BPS has been approved as a vendor in the U.S. Army Credentialing Assistance (CA) Program. The program supports the use of funding for Soldiers to obtain industry recognized credentials, Soldiers can apply for funding support for BPS Board certification through this program. For more assistance on the CA program please go to the Army Credentialing Assistance (CA) Program page and learn how to apply for credentialing assistance. For detailed instructions on completing and submitting a CA request using ArmyIgnitED, download the Soldier CA Process Guide.
- Soldiers can select any Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) credential listed in Army COOL.
- CA may be authorized for the payment of BPS credentialing expenses to include the cost of the certification examination, a retake fee (if applicable), the recertification examination, and annual maintenance fees. Soldiers cannot bundle and these expenses must be invoiced and submitted separately.
- Soldiers are notified by the Army Credentialing Assistance Program Office (ACAPO) letting them know if their case was moved to finance or rejected (via ArmyIgnitED messaging).
- Soldiers who pay out of pocket for any BPS credentialing expenses will not be reimbursed.
- Preparation and study materials are not covered because BPS Board Certification is an independent assessment of knowledge and skills. In addition, BPS does not have any control over whether preparation material providers are part of the U.S. Army CA Program.
- Soldiers who withdraw from a CA-approved course or exam must contact BPS and ACAPO to request the withdrawal.
- Soldiers will be subject to reimbursing the Army for CA if they fail a BPS exam (or fail to sit for the exam in the timeframe requested), and do not have an approved military withdrawal.
- Per the memorandum of agreement signed between BPS and the Department of the Army, certificates of completion are a required item to participate in the Army CA Program. Score reports are made available approximately 90 calendar days of the final examination date of a windowed examination and within 60 calendar days of the administration of an examination in the continuous testing model. Per Army CA requirements, BPS will upload “Pass” or “Fail” status to the ArmyIgnitED portal for the soldier within 10 calendar days of the score report being made available.
- Recertification: For those Soldiers who wish to recertify via examination this program covers the cost of the recertification examination administered by BPS. Soldiers who wish to recertify via continuing education are responsible for obtaining and paying for those materials/credits themselves.
For more information, visit the Army COOL webpage and select Credentialing Assistance. There are related links that are updated monthly that cover process guides, full credential searches, approved vendor list, and other topics.