Members of a nationally recognized accreditation organization visited the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Jan. 20-22 as the first step in determining if several of the organization's courses would be eligible for college credit recommendations.

The American Council on Education (ACE) assessed CNATT courses over a two-day span, an intense look at required training for beginning and intermediate aviation maintenance students, which CNATT Director of Training Terry Williams said could have an impact on their future careers.

"Having organizations evaluate the coursework offered through CNATT's learning activities around the world is going to greatly assist service members going through our courses as well as give them a head start toward a post-Navy trade or higher education," he said. "During the entire inspection and during the out brief with CNATT commanding officer [Capt. Terry Hammond] the ACE team repeatedly lauded our programs, and the pride staff members take in them."

Since 1945, the American Council on Education (ACE) has provided a collaborative link between the U.S. Department of Defense and higher education through the review of military training and experiences for the award of equivalent college credits for members of the Armed Forces. The evaluation process is founded on high quality standards of practice, including a rigorous review and selection of subject-matter experts and academic faculty, a site visit to analyze the content and an evaluation consensus in determining the learning outcomes and appropriate academic credit recommendations.

During the visit, 17 CNATT courses were evaluated. CNATT N7 Training Specialist Robert Folmar said each of these courses is meticulously maintained at the oversight level, providing an intensive, best-practices approach to instruction.

The process for accreditation is lengthy, requiring a series of steps leading up to the accreditation recommendation. Folmar said final results of the ACE team visit could be expected in 30 days, and added that the impact of accredited courses offered through CNATT facilities stems across the Navy and Marine Corps, and can have a significant impact on a Sailor's and Marine's career.

"Sailors and Marines taking these courses are impacting our fleet in areas too numerous to count," he said. "What they're accomplishing as graduates, is providing dividends in all aspects of what we do on a daily basis: support the warfighter. Being able to perform these skills while on active duty and have the skills transfer to a potential job or to a university while or after they serve in the Navy or Marine Corps is something CNATT has always taken seriously; supporting these warfighters who make the naval service what it is today."

CNATT is headquartered aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, and develops, delivers and supports aviation technical training at 27 sites located throughout the continental United States and Japan.

CNATT is a technical training agent for the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) an organization designed to advance and sustain Naval Aviation warfighting capabilities at an affordable cost, and is the largest training center under Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).

For more news from Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training, visit www.navy.mil/.