DA 3838 Form - Application for Short Course Training

DA 3838 Form PDF Details

The DA Form 3838, titled the Application for Short Course Training, is a formal U.S. Army document administered under AR 351-3 by the Office of The Surgeon General. It enables Army Medical Department personnel and other eligible Army members to apply for enrollment in short-term training programs not otherwise available through standard military channels.

The form is organized into clearly defined sections that gather all data needed to evaluate and process a training application:

• Applicant data: Full name, grade, branch, and unit title
• Institution type: Whether the course is offered at a civilian non-federal institution, an AMEDD facility, or another Army installation
• Course details: The exact name of the course requested, its location, scheduled dates, and the sponsoring facility
• Cost breakdown: Registration fees, tuition, and any other applicable costs listed separately
• Professional licenses: Any current professional licenses the applicant holds that are relevant to the training
• Training history: Courses previously completed, plus the date of the most recent CBRNE training

Before the application advances, both the applicant and a designated Local Approving Authority must sign and date the form. The Local Approving Authority reviews eligibility and annotates the decision directly on the form, ensuring only qualified personnel receive approval for training programs.

The DA 3838 form includes a Privacy Act Statement explaining that providing information is voluntary. However, failure to complete required fields may prevent processing of the application. All collected data is used solely for administrative purposes within the Army Medical Department.

Other Army forms often used alongside the DA 3838 include the DA Form 1059 (Service School Academic Evaluation Report), DA Form 4856 (Developmental Counseling Form), and the Army Certificate DA Form 87.