldier to quickly see what military development courses will transfer as equivalent college credit at any point in his or her career from basic training through the Sergeant Major Course. This streamlines degree completion by listing precisely what the college will grant for each credit source, and provides a list of other guaranteed ways to meet degree requirements. The end state of CAS will clearly show the Soldier a specific roadmap to a college degree.

INFORMATION YOU CAN USE

• 2007 Strategic Communication Guide - Read the 2007 Army Strategic Communication Guide for key messages and updates

• Strategic Communication Coordination Group (SCCG) Workspace

• Army Public Affairs Portal

• Stories of Valor
CALENDAR

Lethal and non-lethal power...precision guided by a moral compass. Field Manual 3-0 offers a blueprint for an uncertain future. FM 3-0 - Coming Feb. 28.

NEWS ABOUT THE ARMY

• SMA to Congress: Army improving quality of life (ARNews)
• Army partners with KU for wounded warrior education (ARNews)
• Arkansas Guard promotes first African-American general (ARNews)
• Army investigates drug overdoses (BG)

WAR ON TERROR NEWS

• Shift in tactics aims to revive struggling insurgency (WP)
• After hard-won lessons, Army doctrine revised (NYT)
• Al Qaeda recruits children, women for terror missions (AFIS)
• Attacks on Iraq volunteers rise (LAT)

OF INTEREST

• Troops help tribe stabilize California landslide (ARNews)
• Guard expanding state partnership program to Pacific (ARNews)
• Army moves aggressively to treat blast-related injuries (AFIS)
• Army blames 'miscommunication' in Fort Drum flap (NPR)

WORLD VIEW

• Rice, Miliband make surprise visit to Kabul (SP | Story)
• 'Shoot the mayor' gunman kills five (TI | Story)

WHAT'S BEING SAID IN BLOGS

• Army hospitals continue caring for kids in the war-zone (SM)
• One year (AP)
• Coin and CJR (BF)
• Post office to offerfirst ever military discount (TT)