The Military Pays for Your Certifications.
Here's Exactly How to Claim It.
COOL — Credentialing Opportunities On-Line — is a DoD program that funds civilian certification exams for service members in all branches. CompTIA Security+, AWS, PMP, FAA A&P, EMT, ASE — if it maps to your MOS or rating, the military may pay for it. Most service members never use it.
Army COOL funds exam vouchers directly with testing vendors — you pay nothing out of pocket. The Army pays the vendor. Fully-funded certs are listed in the portal by MOS; some have additional eligibility criteria beyond active duty status.
Who's Eligible
How to Apply — Step by Step
After You Pass — Updating Your Records
Pro Tips — What the Portal Won't Tell You
Request your voucher 60–90 days before your target exam date. Fiscal year end (September) can create delays as funding gets tight across the Army.
COOL funds the exam fee, not study materials. Budget $50–200 separately for books, practice tests, and prep courses.
Vouchers have expiration dates. Schedule your exam promptly after receiving approval — a lapsed voucher requires a new request.
If you fail, COOL may fund one retake after a mandatory waiting period. Verify current retake policy at the portal — do not assume.
Your S-1 and career counselor may not know COOL exists. Navigate the portal yourself, get your voucher approved, and come to them with documentation ready.
CompTIA Security+ should be the first cert for any IT-adjacent MOS. It is DoD 8570/8140 required and opens every door in federal IT.
For certs with experience prerequisites (PMP, CISSP), document your military experience now using DA Form 2-1 language. Do not wait until ETS to reconstruct your work history.
If your MOS is not listed or your desired cert does not appear, contact your unit S-1 — some certifications require a waiver or supplemental request process.
COOL-Eligible Certifications — Army
Representative sample. See cool.osd.mil for the full list for your MOS/rating/AFSC and current funding status.
Funding amounts, complete cert lists by MOS, and eligibility windows change. Always verify current details before applying.
No. COOL funds the exam voucher — the actual testing fee paid to the testing vendor. Study materials, practice tests, prep courses, and textbooks are your responsibility. Budget $50–200 for study resources.
Active duty members have the clearest eligibility. Some branches allow applications within a window before ETS (often 180 days). Recently separated veterans should check eBenefits and VA educational benefits instead. Verify current policy at cool.osd.mil.
COOL may fund one retake after a mandatory waiting period, but this varies by branch and certification. Do not assume a second voucher is automatic — check the current retake policy on the portal before failing and expecting coverage.
Not always. Some certifications sync automatically through the COOL system; others require you to submit proof to your S-1 (Army), Navy College Office, or MPF (Air Force) for manual entry. Always verify it appears in your official record — do not assume.
No. COOL funding is tied to your MOS, rating, or AFSC. The certification must appear on the funded list for your specific specialty. Certifications that do not map to your specialty code are not covered, regardless of how professionally useful they are.
It varies by branch. Army Reserve and Army National Guard members are generally eligible. For other components, check the COOL portal under your specific branch — eligibility and funding availability differ from active duty.