Army Extends Funds to Meet Requirements for RTs

August 25, 2008

Good news comes out of the Army, which will now pay for enlisted respiratory therapists to complete requirements for an Associate Degree. The Army program was at risk of losing CoARC accreditation because it did not meet the minimum requirements.

Previously the Army training program did not award an Associate degree, thus leaving Army and Navy respiratory therapists unable to obtain a CRT credential until they completed their studies at an accredited school. Now the Army will pay for these extended studies, giving soldiers and sailors the ability to complete the A.S. degree and take NBRC exams.

“This is great news,” said David Vines, chair of the AARC’s Military Roundtable. “This also helps these soldiers transition into civilian jobs once they are out of the military.”

The Air Force’s training program already awards an Associate degree and graduates an advanced respiratory therapist.