I attended the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) class with my husband last week in San Diego. This is the second time going through the course. The first time was in Europe, when we considered retiring overseas. As we anticipated, several updates had emerged since then, including new resources, policy changes, and adjustments to healthcare pricing. While some of the information left me frustrated, I was appreciative of the other insights shared by the TAP instructors. For my husband and me, the goal of attending TAP is to better understand our post-retirement options and mentally prepare for the “hurry up and wait” aspects of military life that may linger even after separation. On the last day, a plant sitting outside in the sun captured our feelings perfectly during this transition process.

To capture that moment, I shared this on Instagram: “We walked out of TAP class today and this plant was soaking up some sun. We realized that our moods are like this as we work through the transition process. ✨ Transition mood check ✨ One leaf: 👀😁 “Excited for what’s next!” The other: 😤😒 “Not so sure about this… and definitely frustrated.” Both emotions are real, and both are part of the journey. 💯” It’s a simple reminder that mixed feelings—excitement, frustration, hope, and uncertainty—are normal in this phase, especially for military families navigating change together.

During this particular TAP class, we covered a range of essential topics to support that preparation: an overview of Tricare options, the separation process, timeline management and transition resources, tools for civilian employment readiness (including skill gap assessments), VA benefits, and financial implications of leaving active duty, along with available support. We will continue building on this by attending additional TAP classes at Vandenberg over the next couple of months.

Building on our previous experience, I noticed several changes and new resources this time around. For instance, the US Family Health Plan has expanded with pilot programs happening in various states. The National Resource Directory, founded in 2008, offers a search tool for local resources. MilGears, launched in 2020 as an extension of the Navy COOL system, “is a customized career-building tool.” The Financial Spending Plan spreadsheet has been updated,  and while I don’t recall an Interagency Website Guide before, it highlights familiar resources I have encountered as an AFC®, such as Bankrate’s Cost of Living Comparison Calculator. These changes reflect the ongoing support for transitioning service members, helping to balance the mood of optimism and caution that we felt symbolized by that sunny plant.

Historical Overview: The Evolution of Veteran Transition Employment Programs

I want to review the history of the transition programs, much like the military spouse employment initiatives I discussed in the History of Military Spouse Employment Programs. Veteran transition support has evolved and grown over decades through collaboration among the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Labor (DOL), and even the Small Business Administration (SBA)–which plays a key role in entrepreneurship pathways. It started with basic counseling in the 1990s and grew into a system that tackles employment, education, and family challenges. Congress launched TAP in the 1991 NDAA based on the unemployment concerns. TAP was optional at first. In the 2000s, TAP became digital with resources like the National Resource Directory, plus early internship pilots that paved the way for SkillBridge. In 2011, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act made TAP mandatory, adding the DOL Employment Workshop and expanding the VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment for disabled veterans, kicking off Hiring Our Heroes for job fairs and fellowships, introducing the Warrior Training Advancement Course around 2015-2016 for VA jobs, and spotlighting nonprofits like REBOOT for mindset shifts. The 2019 NDAA revamped TAP into a personalized pathway for employment, education, or entrepreneurship based on individual needs.

Fast-forward to the 2020s, where COVID-19 pushed virtual formats to keep things going, and updates emerged like MilGears in 2020 for mapping credentials. Some of these next resources we weren’t told about in our TAP class, such as the 2021 NDAA Veteran and Spouse Transitional Assistance Grant Program (VSTAG) to fund transition-focused nonprofits, Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT) grew in 2022 for easier access outside bases, or the Employment Navigator and Partnership Program (ENPP) for one-on-one coaching (only offered at certain locations). We did learn about the Veteran and Military Spouse Talent Engagement Program (VMSTEP), “provides employment readiness assistance to transitioning service members, Veterans and military spouses by providing training resources (Virtual Training Webinars & Videos) to include military skills translator tool and conducting workshops to assist with Writing Federal Resumes, Navigating USAJOBS and Interview Techniques to name a few.” Reviewing this evolution, I see the huge effort put in, but is it too many resources and too much effort?

Originally published on LinkedIn on August 25, 2025. [Read it here]