Many enlisted Soldiers are unaware that they can earn a college degree by the end of their first term of service. The U.S. Army has established frameworks and degree programs to facilitate this, yet information about these opportunities often reaches Soldiers later in their careers. Army officials emphasize the critical role of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) in guiding and informing their Soldiers about these educational paths from the beginning of their service.
Jeffery Colimon, Chief of the Learning Integration Division at the Institute for NCO Professional Development, stresses the importance of NCOs in educating and motivating their Soldiers about degree programs. He advocates for NCOs to mentor Soldiers early in their careers and to lead by example by pursuing their own educational advancement.
“The ultimate goal is for Soldiers to be pursuing advanced degrees by the time they reach the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy,” Colimon stated. “However, this progression is only possible if we lay the groundwork early and encourage continuous education from the start.”
Currently, it takes active duty Soldiers an average of four to six years to complete an associate’s degree. However, proactive NCOs can significantly impact this timeline by encouraging Soldiers to set educational goals and begin degree planning early. This not only benefits their Army careers but also prepares them for successful transitions into civilian life post-service.
Understanding SOCAD Army Career Degrees
The Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) network is a consortium of over 1,900 academic institutions committed to fairly evaluating military training and experience for college credit. This commitment extends to academic residency, credit transfer, and standardized testing.
SOC Army Degree (SOCAD) colleges and universities are integral to this system. They award college credit for military experience and training based on recommendations from the American Council on Education (ACE). They also recognize credits from standardized tests like the College-Level Evaluation Program (CLEP) and the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program. Furthermore, SOCAD institutions offer flexible distance learning options, enabling Soldiers to pursue their education regardless of their duty station. Soldiers can accrue ACE college credit recommendations throughout their military journey, from basic training to advanced courses like the Sergeants Major Course.
Within the SOCAD framework, a select group of approximately 120 institutions offer Army Career Degrees. These degree programs are specifically designed to align with a Soldier’s Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). Currently, Army Career Degree plans are available for over 95 MOSs, with ongoing development to expand this offering. While printed copies of SOCAD Army Career Degree plans are distributed during Advanced Individual Training (AIT), it is crucial for first-line supervisors to ensure that new Soldiers are fully informed about these MOS-relevant educational opportunities.
“We expect first-line supervisors to be knowledgeable about the degree programs that best leverage a Soldier’s MOS for maximum credit accumulation,” Colimon emphasized.
The SOCAD network facilitates seamless credit transfer between participating colleges and universities. This eliminates geographical barriers, allowing Soldiers to pursue online or face-to-face courses regardless of their location.
Colimon illustrated with an example: “If a degree program requires a Visual Basic programming course, which may necessitate hands-on instruction, a Soldier could potentially take a face-to-face Visual Basic course offered by a partner college on their installation and receive full credit through their primary SOCAD college.”
Most Army installations host colleges with established agreements to provide on-site courses. Soldiers can connect with their post’s education center to explore course offerings that align with their chosen degree program. Education center counselors play a vital role in guiding Soldiers to select educational paths that maximize their earned military credits.
The College of the American Soldier (CAS) and Combat Arms MOSs
While some military career fields, particularly those in medical or technical domains, provide training that closely parallels civilian college curricula, enabling Soldiers to earn substantial college credit, combat arms MOSs like infantry and artillery present a different scenario. Although these Soldiers undergo extensive training, their expertise may not directly translate to specific civilian degree programs.
To address this gap, the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) developed the College of the American Soldier (CAS) as a specialized extension of the SOCAD program. According to the SOC website, CAS aims to “identify specific college and university degree programs that enhance Soldiers’ leadership and warfighting capabilities and grow the multi-skilled NCO characteristics.”
A graph from the Army Career Tracker (ACT) illustrating civilian education status, highlighting the importance of pursuing higher education for Soldiers.
CAS degree programs are accessible to Soldiers across all MOSs. However, they are particularly beneficial for Soldiers in combat arms specialties, providing them with enhanced opportunities to gain college credit for their military training. The Army has pre-negotiated credit awards from CAS institutions for various NCO Education System (NCOES) courses. These programs primarily focus on business- and management-related degrees, capitalizing on the leadership skills inherent in enlisted military service.
The College of the American Soldier encompasses two key programs: the Career NCO Degrees Program and the Enlisted Education Program. The Career NCO Degrees Program is designed to maximize credit for military training and education, minimize residency requirements, and offer flexible completion timelines for NCOs seeking degrees beyond their MOS-specific training. Conversely, the Enlisted Education Program specifically targets entry-level Soldiers in Career Management Fields 11 (infantry), 13 (artillery), 14 (air defense artillery), and 19 (armor), offering them a structured pathway to earn an associate’s degree within their initial enlistment term.
“Historically, credit transfer from military training to civilian colleges has been inconsistent,” noted Colimon, drawing from his own experience as a retired sergeant major. “I personally accumulated over 180 recommended credit hours during my service but initially faced significant challenges in having them fully recognized by academic institutions. Colleges sometimes only accepted a fraction of the earned credits. However, the College of the American Soldier program addresses this issue by pre-negotiating credit acceptance. CAS institutions now guarantee a specified number of credit hours towards designated degree programs for NCOs who have completed courses like the Advanced Leader Course (ALC), Senior Leader Course (SLC), and Structured Self-Development (SSD). This eliminates uncertainty in credit transfer.”
Excelsior College, a participating institution in the College of the American Soldier Enlisted Education Program, facilitating associate’s degrees for junior enlisted Soldiers.
CAS degree programs grant Soldiers credit for the comprehensive training and experience acquired throughout their Army careers, including Basic Combat Training (BCT), Advanced Individual Training (AIT), the Warrior Leader Course (WLC), ALC, and SLC. Furthermore, through the College of the American Soldier Advanced Degree Program, three universities offer master’s degree credit for completion of the Sergeants Major Course.
Both Colimon and Roxanna Taylor, the education advisor at USASMA at Fort Bliss, Texas, advocate for NCOs to prioritize their own education and encourage their Soldiers to do the same. Taylor emphasizes the significant benefits of NCOs completing their undergraduate degrees early in their careers, ideally before reaching the Sergeants Major Academy.
“Ideally, NCOs should aim to complete their undergraduate degrees before arriving at the Sergeants Major Academy,” Taylor advised. “This allows them to fully leverage the ten months at the Academy to focus on master’s degree programs. Post-academy, with demanding field assignments, pursuing further education becomes significantly more challenging.”
Leveraging the Army Career Tracker (ACT) for Educational Planning
Colimon emphasizes that initiating conversations about educational opportunities with Soldiers early in their careers is crucial. Early awareness significantly increases the likelihood of Soldiers achieving their educational goals during their service, fostering personal and professional development, and enhancing post-service employment prospects. He recommends the Army Career Tracker (ACT) as an invaluable tool for first-line supervisors to mentor their Soldiers in educational planning.
ACT is a comprehensive leadership-development tool that consolidates access to various Army education and training resources, including GoArmyEd and the SOC website. It allows Soldiers to manage their career objectives, track their progress, and explore available educational paths. Leaders can utilize ACT to monitor their subordinates’ educational and career goals, offering tailored recommendations and guidance. While Soldiers retain ultimate decision-making authority over their education, squad leaders can effectively use ACT to illuminate available opportunities.
A sample timeline for Excelsior College students in the College of the American Soldier’s Enlisted Education Program, showcasing the 1+2 model.
GoArmyEd and the SOC website provide detailed degree maps for each Army Career Degree plan, including contact information for participating institutions. Once Soldiers identify their desired degrees and colleges, they can contact the institution’s military education department for detailed information and initiate the application process through GoArmyEd. Taylor notes that most institutions offer unofficial evaluations to provide Soldiers with an initial assessment of their potential military training credits. Upon formal application and submission of transcripts, students receive an official credit evaluation.
Taylor observes that many NCOs arriving at USASMA have pursued education in a fragmented manner. She advises NCOs to guide their Soldiers to prioritize foundational core classes – English, mathematics, and science – early on, as these are broadly applicable across various degree programs. Starting with a structured plan and a clear educational goal streamlines academic progression.
“The key message for NCOs is to engage with their Soldiers about education early and consistently,” Colimon reiterated. “Utilizing the Army Career Tracker to collaboratively develop individual development plans, setting educational and professional goals, and conducting annual progress reviews are essential NCO responsibilities. While ACT provides the framework, NCO mentorship, coaching, and consistent follow-up are vital for Soldier success.”
“The chain of command must prioritize education as an integral component of Soldier development, not merely an after-duty activity. Investing in Soldier education is a mutually beneficial strategy – a win for the Soldier and a win for the Army, fostering individual growth and enhancing overall readiness,” Colimon concluded.
Taylor affirms the positive trend of senior NCOs at the Sergeants Major Academy prioritizing education for themselves and their Soldiers. “Senior NCOs are highly engaged and proactive in learning how to best support their Soldiers’ educational pursuits, which is precisely the outcome we strive for.”
