Transition Assistance Program: Difference between revisions

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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]], [[Department of Veterans Affairs]], [[Small Business Administration]], [[Department of Homeland Security]], [[Department of Education]], and [[Office of Personnel Management]].<ref name="DoDTAP.mil">{{cite web|url=https://www.dodtap.mil/|title=DoDTAP.mil|accessdate= July 8, 2015|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=jko.jten.mil|title=JKO|accessdate= July 8, 2015|work=jko.jten.mil}}</ref>

==History==

In 1990, as the U.S. military's post-[[Cold War]] drawdown was beginning, [[US Congress|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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|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 Obama]] announced plans for the [[U.S. Department of Defense]] and the [[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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|work=whitehouse.gov}}</ref>

In late 2011, [[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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|work=gao.gov}}</ref>

In 2015, the director of the Transition to Veterans Program Office, the [[U.S. Department of Defense]] office that governs the Transition Assistance Program, was nominated for the [[Partnership for Public Service]]'s [[Samuel J. Heyman]] [[Service to America Medal]] award in the category of Management Excellence for "her efforts to redesign the Transition Assistance Program" to comply with PL 112-56.<ref name="SAMMIE Award">{{cite web|url=http://servicetoamericamedals.org/honorees/view_profile.php?profile=412|title=SAMMIE Award|accessdate= July 8, 2015|work=servicetoamericamedals.org}}</ref>

==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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|work=uscg.mil}}</ref> complete an integrated 12-month post-separation budget; register on the [[Veteran Affairs|VA]] [[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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|work=military.com}}</ref> and attend the [[United States Department of Labor|DOL]] 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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|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|accessdate= July 8, 2015|work=dodtap.mil}}</ref>

==Curriculum==

Service members complete the [[Transition Assistance Program#Career Readiness Standards|CRS]] through attending TAP's core curriculum classroom training. This core curriculum, called Transition GPS (Goals, Plans, Success),<ref name="Transition GPS Curriculum">{{cite web|url=https://www.dodtap.mil/core_curriculum.html/|title=Transition GPS Curriculum|accessdate= July 8, 2015|work=dodtap.mil}}</ref> includes courses such as the Military Occupational Code Crosswalk, Financial Planning for Transition, Resilient Transitions, VA Benefits Briefing, and the Department of Labor Workshop, among others.

Transitioning Service members may also opt to enroll in two-day training tracks, namely Accessing Higher Education, Career Technical Training and Entrepreneurship.