Accessing higher education track now a part of Aviano's transition GPS

  • Published
  • By Don Schroeder
  • 31st Force Support Squadron Education Services
AVAINO AIR BASE, Italy --  Aviano service members separating from active duty can soon expect the arrival of three new, two-day specialized classes in addition to the mandatory five-day transition program.

Previously known as the Transition Assistance Program, military branches began the development of the Transition Goals Planning Success, or Transition GPS program, last year to help ease service members into civilian life. In addition to this new program, the military has developed additional classes to help separating Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines.

The new program gives separating active-duty personnel the option to attend a specialized course to assist members in achieving their post-military goals, in addition to completing the Transition GPS class. Transition GPS attendees can choose to participate in one or more of the classes, which include Accessing Higher Education, Entrepreneurial or Technical.

Beginning in July, the education office will offer the first of the three classes, Accessing Higher Education, which helps attendees prepare for transition into a civilian life as a full-time student. The two-day class focuses on identifying personal education goals, researching schools and means of financial assistance, and contacting and applying for admission to universities with goals of obtaining a degree.

The Entrepreneurial class, designed and facilitated by the Small Business Administration, and the Technical class, designed and facilitated by Veterans Affairs, have not yet arrived at Aviano and a future release date is still to be determined.

Based on current scheduling of Transition GPS at Aviano, service members interested in completing the Accessing Higher Education track will attend the class on the first two normal business days following their transition training. Class dates are subject to change.

The first Accessing Higher Education track offered is July 22 -23 for service members that attended their transition training the week prior. Service members wishing to attend the course should inform their transition facilitator during training so they can bring the appropriate transition documents for the additional two days.

Training facilitators will also forward attendees, course documents during transition training, so students can load the documents to their personal laptops before coming to class. And, as with TAP, appropriate civilian attire is authorized.

Service members who attended TAP prior to July 2013 that wish to attend Accessing Higher Education may contact the course's facilitator for possible inclusion in a future session based on availability. The same would apply to service members who wish to attend but cannot do so immediately following their transition training.

Accessing Higher Education is offered by the Education Center as a part of the Transition GPS process and is only available to separating active-duty service members. For more information, contact Don Schroeder at 632-4642 or email donald.schroeder.2@us.af.mil.