Why are Servicemembers not being briefed on services available to them that would help as they transition from the military to civilian life?

SSG Michel Smith — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 17:28:18 -0500

When I retired no one bothered to inform me that leaving the military(Honorable discharge required I believe)servicemembers qualify for up to 6 months unemployment. That's something I could have used as I waited for my VA rating(100%). Even if I wasn't seriously broken physically others need that while trying to transition back to civilian life. My wife and I had to stay with family while waiting on my rating because retirement pay doesn't start as soon as you retire(Omnibus Act)which put a hardship on our family as a whole. You really find out what a person thinks living in close quarters. VA pay doesn't start immediately(again Omnibus Act), and they take 5 months off the top from the time you file for it. I filed for it before I retired about 3 months out. I also heard something about qualifying for temporary housing, but I don't have much information on that. The real concern is that probably 99% of servicemembers aren't prepared for separation and struggle when there are services available that just aren't being briefed as they are leaving.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2022 8:20 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 20:20:03 -0500

Is the Troll post?

You must have really been failed by your chain of command. Of the things that kind of irk me (being a Reservist) I can't believe how much hand holding retiring soldiers get before they finally cut the cord.

More than once now I've seen (and one of those a subordinate NCO's who's retirement package I had to process with my command signature) service members completely checked out for just about an entire year while on the clock going through the mandatory out processing briefs and civilian integration training, etc.....

I remember being very annoyed after deployment as a Reservist having to sit through briefs in how to look for a job and build a resume............ HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you let me clear out of CRC I can literally GO to my JOB I ALREADY HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway............ I digress. The help is there, and if out processing soldiers are being deflected from that help then something is terribly wrong with the local chain of command.

My observation is that help is rammed down your throat if you want it or not.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2022 8:33 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 20:33:55 -0500

Not sure how retirement briefings went back in '02, but I can tell you when I ETSd in '03 from Germany, I had to clear some areas that provided information. In fact, an ETS physical was required. And the doctor told me about getting with the VA if need be. There was all kinds of info available then. And now, information is crammed down our throats with SFL-TAP. So, Soldiers today ARE being briefed. Whether or not they listen and/or use the info....well.....that's on them.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2022 9:26 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 21:26:15 -0500

If they're going to SFL-TAP they are getting briefed on services. And you can start SFL-TAP 2 years out from retirement.

The 6 months unemployment: "Approximately 40,000 active-duty service members retire each year, and some of them are looking for jobs but haven't found work. It's possible that some of these retirees may be eligible for a special type of unemployment benefits, called UCX (Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Military), based upon the amount of their military retirement pay and the limits in the state in which they are filing. Most retirees will not qualify for UCX, but it's worth a look."

That varies from state to state.

This is from the DFAS site: "Typical Processing Time Frames. Your first retired pay should be processed in 30 to 45 days after your retirement date. However, this can only happen if we receive a complete retirement package, including a correct DD Form 2656."

I don't see anything when I search Omnibus Act and military retirement pay. Anything with Omnibus Act has to do with the military budget or an act from 1868.

You can get 20 days of PTDY when retiring or ETS. https://militarypay.defense.gov/Benefits/Leave-Benefits-During-Transition/

These days if soldiers aren't prepared for transitioning out of the service, that's on them.

Leave Benefits During Transition

Military Pay and Benefits Website sponsored by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2022 9:32 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 21:32:41 -0500

The Transition Assistance Program has been mandatory since the FY91 NDAA, and has always included a VA benefits brief.
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/IF10347.pdf
It has only gotten bigger and more intensive every year.
https://www.armytap.army.mil/
If you completely missed it or failed to pay attention, you did so at your own peril.
Out of curiosity, SFL-TAP aside, if you were out of work with no income, how did it just not occur to you to apply for assistance like unemployment?

IF10347.pdf

Response by SSG Laurie Mullen made Jan 29 at 2022 10:11 PM

SSG Laurie Mullen — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 22:11:51 -0500

When I retired in '05 they gave us all of the information during our retirement briefings/classes. My retirement pay started right away. My last official day on active duty was 31 Oct and I received my first retirement pay at the end of November.

Response by PO1 Shsnnon Laws made Jan 30 at 2022 2:49 AM

PO1 Shsnnon Laws — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 02:49:31 -0500

I concure. When i got out in 2004 i received zero TAPS(yes it was around). I did not know about the VA-health or financial, life insurance or SSI/D. Anything would have been preferable to "in the wind". The VA even after getting rated p&t is as problematic as helpful. This is a crack we should not let persons fall through. Our suicide/not thriving rates are abborrhant. Without the team we get eaten by the wolfs. It makes me sad that decades later this easily solved problem still exists for my brothers and sisters. It does not effect just the member, their spouses and children also must deal with the derogatory effects of zero support for the member. For shame on the DOD. DHS. VA all.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2022 4:22 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 04:22:47 -0500

Not sure how you didn't get all this information in TAP. When I de-mobed from a deployment in 2005 we were told about unemployment, which I took.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Jan 30 at 2022 9:59 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 09:59:37 -0500

Sorry to hear you were given bum information or lack there of.

While I was in it was common knowledge you could apply for unemployment once you got out. I think part of your delay in VA benefits was you submitted before you were out. You aren’t eligible for veteran services or allowed to submit a claim until you are a veteran (after EAs/ets). You can get your evals and such done but the final act of submitting your papers to get your monthly check has to wait until you get out. Dropping papers that early most likely caused the delay.

I will say the outprocessing briefs have improved over time.
This is a great resource if you have additional questions or concerns.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2022 5:40 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 17:40:59 -0500

"The real concern is that probably 99% of servicemembers aren't prepared for separation and struggle when there are services available that just aren't being briefed as they are leaving."

This sentence alone deserves it's own response.
It implies that 100% of people come into the military with zero adult skills and attributes to make it the job market, and somehow the military completely suppresses their ability to develop those adult skills and attributes for the duration of their service, and that is just asinine.
It also suggests that the DoD offers no transition services for those getting out, and that is just categorically false. Not only are they provided, they are mandatory, it's tougher to skate out of an SFL-TAP requirement than out of a UA or HT-WT screen.
SFL-TAP manages to capture over 90% of those separating, and it would appear that a majority of those separating paid attention:

In September 2021, less than 4% of veterans were unemployed:
https://blog.dol.gov/2021/11/9/veterans-in-the-labor-force-6-stats

25% of veterans have a job lined up before they get out, and 57% of veterans find a job within six months of starting to look, (whether that was before or after they got out), 47% of veterans enrolled in school after getting out:
https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/09/10/the-transition-to-post-military-employment/

One could easily make the argument that there are CMFs that do not directly relate to the job market, 11, 13, 14 and 18 come to mind. But many CMFs do, and military experience in general develops the kind of attributes every employer is looking for: dedication, work ethic, responsibility, accountability, punctuality, flexibility and able to learn.
Some MOSes, like yours, directly translate to civilian jobs, and often comes with industry standard certificates paid for by the Army.

I don't know how you completely missed the transition process, but it has been required by law since before you or I enlisted, and it does manage to catch over 90% of those separating.

Veterans in the Labor Force: 6 Stats | U.S. Department of Labor Blog

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jan 31 at 2022 11:29 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:29:12 -0500

They are. You are forced to sit through mandatory classes that enumerate all of this for you. Now whether or not someone pays attention in class, that's a different story.

Response by SSG Michel Smith made Feb 1 at 2022 4:14 PM

SSG Michel Smith — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:14:52 -0500

5 responses from senior NCO's or Officers all asking how could one miss TAP, and one junior enlisted saying the same thing I stated about some things being briefed and others not.....and my wife went through the briefings with me, and she wouldn't have missed that either! I stated the above because I did NOT get briefed on unemployment benefits upon leaving the service. Maybe the problem is where I left the service, but maybe it's that I was in the lower enlisted category. I didn't make the statement to stir up the hornets nest, but rather to get someone to fix it. I know this website is monitored by both prior military as well as active duty and civilians working for DoD.