For years, individual Army mechanics earned ASE certifications for self-improvement and professional development. Their only award for this achievement up to this point has been self-satisfaction. As of 1 October 2003, that will change.

Starting in October, the Army will begin awarding promotion points to technicians who earn civilian technical certifications directly related to their trade. This includes automotive mechanics, HVAC/R technicians, and electronics repairmen. An army technician can earn 10 points for each certification up to a maximum of 50 points. The Army currently promotes their soldiers to junior grade noncommissioned officers using a scoring system which allows them to earn and compile points from such areas as education, awards, special achievements, and performance.

Currently, the Army's promotion system does not really look at how proficient a skilled technician is in their job, but now, one branch in the Army is taking technical expertise very seriously. The Army's Chief Enlisted Career Manager for its automotive, HVAC/R and mechanical maintenance technicians, Sergeant Major James Herrell explains: "We have some pretty exciting stuff we work on in the Army, but as a general rule, army technicians do the same jobs civilian technicians in the same profession do. The Abrams Tank may have a turbine engine, and the armament system on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle includes thermal imagers, but if I recall, turbine engines are becoming quite popular in the power generation community, and I think I saw a Cadillac TV commercial with a thermal imaging device on its heads-up display. Every time I turn around I see a civilian version HUMMER drive by. Our position is that the gap between high-tech military technology and civilian equipment is not as wide as one thinks."

Most of the technical fields affected by this new policy belong to the
Army's Ordnance Corps, one of the Army's largest branches, containing nearly
118,000 military personnel. "We consider ourselves the Army's Tradesmen with 45 technically-related jobs including electronics technicians, automotive mechanics, explosives and munitions specialists, and allied trades such as welders, machinists, and HVAC/R repair specialists", explained Herrell. We've been working on this policy for quite some time now, and we were recently successful in convincing the Department of the Army that we should use the same measures of technical competency as our civilian counterparts and reward our soldiers who earn them.

National skill standards are an important component of quality management and customer satisfaction, and the US Army has fully embraced these practices by adopting nationally recognized industry standards as a part of their personnel professional development models.

An example of the Army's commitment to professional credentialing is the Ordnance Corps' recent accreditation of their welding course by the American Welding Society, the machinist course by the National Institute for Metalworking Skills, and all the electronics training by the Electronics Technician Association. Still in the works is the accreditation of all automotive training under ASE's CASE program and the HVAC training under the Partnership For Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Accreditation of which NATE is a partner.

"Professional credentialing of our soldiers is a win-win for everyone", Herrell explained. Young people considering the Army as a good place to learn a new technical skill can now attend nationally accredited training, earn professional certifications free of charge (because the Army pays up to $2000 per certification for certifications), and receive more rapid promotions because of it. The Army wins by getting more proficient technicians, and civilian industry wins by getting a more qualified technician when the soldier returns to civilian life.

"In the case of the Army’s MOS 52C, Utility Equipment Repairer - Heating and A/C, we see our collaboration with both NATE and PAHRA as being an important component of our strategy in linking our training with industry standards. We already have an excellent training program, and our repairmen are top-notch, so it makes perfect sense to create a program that encourages our technicians to fill-in the body of knowledge that they don’t receive from the Army. These certifications require our soldiers to conduct self-study in their technical discipline, and that’s what we want them to do.

Consider that the next time you think about your Army. You can no longer think about us as an Army that only prosecutes war and destroys the enemy. You have to look upon your young soldiers not only as warriors, but also as true professionals in their trade that have attained the same level of technical expertise and competency as the civilian workforce. Awarding promotion points for civilian credentials is one of many things the Army is doing to ensure your Army remains the most professional organization in world history, and the Ordnance Corps is leading the way in that regard", beamed Herrell.

This year NATE has experienced strong growth, having administered over 10,000 tests since 1 January 2003. More than 15,000 NATE certifications are held by technicians nationwide. Military under the Montgomery G.I. Bill can be reimbursed for taking a NATE test. Most manufacturers have incentive or preferred provider programs that include NATE as a cornerstone. NATE is the HVAC/R industry certification standard…and now the U.S. Army recognizes it, also.