Transitioning from Military Service

Service members and their families face numerous challenges as they transition from military service. This is also true for demobilizing Reserve and National Guard members.

In a sweeping overhaul, the Department of Defense has redesigned the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Departments of Labor (DoL) and Education, Small Business Administration and representatives of the President’s Economic Domestic Policy teams. The redesigned TAP ensures Service members are “career ready” upon separation from active service. A new curriculum, Transition GPS (Goals, Plans, Success) provides Service members with information and skills to meet new DoD Career Readiness Standards (CRS) and Command leadership verifies these CRS have been met before Service members separate from active duty.

In a snapshot:

  • Every Service member—with no exceptions—will receive Pre-separation counseling (4 Hours) and revised VA Benefits Briefings (6 Hours). Service members must also be registered in VA’s e-benefits;
  • Service members—with some exemptions—participate in the revamped DoL Employment Workshop (24 Hours) that teaches critical job search skills for today’s labor market;
  • Transition GPS also provides a financial planning module to prepare Service members for the first 12 month post-separation (4 Hours);
  • An Occupational Specialty Crosswalk module steers Service members through a gap analysis of the capabilities required for their civilian careers and the skills they have gained in military life. This gap analysis sets the stage for Service member choices to further their careers through academic coursework, technical training, or small business exploration (2 Hours);
  • Service members will also have the opportunity to gain skills from 2-day tailored tracks, dependent upon their career choices:
    • Higher Education
    • Career Technical Training
    • Enterpreneurship
    • No later than 90 days before separation, Service members will participate in a “Capstone” activity, verifying they have a viable
      Individual Transition Plan and they have met CRS. If Command thinks a Service member is still at risk, a “warm handoff” to
      appropriate helping partners, like VA or DoL, occurs.

Transition GPS will be fully implemented by the end of 2013.

Military Lifecycle

The Department’s long-term aim for this new transition service delivery model is to embed the Service members’ preparation for
transition throughout their Military Lifecycle (MLC). This will require thoughtful goal setting and planning to apply their military experience to longer term career goals in the civilian sector. Service members and military leadership will be engaged in mapping and refining development plans to achieve post military service goals at key touch points throughout the military career—a significant culture change. No later than end of 2014, all Service members will be required to incorporate civilian career development throughout the span of their military careers ensuring Service members are “career ready.”

Transition Assistance Program Flyer(PDF, 395KB)

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