Wednesday, Jun. 27, 2012

Army, TRADOC working to increase job credentialing for Soldiers

Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.— The Army’s Training and Doctrine Command is working to increase opportunities for Soldiers to receive civilian credentialing for attending military schools.

TRADOC is responsible for teaching roughly 150 military occupational specialties to enlisted Soldiers using 15 schools across eight locations, providing nearly 200,000 Army professionals each year with opportunities to become experts in their field.

TRADOC and the Army are increasing their efforts to help Soldiers take those skills with them, through credentials, earned with their military training and experience, when they leave the Army and compete for jobs in the civilian sector.

“The knowledge, skills and abilities Soldiers possess are very valuable and marketable to civilian employers,” said Brig. Gen. Pete Utley, TRADOC’s deputy chief of staff for operations and training. “What we are trying to do is work with civilian credentialing agencies and TRADOC schools to identify credentialing opportunities for more MOSs.”

At a June 12 roundtable meeting in Washington, hosted by the American Legion, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civilian Personnel and Quality of Life Tony Stamilio, along with representatives from TRADOC and civilian credentialing agencies, gathered to discuss how to achieve appropriate recognition of military training and experience through credentialing programs.

During the meeting, Stamilio said each year between 80,000 and 100,000 Soldiers leave the Army after earning skills provided by Army schools.

“We need to make sure we do all we can to support our Soldiers who have served and fought in war,” said Stamilio, who believes another benefit of credentialing is to “further professionalize the force” while helping the Army to “fill gaps and improve training.”

In particular the Army is looking at 10 MOSs, that have a high volume and high unemployment rate.

“The guidance is to consider all MOSs, but we need to look closely at providing proper credentialing opportunities for the highly unemployed MOSs such as Infantrymen, combat engineers, military police, medics, human resources specialists, motor transport operators, wheeled vehicle mechanics, logistics specialists, and food service specialists,” Stamilio said.

Maj. Neil Wahab, TRADOC training, plans and operations, said the enlisted Soldier is the primary focus; however, the Army is also looking at initiatives for warrant and commissioned officers.

Credentials can be provided from government agencies like a commercial truck driver’s license and from non-government agencies such as the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence that provides credentials for mechanics.