The Spray Technique Analysis and Research for Defense (STAR4D) program has been training military painters since 2003. Rick Klein, STAR4D program manager, has recently announced the STAR4D course will now be awarding Continuing Education Units (CEU) for uniformed service personnel who have successfully completed training.

The three-day course which focuses on hands-on, classroom and virtual reality training equates to 1.6 CEU's. STAR4D program works on improving painter's techniques in order to reduce rework and environmental hazards creating sustainable and protected military assets. Only painters who successfully complete the course at the Cedar Falls facility are able to receive CEU's; painters will not receive CEU's at STAR4D satellite training sites or through any other base.

STAR4D is part of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, a program at the University of Northern Iowa.