Transition Assistance Program (TAP). What are your opinions? Both positive and negative feedback is appreciated.

When I retired many years ago, there was no such thing as TAP. The programs today while good are limited by the fact they are trying to satisfy E-3's to field grade officers. If you try to be everything to everybody you end being nothing meaningful to anybody. In my experience as a senior executive of companies and nonprofits, you find the best people through your network of friends and colleagues. Consider this, research suggests that sending resumes accounts for only 1 success in 1000, whereas referrals account for 1 in 7. The key to landing a good job is building a network of friends, associates and business leaders. People hire people, not resumes.

Currently TAP is just shy of adequate. TAP should begin when you enlist - the service should always be grooming you to become a civilian. Sharing information during a 1-2 week training is simply not giving the service member the best possible opportunity to succeed. Unless of course, they are offered employment after the training.

TAP works for many people and my biggest positive is that it's better than nothing. It takes time to prepare for "the outside", especially if you are retiring. TAP should be provided 9-12 months from separation and not 1 month like mine was. I did get alot of info from TAP (though about 75% was uselsss) but it failed to cover the critical job seeking methods/venues that I had to discover (and it took some time) on my own. It also failed to cover the importance of networking and the best places to "get your foot in the door". Military understand military. Civilians think we're gorillas. We need to really understand this and TAP should emphasize this. Granted this was a few years ago and today's product ought to be much improved. I sure hope it is.

I think it a secured GS job for those who work for the T.A.P program. Getting a job after military service is all about who you know.

Mine was probably a little different than yours for 2 reasons: I was in the Navy and I was retiring. However, it was a very useful program and definitely helped me prepare for civilian world by getting ready for the workforce, making me aware of veteran's benefits, everything. All in all I had a positive experience in TAP.

In my particular case it did me very little good. I went through it about four times. Fort Stewart took it as a VERY big joke. Just DAMN reservists in a post 9/11 mob. Might have spent 45 minutes as we were de-mobing after a year. The same amount of time after the second year. Fort Gordon went through some of the motions. After I retired at 9 years and trying to get post 9/11 GI Bill they did the least they could. NTC did not bother at the 6 year mark. Fort Sam did not have the time to bother. Fort Hood at least went through the motions and tried but did not have much to work with. An O-6 with 27 plus years and too many pedigrees do not entire potential employers. After 4 1/2 years I still do not have a paying job, which is why I am fully-retired.

The only part that was helpful was 180 days of Tri-Care, but could have been better. $1000 a month for medical because I retired before age 60 is ridiculous.

My TAP was mostly positive. I think the biggest area of concern for most retiring servicemembers who aren't 60 is next career / employment. This area was not given enough emphasis and was too basic. Perhaps if TAP had two different categories: one for retirees and one for separating service members.

When i separated in 2009 Tap was a joke and complete waste of time. The family support center had Boeing come in, when the HR rep came in he promptly told us there were no state side jobs at all. The unemployment office came in simply told us how much we would make and that we had to look for 3 jobs a week but only apply for jobs that gave you the same income or more than you make right then. For me that was over $20 an hour with maxed out E5 pay including BAS and BAH. The VA did come in but just told us to apply for benefits making it sound like we had to do it alone.

It wasn't until i got my current job working at the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs as a Vet Corps Navigator that i actually learned what i should have in 09. I learned that there are people in the DAV, American Legion, Order of the Purple Heart, and others, that are there for no other reason than to help vets complete there benefits claim to make sure they are done right and help you claim everything. I also learned that there was a thing called HUD-VASH and SSVF to help with homeless veterans. County Veterans offices to help with food vouchers, bus passes, clothes, legal assistance, and more. That you could go to a Veterans run farm, fly fishing, horse riding, kayaking, or go to Vet Centers, and church groups for help with PTS counseling or help instead of just the VA Medical Centers.

I do know that TAPS was forced to change and I hear the TAPS program out of Joint Base Lewis/McCord is decent but it could be a lot better. Veteran Service Organizations should come out but not only to say "join us" but to let people know that members of lets say the VFW can get one bill payed every 6 months if needed and it is voted and passed by the post. That if you are going to college apply for there scholarships. That if you received a purple heart you can join the Order of the Purple Heart which like the American Legion and DAV have service officers that can help you complete your disability claim. Also hold a job fair once every few months so troops getting out can get an idea of the jobs that are available in the area before the decide to just go back to there home of record. And lastly let the troops know to go to the VA Medical Center in the area after they receive their DD-214 so they can get their VA ID card which they will need for to use the VA Medical Centers for FREE medical care for the first 5 years after separation even before a disability claim has been sent.

For me, the TAP class was a week well spent. The best thing I got out of it was a professional looking resume that I still use and update to this day. I have had compliments on it from people who know what a good resume is supposed to look like. I did my TAP class in Bremerton, Washington right before I retired. Perhaps different locations (bases) have differing programs. I just know that the one I went to at Naval Base Kitsap, was very helpful! I would recommend it to anyone separating from the service.

I found it to be very informative and effective. As another responder said, it depends on the base and the facilitators having representatives from hiring companies come in and talk.
My last duty station was NAS Patuxent River, MD. Anyone familiar with Pax, knows that it is heavily populated with Gov't and defense contractors. They had a panel of reps from several companies come in on the last day and speak to us about what a company wants to see on a resume, interview makers and breakers, etc. Many took resumes on the spot, a few folks got informal interviews on the spot and later hired.
Pax is one of those bases that guys (myself included) take orders to on their last enlistment because of the prospect of rolling right into a job as you walk out the door.