DIB
OCT
DANTES INFORMATION BULLETIN
2021
Contingency Area Student Education Benefits In this issue: Contingency Area Support
2
Contingency Area Support Fact Sheet
5
Hot News
6
Contact Information
7
Downrange Education Support for Service Members Mark Phelan, CENTCOM AFRICOM COR, DANTES European Advisor
M
any voluntary education opportunities are available to service members worldwide. Service members serving outside of the continental U.S. (OCONUS) have access to various options to begin or continue their education journey. This is also true for those serving in the Central Command (CENTCOM) and Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility (AORs). On behalf of the Services, DANTES contracts with schools like the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) and other institutions to provide education services in the CENTCOM/AFRICOM AORs. Below are some of the current loca-
DANTES Information Bulletin
tions that services are performed: • Kuwait (Camps Arifjan, Buehring, and Patriot, Ali Al Salem and Al Jaber Air Bases) • Qatar (Al Udeid Air Base) • Bahrain (Manama Naval Support Activity and Isa Air Base) • Djibouti (Camp Lemonnier) • Jordan (Muwaffag Salti Air Base) • Egypt (North and South Camps). In these locations, UMGC and other institutions provide direct support to Education Centers. Learning Centers offer a variety of services to service members to assist in furthering their education, improving their academic skills, and fostering ongoing professional development.
http://www.dantes.doded.mil
Downrange Education Support for Service Members Education and Academic Counseling Services Education counselors serve as a force multiplier for local Service sponsored education centers in most locations. Under the oversight of a government Education Services Officer (ESO), contracted education counselors also provide academic advisement to service members in various stages of their education journey. Examples of this type of support include: • Assessing interests and helping service members develop education pathways • Supporting service members secure an education plan before enrolling in their first class • Informing service members of federal and institutional financial aid for which they qualify and provide assistance in applying for the aid • Ensuring service members have a formal degree plan for a certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree after completion of six semester hours of credit
DANTES Information Bulletin
• Providing service members with an evaluation of all prior learning • Coordinating between local sites and the home campus to facilitate communications between faculty, service members, and program administrators.
National Testing Centers (NTCs) UMGC facilitates the availability of academic exams by operating National Test Centers (NTCs) downrange. These NTCs offer service members and eligible civilians access to College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DSST internet-based testing (iBT) exams, online credentialing examinations, and other electronic exams. Contracted test examiners also proctor electronic exams for service members enrolled in distance education courses with non-contract education colleges and universities on a space-available basis.
http://www.dantes.doded.mil
2
Downrange Education Support for Service Members
Face-to-Face and Online College Course Academic Skills Training and Tutoring Service members also can have access to three types Instruction
The UMGC offers opportunities to earn college credit of academic support: and meet certification requirements through face-to- 1. Functional Academic Skills Training (FAST) 2. Advanced Skills Education Program (ASEP) face and online courses. These courses include: 3. Army Learning Center (ALC) Academic Tutoring • Courses leading to a Certificate or Associates of Science Degree Functional Academic Skills Training (FAST) • Lower Level, Liberal Arts courses, leading to the provides instruction for academic skills training to award of Certificates and Associate of Arts Deimprove math, English language, and science profigrees ciency for military personnel. FAST is provided in a • Upper-Level Liberal Arts courses leading to the traditional face-to-face, hands-on format in a classaward of Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts room setting, ranging from twenty to eighty-hour Degrees instruction blocks. • Graduate courses leading to the award of a Graduate Certificate or Master’s Degree Advanced Skills Education Program (ASEP) • Credential related courses is an Army professional development course that provides instruction to enhance personnel’s commuThe degree programs offered in the CENTCOM/ nication, management, and supervisory skills. TeachAFRICOM regions are consistent with the degree ing takes place in a traditional face-to-face classroom programs available at UMGC home campus. Service format in twenty-hour blocks of instruction. member participation in degree programs is funded through military Tuition Assistance (TA) based on Service policy, the GI Bill, federal financial aid, the various Services COOL programs, or funded individually by an eligible student.
DANTES Information Bulletin
http://www.dantes.doded.mil
3
Downrange Education Support for Service Members Army Learning Center (ALC) Academic Tutor Support provides academic tutoring services at Army Learning Centers in the CENTCOM/AFRICOM regions. Service members are offered academic tutorial assistance using ALC resources, prerequisite study for Service schools, college-level general classes (e.g., Math, English, or Science), and preparation for tests.
Local Language and Culture Classes
The U.S. CENTCOM AOR spans more than four million square miles and is populated by more than 550 million people from 22 ethnic groups, speaking 18 languages with hundreds of dialects that transect national borders. To help service members acclimate; Foreign Language, Culture, and Customs instruction are offered. Non-credit foreign language instruction in Host Nation language or other foreign language requested by the ESO, and culture and customs training are also available. Instruction is provided up to and including level 2 proficiency on the Inter-agency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale using Defense Language Institute (DLI) electronic course materials to deliver foreign language, culture, and customs training.
DANTES Information Bulletin
Downrange Education Support Benefits Here are some highlights on downrange education results for service members in FY20: • 119 service members completed various degrees while downrange • 6,141 service member enrollments in college-level courses while in the CENTCOM/ AFRICOM regions • Education counselors worked over 48,543 hours at the various education centers and Navy College offices to advise service members • Service members successfully passed 2,503 college-level examinations at NTC National Testing Centers in the CENTCOM/AFRICOM AORs The goal downrange is to foster the completion of postsecondary and vocational degree requirements through face-to-face, online course offerings, and academic testing. The additional education support in these areas is a win-win for the Department and service members. The Department saves money through the provision of shared services through DANTES contract management of partners like UMGC. Service members have continuity of their education support, fostering continued personal/professional development and resiliency regardless of where they serve.
http://www.dantes.doded.mil
4
Downrange Education Support for Service Members
CONTINGENCY AREA EDUCATION SUPPORT PROGRAM OVERVIEW: The Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education (VolEd) Program, through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) ensures Contingency Area Education Support for deployed military members and those stationed overseas in the USCENTCOM and USAFRICOM AORs (areas of responsibility).
SERVICES PROVIDED:
The DANTES European Advisor is available to help military students pursue their education goals while downrange:
EDUCATION BENEFITS FOR DOWNRANGE STUDENTS: Access to face-to-face academic counseling services Opportunities to earn college credit and meet certification requirements Expanded test center accessibility for military members Availability of undergraduate and graduate academic programs
Manages institutional partnerships that provide contingency area education support Coordinates mobile testing opportunities at down range locations Conducts training workshops and attends local education fairs Encourages military components to stay updated on DANTES education programs Obtains feedback from education center staff about DANTES material and operations
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY: All active duty, enlisted, officer and warrant officers, National Guard and Reserve components, in all military services, including the U.S. Coast Guard are eligible to use Contingency Area Education Support services. 011-49-611-143-544-1210 usarmy.badenwur.usareur.mbx. dantes-euro@mail.mil www.MyVolEd.com/OCONUS
Helping Goals Service Members Achieve Their Education http://www.dantes.doded.mil
DANTES Updated: 10/12/2021 Information Bulletin
5
Hot News
October Webinar: Using the OASC Ac- and where to find them within the OASC platademic Help Desk and Online Tutoring form. Additionally, it will cover who should be referred to these services and how often they Features Date: Thursday, October 21, 2021 Time: 1100 ET / 1000 CT / 0900 MT / 0800 PT
P
eterson’s will present how to utilize the two MAJOR enhancements in the OASC program: Academic Help Desk and Online Tutoring.
When service members need additional academic support or remediation that cannot be met by the online courseware or email academic support, they may request one-on-one, online tutor support. A service member will be able to click “connect to a tutor” in their subject area of need and then meet with the tutor via webcam. During the session the learner and tutor will work together on an online whiteboard and help the learner understand the topic at hand. In this webinar, counselors and educational service officers will learn how these features work DANTES Information Bulletin
may be used.
Register for what will surely be an informative and interactive session! Please direct questions related to this training to dantes_academicskills@navy.mil. Register at: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_QgNI1WQ9Rkqu31tPdnNRIQ
Helping Service Members Connect with DANTES
E
ducation centers will be recieving posters and cards in the next couple of weeks to help service members connect with DANTES. Click on the link to check out the poster: https://www.dantes.doded.mil/documents/infographics/Connect_DANTES_2021.pdf
http://www.dantes.doded.mil
6
DANTES Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support
DANTES OCONUS European Advisor (Contingency Operation Support)
6490 Saufley Field Road, Pensacola, FL 32509 (850) 452-1901
DANTES_Outreach@navy.mil
011-49-611-143-511-1230
usarmy.badenwur.usareur.mbx.dantes-euro@ mail.mil
www.DANTES.DoDed.mil
DANTES INFORMATION BULLETIN
DANTES Information Bulletin The DANTES Information Bulletin is published monthly to inform education personnel about DANTES programs and to help promote more efficient customer service to service members. Email all inquiries to DANTES_Outreach@navy.mil. Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted for any purpose of the United States Government, except that copyrighted materials cannot be reproduced without written permission from the copyright owner. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by DANTES of the linked websites, or the information, products, or services contained therein.
Jeff Allen, Director Michelle Alexander, Editor DANTES Information Bulletin
http://www.dantes.doded.mil
7