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Transition Assistance Program
The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) was established to meet the needs of separating service members during their period of transition into civilian life by offering job-search assistance and related services.
The law creating TAP established a partnership between the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Department of Transportation and the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS), to give employment and training
information to armed forces members within 12 months of separation or 24 months of retirement.
TAP helps service members make the initial transition from military service to the civilian workplace with less difficulty and at less overall cost to the government. An independent national evaluation of the program
estimated that service members who had participated in TAP, on average, found their first post-military job three weeks sooner than those who did not participate in TAP.
TAP consists of comprehensive 3-5 day workshops at selected military installations nationwide. Professionally-trained workshop facilitators from the State Employment
Services, military family support services, Department of Labor contractors, or VETS staff present the workshops. Subject matter covered includes 1/2 day Pre-separation Counseling, 1/2 day DTAP, and 3-4 days of TAP materials.
Workshop attendees learn to conduct job searches, career decision- making, current occupational and labor market conditions, and resume and cover letter preparation. Participants also are provided with an evaluation of their
employability relative to the job market and receive information on the most current veterans' benefits.
Service members leaving the military with a service-connected disability are offered the Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP). DTAP includes the normal five-day TAP workshop plus additional hours of individual
instruction to help determine job readiness and address the special needs of disabled veterans.
Although experience shows that veterans generally enjoy a favorable employment rate in the nation's job market, many veterans initially find it difficult to compete successfully in the labor market. The TAP program addresses
many barriers to success and alleviates many employment related difficulties.
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