Introduction to Army e-Learning

Whether you are already enlisted in the United States Army or are currently considering joining, there are more motivating reasons than ever to be a part of the force. Aside from the traditionally noble and exciting enticements, such as serving your country and seeing the world, there are now new ways to expand your horizons by “going green”.

One of the ways to do so is by enrolling in the always advancing Army e Learning program. Look into it and you will be amazed at all of your educational options, not to mention the ease of access to an almost unlimited world of learning that awaits you. This type of schooling has quickly become the primary source of initial and continuous IT training in the military. This is partly due to the fact that it has been proven to increase performance.

 

Whether you are presently on active duty or happen to be on stand by in the reserves, this online, state of the art program is definitely a cost effective and convenient way to further your skills and knowledge in whatever your field of interest may be. The best part is you can study for and complete your selected courses from virtually anywhere on the planet via computer, tablet, or even thru your very portable smart phone, the sky really is the limit.

 

 

 

Pros and Cons of Army e Learning

 

In today’s fast paced, frenzied world, mobility has become the norm in nearly every form and in some cases a necessity. Although it may have its advantages and disadvantages as most things usually do, the former truly outweighs the latter in this matter. The benefits of online army e learning are numerous and if you are serious and disciplined about it, then you can achieve whatever you pursue and put your mind to. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a real classroom filled with real students and a teacher, though unfortunately for many, especially in the Army, it can be unrealistic to make it to a class on time, if ever at all.

 

With army e learning, you can study at any pace, from any place. Also, did I forget to mention that it’s free? You can’t beat that! And with the growing database of cutting edge courses that are available, you are sure to find a few that will suit you. Some of the courses are actually approved by the American Council on Education, which means if you pass the class; it can be applied towards credits for college. So eventually, if you apply yourself appropriately, you can earn a free degree to help you advance your career inside or outside of the Armed Forces. In addition, you can use your credits for promotion points if you intend to stay in the Army and climb the ranks.

 

 

Practically Proficient

 

The program presently offers over 5,400 courses to all active duty Army, National Guard, Reservists, ROTC, and DA civilians. As of 2011, well over 800,000 users have enrolled in e learning classes which include Information Technology, business, leadership, and self development. With the intensive and extensive training provided, you will gain the experience you need to work in your specific field of choice. Keeping up to date with the latest and greatest is a priority if you are to meet and exceed the Army’s and future employer’s expectations of you.

 

The way army e learning works is each course or “module” that you take contains several sub courses that are completed one at a time. As you finish each module, you acquire skill qualifications and points, which you will find, can be applied to many positive things. Under the current program policy, enlisted personnel receive promotion points, DA civilians receive continuous learning points, and reservists receive retirement points. Generally, you get 1 promotion point for every 5 hours of training and for every 6 modules you complete, you can receive 2 ACE college credits.

 

There’s also more than 40 different army e learning certifications that you can earn, with levels of competency that range from Novice to Expert. Find yourself in demand while you’re in the Army with popular IT certification programs pertaining to networks such as Cisco or databases such as Oracle, you can even get certified to become a Microsoft Systems Engineer, take your pick. When utilized and practiced, the additional skills that you can acquire are sure to enhance your overall military experience and mission performance.

 

 

 

Don’t like learning all alone? Well you don’t have to when you are provided with online subject matter experts and virtual mentors, who are ready to assist you whenever you may need guidance. Not only are they always available, as in 24/7, you’ll also have total access to a vast online library of  useful information including white papers, articles, and live or recorded seminars conducted by industry leaders.

 

If you still feel lost and alone, there are online meeting rooms that you can enter in order to elaborate on your thoughts or collaborate on a question or project with other students. Either way, company is never far away, even if it’s computerized. In May of 2010, the program was upgraded to the Army Skillport 7.0 by Skillsoft, this version is much more user friendly and interactive than its predecessor.

 

 

Another functional feature of army e learning is ATTRS, or the Army Training Requirements and Resources System which is used to schedule soldiers for training, among many other things. The database also keeps track of a person’s prior schooling and any future training that might be required. It also contains a list of every soldier by name and facts about their educational background. More importantly, it has a full list of every school that is offered by the United States Army. As you can see, there are many reliable resources to help you succeed with your remote education.

 

 

To get started just log in at the Smartforce or AKO website by entering your information and going thru the verification process for which you will need your AKO credentials to do so. After that, you are ready and can register for the courses that you are permitted to take. If you require assistance or administrative support when signing up, then you should contact the ATTRS Help Desk, there you can obtain direct assistance regarding your enrollment and answers to your questions.

 Army e Learning programs

There are several Army e Learning programs, a few of which are:

 

eArmyU – which allows you to take college classes in your off-duty time and can ably assist you in preparing for a future non-military job.

 

DANTES – which stands for Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support and it provides personnel with educational opportunities that are both practical and compatible with life in the military. This form of long distance learning is an innovative way to keep deployed troops alert, informed, and entertained by implementing satellite, video, and now even Podcast courses.

 

You can also continue your career in the military through the Army Correspondence Courses Program, which preps you for promotion. There’s even a Green to Gold Enlisted Commissioning Program that you can enter, the possibilities are endless.

Given the potential that you have for literally “going places” in the U.S. Army, perhaps it would be wise and advisable to learn another language in order to be more productive, proactive, and communicative in the foreign location that you are or may soon be stationed. With army e learning you can consider it done and you now have 34 languages to choose from using the Rosetta Stone Military Edition Courses that are available. This breakthrough method of teaching utilizes Dynamic Immersion, which features native speakers and real life images, basically guarantees to have you speaking and writing your “second” language in a surprisingly short amount of time. It really can be fun and of course it’s also free, that is if you’re in the Army.

 

Even if your unit is being deployed to the middle of nowhere, where there is little or no internet access and the dialect may as well be gibberish, you can still at least try to clear the confusion. This can be done by simply requesting the particular version of Rosetta Stone that you require for the region you are going to be based. Just load it on your computer prior to deployment and you won’t need the internet or CDs to continue your army e learning. In fact, it may be better that way because you won’t be inclined to “surf” away from your language lessons in search of other internet entertainment. So far, over 300,000 service members have learned new languages with this invaluable program.

 

 Updates of the Army e Learning program

 

In August of 2010, the army e learning language program was uniquely updated to the Rosetta Stone version 3 Military Edition. This was welcomed news for Army members that are stationed all around the globe, from the Middle East to Asia, as it now teaches Pashto, Dari, Urdu, Arabic for Iraq, and Bahasa Indonesia dialect. And now you can be the first person on your block that speaks Swahili, when you finally return home from duty.

 

In September of 2010, the new DoD 8570.1 Knowledge Center was introduced, taking the place of the IT Security Knowledge Center. This improvement provides additional resources related to beginner, core, and specialty topics such as Computer Network Defense Service Providers (CNDSPs), IA Technical and IA Management, plus ICND1/2 networking devices. The center also features the top computing environment technologies of today like Microsoft Windows and CISCO. Not only does the upgrade offer a more precise way to learn it also features hands-on Practice Labs to enhance your studies.

Also in 2010, InGenius was added to the e learning program, and its name says it all. It is a set of features on Books 24×7 that enables users to locate, share, and create with their colleagues in the service. Once you log in and create your profile, you will be ready to participate in this online community that truly is ingenious. Just remember to fill out the entire form, even the optional data, as this will lead to a more fulfilling experience.

 

As of October 2010, the army e learning course with the highest enrollment was The No Fear Act, which at that time, had been completed by over 158,000 students. Some of the other top ten courses include Windows XP: Fundamentals, Encryption Technology, and TCP/IP. With all this technology at your fingertips, what are you waiting for?

 

With army e learning, you do not have to be an active member of the military to partake in the program. Although it’s not for free, the Army does offer considerable discounts for family members of those who are on active duty and there are also reduced tuition fees for retirees, contractors, and Veterans. This lucky group can gain economical access to most of the courses and databases that are available, like the IT and Business e learning libraries and Referenceware collections such as Office Essentials, to name just a few. So, if you own a computer or have access to one, then it only makes sense to sign up. Please contact the e learning manager or supervisor in your area for details.

 

Summary

 

Basically, whether you are a recently ranked private or a seasoned general getting ready to retire, army e learning can provide you with the opportunity to improve yourself in countless ways. Regardless of if you intend to stay in the Army or if this is just a chapter in your hopefully long life, free education is something that you should surely take immediate advantage of and join the Army e Learning program - after all, knowledge really is power.