NOVANEWS
In our series addressing the challenges of leaving the military, it is important to take it one step at a time.
by Ed Mattson
There has been a lot of talk about “developing a seamless transition to civilian life for military personnel”. Since 1990, with the development of the Total Assistance Program (TAP), which was suppose to meet the needs of military personnel and their families by providing the skills, tools, knowledge, and self-confidence necessary for a successful re-entry to the civilian world, things have moved slowly. The original goal was to help our warriors move into the job market or enroll in an educational environment to prepare for life beyond the warrior’s specific MOS (Military Occupation Specialty) skills.
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It looked as if TAP had all the necessary ingredients as a collaborative effort involving DOL, the Military, Veterans Administration, Department of Education (ED), Small Business Administration (SBA), the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, and even the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other federal, state, local and non-profit organizations, but the process itself was a learning curve., and had to meet the needs of military “Regulars”, Reservists, and Guardsmen, all which may have different needs.
It looked as if TAP had all the necessary ingredients as a collaborative effort involving DOL, the Military, Veterans Administration, Department of Education (ED), Small Business Administration (SBA), the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, and even the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other federal, state, local and non-profit organizations, but the process itself was a learning curve., and had to meet the needs of military “Regulars”, Reservists, and Guardsmen, all which may have different needs.
Much has been absorbed and implemented, but as I have been writing, the decision making process is a multi-phased series of events. The implementation by the TAP program for all military personnel, retiring, or separating, as well as National Guard and Reserves demobilizing, to go through “pre-separation counseling”, was the best move that could have been made. In past generations of those who have served, most would agree it was simply “thanks and bye, see-ya”.
This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis