TAP Offers Benefit,
Education, Employment
Search Information in
One Complete Package

Special Section: Going Ashore

By Rebecca Perron
Military Newspapers of Virginia

Although experience shows most veterans enjoy a favorable employment rate in the nation’s job market, initially, many veterans find it difficult to compete successfully after leaving active duty. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP), designed by the Department of Defense in partnership with the Department of Labor and the Department of Veterans Affairs, is intended to provide a smooth transition from military service to the civilian workplace by identifying barriers to success and alleviating many employment-related difficulties. TAP includes seminars to address social, financial and professional issues for military personnel and civilian employees, as well as their family members.

Service members should attend TAP within 12 months of separation or 24 months of retirement. The multi-day workshop covers resume writing, interviewing skills, salary negotiations, financial planning and retiree benefits among many other topics. Before attending TAP, service members must complete the pre-separation checklist, DD form 2648, and must sign up for the class through the appropriate channels.

TAP classes may be offered based on pay grade and whether the member is retiring or separating. Five versions of TAP are offered by the Navy through area Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSCs), two by the Army through the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) at Fort Eustis, and one by the Air Force through the Airman and Family Readiness Center (A&FRC) at Langley Air Force Base.

Regardless of the version or service, all TAP classes cover the same basic topics, with the ultimate goal of meeting the needs of service members with less difficulty and at less overall cost to the government then waiting to address such needs after the transition. In fact, an independent national evaluation of the program estimated those who participated in TAP were hired for their first post-military job three weeks sooner on average than those who did not attend TAP, proving the collaboration of departments to be effective.

“The Department of Labor and Veterans Affairs, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) and the Small Business Administration help with the seminars,” explained Cindy Moyer, a community readiness consultant at Langley’s A&FRC. “They cover topics like resume writing, dressing for the interview and starting your own business. We also cover topics like federal employment and financial preparations before the transition.”
During TAP, getting a head start on resume writing and the interview process is key.

“We want them to be prepared for the interview process by experiencing mock interviews and to have a draft resume written,” explained Willie Walden, a transition assistance educator with FFSC at Naval Station Norfolk. “We used to just teach the tools to write a resume, but now, we actually help them get started. They must have a resume ready before they can begin to job search.”

TAP is the only place where service members can get the information about all benefits, including Veterans Administration and Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits, as well as career planning and employment search information, at the same time.

“Many who attend TAP do not realize the extent of the benefits that exist or how to find the information on their own,” Moyer said. “During the week, they get all of their questions answered. Frequently, I get feedback from the participants that they were amazed about some of the things they learned.”

Airman First Class Jennifer Alicia, 735th Supply Chain Management Group at Langley, who plans to separate from the Air Force in November, said she was surprised at the volume of information she had received.
“This week, I’ve learned how to write resumes, how to search for federal jobs and have been updated about the new G.I. Bill,” Alicia said. “I also have a variety of websites and tools to use to find a job.”

Alicia said this information will come in handy as she plans to use the G.I. Bill to complete her degree in criminal justice while working as an intern in a law firm, and then applying to law school.

“This definitely helps because the military is a different way of life,” Alicia added. “Our lives are structured for us in many ways, so after living the Air Force lifestyle, you don’t really know what to do. I don’t expect to get out and for everything to be normal and easy, but this knowledge will put me on the right path.”

In addition to the multi-day TAP class, service members who are leaving the military with a service-connected disability are offered the Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP) as well. The goal of DTAP is to encourage and assist potentially eligible service members in making an informed decision about the VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program. DTAP is offered at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth each Monday with the exception of holidays. The one-day course can be attended by those who have attended regular TAP to get further information about disabled services beyond what is presented in the regular class or by those who are unable to attend the regular class due to medical appointments, disabilities and processing status. The course offers presenters from the VEC, Disabled American Veterans and the VA.

Members who are disabled can also receive additional hours of individual instruction to help determine job readiness, address the special needs of disabled veterans and set up required vocational rehabilitation and job search assistance.

For those who need additional assistance, workshops, computers and a multitude of employment resources are available at each of the support centers. Through the Career Development Resource Center at FFSC, the Discovery Resource Center within the A&FRC at Langley, and the ACAP office at Fort Eustis, anyone with a valid military identification, regardless of branch or status, can receive assistance. For example, an Army spouse could attend TAP class at Fort Eustis, and then before or after the service member retires, can attend any Navy FFSC workshop or use the Discovery Resource Center at Langley.

VEC offices are also located adjacent to the ACAP office at Fort Eustis and within the FFSCs at Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek.

For more information, call the Navy Regional TAP locator service at 444-3522, FFSC 24-hour referral line at 444-6289, the Fort Eustis ACAP office at 878-4955 or the Langley A&FRC at 764-3990. Or visit, www.ffscnorva.navy.mil, www.langley.af.mil/airmanfamilyandreadinesscenter.asp or www.eustis.army.mil/sites/services/acap1.asp.