The NATE- Air Conditioning Excellence (ACE) series of tests covers both installation and service of HVAC/R residential and light commercial equipment. Currently there are five specialties in which a technician can become certified: air conditioning, air distribution, gas heating, heat pump, and oil heating. To become certified the technician must pass a Core and a Specialty exam with a score of 70% or better; his certification remains valid for five years, and after five years, the technician has to recertify.

The Montgomery G.I. Bill provides for current and transitioning active duty personnel as well as regular service retirees (not reservists under their version of the MGIB) to take tests for certification or licensing and be reimbursed by the office of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). The VA's licensing and certification benefit pays eligible retiring service personnel for licensing or certification tests they take after March 1, 2001. (NOTE: VA only pays the test cost and not other fees connected with obtaining a license or certification.) Veterans can receive up to $2000 per test but not more than the actual cost of the test. They can receive benefits to retake a test they failed. The number of tests a veteran can take is unlimited, except that veterans can't receive benefits to retake a test they have already passed.

Eligible personnel include those who qualify for:

1. the Montgomery G.I. Bill or Chapter 30 (but not the Montgomery G.I. Bill for reservists);

2. those who qualify for VEAP (also called Chapter 32)

3. those who qualify for Dependents Educational Assistance (also called DEA or Chapter 35).

Veterans generally have 10 years after their discharge from active duty to use their benefits. If veterans want to know about other programs under which they might be eligible, go to www.gibill.va.gov.

To apply, veterans send a copy of their NATE test results to the VA office that handles their education benefits, and attach a note with the following information:

1. Their request for reimbursement

2. Their name and SSAN (Social Security Number)

3. The name of the test they took and the date they took it

4. The name and address of the organization issuing the certificate (NATE, 4100 N. Fairfax, Suite 210, Arlington, VA 22203 Tel 703 600-0359).

5. Cost of the actual test (NOTE: Registration fees, preparation guides, processing fees etc... will not be reimbursed.)

6. And the following statement: "I authorize release of my test information to VA."

If they have never filed a claim for Veteran's Benefits before they will need to submit an application for benefits.

NOTE: Veterans on active duty need VA Form 22-1990 (available online at www.gibill.va.gov); eligible children or spouses need VA Form 22-5490. Send all information to the regional office. The address is on the form.

NATE is a coalition of many partners:

• Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA);
• Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI);
• Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Wholesalers (ARWI);
• American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE);
• Building Performance Institute (BPI);
• Edison Electric Institute (EEI);
• Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI);
• Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA);
• Northamerican Heating, Refrigeration, Airconditioning Wholesalers Association (NHRAW);
• Plumbing-Heating-Cooling-Contractors - National Association (PHCC-NA);
• Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES);
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

And now NATE has been approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide certification tests to veterans and other eligible persons as indicated.

"You Can't Match the Patch."

For further information on NATE or the NATE Air Conditioning Excellence exams, call 1-(877)-420-NATE (6263), or visit NATE's web site, www.natex.org.