Skip to Main Content

Military Affiliated Benefits

Questions? Contact Us!

Don Enright
Veterans Services Coordinator
dlenright2@dmacc.edu
515-964-6278

DMACC is proud to support our veteran and military affiliated students. Services are provided to veteran military personnel, National Guard and Reserves members, active duty personnel, spouses and dependents, and survivors of disabled or deceased veterans.

The DMACC Veterans Services office assists students in applying for veterans' educational benefits, provides counseling on transitioning from active duty to school, acts as a liaison between the student and the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and serves as a resource to other DMACC departments and services.

The office of Veterans Services, is located on the Ankeny Campus, Building 5. Students at other DMACC campuses can be assisted by mail, e-mail or phone. If necessary, the VA Coordinator will travel to other campuses to meet with students.

Phone Number: 515-964-6278, or toll-free 1-800-362-2127, ext. #6278
Fax Number: 515-964-7124 
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Military Personnel and Vets

DMACC is a Service Members Opportunity College (SOC) where career, degree and diploma programs are approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) for VA educational benefits. Monthly benefit rates are set by Congress and the DVA and vary according to students' benefits categories and credit hour enrollment for each term.

Military Spouses

Des Moines Area Community College was established in 1968 to serve one purpose: to offer quality programs and courses to meet the different community interests, student abilities and personal objectives of citizens of all ages and levels of education, for the purpose of improving the quality of life, the economic conditions and the public welfare of our state. This includes military spouses and military dependents.

Military Affiliated Benefits

DMACC has many programs and services available to assist you in obtaining your educational goals.

Learning Options

DMACC provides courses through a variety of delivery systems. You have the option of taking your classes online or combining them with the traditional classroom-based sessions at one of our six campuses.

DMACC offers a variety of courses and programs online. The College does not charge out-of-state tuition for these courses regardless of the student's location. Click on the following links to see what DMACC offers on-line:

Alternative Credit

​Students may obtain college credit for competencies gained through formal
training, work experience or certain approved examinations. Some alternative methods available include:

  • Converting DMACC continuing education coursework to credit.
  • Converting DMACC corporate training to credit.
  • Earning credit for experiential learning through portfolio development or skills demonstration.
  • Earning credit through the assessment of work experience.
  • Converting certification or licensure from a state or national examination to credit.
More Information

Credit for Educational Experience in the Armed Forces

Educational experiences in the armed forces can be validated and accepted for credit by the College. Credit is granted based on statewide policies at Iowa colleges and universities and based on the applicability of the educational experiences toward meeting the requirements in the student's program of study. An American Council on Education (ACE) publication, "Guide to the Evaluations of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services," is generally used in making these determinations.

Credit is awarded only for significant learning experiences as recommended by the ACE guides. No credit will be awarded based on the Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) evaluation program. Credit may be awarded for coursework completed via correspondence, classroom study and/or examination through the United States Armed Forces Institute. Credit may also be granted on the basis of scores earned on the Subject Standardized Test of the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES). Official copies of transcripts showing such work are required for credit evaluation by the Office of Credentials.

Employment Experience Credit

Credit for External Certification/Licensure
If a student has earned certification or licensure from a recognized state or national examination but has not taken that coursework at DMACC, the student may apply for DMACC credit for comparable coursework

Exams for College Credit

Advanced Placement (AP)

This program allows students, while still in high school, to take examinations for credit at the college level. DMACC awards credit for advanced placement through the Advanced Placement Program in art, computer science, English, foreign languages, history, mathematics, music and sciences.

To Learn more, click the button below and see Appendix A:

Advanced Placement Credit

CLEP Exam

Des Moines Area Community College will award credit based on scores obtained on the General examinations and Subject examinations. CLEP credit will not be granted if it duplicates credit for a course already taken.

CLEP Exam

Challenge Exams (DMACC Local Department Examinations)

Students who have met the entrance requirements of the College and who are matriculating in a program of study leading to a degree, diploma or certificate may take locally constructed departmental examinations for credit in certain specified areas for which they and the department feel they have the necessary preparation.

Students interested in taking a Challenge exam should contact the appropriate academic department for specific information on tests available and fees for testing.

Challenge Exams

Veterans, Federal Personnel & Their Dependents

A military service veteran who was a resident of the State of Iowa prior to entering the service shall be classified as a resident of Iowa if the veteran returns to Iowa upon separation of service and his/her separation papers are filed with the county recorder.
A person and his/her spouse, who has moved into the State of Iowa as the result of military or civil orders from the federal government, and their minor children are entitled to immediate Iowa residency status.

Residency Requirements

ROTC logo

Mission of the Air Force ROTC at Iowa State

Our mission is to Develop Quality Leaders for the Air Force and we accomplish this through an integrated training program combining academics, physical fitness, and character development. The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps has a strong tradition at Iowa State as it stood up its first cadet corps in January of 1949. Since then, we have called the Armory building our home.

For more information, please visit Air Force ROTC @ Iowa State.