Life After Military Service

Preparing for life after military service: Resources for Transitioning Service Members, Veterans, and Spouses

By Tim Winter

Transitioning out of the military can be daunting. There are so many significant decisions to be made, it can be extremely overwhelming. Such as, where are you going to live? What are you planning to do? Each year, more than 200,000 service members transition from military to civilian life. Understanding that service members may need assistance to plan for life after the military, Congress mandated that transitioning service members be required to participate in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) prior to leaving the military. TAP is a cooperative effort between the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), Department of Education, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, Small Business Administration, and Office of Personnel Management. VETS administers DOL’s portion of the program. DOL TAP provides information, tools, and no-cost training to ensure transitioning service members, veterans, and their spouses, are prepared for a civilian career. VETS provides a multitude of resources including Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition (EFCT), a one-day employment preparation workshop for transitioning service members. VETS also offers the Wounded Warrior and Caregiver Employment Workshop to help wounded, ill, or injured service members and their caregivers find the perfect job. Whether they’re looking for general employment preparation or career exploration and credentialing, there is a DOL workshop that can help. DOL TAP workshops can be found at www.TAPEvents.mil/courses.

VETS also offers complementary employmentfocused training and services to assist veterans and their spouses. In 2021, more than 2,800 VETS’ staff, contractors, and grantees served over 370,000 transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. Some of these resources include the Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot (ENPP), Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT), and Transition Employment Assistance for Military Spouses and Caregivers (TEAMS).

Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot

VETS designed this initiative to provide one-on-one assistance to transitioning service members and their spouses as a supplement to traditional DOL TAP workshops. Employment Navigators provide

personalized support to review resumes, explore careers, provide referrals for mentorship, networking and employment opportunities. The pilot is available at select military installations worldwide and more information may be found at www.dol.gov/employmentnavigator.

Off-Base Transition Training

Are you a veteran looking to refresh that resume or build a profile on LinkedIn? OBTT may be a great place to start. OBTT is a series of workshops designed to help veterans (including those veterans currently serving in the Reserve Component (National Guard and Reserve members)) and their spouses plan for a meaningful career. In-person workshops are available in a few states, but all workshops (live and instructorled) are offered virtually.

Employment Resource Coordinators in each state can also assist participants with connecting to local employment resources such as American Job Centers. Register for OBTT workshops at www.dol.gov/OBTTworkshops.

Transition Assistance Employment for Military Spouses (TEAMS)

In 2021, military spouse unemployment reached 38 percent , and underemployment among the spouse community lingered between 30 to 50 percent . Military spouses have barriers to employment including frequent moves, licensing and credential barriers between states, and childcare needs.

Understanding the needs of military spouses, DOL VETS developed TEAMS to provide employmentrelated assistance specifically for spouses. TEAMS workshops help spouses and caregivers of transitioning service members to identify and address common employment barriers. These virtual workshops explore employment resources at no cost to the attendee. Spouses and caregivers interested in registering for a TEAMS workshop can do so at

www.dol.gov/TEAMSworkshops

Everyone that joins the military must eventually make the transition back to civilian life. VETS is there to facilitate a successful transition and enable your full potential in the workplace.

Tim Winter served eight years in the United States Marine Corps and is honored to continue his federal service as the Director of Transition Assistance Programs for DOL VETS.

2021

G O A L S

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For editorial & monthly columns regarding transitioning to business, career advice, tips, workshops, transition to education, entrepreneurship, straight-forward legal tips for military and veteran business owners and more, visit the following link:

www.tinyurl.com/SDVets-Transition

Transitioning out of the Military into the Civilian Workforce?

Finding a job in the civilian world may seem easy at first. After all, you have learned skills, practiced leadership and demonstrated initiative that will make you successful wherever you go.

The reality, though, is that it can be difficult. In fact, it can be downright depressing, demotivating and you may feel totally disillusioned.

Veterans In Transition is dedicated to you and to helping you succeed in your transition