---
title: "What are Federal \"Caution Flags\"?"
description: Learn how to identify and report Federal Caution Flags and student complaints in the Military Friendly® Schools survey. This guide explains the 10% discrepancy rule, how to use the VA GI Bill® Comparison Tool for verification, and the consequences of non-disclosure for your institution's designation.
---
[Skip to content](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/what-are-federal-caution-flags#main-content)
English
Show submenu for translations
- [Schools Survey Guide](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/survey-schools-guide/)
- [Company Survey Guide](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/mfcguide/)
Open main navigation
Close main navigation
- [Schools Survey Guide](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/survey-schools-guide/)
- [Company Survey Guide](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/mfcguide/)
- English
Show submenu for translations
- Contact us
Contact us
How can we help you?
- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.
1. [Military Friendly Surveys](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase?hsLang=en)
2. [Reporting Metrics](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/reporting-metrics?hsLang=en)
3. [Military Friendly Schools](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/reporting-metrics?hsLang=en#military-friendly-schools)
# What are Federal "Caution Flags"?
## To maintain the integrity of the Military Friendly® designation, institutions are evaluated not only on their survey responses but also on public data provided by federal agencies. Disclosing "Caution Flags" and student complaints is a mandatory part of the survey process.
#### 1. What are Federal "Caution Flags"?
A "Caution Flag" is a public alert added to an institution's profile by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These flags indicate that a school is under increased regulatory or legal scrutiny.
**Common types of flags include:**
- **Heightened Cash Monitoring (HCM):** Oversight by the Dept. of Education due to financial or federal compliance issues.
- **Accreditation Probation:** A status indicating the school is at risk of losing its accreditation.
- **Settlements/Legal Actions:** Publicly announced legal actions involving federal or state agencies.
- **Suspensions:** Temporary removal of the school’s authority to enroll students using specific federal benefits.
#### 2. Understanding Student Complaints
The VA tracks [Veteran student complaints](https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool/) across several categories, including:
- Recruiting/Marketing Practices
- Quality of Education
- Financial Issues (e.g., Tuition/Fees)
- Student Loans
- Refund Credits
**The 10% Rule:** Your survey responses regarding complaints are compared directly against the VA database. If your reported numbers deviate by more than 10% from the public record, your institution will be flagged for a manual audit.
#### 3. How to Find Your Flags and Complaints
Before submitting your survey, you must verify your school’s current standing using these two primary tools:
1. **[VA GI Bill® Comparison Tool](https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool/)**: Search for your institution. Any "Cautionary Information" will appear in a prominent box at the top of your profile or under the "Cautionary Information" tab.
2. **[NCES College Navigator](https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/)**: Use this to verify your official [IPEDS](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/) and [OPEID](https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/) numbers, which the Military Friendly® team uses to pull your federal data.
#### 4. Reporting in the Survey
When completing the **Student Complaints and Flags** section (typically Questions 23–32):
- **Be Transparent:** If a flag exists on the [Comparison Tool](https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool/), you **must** select "Yes" and identify the specific alert.
- **Resolution Status:** The survey will ask if these complaints are resolved. Ensure you have internal documentation from your [VA Certifying Official](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/survey-schools-guide/) to support your claim of resolution.
- **Formal Process:** Ensure your school has a formal process for resolving complaints in accordance with **Directive Number 1322.08E** and that this process is clearly linked on your [Veterans' web page](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/survey-schools-guide/).
#### 5. Consequences of Non-Disclosure
Failure to disclose a federal flag that is visible on public databases is considered a violation of the **Transparency and Disclosure Statement**. This can result in:
- Immediate trigger of a **Manual Review**.
- Requirement to submit supplemental eligibility documentation.
- **Loss of Designation** for the current survey cycle.
---
### Need Help?
If you believe a flag on your [VA profile](https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool/) is inaccurate, you must contact the VA directly to resolve it. Military Friendly® cannot remove flags sourced from federal databases. For portal support, contact your [Online Profile Manager](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/survey-schools-guide/).
- [FAQs](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/faqs?hsLang=en)
- [Reporting Metrics](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/reporting-metrics?hsLang=en#main-content)
- [Military Friendly Schools](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/reporting-metrics?hsLang=en#military-friendly-schools)
- [General](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/general?hsLang=en#main-content)
- [Military Friendly® Schools survey](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/general?hsLang=en#military-friendly-schools-survey)
- [Support](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/support?hsLang=en#main-content)
- [Military Friendly Schools](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/support?hsLang=en#military-friendly-schools)
- [Schools Survey Guide](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/survey-schools-guide/)
- [Company Survey Guide](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/mfcguide/)
[](http://www.Militaryfriendly.com)
[mailto:email@email.com](mailto:email@email.com)
Copyright © 2026, Military Friendly®