Transition Assistance Program: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:48, 3 October 2015

Revision as of 01:39, 14 December 2015

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{{refimprove|date=July 2015}}

The '''Transition Assistance Program''' (TAP) is a [[U.S. Department of Defense]]-led program that provides service members with resources for life after the military. Other U.S. agencies that participate in the process include the [[U.S. Department of Labor]], [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Department of Veterans Affairs]], [[Small Business Administration]], [[Department of Homeland Security]], [[U.S. Department of Education]], and [[Office of Personnel Management]].<ref name="DoDTAP.mil">{{cite web|url=https://www.dodtap.mil/|title=DoDTAP.mil|work=dodtap.mil}}</ref>

The program offers curricula for service members through classroom training and online through the Joint Knowledge Online portal.<ref name="JKO">{{cite web|url=http://jko.jten.mil|title=JKO|work=jko.jten.mil}}</ref>

==History==

In 1990, as the U.S. military's post-[[Cold War]] drawdown was beginning, the [[United States Congress]] authorized through {{USBill|112|H|4739}}, which became PL 101-510<ref name="history">{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/L?d101:./list/bd/d101pl.lst:510(Public_Laws)|title=Public Law 101-510|work=thomas.loc.gov}}</ref> a set of benefits and services to assist military personnel in the transition to civilian life. Many of these authorities continued until 2011, when President [[BarackObamaBarack Obama]] announced plans for the [[U.S. Department of Defense]] and the [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Department of Veterans Affairs]] to design a "reverse boot camp" to improve the transition from military to civilian life.<ref name="Obama Announcement">{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/08/05/fact-sheet-president-obama-s-commitment-employing-america-s-veterans|title=Obama Announcement|work=whitehouse.gov}}</ref>

In late 2011, the Congress modified the program through {{USBill|112|H|674}}, which became PL 112-56.<ref name="PL 112-56">{{cite web|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-112publ56/html/PLAW-112publ56.htm|title=Public Law 112-56|work=gpo.gov}}</ref> Major modifications to the program authorized in PL 112-56 included mandatory participation for all service members, standardized curriculum and learning outcomes, expanded timeline and smaller class sizes, the requirement to have components of the program spread throughout a service member's military career, completion of [[Transition Assistance Program#Career Readiness Standards|Career Readiness Standards]], and the verification by a commander of a service member’s career readiness. On average, 200,000 service members leave the military each year.<ref name="Military separations">{{cite web|url=http://www.gao.gov/assets/120/111859.pdf|title=Military Separations|work=gao.gov}}</ref>

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[[Transition Assistance Program#Career Readiness Standards|Career Readiness Standards]] (CRS)<ref name="Career Readiness Standards">{{cite web|url=https://www.dodtap.mil/career_readiness_standards.html|title=Career Readiness Standards|work=dodtap.mil}}</ref> are a set of career preparation activities Service members must complete to depart from active duty and be considered "career ready." The standards provide Service members with a set of activities to ensure they have the training needed to transition successfully into civilian life.

All Service members departing from active duty must complete the Individual Transition Plan;<ref name="Individual Transition Plan">{{cite web|url=http://www.uscg.mil/worklife/docs/TAP/Individual_Transition_Plan.pdf|title=Individual Transition Plan|work=uscg.mil}}</ref> complete an integrated 12-month post-separation budget; register on the [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Veteran Affairs]] [[eBenefits]] site; evaluate transferability of military skills to the civilian workforce; go through pre-separation counseling;<ref name="Pre-Separation Counseling">{{cite web|url=http://www.military.com/military-transition/3-steps-to-getting-ready.html|title=Pre-Separation Counseling|work=military.com}}</ref> and attend the [[United States Department of Labor]] Employment Workshop,<ref name="DOL Employment Workshop">{{cite web|url=http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/tap/DOLEW-Participant-Guide(Oct%202012).pdf|title=DOL Employment Workshop|work=dol.gov}}</ref> among other criteria.<ref name="DoDTAP.mil">{{cite web|url=https://www.dodtap.mil/career_readiness_standards.html/|title=DoDTAP.mil|work=dodtap.mil}}</ref>

==Curriculum==