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Army OneSource Overview | ViewPoints! | ARMYBook | My AOS Page
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Introduction to Army OneSource

ARMY OneSource provides access to Army Family programs and multiple Army web sites. From one place you can easily find the resources you need most.

What is ARMYBook? Why Join?

ARMYBook is a social networking site that connects Soldiers and Soldier’s Families with friends and Family. ARMYBook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.

Forums are a great place to share your opinions and ideas.

Engage with others and discuss topics of interest to you and your Family. Did you recently move? Is your spouse currently deployed, or preparing to deploy?

Visit Virtual Worlds. Connect with friends in Second Life or learn about finances through the Army Gold Financial Literacy game.

To better serve the Army community, Community Support Coordinators or CSCs help connect geographically dispersed Family and Soldiers with services available locally.

First Select your region on the map. The Community Support map displays CSCs located all over the world. Then Find a CSC by hovering over the icons in your area.

Click the icon, to visit the CSC’s home page. Each CSC has a web page you can visit to find out about military benefits, helpful resources and upcoming events for the communities they represent.

Google Search

Locate services and search for answers using the Google Search tool.

This Google feature searches ARMY Family programs, ARMY OneSource and other ARMY web sites to find services and answers for you and your Family.

Enter your search criteria. Click the search button and Google responds with Army related links.

Find the information you are looking for using Google.

ARMY OneSource provides access to Army Family programs and multiple Army web sites. From one place you can easily find the resources you need most. You may visit most programs and services without registering.

Once you are registered, you can visit our social networking tools. Keep in touch with Friends and Family through ARMYBook.

Visit Virtual Worlds. Connect with friends in Second Life or learn about finances through the Army Gold Financial Literacy game.

Go ahead and get started – Click the 'Register' link.

It is easy to register. Click the JOIN NOW! button.

Enter your Name and create a User Name and Password. Add your Email and Location. Provide some information about your Military Affiliation.

ARMY OneSource is a secure site. Your personal information is protected; and, your information will not be shared.

Click the "Continue" button. Now you are a member.

Activating ARMYBook

What is ARMYBook? Why Join? ARMYBook is a social networking site that connects Soldiers and Soldier's Families with friends and Family. ARMYBook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.

To activate your ARMYBook account, login to ARMY OneSource and click the "ARMYBook" button.

Here is the welcome screen you will see on your first visit to ARMYBook. This is where you'll be invited to join the Army OneSource network. Click on Sure, and accept the invitation.

You can now create your profile page. Upload your picture and share information about yourself. Search for Friends and invite them to join your circle. Be a part of the growing online Army OneSource community! Activate your ARMYBook account!

Forums

Forums are a great place to share your opinions and ideas.

Select Forum from the Quick Links menu to participate.

Engage with others and discuss topics of interest to you and your Family. Did you recently move? Is your spouse currently deployed, or preparing to deploy?

Forum Topics are created by selected Army personnel who have expertise in the field, and users are invited to post comments and replies.

Be a part of the Army OneSource discussions. Get advice from experts. Get Support by talking to others. Share your concerns with others, like you.

Visit Forums and chat with others. Learn and share with others.

Help and Support

ARMY OneSource is here to help you with any question or concern.

If you need help, you can access our support team by selecting 'Contact Us' from the Help menu.

You can also chat "live" with ARMY OneSource Technical Support. Click the Live Chat Support link to get assistance.

Click the Start Chat Session button.

Enter your message and click Send. Within moments, a live representative will begin chatting with you.

Technical Support representatives are available Monday thru Friday from 8AM to 8PM, Eastern Time.

ARMY OneSource is here to help you.

ARMY Gold Financial Game

Step into a virtual world and learn about finances!

Navigate to the "Family Programs and Services" menu and select the Financial Literacy Game.

Click here and watch the demo to learn more about the Army Gold Financial Game. Click the "Login" button to create a game account.

Enter a Username, Email and Password; and, customize your Avatar.

Once you have registered, "Click here" to play the game.

The ARMY Gold virtual world makes it fun to learn about finances. While learning about checking and savings accounts, loans and credit ratings, you can take quizzes and earn income.

By increasing your financial understanding, you can increase your salary and make in-game purchases. Purchase vehicles, furniture, gift, and more.

Learn to balance your budget while you build a house.

Play the game and get smart about money!

Community Support Coordinators

To better serve the Army community, Community Support Coordinators or CSCs help connect geographically dispersed Family and Soldiers with services available locally.

To locate your CSC on ARMY OneSource, click Community Support from the site navigation bar.

First Select your region on the map. The Community Support map displays Community Support Coordinators located all over the world. Then Find a CSC by hovering over the icons in your area.

Click the icon, to visit the CSC's home page. Each CSC has a web page you can visit to find out about military benefits, helpful resources and upcoming events for the communities they represent.

Click the "My Forum" link to participate in the CSC's Forum. Click the "ARMYBook" link to connect with your CSC in ARMYBook.

You can contact a coordinator directly using the "Phone" link. In the contact your local CSC pop-up, enter your name and phone number.

Through Google voice the coordinator will receive your contact information and return your call during regular working hours. Find your CSC today.

Money Matters Mobile

Tap Money Matters to get started. Now you can learn to Save Money, Reduce Debt and Build Wealth from anywhere. To get started, take the Saver Pledge.
"I will help myself by saving money, reducing debt and building wealth over time." Tap Take the Pledge to finish.

Now you want to update your Financial Situation. Do you rent or do you own? Are you single or are you supporting a family? Based on your answers, we will provide you with articles and information applicable to your financial situation. Tap Save Financial Situation when you have answered the questions.

Tap Save, Reduce or Build and then tap Recommended Financial Articles, to view the articles tailored to you.

Tap Save Money to use the Savings Calculator and figure out how much you need to contribute to meet a savings goal. Use the slider bar to enter the amount of your Monthly Investment, your Interest Rate, and how long you plan to save, in months or years. View the Total Savings. Tap Reduce to learn how you can wipe out your debt faster.

Use the Debt Payoff Calculator to determine how long it will take to pay off your debt based on different monthly payment scenarios. Tap Build to use the Compound Interest Calculator and see how compound interest benefits your retirement investment.

Tap Build and then tap Information on Building Wealth to view general articles about building wealth.

Tap Encourage Others, and then tap Invite a Friend. Enter your friend’s Email Address and then tap Send. An email will be sent inviting your friend to “Take the Pledge” too.

Manage your personal finances anytime, anywhere using the Budget Tool in Money Matters. Tap Home and then tap the Budget Tool. The Money Matters Budget tool keeps track of your income and expenses. To build a Projected Budget, start by entering your income. Your Base Pay is now part of your Projected Budget. Now start entering your projected Expenses for the month. Enter your expected housing costs for the month. Once your budget is created, you can keep track of your current spending for the month and compare it to your Projected Budget. At the end of the month, you get a good idea where your money is going.

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Introduction to ViewPoints!

Welcome to ViewPoints, a collection of ARMY OneSource Blogs!

Blogs provide a way to share your thoughts and opinions with the Army OneSource community.

Here is how it works. Blog Topics are created by Army OneSource "Bloggers" and you are invited to participate in online discussions. You can share your experiences with others by viewing and posting comments.

Visit Army OneSource Blogs, learn about Army Family and related topics, find out what others have to say, and share your point of view with the community.

What is a Blog?

You can access Blogs without logging into ARMY OneSource.

Click the "Quick Links" menu on the AOS toolbar, and select "ViewPoints!" The ViewPoints page displays.

A Blog, short for Web log, offers commentary or news on a particular subject and allows for comments or conversations to be entered by visitors. Click the "What is a Blog?" tab to learn more.

When you participate in a Blog there are a few guidelines and policies to keep in mind. Click the "Blog Policy?" button to view Army OneSource policies and guidelines.

This is where you can find information on privacy, age requirements and etiquette.

Meet the Bloggers

Army OneSource Blogs are developed by individuals who have insight into the Army community. These individuals create topics of interest to you.

Click the "Meet the Bloggers" button to view their profiles and links to their blogs. You can also click the email link to send a message.

Search for Blogs

Army OneSource makes it easy to find blogs of interest to you.

Using the Search tool, enter what you're looking for and click the magnifying glass. If there is a match, a list will display. Click the title of the blog you want to read.

To refine your search, click the Advanced Search link. You can search for blogs by Title, Text, Author, or Dates.

Browse Blogs

You may prefer to find blogs by browsing through categories, archives, keywords or recent posts.

From the Categories section, click any of the links to begin browsing through the available blogs.

You can find older blogs in the Archives section. Click any of the archived months to view all blogs published in that specific month and year.

You can find and subscribe to blogs via the Real Simple Syndication or RSS feeds section.

Keywords associated with Blogs appear in the Tag Cloud. Click any word in the Tag Cloud to view all blogs associated with that specific keyword.

Notice that some keywords appear larger in size; this indicates there are more blogs associated with that specific keyword.

When new blogs are added they appear in the Recent Blog Posts section. Start browsing to find blogs of interest to you!

View and Post Comments

Once you've started reading a blog, you're ready to view and post comments.

If someone has commented on a blog, you can click the View Comments button. Notice names and images display next to some comments. These people were logged in when they posted. To hide all comments, click the Hide Comments button.

To post comments, click the Post Comment button, enter what you're thinking and click Post Comment. Your opinion is now shared with others in the community. Read Blogs and share your Point of View!

Moderated Blogs

Most of the Army OneSource Blogs are unmoderated.

This means that user comments are visible when posted. On occasion, blogs are moderated and your comments will need to be approved before they appear.

When posting to a moderated blog, a message will display to let you know your comments are moderated.

Related Content

Army OneSource makes it convenient to view additional information related to the current blog you are visiting.

Some Blogs you visit may have a 'View Related Content' button. Click this button for links to additional resources.

Suggest a Blog

We are always trying to keep our blogs relevant and useful to our community. If you feel there is a particular topic that should be discussed, you can make a suggestion.

Click the Suggest a Blog Topic button. Select a blogger or All the Bloggers. Type the Subject and Message, and click Send. Your topic has been suggested.

RSS Feeds

You can subscribe to RSS Feeds and access real time blog content from your browser.

The RSS Feeds section is divided into two lists. The top list is for Blog Categories and the bottom one is for specific Bloggers. Click your favorite category or Blogger to subscribe.

Click the Subscribe to this feed link. Type a name for your RSS Feed, one which makes sense to you, and click Subscribe.

From the Internet Explorer toolbar, click the Favorites icon and then select the Feeds icon. From the list, select your feed to view the most current blog content.

Notifications

In addition to subscribing to RSS Feeds, you can also subscribe to email or toolbar notifications for your favorite Blogger or Category.

To add notifications, click the icon next to the Blog category or Blogger.

You have two options: you can receive notifications via email or the AOS toolbar.

You can choose to receive these notification updates on an immediate, daily or weekly basis. To unsubscribe, select 'None.'

If you chose to receive email notifications, you will now receive an email each time a new blog is posted. If you chose to receive toolbar notifications, your notifications will now begin to appear on the AOS toolbar.

Click the Notification icon on the AOS toolbar and click the link to view that Blog.

Change Preferences

You can manage your Blog subscriptions through 'My Preferences.'

You can see your current subscriptions, by clicking the 'My Preferences' link on the AOS toolbar and selecting the 'AOS Subscriptions' tab.

The AOS Subscriptions tab shows all Blog, Forum and ARMYBook subscriptions.

Locate the Blog you want to modify. You can now change the frequency or delivery method for your notification. Click Save and your new preferences are activated.

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Introduction to ARMYBook

Welcome to ARMYBook –The online social networking community designed for Army Families and friends! ARMYBook will help you communicate and stay in touch with the people in your life.

Registered users of the Army OneSource portal can activate their ARMYBook account anytime. In a few minutes you can build a personal profile and start connecting with Family and friends - uploading photos, posting messages, and sharing information.

To get started, we'll take you through the steps to set up your profile and post or view messages. You can also find or become a community resource yourself.

Activate Your ARMYBook Account

ARMYBook is accessible from anywhere inside the Army OneSource portal. To activate your account, log into Army OneSource and click the ARMYBook button in the upper right corner of the page.

Here is the welcome screen you will see on your first visit to ARMYBook. This is where you'll be invited to join the Army OneSource network. Click on Sure, and accept the invitation.

The first thing you need to do is update and save your profile. Your profile is what family and friends of the community will see.

Start by filling out the information that will help ARMYBook members find you like your name, hometown, and interests.

Adding a profile picture makes it easier for family and friends to find you. Save changes at the bottom of your profile page and your account is activated. Smile, you're now on ARMYBook!

You can now see your Profile page displayed with the information you provided.

Edit Your Profile

Keep in mind, nothing is set in stone on your profile.

To update your profile, locate the Information section below your image. Roll your cursor over the edit icon and select "edit profile" from the menu. Change your contact information, add a new image or update your personal information and save changes.

Post Your Status

Post your status to let people know what you are doing, thinking or feeling.

Post your status to let people know what you are doing. Your comments will always display at the top of your profile page.

Upload and Share Your Photos

Let's go ahead and upload a photo to your Profile page.

To post photos click Post Photo, browse to select a photo, enter an optional comment and post it. The photo can now be seen in "My Posted Photos".

Notice right under your photo, you can view photos that you've added. Be sure to visit your friend's profile pages and view their posted photos.

Post Links

Share your favorite web pages with family and friends.

To post links, click Post Link, enter a web address and add optional comments. Once posted your friends can view all of your favorite web sites.

Find Your Friends on ARMYBook

Now that you have completed your profile, it's time to invite family and friends to join you in ARMYBook!

You can easily find friends who are available in ARMYBook by using the search tool on the upper right corner of the screen. Simply type all or part of the person's name you are looking for and click the Search icon.

The Search Results screen will display results. You will be able to select which contacts, if any, you'd like to invite.

Select the 'Add as Friend' link and send a friendship request to that person. Once your friend confirms your request, you'll be able to see each other's Profile pages.

Invite Friends to Join ARMYBook

If you know your friend's email address, you can also invite them to join ARMYBook.

From your Profile page, click the Invite Friends to Join ARMYBook link. The Invite Your Friends screen appears.

In the To text box, type your friends' email addresses, separated by commas. In the Message text box, type an optional message and click Invite.

View Your Friend's Profile

Get the recent news on your family and friends!

From your Profile page, locate the Friends area and click your friend's name.

Your friend's profile page will display and you can see what photos, comments and information your friends added about themselves, as well as what their friends have said on their Profile page.

In addition to your personal privacy settings, you can determine who sees your photos and links. Click the photos tab and mouse over the edit icon. You can also change privacy settings for links you've already posted.

Privacy Settings

ARMYBook gives you control over who sees your information.

Let's hide your Birth Date. From the information section, roll your cursor over the edit icon and select "None" from the Birth Date drop-down menu. Only you will be able to see your birth date.

Add Comments

You can add comments to your space or any friend's space.

To comment on any photo, link, or posted comment, simply click the Comments link next to the posted item. After you click the post button your comment will be shared.

Delete Comments or Postings

What if you want to delete a message?

The delete icon will display when you are able to delete postings. Select the delete icon and delete the message. At anytime you can choose to delete any comments, postings or photos posted by you.

Send Private Messages

You can send and view private messages from your Messages page.

To view and reply to messages, click the Messages link. Click the subject of the message to view it. From this page you can also reply, or choose to delete the message.

Find User Resources

The ARMY OneSource Map can be very helpful to find programs, services and resources.

When you're logged into ARMYBook, click the Search button on the map to display the Search Form.

Enter what you'd like to find, and the location, then click Search.

The search results will display on the map. From here you can view details on the ARMYBook resources, and send them a message.

To opt-in as a "User Resource" you'll need to modify your ARMYBook profile. From your profile page, roll your cursor over the edit icon found just below your profile image.

Select the Edit Profile link from the menu and you will access all the personal information associated with your profile.

Under the User Resource section identify your location and enter a description of what you'd like to share.

By selecting the 'opt in' check box you will be identified as a resource, allowing ARMYBook members to find you and send you messages using the resources map.

People You May Know

As you add ARMYBook friends, friends of friends may display on your profile.

From the list of People You May Know, click the 'Add as Friend' links for individuals you wish to add as friends.

An invitation will be sent to these friends of friends and after your invitation is accepted, these new friends will be added to your Profile page.

Friends That Are Online

ARMYBook will let you know if any of your friends are online.

The Friends Online link tells you how many of your friends are currently online.

Click the link to view your friends online. Click your friend's name and start an online conversation. You can post a message or comment.

Your Online Status

ARMYBook can hide your online status.

Notice the status icon on the Army OneSource Toolbar. Click the icon to either show or hide your "online status." If you don't want your friends to know you are online, click the Status icon and select Go Offline.

Toolbar Notifications

ARMYBook will let you know when your friends are posting messages.

Simply click the icon and then click a specific message to view it. Click the message to view it on your private messages page. You may select the reply icon and type a reply, or select the delete icon and delete the message.

Help and Support

ARMYBook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.

If you need help getting started, you can either email our support team or chat with a live support representative by clicking the 'Contact Us' or 'Live Chat Online' links.

Summary

ARMYBook is easy to access and start using! Get started now by following three easy steps.

Click the ARMYBook button and log into the Army OneSource portal.
Set up your profile and Activate your ARMYBook account.
Find and invite Family and friends to join you.

Now start sharing information with your Family and friends - upload photos and post messages!

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Introduction to My AOS | Find Available Gadgets | Add, Rearrange, and Edit Gadgets
Add Your Own RSS Feed | Volunteer Center | Register for Conferences

Introduction to My AOS

Customize your web browsing experience by personalizing your My AOS page.

Army OneSource provides tools and gadgets to help you customize the look and feel of your home page. Your page layout can be redesigned by adding, removing and re-arranging news and information on your page.

You can customize your news, access your favorite applications, perform daily tasks more efficiently and change the look and feel of your page layout. For instance, you might want to add your city's current weather, FRG announcements or the event calendar. Just choose the information you want to see from the gadget directory.

Once you log in to ARMY OneSource, you can access your personal home page by selectin the My AOS Page button.

The first time you open your home page, the Help Panel will provide quick instructions on how to get started. The panel can be toggled by clicking the Help Icon.

Your page will display "default" gadgets which contain recommended, common or popular information. These include:

The eLearning tool, for quick access to training classes.
The Volunteer Center, to help you locate volunteer positions.

To customize your page you may choose to remove, edit or rearrange the default content or add new gadgets. The My AOS page is your personal entry to the Army OneSource portal. You decide what information to include and how you would like it displayed.

Find Available Gadgets

Gadgets have been provided as a convenient way to access information or site content that you care about!

The Add Content button provides access to the gadget panel and directory.

To help you find the information you care about quickly the directory is organized by category. You can browse through the categories to see what type of content can be added to your page.

Under the news category, you will find a variety of feeds from sources like CNN, army.mil and Army OneSource

You can navigate through the news category gadget pages using the next and previous buttons.

If the gadget icon is grayed out that means it is already on your My AOS page.

Use the search filter to display all gadgets whose names match or contain part of your criteria. For example FRG brings up content from three categories News, Forums and Announcements.

Now simply, click "Add" on the gadget icon. By default it will appear in the top left corner of your page. Close the directory to update your page layout or view your gadget recommendations.

Just below the personalization menu bar you'll see a section for recommended gadgets. Use the 'Add Now' link next to the recommendation to post that gadget to your page.

Now that you have personalized the information on your page you can customize your layout.

Add, Rearrange, and Edit Gadgets

You can customize your home page by re-arranging or removing gadgets.

To move a gadget to a new location on your homepage, drag & drop it.

Click and drag the gadget's title bar, to move it. As you move your cursor across your page a yellow position marker will appear above or below other gadgets. This is where your gadget will appear when you drop the gadget.

Add the weather gadget to display real-time information for your location. From the My AOS Recommended Category add Weather and Time.

From the Weather gadget title bar use the Menu button to edit the location settings. Enter your city or zip code and select your location. Now you will get up to the minute weather reports for your location including current conditions and forecasts.

To remove items from your page, click the Menu button from the title bar and select "Delete". The gadget will be removed from your home page but will be available in the directory if you wish to add it again in the future.

Add Your Own RSS Feed

Army OneSource provides a variety of news feeds but also provides a gadget that allows you to quickly add your own RSS Feeds to your "My AOS Page".

To add a new RSS feed, you will need to know its URL or web address. For example, at Army.mil there are several RSS feeds available.

If you are interested in Army News specific to Europe click that link and copy the URL. Once you have the URL for your RSS feed, return to your my AOS page.

Add the "Create Your Own RSS Feed" gadget to your page and choose Edit from the drop-down menu.

The Create Your Own RSS Feed set up form will open and you can enter the number of items or feeds to display.

Paste the RSS Feed URL and select Apply to see your gadget update.

If you are happy with the number of news items click OK.

The Europe RSS Feed is now added to your Army OneSource Home page.

Volunteer Center

Two very helpful gadgets can be found in the Volunteer Center category.

The Volunteer Service Hours gadget, to view and manage your active volunteer positions. And the "Volunteer Opportunity Locator" gadget, used to easily search and locate volunteer opportunities in your community.

The Volunteer Service Hours lists your volunteer positions which are sorted by the most recent positions. To Add volunteer hours, choose the volunteer position you want to update and enter your volunteer hours.

To view and update your hours for all your volunteer positions, click the View Service History link.

The Volunteer Opportunity Locator has four tabs you can use to search for volunteer opportunities.

You can find opportunities by community, address, organization or position.

Enter your state and click the Search button to generate a list of volunteer opportunities. The results open in the Opportunity Locator results page.

Select any of the positions to see details and submit a volunteer application.

Recently open positions in your area are posted within the gadget as well.

The Upcoming Conferences gadget, gives you access to register for and view conferences you plan to attend.

To add the "Upcoming Conferences" and "Registered Conferences" gadgets to your home page, click the Add Content button.

Click the Conference Center Category to view all conference center gadgets.

Now, by clicking the add buttons on the Upcoming Conferences gadget and the Registered Conferences gadget they will be added to your home page.

A list of Upcoming Conferences will be displayed on the Upcoming Conferences gadget. You may click the Register button to begin registering for a specific conference.

Once registered, you can click the View Details button on the Registered Conferences gadget, to view the details of your conference registration.

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Introduction to Toolbar and Preferences

Welcome to the world of setting preferences! You will soon discover that Army OneSource provides a way to customize your web browsing experience through the AOS toolbar making it easier and more efficient to use the Army OneSource portal.

Has your personal information changed? Do you want to change your password? How often do you want your Blog or Forum subscriptions to arrive?

Setting preferences allows you to easily make changes to your profile information and personalize your Army OneSource experience.

Toolbar

Once you are logged into the Army OneSource portal the AOS Toolbar is available at the bottom of your browser window.

There are a few different locations to change your preferences. This tutorial will guide you through the features of the AOS toolbar, including Quick Links, My AOS Links, My Preferences, Friends Online and the online status indicator.

Access Quick Links

Quick Links gives you immediate access to popular ARMY OneSource applications and information.

This pop-up menu includes links to frequently used areas of Army OneSource.

How to Add My AOS Links

Bookmark frequently visited pages within Army OneSource using 'MY AOS Links.'

To add links to your "My AOS Links" menu while you are on a page you would like to bookmark, click the My AOS Links tab and select "Add this page to my AOS Links." Create a name for the link, create a new folder if desired and then click Add.

You can organize your links into folders or delete links you no longer use. To organize links, click "Organize my AOS Links". You can add a new folder and manage your links by moving, renaming, or deleting them.

Update Your ARMYBook Profile

ARMYBook members can easily access and update their profile using 'My Preferences.'

Select the ARMYBook tab, and change your ARMYBook profile here. You can update your profile image, share your hobbies, or update the email address associated with your ARMYBook account.

You can change basic information, change assignment history, and make yourself available to others as a User Resource. Remember to save your changes.

Manage AOS Subscriptions

You can manage the method and frequency you receive notifications.

Click My Preferences on the toolbar, then click the AOS subscriptions tab. Here you can manage your blog and forum subscriptions. You can change the way notifications are sent to you via the AOS Toolbar or via Email. Your options are none, immediate, daily, and weekly.

Change Your Password

The 'My Preferences' link allows you to change your password.

To change your password from the 'My Preferences' tab on the AOS Toolbar, select the AOS Registration tab and choose the "Update password" menu item. Enter your current password, enter your new password, and confirm your new password.

Update Your AOS Profile

If your profile has changed you can update it through the 'My Preferences' option.

To edit your AOS Profile click 'My Preferences' from the toolbar. Click the AOS Registration tab, and then select the 'MY AOS Profile' option. Enter the updated information and save your changes.

Opt Out From Bulk Email

Emails regarding general interest topics are occasionally sent out to all registered Army OneSource members.

You may opt out of receiving such emails from the Email Preferences section of the AOS Registration tab.

View Friends Online

The "Friends Online" link tells you how many of your friends are currently online.

Click the Friends Online link to view your friends online. Click your friend's name and start an online conversation with them. You can also post a message or comment.

Change Your Online Status

You can hide your online status by clicking the online status icon at the far right of the AOS Toolbar.

If you are busy and don't want your friends to know you are online, click the icon and select Go Offline".

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Introduction to Forums

Welcome to the Army OneSource Forums!

Army OneSource Forums allow you to participate in user or moderator online discussions. By participating in forums with others who have similar interests, you are sharing and learning from real life experiences.

Army OneSource Forums are user driven online discussion areas, designed specifically for the Army OneSource community.

Access forums to view discussions of interest to you. Post questions. Share feedback. Learn and share with others.

A Forum is identified by its topic and can contain related sub topics. Within forums there are threads or individual discussions that can be commented on by others.

Threads commonly include questions, statements and/ or surveys which are posted to invoke discussion and feedback.

Forums are a place for you to interact with the Army OneSource community to stay abreast of an issue, get answers or help others through real world relevant experiences.

View Threads

The Army OneSource forums are comprised of discussion topics which are more commonly called threads. To view a thread, click one of the forum titles. Several forum threads will display. Each thread is defined by a title, an author, a date/timestamp, and an opening post.

A "very active" icon will automatically display next to very active or popular threads. A thread's popularity is measured by the number of replies received in a given time frame.

Click the thread title to view the opening post and the group of messages which make up a discussion. By default, the posted comments within the thread are displayed in chronological order from the oldest to the most recent.

You may change the order of the posts, by clicking the "Show most Recent First" link just above the thread post.

The available forums and information associated with your post to a forum is different depending on if you are logged into the Army OneSource portal or not.

Most forums will not require you to login to Army OneSource. You may participate in these forums as an Anonymous User. You can find a link to Forums on the footer of your page.

Or you can access Forums from the Quick Links menu.

If you are not logged in to Army OneSource you will have access to forums that support Anonymous threads. That means you can post a comment or thread and no user information will be associated with the post.

If you are logged in to the Army OneSource portal your user name will be associated with your post. When logged in you have access to both types of forums.

Understanding Forums

The prominent area at the top of the Forum page is where you find FEATURED THREADS - new, interesting, or important online discussions.

Underneath the featured discussions, you will find a list of available FORUMS. Keep in mind: Each forum is a discussion area and is comprised of numerous discussion topics.

Army OneSource Forums are defined by a title, a description to summarize the intended discussion topics and SubForums, with threaded discussions.

If you want to ask questions or engage in discussions about Family Readiness Groups or Survivor Outreach Services, visit the Family Programs forum and look for related discussions.

To open a forum, click the desired Forum link.

When the Forum opens, you can see SubForums and existing discussion threads.

To view the original post for the discussion thread, click the thread name. The opening comment displays first.

To view additional comments or replies posted to this thread, simply scroll down.

On the main Forum screen, The REPLIES column displays how many responses are posted within a discussion thread.

The VIEWS column shows how many times the discussion thread has been viewed.

The TOPICS column displays how many discussion topics appear within a forum.

The POSTS column shows how many total thread posts and replies appear within a forum.

The LAST POST column displays the author and date for the last forum posting.

Moderated Discussions

Most of the time, threaded discussions are un-moderated. In "un-moderated" forums, comments are visible immediately.

In some cases, discussions are moderated. If the forum is moderated, the Forum Moderator is required to approve threads and comments before the threads become visible to other forum visitors.

When you view a moderated discussion, you will only see approved comments. You will always see your own comments regardless if they have been approved or not.

Let's talk about some of the other characteristics and icons associated with threaded discussions.

Forum threads may be pinned by the forum moderator. In this case, the thread is deemed special, interesting or significant enough to always display at the top of the main forum page threads. Pinned threads are represented by the "pinned" thread icon.

Forum threads may be locked by a forum moderator. A "locked" icon displays next to locked threads. In this case, users may view the discussion thread; however, they may no longer post comments to the discussion thread.

Learn How to View or Post Forum Comments

Soldiers and Soldier's Families are encouraged to visit online forums, engage with others and discuss topics of interest to them.

From the Forum home page, click one of the main forums to open it. Select a discussion thread, to open and view posted comments.

You may opt to reply to any of the comments for the discussion, including the opening comment.

To post a reply to one of the comments, click the Add a Reply icon next to the posted comment.

Enter a subject and reply.

Click the save comment button to post the reply.

Your reply will display underneath the comment you selected. Since this is an un-moderated discussion, your comments will display immediately.

By default, postings display in chronological order, from the oldest to the most recent.

Notice that each Forum comment includes the author's name and image if provided. There is also a link to the author's profile in ARMYBook.

From the comment, you may click to view the profile of that author.

If they are a friend of yours in ARMYBook you will see their profile.

If not you have the option to add them as a friend.

If no details display, you may "click here", to send an invitation to that user to become a friend. The friend request has been sent.

Modify Your Comments

At any time, you can modify your own comments from threads that are unlocked.

To edit comments posted by you – Navigate first to the forum and comment to be modified. Select the appropriate forum, click to open the thread and browse to the comment.

To edit your comment - Select the Pencil Edit icon. Modify the comment and click Save Comment.

Your comment has been updated!

Search Forum Comments

To search for comments within a discussion thread, first open the appropriate discussion thread.

The Army One Source Forums support a search tool, which allows you to locate comments by searching the keywords or the name of the author associated with the comments.

From the Search tool, type the keywords, or the author's name included within the discussion.

If you don't recall someone's full name, don't worry. Enter part of their name and Click the Search button.

The Search results will display results based upon a partial name match.

Rate Forum Comments

Rating forum comments helps users find valuable information quickly.

Based on a comment's usefulness, you can assign it a 1-5 star rating.

To rate forum comments - simply click the appropriate star associated with the comment you are rating.

In the example below, the comment was extremely helpful and given a 5-star rating.

Change your mind about a rating. No problem ratings can be changed at any time.

Report Abusive Comments

If you believe that a discussion comment is abusive, you can report the "abuser" to the Forum Moderator.

Locate the abusive comment and click the Report Abuse icon.

This will send an email to the Forum Moderator. The Forum Moderator will review the reported posting and respond accordingly.

Forum Notifications

Use notifications to track your favorite forums. Notifications will let you know when there has been a posting to your forum. You can choose to have notifications sent to your email or post in your notifications toolbar.

In order to subscribe, you must be logged into ARMY OneSource. You can then choose to subscribe to a single threaded discussion or a specific forum.

To subscribe to forum notifications, locate your favorite Army OneSource forum or thread. Click the Notification icon next to that forum or thread, to receive notification updates.

You will have two options: you can receive notification updates via the AOS toolbar or via email.

You determine when you want to receive these notifications: immediately, on a daily basis, or on a weekly basis.

If you selected to receive email notification, you will now receive an email each time a new comment is posted to the discussion you subscribed to.

If you selected to receive notifications via the AOS toolbar, your notifications will now appear on the AOS toolbar.

To view your toolbar notifications, click the Notification icon on the AOS toolbar. Click any of the notification links to view the selected notification.

Change Notification Preferences

Once your subscription and notification preferences are set-up, you can make changes quickly from the AOS toolbar.

Click the 'My Preferences' link on the AOS toolbar.

Then select the 'AOS Subscriptions' tab

The AOS Subscriptions tab shows all of your Blog, Forum and ARMYBook subscriptions.

Locate the Forum or Thread Subscription you would like to change.

Click the appropriate Via AOS Toolbar or Via Email drop-down box and change the Notification options to 'none.'

Once your preferences are saved, you will no longer receive notifications for the selected forum or thread.

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