TAP-The Government Initiative To Help Ease Transition Woes Of Veterans - By: Smartie Arties

As you separate from the military you come equipped with knowledge and skills gained during your military career. Although these skills are highly valued by civilian employers it may still take you quite some time before you are able to find a job or career that is suitable for you. Although it is usually found that veterans are considered favorably when it comes to being absorbed in the nation's work force, in the initial stages of transition they are still unable to compete in the labor market successfully. Realizing this the government has a suitable program in place geared to alleviate this difficulty by removing many barriers, which prevent veterans from securing employment. To help you in such a situation TAP or Transition Assistance Program is a Department of Defense initiative aimed at guiding you through the transition process from a military to a civil career. .

TAP has been designed to provide help to separating armed forces personnel and their spouses to make a smooth transition from military service to civilian workplaces with lesser cost to the government. The results of a national evaluation of the TAP program indicate that those service members who availed of TAP services were able to garner first time jobs up to three weeks before those who did not participate in TAP programs.

The program comprises three days of comprehensive instructions and coaching in transition planning, career assessment, preparation of resume, cover letter and job application including techniques for job searches and job interview. Tap programs are held at select military installations at predetermined locations over the country. The workshops are presided over by professionally trained facilitators from several organizations like the military family support services, State Employment services, Department of Labor contractors and Veterans' Employment and Training Services staff.

For obtaining TAP support you need to contact a military transition center 12 to 18 months prior to the date of your separation/retirement from military service. You can easily locate a military transition center near your place by visiting the Department of Defense Web Portal www.dodtransportal.dod.mil/dav/lsnmeida/LSN/dodtransportal.

You must ask as many questions as you need to satisfy yourself and clearly understand everything with respect to the TAP program. Consult the transition center as many times as you feel it is necessary.

D-TAP

DTAP is a transition program integral to TAP and is meant for helping those members of the armed forces who are being released on account of some disability and others who believe they suffer a disability due to which they stand qualified for the Veteran Administration's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program (VR&E). DTAP aims at assisting those service members who are potentially eligible for the VR&E program to take informed decisions regarding the VE&E and obtain vocational rehabilitation benefits to which they are entitled by filing the required application. DTAP sessions are held in groups and focus on VA’s VR&E program. Special attention is given for co-coordinating DTAP sessions for separating service members who are convalescing, hospitalized or receiving out patient treatment related to some disability or are unable to attend DTAP group sessions on account of unavoidable reasons.

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