TAP, TAMP offers Airmen separation assistance Published July 7, 2010 Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 5th Force Support Squadron's Airman and Family Readiness Center offers two classes to help Minot AFB Airmen when they are transitioning from the military to the civilian world. The first of these classes is called pre-separation counseling. This mandatory class is called transition assistance for military personnel or TAMP, and is held every Tuesday. The regular pre-separation counseling classes are approximately two hours. The first Tuesday of every month this class focuses on retirees, so it is longer than a normal class and runs for approximately four hours. This class is mandatory, and the Air Force Pre-separation Guide states that according to Public Law 101-510, in no event shall pre-separation counseling commence later than 90 days before the date of discharge or release for anticipated separations/retirements. In the event a retirement or other separation is unanticipated until there are 90 or fewer days before the anticipated retirement or separation date, pre-separation counseling shall begin as soon as possible within the remaining period of service. The second pre-separation class the A&FRC offers is called Transition Assistance Program Employment Workshop or TAP. This class is offered monthly, and is a three day event held at the base education center. The folks at the A&FRC act as facilitators by arranging classroom space, getting materials together and registering students. The workshop is put on by the Department of Labor, using the veteran's advisors from the North Dakota Job Service, the Veterans Administration and the Veterans Benefits Administration. The first two days deal with transition preparation, job searching/networking, resume preparation, etc. The morning of day three is a four-hour session with VA on veterans' benefits. The afternoon session reverts back to the DoL, and covers interviewing and other job seeker topics. This class is not required, but it is highly encouraged. "The greatest challenge faced by the A&FRC is getting transitioning personnel to get their briefings before they have less than 90 days left," said James Williamson, A&FRC community readiness consultant. The Air Force Chief of Staff has set a goal to have no more than 25 percent of separating personnel having less than 90 days left when they receive counseling. At Minot AFB the numbers vary, but right now the rate is 36 percent having received the briefing with less than 90 days. "The message we would like to get out is how important it is to get ready to transition, and how that requires time," Williamson said. "The best time to start preparing is now, even if an Airman just came on active duty and plan to stay in 30 years." The reason for this, according to Williamson, is everyone has to get out at some point, and most will need to start another life or career after the Air Force. That means getting ready via education, financial planning, deciding where to live, what benefits and entitlements one may have, and how different issues affect those benefits and entitlements, such as type of discharge. Leaders and supervisors are encouraged by the A&FRC to give people time to get these transition activities done as soon as possible before separation. The better the preparation, the greater the likelihood of a successful transition. "Bottom line is we are obliged to serve our nation by helping separates or retirees prepare to become productive assets to society after military service," said Williamson.