The Transition Assistance Program is designed to make separation or retirement from service a well- planned, organized, and thoughtful progression that empowers Service Members to make informed career decisions, be competitive in a global workforce and become positive contributors to their communities. The mandatory components of TAP are applicable to all Service Members who have at least 180 continuous days or more on active duty; this includes National Guard and Reserve.
Service Members are required to initiate the TAP process no later than 365 days from the date of separation or retirement. However, the process cannot begin until within 24 months from retirement or within 18 months from separation.
You can find a comprehensive timeline for the entire process here:
Individualized Initial Counseling (IC): IC is the official start of the transition process and is required no less than 365 days prior to the Service Member's official separation date. During IC, Service Members complete their personal self-assessment and begin the development of an Individual Transition Plan (ITP) to identify their unique needs of the transition process and post-transition goals.
Pre-separation Counseling: The Pre-separation Counseling commences once the IC session is complete and is also due no less than a year before a Service Member plans to officially leave the military. This workshop is packed with by-law information regarding various benefits, programs, and services to assist transitioning service members to become familiar with the available resources.
Transition “TAP” Workshop: Multi-day workshops presented by the M&FRC, Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of Veteran Affairs. The M&FRC topics include resiliency, managing your transition, military to civilian occupational specialty code, and post-transition financial planning. The DOL will cover the Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition. And the VA will present various programs and services available. Additional 2-Day Tracks: Additional tracks are available to Service Members based on your transition goals and needs. These include Employment, Vocational, Education, or Entrepreneurship. They are provided by experts in these fields such as the Department of Labor, Education Center, and Small Business Association.
Capstone Event (Finalizing DD Form 2648): The final piece of the TAP process. At the Capstone appointment, the transition counselor will certify that the Service Members have completed all the Career Readiness Standards, ensuring the Service Member’s preparedness to successfully transition from military to civilian life. The Capstone must be completed no less than 90 days before the final out-processing date.
Complete ALL documents listed below and email them to: 11FSS.MFRC.taporg@us.af.mil
These documents will be carefully reviewed and used to help determine your TAP requirements and registration for workshops. Incomplete documents will delay the process significantly.
Transition Workshop Documents:
Approximately 5 business days prior to your 3-Day TAP Workshop, you will receive an instructional e-mail with location, ROEs, and tasks to be completed prior to class. You will need the following documents throughout the TAP process and during workshops. Click on each of the links below to review. An explanation of how these are accomplished will be provided during class.
Capstones are held every Thursday between 0900 – 1430. In preparation for your Capstone event please be sure to have the following items complete and ready to present at your appointment:
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
12 Brookley Ave
Washington, DC 20032
202-284-4424
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