TAP into the future

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dana J. Butler
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  
The updated Transition Assistance Program, known as "Transition Goals Plans Success," helps Airmen transition to civilian life and better apply their military experience.

Transition GPS, which is offered at the Airman Family Readiness Center, was implemented in November 2012 and is a reverse "boot camp" to help service members transition to the civilian workforce, start a business or pursue higher education.

"The purpose of the transition assistance program is to prepare service members for their transition from military life back into civilian life," said Vicky Pierce, Airmen and Family Readiness Center community readiness specialist.

The mandatory program includes pre-separation counseling, a military-to-civilian skills review, a Veterans Affairs benefits briefing, financial planning support, job search skills building and individual transition plan preparation.

"Making Transition GPS a mandatory program is an incredible way to for the Department of Defense to show support for our Airmen who are leaving the Air Force family," said Maj. Charles Ware, engineering analyst assigned to the Ministry of Defence and a recent participant in the program.

Retirement-eligible Airmen can attend Transition GPS as early as two years before their retirement dates, and separating Airmen can attend up to a year before their separation dates.

"The curriculum is standardized across the Air Force and includes a transition overview day, three employment workshop days and a Veterans Affairs benefits day," said Pierce. "Regardless of their career goals, Transition GPS will help service members create or update their resumes, assess their skills and experience and make them more marketable in their next career."

The Transition GPS program helps members formalize a resume and teaches them how to target it for a specific position.

"The resume building is important because a lot of people in the class don't know how because they have never been required to; most people have been in the military since they got out of high school," said Senior Airman Morgan Willis, 48th Dental Squadron dental assistant and a recent program participant.

Transition GPS encourages the member to be as prepared as possible for the transition and provides the skills and tools to assist them in doing so from both a financial and career planning perspective.

"The Air Force and DoD in general have done a good service to the Airmen that are departing the military," said Ware. "Whether you're retiring or getting out after four years, 10 years, 12 years, I think a lot of the people that come through this program may or may not understand exactly what they are getting out of it at the time, but I think after they are finished with the program and start into the job search process, they will be very happy that they have completed [the program]."