TAP virtual curriculum available to Individual Reservists

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Timm Huffman
  • Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness and Integration Organization
Individual Reservists who need to complete the Congressionally-mandated Transition Assistance Program (TAP), but whose qualifying 180+ day Title 10 orders have already ended, may now complete the requirement virtually.

The TAP mandate requires any reservist who has served an active-duty tour of 180 days or longer since November 2012 to complete the TAP program. Every effort should be made to complete this requirement during the qualifying orders. To do this, reservists must contact their local Airman and Family Readiness Center (or sister-service equivalent).

Members who have verified employment or qualifying school enrollment can expect to complete the requirement in about eight hours. They will complete a Pre-separation brief, two Veterans Affairs benefits briefings and the Capstone portion of the requirement virtually.

Members must be in a duty status to complete Transition Assistance Program requirements. In the event that the member is completing TAP after the end of the qualifying order, they must participate in a points-only IDT status unless they receive permission and funding to participate in another status.

Members should work with their servicing HQ RIO Detachment and assigned unit to determine which status is right for them.

If a member is unable to complete TAP through a local Airman and Family Readiness Center (or sister-service equivalent), they may begin the virtual program by scheduling an over-the-phone pre-separation briefing with Ms. Vernesta Harris, Air Force Reserve Command Force Integration Support Team:

Ms. Harris is available for one-on-one phone counseling and also offers regularly-scheduled conference call options. During the pre-separation briefing, Ms. Harris will explain the requirements in more detail and members will begin their DD eForm 2648 (through the DOD TAP website) and Career Readiness Standards checklist, which are used to track progress through the program. The pre-separation briefing takes about 60 minutes to complete.

The next step is the Virtual Transition GPS curriculum, which is broken up into two segments: Veterans Affairs Benefits Briefings and Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW). These courses are available on the Joint Knowledge Online (JKO) website.

Members who have verified employment or a qualifying school enrollment are only required to complete Veterans Affairs Benefits Briefings I and II. 

All courses are available on JKO by searching by course name:

  • Transition Overview (TGPS-US001) (1.5 hours)
  • MOC Crosswalk, course (TGPS-US002) (1.5 hours)
  • Personal Financial Planning (TGPS-US003) (3 hours)
  • DOL Employment Workshop (TGPS-US004) (15 hours)
  • Federal Employment, course (TGPS-US005) (4 hours)
  • VA Benefits I for Reserve/Guard (TGPS-US011) (3 hours)
  • VA Benefits II for Reserve/Guard (TGPS-US012) (1 hour)

The time to complete just the VA Benefits Briefings is about four hours. The total time to complete the DOLEW and the VA Benefits Briefings is about 29 hours. 

Members who must complete the full DOLEW may elect to take a T-GPS Track. The three options provide information on pursuing technical training, college and entrepreneurship. Reservists may select one track from JKO:

  • Career Technical Training Track (TGPS-US008) (3 hours)
  • Accessing Higher Education Track (TGPS-US009) (4 hours)
  • Entrepreneur Track (TGPS-US010) (9 hours)

The final step is Capstone. This portion is mandatory and can be completed with the member’s HQ RIO Detachment commander over the phone once their Career Readiness Standards Checklist is verified as complete by Ms. Harris. The member should contact their servicing HQ RIO Detachment to set up a Capstone appointment.

For more information on TAP and Transition GPS, visit https://www.dodtap.mil/. Individual Reservists who need assistance requesting orders to complete TAP should contact their servicing HQ RIO Detachment. They can also visit the HQ RIO TAP page at www.arpc.afrc.af.mil/HQRIO/TAP.aspx