SUBJECT:   INITIAL WELCOME LETTER TO AJPME STUDENTS

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC), I would like to congratulate you on your selection for the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education (AJPME) course.

I would like to take a moment and provide an overview of the AJPME course. You will be in an AJPME seminar for 40-weeks. Your seminar will utilize Distance Learning (DL) for approximately the first twelve weeks, followed by a 4½-day Face-to-Face (F2F) instructional session at the JFSC during week thirteen. A second DL period will last for approximately twenty-four weeks and will culminate with a 12-day F2F session at the JFSC. (Note: Responsibility for orders to attend each F2F is between you and your sponsoring command or Reserve Component C; JFSC does not produce orders.) During the DL periods, plan on participating online for a minimum of four hours each week, with additional time spent on readings, research, and assignments. You will see your assigned instructors when you log into the Blackboard learning management system. Instructions are below.

Important dates and weekly activities are outlined on your course roadmap found at http://blackboard.jfsc.ndu.edu/html/jfscCourseRoadmaps/jfscCourseRoadmaps.html.

A few days prior to the official start date, you will receive an email with login instructions to access your online classroom in Blackboard. Once in Blackboard, read the welcome announcement and follow the directions provided to complete a few administrative items in DES. There are NO requirements prior to the class start date.

As a student in AJPME, you will need access to DKO (Defense Knowledge Online) or AKO (Army Knowledge Online) at https://www.us.army.mil. Ensure that your account is active before you start the course. We store, work, and manage FOUO material here. Your DKO/AKO account will also provide access to milSuite and DCO (Defense Connect Online) where needed in the course. While normal for all Army members to be members of AKO, all Service Members can have an unsponsored account on DKO. If you do not have an account, please go to http://www.dko.mil and create an account following instructions – you must use a computer with a CAC reader. Instructions are also located in your course on Blackboard, just click on the "Course Information" button. If you had a prior AKO/DKO account and it has expired, the only way to reactivate it is to call the help desk at 866-335-2769 option 2, option 2, and option 3.

Finally, this course incorporates a significant commitment on your part, in terms of time, dedication, and self-motivation. It is important for you to assess your family responsibilities, civilian employment conflicts, or forecasted military duties, in terms of successfully completing the course. You must attend both F2F sessions as part of the course and keep up with weekly assignments.

If you find that, you cannot fulfill the stated requirements or have any questions prior to your class start date, please email DAA Registrar, at DAA-Registrar@ndu.edu, or call (757) 443-6615 or DSN (312) 646-6615. For technical-related issues, please email the help desk at Blackboardhelp@jfsc.ndu.edu or call (757) 443-6532 or DSN (312) 646-6532.

//Original Signed//
Director, AJPME

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Last update: 06 April 2012