The 2008 DoD Annual Online Ethics Training is now available. This year's training is entitled, Ethics in a Transition Year, focusing on the ethics issues surrounding the Presidential election.

You can always link to the most current training module by visiting our home page: http://www.dod.mil/dodgc/defense_ethics/. Click on the link for the "Current Online Training Module."

The training posted on our web site is designed principally for personnel in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and/or serviced by the DoD Office of General Counsel. Other DoD organizations may link to it, but must include the identity of their DAEO, and contact information for their ethics official on the notification to employees to meet the OGE annual training requirement. 5 C.F.R. § 2638.704.

To receive full credit for this training, employees must review all pages or they will not receive a certificate of completion. On the last page, employees will automatically find the training certificate. Employees must input their name in the certificate and print a copy.

Note: A small set of icons may appear in the top left corner of the certificate. The icons only provide options for the "picture" of the certificate - and will not print the name and date information we have coded into the web page itself. To properly print your certificate, use the "File," "Page Setup," "Print Preview," and "Print" commands of your internet browser's taskbar.

An e-mail certification of training completion is also included at the end of the training module. Users have the option to complete either the e-mail or the certificate (or both if you so choose). Either form of certification should serve as proof of having completed the annual ethics training - as both forms of certification are obtained only after completing the final page of the training material.

IMPORTANT: Our training module is designed in a simple html format. It is not a database and does not provide any record of individual user data. The DoD Standards of Conduct Office does not maintain and is not responsible for misdirected certificates or e-mails. Employees are responsible for ensuring their certification of training completion is forwarded to their local ethics official and/or training coordinator. They should also be advised to retain an extra copy for their own records.

In addition to the online training module, training is available in two other standalone editions in our Ethics Training Library, suitable for live group presentations or in-person briefings:

• Instructors may download our PowerPoint Presentation: Ethics in a Presidential Transition Year.
• Our annual ethics training is also available in Microsoft Word for those who prefer to download and maintain a written copy for "lap briefs" or their reference library.

Please remember that for these versions as well, ethics counselors must include their contact information and the name of their DAEO if using the DoD training for personnel in organizations outside the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this advisory is to disseminate relevant information and sources of general guidance, policy and law on Government Ethics issues to the Department of Defense ethics community. Advisories are not intended to be and should not be cited as authoritative guidance, DoD policy, or law.