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Step 1 · choose a vendor

In one of our camps? Your practice exams come with the tuition — they are on your study page already.

Funding · DoD & Federal Civilians

Training for DoD and Federal Civilians

If you are a DoD civilian or federal employee, your agency pays for your training — not you. Your supervisor approves it on an SF-182, the agency pays us directly, and you sit the class. thinQtank accepts signed SF-182s and agency payment for every certification training camp in our catalog, live online over Cisco WebEx or in person.

  • SF-182accepted for every course
  • $0out of pocket when approved
  • DoD 8140qualification certifications
  • 24 mofree retakes, in part or full

How civilian training gets paid for

Military members use Credentialing Assistance or COOL funding. Civilians don't — DoD Civilian COOL only tells you which certifications match your job series; it doesn't pay for anything. Civilian training is paid from your own agency's training budget, and the form that authorizes it is the SF-182, Authorization, Agreement and Certification of Training.

What your agency can cover

  • Tuition for the training camp
  • The certification exam voucher, itemized separately
  • Courseware and lab access included with the class
  • Travel, when your agency approves an in-person class

What you should not do

  • Pay out of pocket and hope to be reimbursed later
  • Start the class before the SF-182 is signed
  • Assume DoD Civilian COOL will fund it — it won't

Who this is for

DoD civilian employees

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and defense-agency civilians who need a certification for their position or career growth.

Federal employees

Staff at any federal agency whose supervisor can approve training on an SF-182.

Training officers & supervisors

Anyone buying training for a person or a whole team — we quote, invoice and document everything your office needs.

DoD 8140: certifications your role may require

Under the DoD 8140 cyber workforce program, many civilian positions must meet qualification requirements, and an approved industry certification is one of the ways to meet them. Our catalog covers the certifications most often used for that — including CompTIA Security+, CySA+ and SecurityX, ISC2 CISSP, EC-Council and Cisco certifications.

Not sure which certification your work role needs? Use our DoD 8140 Workforce Navigator, or call us and we'll work it out with you before you submit anything.

Step by step

  1. Pick the course and date

    Choose a training camp from our course catalog, live online or in person.

  2. Ask us for a quote

    Email sales@thinqtanklearning.com or call 855-868-4467. Your quote lists tuition and the exam voucher as separate lines, with our vendor details, so it drops straight into your SF-182.

  3. Complete the SF-182

    Fill in the course, dates, cost and our vendor information, and route it for your supervisor's approval through your agency's training system.

  4. Send us the signed SF-182

    Once it's approved, send the signed form to us. That reserves your seat, and we send your materials at registration.

  5. Attend the class

    Every student gets a pre-class assessment call with their instructor, then the training camp itself.

  6. We invoice your agency

    We bill the agency directly, using the payment method on your SF-182. You never see a bill.

Vendor details for your SF-182

Vendor name
thinQtank Learning
CAGE code
72FX4
NAICS
611420 — Computer Training
Phone
855-868-4467
Fax
208-979-0668
Email
sales@thinqtanklearning.com

How agencies pay

1
SF-182 with agency payment

The approved SF-182 authorizes the training, and your agency pays our invoice.

2
Government purchase card

Many training offices pay by government purchase card. We accept it.

3
Purchase order

We invoice against your agency's purchase order.

4
Group and on-site training

Training a team? We run private classes for agencies, on-site or online — ask for a group quote.

FAQ

Does DoD Civilian COOL pay for my training?

No. DoD Civilian COOL is an information site — it shows which certifications relate to your job series. Payment comes from your agency's training budget through the SF-182.

Can the exam voucher go on the same SF-182?

Yes. We list tuition and the exam voucher as separate lines on your quote, so your agency can approve both together.

What if I don't pass the exam?

You can retake the class, in part or in full, in person or online, for 24 months at no extra cost.

Can I take the class online?

Yes. Every course is available live online over Cisco WebEx, as well as in person.

How long does it take to get approved?

That depends on your agency's approval process. Ask us for a quote early and submit your SF-182 well before the class start date.

Get your SF-182 quote

Tell us the course, the date and how many people, and we'll send a quote ready for your SF-182 — tuition and exam voucher itemized, with our vendor details.

Reviewed November 2026. Agencies set their own training approval and payment rules: confirm the process with your supervisor or training office before you submit an SF-182. thinQtank Learning is a training vendor and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an agent of the Department of War or any federal agency.