COLUMBIA, MO. -- Representatives of the United States Army and the University of Missouri started a new partnership on Monday afternoon.

Dignitaries signed an agreement known as the Concurrent Admissions Program, or ConAP.

The program is a partnership with more than 1,900 colleges, the Army Recruiting Command and service members.

The agreement develops relationships with future soldiers who have not experienced boot camp.

Project Director Dr. Mark Sifford said, “The premise behind the program is to make sure that we forge this relationship so that when these men and women do leave active service, or while they are on active duty, they use the benefits that have been accorded to them through service in the pursuit of postsecondary education.”

Two Mizzou recruits became the first to enlist in the program between the University of Missouri and the Army by signing on laptop computers.

Some colleges already have more than 300 recruits in the Concurrent Admissions Program.