The awarding of prior learning credits for military students goes back to World War II, when the American Council on Education (ACE) first translated military training to college credit. Since then, the practice has expanded. More than 2,000 colleges and universities accept military training as a form of credit, explains Cathy Sandeen, ACE's vice president for education attainment and innovation. Two trends contribute to the appeal of experiential learning at community colleges colleges: (1) the federal government and the Obama administration have asked the nation's community colleges to double graduation rates by 2020, and (2) as the U.S. military draws down troop deployments in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, millions of veterans are returning home. The majority of these veterans have access to G.I. Bill funds and a desire to translate the experiences and knowledge picked up during their military service into civilian degrees--and, for many, gainful employment. Colleges and community colleges need to be ready, says Steve Frantz, director of the Veterans Re-Entry Education Program for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Offering prior learning credit is one way to do that. Many colleges already offer credit for prior learning, most of which is vetted through the American Council on Education (ACE) or the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Military students can translate credit largely three ways, says Cathy Sandeen, ACE's vice president for education attainment and innovation: (1) Credit by exam, or testing out of a prerequisite or course; (2) Course-review credits. ACE evaluates military training and assigns that training a recommended number of credits. Colleges can take that designation and apply it directly to transcripts or adapt it individually; and (3) Portfolio review credits. CAEL offers a series of courses intended to teach students how to create portfolios of their relevant past work and military experience, including proof of competency, for review by the college. A link is also provided that enables readers to learn more about services colleges are providing for American service members who wish to consider adopting approaches to prior learning credit.