About DoD TAP
The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides information and training to ensure Service members transitioning from active-duty are prepared for their next step in life – whether pursuing additional education, finding a job in the public or private sector or starting their own business.
TAP is a cohesive, modular, outcome-based program that bolsters and standardizes the opportunities, services and training that Service members receive to better prepare them to pursue their post-military career goals.
The TAP curriculum is an outcome-based curriculum that transforms the way the military prepares Service members for transition back to civilian life. The curriculum is designed to provide Service members with the resources, tools, services and skill-building training needed to meet Career Readiness Standards (CRS). Shortly before departing the military, Service members demonstrate achievement of these standards to their command through a verification process called Capstone. This process includes an opportunity to connect Service members who may need additional assistance to agency partners who provide them with additional support.
The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (FY19 NDAA) authorized many changes to the TAP, to be implemented late 2019. The purpose of the program will remain the same, but the TAP process will be updated to reflect the requirements in the NDAA.
About the Military-Civilian Transition Office
The DoD Military-Civilian Transition Office (MCTO) formed as a result of a merger between two DoD programs under the Defense Human Resources Activity’s Defense Personnel and Family Support Center to provide streamlined services to members of the armed forces and their families.
The Office for Reintegration Programs (ORP) combined with the Department of Defense (DoD) Transition to Veterans Program Office (TVPO) to efficiently deliver resources to transitioning Service members, members of the National Guard and Reserve, their families and communities worldwide in January 2020.
The DoD Military-Civilian Transition Office (MCTO) is responsible for designing, overseeing, and evaluating TAP. MCTO provides transition assistance policy and program oversight to promote, advance, and instill a culture of career-ready Service members.
Transition Assistance Curriculum
The TAP curriculum for Service members transitioning to civilian life.
Online Transition Assistance Curriculum
The Transition Assistance Program Curriculum has moved from Joint Knowledge Online.
Service members looking to receive official credit/certification for TAP courses, can take the courses online via the new Transition Training Portal (https://tapevents.org/courses).
Veterans, Family Members, and Caregivers can also access the curriculum online.
Select ‘Get Started’ to start a course. If you want to resume a course you previously started, use the link that was sent in your registration confirmation email, or complete the registration form with the same information.
Transition Services
Managing Your Transition Timeline (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=Managing_Your_Transition_Timeline.pdf)
Download your VMET (https://www.dodtap.mil/login.html)
milConnect (https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect)
Veterans Administration Careers and Employment (VEC) (https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/)
Veterans’ Employment and Training Services (VETS) (https://www.dol.gov/vets)
The following Resources and Tools provide additional information and planning assistance for transitioning Service members and their spouses.
he following links to external sources provide additional information and resources to transitioning Service members, their spouses, and Veterans.
Service-specific Transition Assistance Program Sites
Army TAP (https://www.sfl-tap.army.mil/)
Navy TAP (https://www.cnic.navy.mil/ffr/family_readiness/fleet_and_family_support_program/work-and-family-life/transition_assistance.html)
Air Force TAP (http://www.afpc.af.mil/Transition-Assistance-Program)
Marines TAP (http://www.usmc-mccs.org/services/career/transition-readiness/)
Coast Guard TAP (http://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Human-Resources-CG-1/Health-Safety-and-Work-Life-CG-11/Office-of-Work-Life-CG-111/Transition-Assistance-Program/)
Resources for Veterans
Veterans Education and Training (http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/)
Submit feedback (http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/feedback.asp) on problems with schools when using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and the Military Tuition Assistance Program
FedsHireVets.gov (https://www.fedshirevets.gov/)
Partnering Agencies
Department of Veterans Affairs (http://www.benefits.va.gov/VOW/tap.asp)
Department of Labor (http://www.dol.gov/vets)
Office of Personnel Management (https://www.opm.gov/)
Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/veterans-and-military-families)
Small Business Administration, Boots to Business Entrepreneurship Track (http://www.sba.gov/bootstobusiness)
Department of Defense Resources
Department of Reserve Affairs (http://www.people.mil/)
milConnect (https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect)
Military OneSource (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/)
Military Crisis Line (http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ActiveDuty.aspx) (1-800-273-8255, Press 1)
DoD’s Compensation and Benefits Handbook (http://warriorcare.dodlive.mil/benefits/compensation-and-benefits/)
DoD SkillBridge (https://dodskillbridge.usalearning.gov/)
TAP Events (https://tapevents.org/)
Resources
Transition Assistance Program Curriculum Overview (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=TAP_Curriculum_Overview.pdf)
Managing Your Transition Timeline (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=Managing_Your_Transition_Timeline.pdf)
Statement of Benefits for Military Members (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=Statement_of_Benefits.pdf)
Benefits Guide for Reserve Component Military Members (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=Benefits_Guide_Reserve_Component.docx)
Career Readiness Standards (CRS) Overview Info Sheet (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=CRS_and_Capstone.pdf)
DoDI 1332.35 (https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/133235p.pdf?ver=2018-11-08-133557-850)
TAP/CRS Compliance (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=VOW-CRS_Compliance_Info_Sheet–DoDTAP_Perf_Meas.pdf)
Financial Planning Worksheet (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=Transition_GPS_Financial_Planning_Worksheet.xlsx)
DoD Self-Assessment Worksheet (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=DoD_Self-Assessment_Worksheet.pdf)
TAP Counselor Tool_Locked_Updated Scoring 10_3 (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=TAP_Counselor_Tool_Locked_Updated_Scoring_10_3.xlsx)
Tools
Military Career Fields and Civilian Equivalents – A Primer (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=Intangible_Skills_and_Military_Fields_Primer_Handout.pdf)
Transition Forms
The following forms are used by TAP staff to document Service members’ separations.
DD eForm 2648 (https://www.dodtap.mil/rest/docs?filename=Blank_eForm_PDF_Print_Out.pdf)- Service Member Pre-Separation / Transition Counseling and Career Readiness Standards eForm for Service Members Separating, Retiring, Released from Active Duty (REFRAD)
The following forms have been superseded by the above DD eForm 2648, and are no longer utilized to document a Service member’s separation.
DD Form 2648 – Active Duty Pre-Separation Checklist
DD Form 2648-1 – National Guard and Reserve Pre-Separation Checklist
DD Form 2958 – Individual Transition Plan (ITP) Checklist
Partnering Agencies
In addition to the military departments, the Transition Assistance Program is the result of an interagency partnership between the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Education (ED), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in conjunction with the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
U.S. Department of Labor:
• The DOL conducts a one day employment overview that teaches Service members vital skills such as how to build a resume and prepare for an interview. Their contribution to the curriculum also includes the DOL Employment Track and the DOL Vocational Track. After transition, DOL’s local One-Stop Career Centers located across the nation continue to assist veterans in meeting their employment goals through a range of services including job placement, career counseling, and occupational training.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
• The VA is responsible for educating transitioning Service members on the wide range of veterans’ benefits available to them and assisting with the process of applying for benefits during the transition process. The VA contributions to the TAP curriculum includes the VA Benefits and Services brief. After separation, the VA continues to provide educational and vocational counseling to Service members.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management:
• OPM provides Service members with an overview of Federal employment, the careers offered within the Federal government and a linkage to the kinds of occupations and competencies transitioning Service members and veterans have. It also acquaints transitioning Service members and veterans with resources to support them in obtaining work with the Federal Government, including the Veterans Employment Program Office, which offers career tools such as a Military Skills Translator, a Resume Builder and a federal job search database.
U.S. Small Business Administration:
• The SBA’s “Boots to Business” is the Entrepreneurship Track that helps Service members understand the dynamics involved in developing and sustaining a business. It includes discussion of the key components of a business plan and has information on identifying required resources. It also provides the opportunity for Service members to learn from other business owners. Service members can continue their education with an eight-week online course covering the principles of accounting, finance, market analysis, planning, business operations, sales, and more. SBA’s support for veteran entrepreneurs continues after TAP, providing veterans with counseling and training services, access to capital and preparing them to compete for government contracts.
U.S. Department of Education:
• The ED promotes the success of TAP for Service members and their families by communicating available information and expertise regarding college access, success, and affordability, financial aid and programs specifically sponsored or overseen by ED for the benefit of Service members.
Home Base Iowa connects Iowa businesses with qualified veterans and their spouses looking for career opportunities. The program also provides resources to help connect veterans and their families with education and in transitioning to a new community.
Home of Military Spouse Owned Business
Our Mission
To expand employment opportunities for military spouses & dependents through one-on-one employment placement assistance, focused on the use of gap skills training and targeted resume and interview assistance, LinkedIn optimization, and connections to employer partners in order to create a smoother transition process.
Who We Are
We are the #1 online resource for military-affiliated job seekers looking to attain a rewarding career and maximize their earnings.
Over the past 19 years, we have placed over 87,000 Veterans, Transitioning Military Members, National Guard and Reserves, and Military Spouses, into industry leading & high-earning careers. Our hiring numbers are verified by a third-party review by Deloitte, via the Call of Duty Endowment. 63,000 of our candidates have taken and completed our training courses.
What We Do & How We Do It
Military Spouse Jobs has honed a very successful, proven method for ensuring our job seekers connect with the career opportunities they deserve.
Our approach has three parts: people, technology and education.
People. Our people — all of whom are highly-educated veterans and military spouses themselves — get to know our job seekers personally. They work to understand a candidate’s military service, the skills they’ve acquired and how that translates to today’s job market. We then provide personal, high-touch, free job placement support, leveraging relationships with hundreds of leading national employers.
Technology. After we get to know our candidates personally, we tap into a world-class technology backbone which enables us to access over three million high-paying job openings, donated through DirectEmployers Association, plus view applicants and track hiring outcomes the same way top employers do. Further, we track our job seekers’ progress after we place them, helping to ensure they succeed. As they progress along and advance in their career – we’re right there with them to help as needed.
Education. For candidates who need extra support, we have developed top-notch training, educational tools, career development resources and mentoring. Our training team — which includes professionals who have developed curricula for prestigious American universities — works closely with each job seeker to guarantee they’re positioned to get the job they deserve.
Our Values
We believe a big part of what sets us apart is our core values, which were deepened through serving our country. Those values include:
Integrity – We don’t accept funding from any branches of the Military or the Government; our singular allegiance is to the job seekers we serve.
Respect – We have the deepest respect for those who are serving, have served, and surround those wo have served; that reverance guides every decision we make.
Commitment – We don’t think it’s enough to just help a veteran or spouse get a job. Nobody goes deeper, or stays involved longer, to help military-affiliated job seekers attain a rewarding career.
Focus – We have never strayed from our founding charter. If it doesn’t help active duty military, veterans or military spouses connect with a high-paying career, we won’t do it.
Efficiency – We are tirelessly devoted to ensuring every penny we spend advances our mission. Deloitte audits show that 96 cents on the dollar goes to that mission.
USO Pathfinder® Transition Program
USO COVID-19 Response: In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, our USO Pathfinder® Transition Program locations are strictly adhering to guidance from military installation commands and abiding by CDC guidance on health safety practices regarding center operations.
We remain steadfast in our mission to support transitioning service members and military spouses. There have been minimal disruptions to one-on-one USO Pathfinder services, as we have shifted Transition Specialist meetings to virtual delivery. Program registration remains open with no disruptions to that process.
The USO Pathfinder® Transition Program extends the USO experience to active duty, Reserve, National Guard and military spouses by offering professional development services throughout the duration of the service member or military spouse’s career, as well as when they transition out of the military and settle into their new communities.
Want to be better prepared for future success before transitioning from the military? Are you a military spouse looking for new opportunities?
CONNECT WITH A USO TRANSITION SPECIALIST
USO Transition Specialists can help develop a personalized Action Plan and help you take full advantage of services and resources that are the best fit for you and your spouse in your new community.
How It Works
The USO Pathfinder Transition Program works with strategic partners to connect service members and military spouses to resources through a holistic approach, focusing on:
Employment
Education – Including leading online learning platforms like Skillsoft, IBM SkillsBuild and Coursera as well as the new 8-week course “Making Your Military Transition a Transformation”
Financial readiness
Mentorship
Increased access to relevant veterans’ benefits in their communities
Through the creation of an individualized action plan, USO Transition Specialists collaborate with individuals to identify their personal and professional goals and build a roadmap to achieving them, while also identifying services and resources that are the best fit for their needs. This program offers support to service members up to 6 months after they have officially left service, providing them with resources well along their journey to civilian life.
USO Transition Specialists provide these free services through one on-one support (either virtually, or in person) and help military families create a plan for success now – and for the future.