Battle Sight Zero Archives

Invitation from the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

Click here for a special letter from the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Ronald Green.

Using the National Certifications and Federal Licenses Table

The main resource on MOS Summary pages is the National Certifications and Federal Licenses table in the Related Credentials section, shown below. (Summary pages are the pages you see when you select an MOS from the Find & Select Related Credentials box and click Go.)

This table is where you can see the credentials related to your MOS. It has many features, such as the filter box on the left, to help you focus on the credentials that most interest you. Many of these features, however, may not be obvious at first glance.

For example, to view only credentials that have been reviewd by a third party to ensure they meet quality standards, use the Accreditation filters. (The ANSI filter is shown in use below.) If you are considering two certifications, one of which is accredited, you may want to choose the one with accreditation.

The following information describes the table's features in detail. Review the list following the graphic for detailed descriptions. Being familiar with how best to use this table can make Marine Corps COOL that much more useful to you.

1. Filter box – Check the items in this box to filter the information displayed in the table. A filter works by limiting what you see in the table. For example, if you click the COOL Bucks filter, only credentials with COOL Bucks are displayed (credentials not having COOL Bucks are still there, but they are hidden.) The table is filtered instantly when you check a filter box. Note that by default, the table displays with the Most and Some filters active, so it displays only credentials related to some or most of your MOS job's tasks. (Other credentials in the table are related to your MOS, but not as directly as the Some or Most credentials.) Filters are additive—you can apply multiple filters: "I only want to see credentials with Most, Some and ANSI accreditation." The active filters are shown in the Active Filters list (described below). To clear all the active filters, click Clear All.
2. Active Filters – Shows the filters that are currently applied to the table. You can turn off a filter either by checking its box in the filter box, or by clicking the filter's X in Active Filters. If you don't see what you expect to see in the table, make sure there aren't active filters you forgot about.
3. Table Legend and Help – Click these buttons to view pop-ups explaining what is in the table and and overview of how to use it.
4. Print – You can print the filtered view of the table for later reference.
5. Text Search – Filter the table for any text you type in the box. If you type "vibration" in the box, the table will display any row containing that word. This is a quick way to find a certification if you know one of the words in its name.
6. Column Sort – You can sort by any column by clicking on the heading. If you want to sort by multiple columns, hold down the Shift key when you click on a heading. Sorted columns are indicated by a red triangle, and the sort direction is shown by which direction the arrow points.
7. Data Overview and Navigation – The information shown just above and below the table tells you how many total credentials there are, and how many you are currently viewing. If there are multiple pages of data, it shows you which page you are viewing and lets you page forward and backward.

Welcome to the New COOL!

The US Marine Corps is a modern, cutting-edge force. To best support today's Marine, COOL must be cutting-edge too. COOL has been completely retooled and revamped to improve your access to the credentialing information that is important to your career. We've built in new features and functionality, such as:

• Responsiveness – the site responds on the fly to your hardware, with purpose-built support for desktops, tablets and phones.
• Interactive credential tables – you now have many more tools at your disposal when looking at credentials related to your Rate, Designator or Collateral Duty. You can apply filters, sort, and search by key words. Once you have your customized list, you can print it and take it with you.
• Reorganized content – All of the supporting information on COOL, from the Credentialing Steps along the top of each page, to the pages you access from the top navigation bar has been redesigned and rewritten to make it easier to understand credentialing and what it means to you. And most importantly, to make it easier for you to understand what you need to do to get a credential.
• Revamped look and feel – It's still COOL, only better. We've made things easier to read, easier to find, and easier to use, whether you're at your desk or on your phone.

Make sure to spend the time to explore your new COOL. Kick the tires, poke around. There is a lot to see and discover. And it's all here to help you become a better, more professional Marine. Let us know what you think– feel free to leave a comment.

TA DECIDE Can Help You Choose a College

TA DECIDE is dynamic information and comparison tool designed specifically to aid participants of DoD's Tuition Assistance (TA) program in making informed choices on schools and education programs. The TA DECIDE engine is fueled by more than 10 recognized and trusted data sources from across the departments of Defense, Education and Veterans Affairs.

It provides a first of its kind experience, uniquely tailored to the needs of the TA participant. We hope TA DECIDE provides you with high value, actionable information on educational costs and outcomes to compare educational institutions that you may be considering.

Visit the TA DECIDE website for more information.

New Site-Wide Search

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed the new site-wide search box in the upper right-hand corner of COOL pages. We have been testing the search functionality, and it is now ready for prime time.

You can now search all of Marine Corps COOL for key words and phrases, using the search box at the upper right of COOL pages:

It works as you'd expect– type in a search word or phrase, and you'll see a page of results, including all occurrences on the COOL site. What you might not expect is that the results are organized into three tabs:

• All – Shows all results
• Military Occupations – Only shows results on COOL Rating Summary pages
• Credentials – Only shows results on COOL Credential Snapshot pages

Now it will be easier than ever to find exactly the credentialing information you're looking for. Happy searching!

Your Credential May Need Maintenance

Did you know that many certifications & licenses require annual maintenance (fees and/or additional training) to keep them current and valid?

To keep your civilian certification current, you may need to pay an annual or routine maintenance fee and/or complete a minimum number of related continuing education activities (such as attend conferences, participate in courses or training, earn additional certifications, read books or guides, etc.). These activities may be referred to as Continuing Education Units (CEU's), Continuing Maintenance Units (CMU's), or something similar. If you do not maintain your credential per the certification agency's guidance, your credential may expire. At that point you might have to re-take the credentialing exam and pay any fees due to be able to recertify.

Credential maintenance may be required for a Marine-specific position or initial/continued employment as a civilian—keeping your credentials up to date is as important as earning them in the first place.

Some examples of certifications that require annual maintenance (not a complete list):

• ABCHS Certified in Homeland Security – requires 30 CEUs over a three-year period
• CompTIA A+ ce – requires 20 CEUs over a 3-year period + $25.00 due annually
• CompTIA Security+ – requires 50 CEUs over a 3-year period + $49.00 due annually
• (ISC)2 CISSP – requires 120 CPE credits over a 3-year period (40/year) + $85.00 due annually
• GIAC certifications – require 36 CPE credits over a 4-year period + $399.00 due once every four years

Following are some common questions related to continuing education units (CEUs):

1. What are Continuing Education Units?

A CEU is a unit of credit equal up to 10 hours of participation in an accredited program designed for professionals with certifications or licenses. In most cases CEU's are used to maintain certification requirements relevant to the field in which the certification applies.

2. Why Complete CEUs?

Many certifying agencies and certain professions require that practitioners earn a specific number of CEUs per year to ensure that they are up-to-date with current practices in their field. Proof of credits earned is necessary to renew a certification or license. The number of credits required varies by certifying agencies, industry and state. Please check with the certifying agency for CEU requirements for your certification.

3. How to earn CEUs?

CEUs can be earned by attending conferences, completing online courses, completing a college course, passing a related certification exam, attending various certifying agency events and writing a paper or journal article relevant to certification. In most cases training must meet the requirements of the certifying agency; most certifying agencies will have a listing of recommended CEU training located on their website under the general heading of something similar to 'Maintaining Your Certification.'