Sponsored/Guest Account Registration

How do I register for a Sponsored/Guest Account?

Creating a guest AKO account

A guest account on AKO is one that requires sponsorship from a full account holder.  A guest account is limited in its access rights and requires an affirmative action by the full account holder to essentially vouch for the guest’s status as someone authorized to access our system.  Guest accounts are also used for users who are meant to have a full account but the database records have not yet been updated to reflect their status.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a guest account on AKO you need to have someone with a full account who is willing to sponsor you.  Many users on AKO are required to have accounts but do not qualify for a full AKO account and these users will typically have a designated sponsor in their organization.  Our account types for guest accounts are listed below.

Government/Military Attached

• Contractor
• Family Member
• Army Cadet MS I & MS II
• Army Volunteer
• Homeland Security
• Federal Civilian Agencies
• Non-Federal Civilian Agencies

Transition Accounts

• Incoming DA Civilian
• Incoming Future Soldier
• Military Transition

Separated without full benefits

• Medical Discharge
• Medical Retirement*
• National Guard Retired**

Non-U.S.

• Foreign Officer
• Local National

* – Soldiers who have a medical retirement percentage high enough might qualify for a full account.  If you are unsure please call the help desk to verify.

** – National Guardsmen who are gray-area retirees may require a guest account until they reach the retirement age.

Dual Status

Some users are required to have an account type that matches a guest account type (typically Contractor) for certain access rights while also having a status that grants them a full AKO account.  Common combinations are Contractor & National Guard or Contractor & Army Retired.  The AKO can reflect this dual status in a single account.

If you already have an account with AKO and later become a user with a dual status then your account will change to reflect this status.  If your account is currently a guest account and later you become eligible for a full account status (either a dual or single account type) then you will be prompted to upgrade your account as soon as AKO sees your entry in one of our authoritative databases.  This is keyed off of your Social Security Number so please ensure this information is entered correctly when you register for your account.  If you already have a full account and become a dual status guest then your account should simply update automatically when your information is reflected properly in the DMDC.

Required Information

SSN/FIN

Your SSN is required to register for AKO if you have one.  This is used to validate your status and provide a unique identifier for your account.  If you are a foreign national and do not have a SSN you will have to enter your FIN (Foreign Identification Number); if you do not have a FIN and still require an AKO account please know that your access rights will potentially be further limited.

Sponsor

Guest accounts on AKO require sponsorship.  This is a user that has an account on AKO that has sponsorship capabilities (this is typically referred to as a Full Account).  During registration you will have to enter the exact AKO username of your sponsor so that your account can be placed in their sponsor management console.

External Email Address

Your external email address is what AKO uses to contact you outside of AKO.  This might be to assist you with accessing your account if you lose your credentials or to send you newsletters or other important information.  You may elect to not fill an external email address in this field but if you do not it will be more difficult for you to get help with your account as you are then required to call the helpdesk if you need assistance.

Password

AKO’s password complexity requirements.

Contact Information

The required contact information might vary based on the type of account you are registering for.  Anything marked with a red star is required to advance your registration.  A first name and last name are required for all accounts but you must enter your name exactly as it is entered into the military records system and if you don’t your account may not properly verify (see below).

Security Questions

Your security questions are an additional layer of security and may be used by the portal or help desk to validate your identity.

Accounts other than guest

There are two broad types of accounts on the Army Knowledge Online; guest accounts and full accounts (which may be referred to as sponsored or unsponsored accounts respectively).  Guest accounts are more restricted than full accounts but still allow access to important information and communications abilities.  To learn more about full accounts please visit How to register an AKO account.

Verification

Guest accounts on AKO require re-authorization from their sponsors at regular intervals.  For accounts that are unverified they must be reapproved by their sponsor every 150 days (5 months).  For more information on how to verify your guest ako account click here.