Transition GPS: It’s the Way to GO! Published Oct. 2, 2013 By David Klassy TAP Specialist - Airman & Family Readiness Center MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- President Obama, Congress and Department of Defense leadership, recently mandated a reinvigorated Transition Assistance Program to ensure Service members had the information and support to ensure a successful transition from military service to employment, educational programs, small business opportunities or technical training. The improved program is very different from what was provided in the past. It starts with pre-separation counseling and requires members to meet Career Readiness Standards prior to separation or retirement. Congress has directed that military services provide each transitioning service member with pre-separation counseling, no less than 90 days before separation, but optimally at the one year point for separating and two year point for retiring Service members. This counseling is mandatory for all members separating or retiring from service. The next step in the transition process is to attend the mandated 5-day Transition Assistance Program Goals, Plans and Success. Transition GPS provides support for individual needs and goals through focus on a member's personal goals, like education, employment or small business. This is done as the member develops an Individual Transition Plan to meet the new Career Readiness Standards. TAP GPS Curriculum includes critical job search skills, Military Occupation Code crosswalk between military skills and experience converted to civilian knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as résumé writing skills and the revamped VA Briefing. The Transition GPS is mandatory for all separating members with few exceptions. Retirees may opt out of the Transition GPS, but must attend the VA Briefing. After completion of the Transition GPS, there are optional 2-day tracks depending on an individual's personal needs and goals. There is the education track, technical training track or entrepreneur track. After completion of Pre-separation Counseling, Transition GPS, and any optional 2-day tracks, there is the CAPSTONE. Members attend CAPSTONE counseling to demonstrate and validate that they are prepared to be successful following their military service by producing documentation that they met Career Readiness Standards. All of these components need to be completed, no less than 90 days prior to separation or retirement. In accordance with DoDI 1332.35, service members who attend the mandatory TAP workshop and VA Briefing will be exempt from normal duty the full 24-hour period of each day and the 12 hours immediately preceding and following the workshop. The workshop is the member's duty location while in attendance and they cannot have any appointments scheduled during this time. For more information about the TAP GPS program, or to register for one of the component workshops, please contact the Airman & Family Readiness Center at 723-3950, or e-mail 5fss.family.support@us.af.mil.