Military and Veterans' Benefits: Enhanced Services Could Improve Transition Assistance for Reserves and National Guard
Published: 2005-05-20T00:00:00

Fast Facts:

Highlights:
section_title: Why GAO Did This Study
paragraphs: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 mandated that GAO review whether the transition assistance program (TAP) is meeting the needs of service members leaving the military. GAO (1) assessed TAP administration, including program participation, and (2) identified actions agencies are taking to improve TAP and challenges that remain. TAP serves military personnel with at least 180 days of active duty who separate or retire and members of the Reserves and National Guard who are released from active duty, a process termed demobilization. Recently, the Reserves and National Guard have been called to active duty in greater numbers than at any other time since the Korean War.
section_title: What GAO Found
paragraphs: Transition assistance is intended to help service members successfully adjust to civilian life after serving in the military. Jointly administered by the Departments of Defense (DOD), Labor (DOL) and Veterans Affairs (VA), the four components of TAP are coordinated through meetings of agency TAP managers and interagency agreements. Both the method of delivery and the level of participation may vary, with participation rates highest for the mandatory preseparation counseling. Because they demobilize within days after they return from overseas, generally members of the Reserves and National Guard may get similar information but not the time to participate fully in TAP. At demobilization they may complete their preseparation counseling forms as a group without individual attention; get 45 minutes of briefing on veterans' benefits rather than a half-day; and receive no employment preparation. Participation of service members in the Disabled TAP component is not known, because VA does not track this information. The federal agencies have taken actions to improve TAP's content and increase participation among full-time active duty military personnel but face challenges serving Reserve and National Guard members because of their rapid demobilization. To improve content, the agencies have updated, or plan to update, their manuals, forms, and other materials, and DOL is assessing its employment workshop curriculum using focus groups and survey data. To increase participation, DOL and VA provide some employment workshops and veterans' benefits briefings overseas, and DOD is considering mandating participation in all components. While the agencies have not assessed when and where to offer TAP for members of the Reserves and National Guard, DOL has pilot programs in three states that will offer employment workshops after the members return home.

section_title: Letter
paragraphs: The increased role of the armed forces in military operations around the  world, and the greater reliance on the Reserves and National Guard, has  focused national attention on what is done to help servicemen and women  successfully transition to civilian life after serving in the military.  Originally created in 1990, the transition assistance program (TAP)  provides information on specific benefits and services, including  employment and relocation assistance, education opportunities, health  and life insurance, and financial planning. Jointly administered under  agreements among the Departments of Defense (DOD), Labor (DOL), and  Veterans Affairs (VA), TAP is intended to serve military personnel who  separate and members of the Reserves and National Guard who  demobilize after at least 180 days of active duty. Over 300,000 servicemen  and women met these criteria and were eligible for TAP in fiscal year 2004.
Concerns about the needs of transitioning service members—including  those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan—and whether TAP is meeting  their needs---are raised in the National Defense Authorization Act for  Fiscal Year 2005, which mandated a GAO report on TAP. This report   (1) assesses TAP’s administration, including program participation, and  (2) identifies actions agencies are taking to improve TAP as well as the  challenges that remain.
To develop the information for this report, we reviewed the legislative  history of TAP, including records of congressional hearings, and  interviewed responsible officials, including TAP program managers, from  DOD, the armed forces and commands, the National Guard Bureau, VA,  and DOL. We also reviewed TAP program materials, including guides and  manuals prepared for participants and facilitators as well as slides and  videos. We compiled and analyzed statistics on TAP program participation  and surveyed selected veterans’ service organizations. We also visited Fort  Bragg, North Carolina, to talk to participants and observe briefings for  members of the Army Reserve and National Guard being demobilized  there as well as TAP sessions for others separating at the base. As agreed,  the Coast Guard, which is overseen by Homeland Security, was not  included in our review. To assess the reliability of the data on the numbers  separating and on their TAP program participation, we reviewed  documentation on the data systems and data entry, interviewed  knowledgeable agency officials, and worked closely with them to  understand or correct discrepancies. We determined that the numbers of  service members separating and participating were sufficiently reliable for  the purposes of this report, but that the participation rates we derived  from these numbers represent approximations, as explained in a more  detailed description of our methodology in appendix I. We conducted our  work from December 2004 through April 2005 in accordance with  generally accepted government auditing standards.
subsections: section_title: Background
paragraphs: The role of the armed forces in the global war on terrorism and in military  operations in Afghanistan and Iraq has heightened concerns about the  assistance that these and other service members receive when they  transition back into civilian life. The National Defense Authorization Act  for Fiscal Year 2005 mandated that GAO report on TAP for service  members separating or retiring from the military and members of the  Reserves and National Guard who are released from active duty in a  process referred to as demobilization.
All service members who have been on active duty for at least 180 days are  eligible for TAP, but those separating because of a disability are eligible  regardless of the length of their active duty service. The time frames for  provision of TAP are spelled out in law. Eligible service members must be  provided TAP while they are on active duty and receiving military pay,  either as soon as possible within the 2 years prior to their anticipated  retirement date or in the 1 year prior to their anticipated separation date-- in either case, no later than 90 days prior to their discharge or release. The  exception to this rule occurs when separations are not anticipated and less  than 90 days of active duty remain. In such cases, TAP must be provided as  soon as possible.
About 309,000 servicemen and women were discharged or released from  active military service in fiscal year 2004 with sufficient time on active  duty to meet the TAP eligibility criteria. Of these, about 192,000 were  members of the full-time active duty armed forces---the Air Force, Army,  Navy, or Marine Corps. Generally, the remaining 117,000 were members of  the Reserves and National Guard who had been called to active duty in  response to a national emergency and were later released. Many of these  service members had been employed in civilian occupations before they  were called to active duty and were training for their military mission  during certain weeks and weekends each year.
The use of the Reserves and National Guard has increased dramatically in  recent years, with more called to active duty than at any other time since  the Korean War. About 478,000 members of the Reserves and National  Guard have been called to active duty since September 11, 2001, and about  181,000 members were on active duty as of April 2005. Most of these  members were serving with the Army---many on overseas missions, and on  the front lines in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans. Not only have more  members of the Reserves and National Guard been called to active duty  and sent overseas, but the number of days they spend on average in active  duty status has doubled since 1990, when TAP was established. DOD  expects this trend to continue through at least fiscal year 2007, with  Reserve and National Guard members serving on active duty for a year or  more on average.
Delivery of the TAP components for most participants occurs at one of the  215 transition offices located on military installations. This includes 82 Air  Force TAP offices located in Family Support Centers, 53 Army offices that  are part of the Army Career and Alumni Program, as well as the 62 Navy  offices and 18 Marine Corps offices that constitute their respective  Transition Assistance Management Programs. However, Reserve and  National Guard members who were called to active duty, served, and are  returning home usually transition at fewer locations, referred to as  demobilization sites; for example, the Army has 27 demobilization sites  and the Marine Corps has 5 sites. Typically the demobilization process is  rapid, taking a matter of days once the service members arrive back in the  United States from overseas. The Army standard is to demobilize units in 5  days, and it is not uncommon for military installations to get 2 days’ or less  advance notice before returning troops arrive. During demobilization,  service members may be expected to participate in as many as 18 separate  briefings on various topics, such as legal and medical issues, and  scheduled activities, such as physical examinations. According to officials  we interviewed, control of the schedule for demobilization is in the hands  of the commanders of the installations where demobilization occurs,  subject to guidance from the armed forces on briefing topics and activities  that must be covered.
TAP provides information and links to a broad range of benefits and  services for separating service members to ease their transition to civilian  life. The topics that must be covered in TAP are spelled out in law and  include employment and relocation assistance, education opportunities,  health and life insurance, and financial planning. Most of the benefits  become available to service members once they have separated and are  veterans, but to be eligible for certain of these benefits, service members  must take specific actions while they are still on active duty. The  information that TAP provides on benefits and services needs to be  accurate and up to date, reflecting the most recent changes in law.  Changes enacted in 2004, for example, permit Reserve and National Guard  members who were called to active duty after September 11, 2001, to  obtain a year’s worth of health insurance coverage for themselves and  their family for each 90 days of active duty, as long as they contribute a  share of the cost and continue to serve in a reserve capacity after they are  released from active duty. Service members must select this coverage  while on active duty and enroll within 180 days of release from active duty  or they forfeit their right to this benefit.
To take advantage of the various benefits and services, separating service  members need to be aware of the benefits and services and know how to  access them. For example, service members who have been on active duty  continuously for 24 months and plan to pursue an education may receive  up to $816 a month under the Montgomery GI Bill, if they have not  previously declined the benefit. According to DOD, about 5,800 members  of the Reserves and National Guard had been on active duty long enough  on January 31, 2005, to qualify for this benefit, which usually is available  only to full-time active duty military personnel.
TAP is designed to serve as a gateway to additional information and  services that are available, either while service members are on active duty  or after they have separated and returned home. For example, the DOL  workshop highlights many of the skills and techniques helpful in obtaining  employment. After completing the workshop, service members can benefit  further by refining their résumés, practicing their interviewing skills, and  using computers to conduct job searches. To take advantage of  opportunities to do so, they are welcome to return to TAP offices on  military installations. Even after service members have separated from  active duty, DOD policy permits them to use the services at military  installations during the 180 days following their separation. They are also  encouraged to contact state workforce agencies’ One-Stop Career Centers  near their homes for further employment and training services.
In our review of TAP in 2002, we found that the program was available to  service members but not all participated. Some service members faced  difficulties being released from military duties to attend TAP because of  the priority accorded their military mission or the lack of supervisory  support for TAP. For service members who were able to participate, TAP  varied in content and delivery, in part because the armed forces were able  to exercise their flexibility to tailor the program to better meet the  circumstances of their service members. For example, some service  members received additional services that were designed to enhance TAP;  elsewhere, service members in remote locations got a shorter version of  TAP or experienced the program through videos rather than on-site  facilitators.
section_title: Administration of the Four Components of TAP and Participation Vary by Service
paragraphs: TAP consists of separate components offered by DOD, DOL, and VA.  These federal agencies facilitate interagency coordination through regular  meetings and formal agreements. Participation in TAP varies by the  component offered and the military service responsible. Preseparation  counseling is the only component mandated in law and, accordingly, has  had the highest rates of participation over the 3 years ending in fiscal year  2004. In general, participation rates are lower for the voluntary  employment workshop. Among the services, the Navy and Marine Corps  report the highest rates for the employment workshop, with the Marine  Corps attributing its high rate to its recent policy of mandatory attendance.  Reserve and National Guard members returning from overseas may get  similar information but generally do not have time to attend formal TAP  components during demobilization. Local installation commanders rather  than TAP managers control demobilization schedules.
subsections: section_title: TAP Emphasizes Civilian Employment and Provides Information on Other Services and Benefits
paragraphs: The TAP program consists of four core components with a specific federal  agency responsible for the delivery and content of each, as shown in figure  1. According to DOD, the primary goal of TAP is to prepare separating  service members and their families with the skills, tools, and self- confidence necessary to ensure successful reentry into the nation’s civilian  workforce. TAP represents the completion of the military personnel “life  cycle” that begins with recruitment, continues through active duty service,  and ends when the service member returns to the civilian sector. The first  component is preseparation counseling that provides a brief overview of  services and benefits available to those who are separating and is  conducted by the armed forces. The second component is an employment  workshop conducted over 2 or 2 ½ days by certified facilitators following a  DOL guide. The third component covers veterans’ benefits, including  disability compensation, and is often provided on the last day of the  employment workshop by VA. The fourth component—the Disabled  Transition Assistance Program, conducted by VA—offers information and  counseling, primarily on vocational rehabilitation and employment  options. It also covers insurance, specially adapted housing, and the  Americans with Disabilities Act, for individuals who have or think they  may have a service-connected disability.
Preseparation counseling is the only component where attendance is  mandated in law; participation in all the other components is voluntary  unless DOD or the services decide otherwise. All separating service  members with at least 180 days of active duty must receive preseparation  counseling. This component introduces all the subsequent components,  highlighting each of them briefly. Each military service is required to  provide the counseling prior to release or discharge as specified in law and  to identify the type and source of benefits and services available in the  following areas: employment, relocation, education, health and life  insurance, and financial planning. Separating service members complete a  checklist during this component, certifying that they have been informed  of the services available to them and indicating with a check mark any  subsequent services they wish to receive, such as the employment  workshop. A copy of this signed checklist becomes a part of the individual  service member’s personnel record and, according to DOD officials, is  required before the service member can be separated or demobilized. See  appendix II for a complete list of the specific services and benefits  covered, as indicated on the preseparation counseling checklist.
More hours are set aside for the employment workshop than for any other  component. As shown in figure 1, from 22 to 30 hours are scheduled for  the delivery of all TAP components, with 16 to 20 hours devoted to this  workshop. This emphasis on preparation for civilian employment is  consistent with the purpose of TAP when it was established in 1990.  Agency managers explained that TAP was designed to serve full-time  active duty service members who generally had little prior civilian  employment experience and might have had difficulty transferring skills  acquired in the military to the civilian economy. Many had specialized in  critical skills, such as those utilized in combat arms, which could not be  easily transferred to civilian occupations. Helping military personnel  translate their military experience into skills valued in the civilian  workforce was viewed as of paramount importance. Although the  Reserves and National Guard were specifically identified in the law that  established TAP, the program was designed to meet the needs of full-time  active duty service members because most Reserve and National Guard  members had not served in an active duty capacity long enough to be  eligible for TAP.
After separating service members complete one or more of the core TAP  components, they may obtain additional, individualized counseling on  specific benefits and services at TAP offices located on military  installations. They may have access to automated tools designed to help  them prepare résumés or cover letters to potential employers or  opportunities to practice their job interview skills. Service members are  also encouraged to contact state workforce agencies’ One-Stop Career  Centers and VA hospitals for additional services after they return home.
Although veterans’ service organizations do not have a formal role in the  provision of TAP, they often serve as an informal referral resource for  service members who seek their assistance. To varying degrees, the  veterans’ service organizations that we contacted were primarily involved  in helping service members complete claims such as those for VA  disability compensation, as well as claims for other VA benefits and  medical treatment. Other activities performed by the veterans’ service  organizations include briefings on VA benefits and advice and counseling  on a range of issues. Many military installations have provided these  organizations with office space where they can assist service members.  Certain veterans’ organizations, such as the Disabled American Veterans,  AMVETS, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, have taken advantage of this  opportunity. For example, the Disabled American Veterans reports that it  has 25 staff members located on installations who assist service members  at about 80 military installations and 18 military treatment facilities.
section_title: Interagency Meetings and Agreements Assist in Coordination and Oversight
paragraphs: To facilitate interagency coordination and oversight, the federal agency  partners established the TAP Steering Committee, which is chaired by  DOL. Each federal agency has also designated a single person as the point  of contact for TAP, generally referred to as the agency TAP manager. In  addition, within DOD, each of the armed forces has identified a single  person who is responsible, generally referred to as the service TAP  manager. The DOD managers meet as a group on a quarterly basis and also  with other agency TAP managers on a quarterly basis to discuss issues,  propose initiatives, and act as a sounding board. Any problems that  develop and are not resolved at the local level can be sent back to the  Steering Committee for resolution.
Broad planning and budgeting for TAP takes place at the federal level  within DOD and DOL-–the only agencies that have funds dedicated to the  support of TAP. DOD and the services estimate that about 200,000 service  members, not including members of the Reserves and National Guard,  have been eligible for TAP each fiscal year since 2001 and have provided  an average of $45 million per year in budget authority. (See app. III for a  breakout by military service.) DOL develops its TAP budget using DOD’s  estimates of the number separating and historical information that about  70 percent of those separating actually attend the employment workshops.  DOL reports that in fiscal year 2004 it actually spent about $13 million on  TAP. VA estimates that it spent $0.7 million in the same year for its  components of TAP. (For more information about the scheduling and  delivery of employment workshops and other TAP components at the  local installations, see app. IV.)
To clarify the roles of the federal agencies involved, an interagency  agreement is required by law for all TAP components except  preseparation counseling, where DOD has sole responsibility. Pursuant to  law, the roles and responsibilities of DOD, DOL, and VA for the transition  program are outlined in a 1994 agreement called a memorandum of  understanding. (See fig. 2.) Under this agreement, DOL has the leadership  role in delivering the employment workshops, DOD ensures that service  members participate and supplies logistical support, and VA provides  information on veterans’ benefits and delivers the DTAP component for  separating members who have or may have service-connected disabilities.  A separate 1993 agreement between DOD and VA outlines how VA  provides its TAP components overseas, with VA providing the staff and  DOD providing the funding and logistical support. In addition to carrying  out these agreements at the national level, the federal agencies encourage  similar agreements among state and regional offices and the installations  located in their areas.
Uniformity in the content and quality of TAP is achieved in part by  standardized guidebooks and manuals as well as certification of  facilitators for one or more components. For both preseparation  counseling and the employment workshop, participants receive  guidebooks or manuals covering topics identified in the law that  established TAP. Like instructional textbooks, the guidebooks and  manuals help structure how these components are presented. In addition,  manuals have been developed for use by the individuals who facilitate the  employment workshops, and all workshop facilitators must be trained and  certified by the National Veterans’ Training Institute. For oversight  purposes and to help ensure the quality of the workshops, DOL asks  participants to complete a critique form shown in appendix V. On the  form, participants have an opportunity to provide comments and  suggestions and also indicate on a scale how much they have gained from  the information presented. DOL facilitators review the forms to assess the  level of satisfaction of participants and consider suggestions for  improvements. Although the VA components of TAP do not have  comparable guides or manuals, VA officials explain that the slides and  handouts they use can be more easily updated to conform to changes in  the laws governing veterans’ benefits.
The demobilization of Reserve and National Guard members, however, is  outside the control of the TAP managers. DOD and armed forces  guidelines establish the procedures governing demobilization and the  topics to be covered, but individual installation commanders have  discretion over the actual schedule. To provide TAP information to  Reserve and National Guard members in 2003, the DOD TAP manager and  service managers prepared written materials for distribution at  demobilization. The materials included a laminated, pocket-sized  preseparation guide written for Reserve and National Guard members that  highlighted all of the benefits and services available and provided Web site  addresses and toll-free numbers.
section_title: TAP’s Delivery and Participation Vary by Circumstances, Component, and Service
paragraphs: Depending on the branch of military service or command responsible, the  location, and other circumstances, the amount of time devoted to the TAP  components may vary. Other variations include the extent of personal  attention given participants and the instructional method used.  Preseparation counseling may take the form of individualized, one-on-one  counseling sessions of an hour or more or it may take the form of group  briefings, depending in part on the time available and the numbers to be  counseled. Group sessions are more common at large bases like those  maintained by the Army and Marine Corps, where many individuals are  separating. Also, the Army has made use of technology and offers  preseparation counseling at banks of computers that use interactive  programs and include headphones so that participants can work  independently and at their own pace while remaining part of a group. In  the Navy, transition assistance may take place on board ship rather than at  military installations.
TAP varies in part because the military services are able to exercise their  flexibility to tailor the program to better meet the circumstances of their  service members. While some service members receive additional services  designed to enhance TAP, others at remote locations may participate in  TAP by video or telephone because there are no trained personnel on-site.  Because of the demobilization timetables, many Reserve and National  Guard members cannot take advantage of TAP components offered to full- time active duty military personnel and instead receive much shorter  presentations as part of large groups at demobilization briefings. For  example, members of the Reserves and National Guard may be offered a  45-minute veterans’ benefits briefing by VA at the demobilization briefing  while 3 to 4 hours of veterans’ benefits briefing are provided other military  personnel on the last day of the TAP workshop.
Participation also varies by the military service involved and the  component of TAP offered. For example, the Army had about twice as  many service members attending preseparation counseling as any one of  the other services from fiscal year 2002 through 2004. During the same  period, the number of Army Reserve and Army National Guard members  attending preseparation briefings at demobilization increased more than  ten-fold, from about 9,000 to about 93,000. (App. VI shows the number of  service members who separated and those who attended TAP components  by military service.)
As expected, estimated participation rates have been the highest for  preseparation counseling where attendance is mandated in law. The  average rates for the three years ending in 2004 have ranged from 76  percent to over 100 percent, depending on the military service. Also as  expected, the estimated participation rates are generally lower for the  3,000 or more employment workshops held each year, where attendance is  voluntary. The average rates for the three years ranged from 56 percent to  86 percent. This represents the number attending the workshops as a  percentage of all who separated and were eligible for TAP. The Army  reports that about 20 percent of those eligible each year indicated that  they were not interested in attending the workshops. The Marine Corps,  which has mandated attendance at the employment workshops, and the  Navy show the highest participation rates over the three years. Although  the Navy shows higher rates for participation in employment workshops  than in preseparation counseling, the discrepancy is more likely a  reflection of reporting problems than of actual attendance, and the actual  numbers of service members receiving counseling is probably higher.  Retirees were disproportionately represented in the employment  workshops. Across the armed forces, about one-third of all who  participate are retirees, although they constitute about one-fifth of all who  separate. The remainder are those separating or released prior to  retirement.
No data are available for participation in the VA components of TAP.  Because the veterans’ benefits briefings are usually held on the last day of  the employment workshops, VA officials indicated that the participation  rates for their briefings are equivalent to the rates for the employment  workshops. In addition, VA told us that DTAP is provided to all service  members who are receiving care or separating from medical treatment  facilities by VA counselors who are located at or make regular visits to  these medical facilities. However, no data are available to determine the  number of individuals eligible for DTAP, and VA’s records do not  distinguish the number who participate in this component from the total of  all recipients of VA outreach briefings.
Very few members of the Reserve or National Guard are able to attend the  employment workshops, although at demobilization they complete their  preseparation counseling checklists and may be briefed on veterans’  benefits and health insurance coverage options, depending on the  schedule developed for demobilization. The TAP managers with DOD and  the military services explained that the chief problem is lack of time  during demobilization, which is often completed in 5 days. In addition,  many of these service members are anxious to return home and are not  interested in prolonging their stay to attend workshops. Further, many  have jobs at home that are being held for them, so they may not need to  attend the employment workshop. However, the TAP managers also told  us that they believe that employment information in some form is relevant  and useful for some Reserve and National Guard members. They noted  that some were self-employed before they went on active duty, and their  businesses may have suffered or gone into bankruptcy in their absence.  Other service members may have worked for companies that have gone  out of business since their active duty began. Other members might prefer  to find better jobs than the ones they held before they went on active duty.  While TAP managers were not able to provide data on the number who  might be interested in attending the employment workshop, members of  the Reserves and National Guard we met generally confirmed the views of  the TAP managers.
section_title: Many Actions are Under Way to Improve TAP, but Challenges Remain in Meeting the Needs of Reserves and National Guard
paragraphs: The agencies administering the program have taken several actions to  improve TAP program materials for all eligible personnel separating from  the military, including Reserve and National Guard members. In addition,  the agencies have taken steps to increase participation, primarily among  full-time active duty military personnel. However, despite efforts so far,  challenges remain, particularly in meeting the needs of demobilizing  Reserve and National Guard members for transition assistance.
subsections: section_title: Several Actions Directed at Improving Program Content
paragraphs: DOD is updating information and reconsidering the topics to be covered  during preseparation counseling, based on its assessment of the differing  needs of participants. As a result, DOD plans to eliminate the “one size fits  all” approach currently in place. For full-time active duty service members,  it has drafted an updated counseling checklist. To meet the needs of  demobilizing Reserve and National Guard members, it has drafted a  separate counseling checklist tailored to their circumstances. (See app. VII  for the changes that are planned to the form shown in app. II.) In updating  the information for both groups, DOD added several Internet sites so that  service members can follow up to obtain more information on available  services and benefits, including sites explaining options for health  insurance coverage. To better meet the needs of Reserve and National  Guard members, their new checklist eliminates information on benefits  that apply only to active duty members, such as relocation assistance and  separation pay. Instead, the new form provides benefit information  applicable to demobilizing Reserve and National Guard service members,  such as reemployment rights, employer support, and loan relief.
DOD is taking the same approach to the revision of the guidebook and  other materials used in preseparation counseling. DOD officials plan to  update the preseparation guide that contains information on services and  benefits available to service members separating from full-time active  duty. In addition, they are developing a separate guide for demobilizing  Reserve and National Guard personnel. Meanwhile, the military services  have developed new materials specifically geared toward the needs of  Reserve and National Guard service members. For instance, the Army  reported that it uses a separate script and slides for preseparation  counseling of demobilizing Reserve and National Guard service members  and gives them a handout on services and benefits tailored to their needs  as well as a calling card with the telephone number of a resource center  that these service members can contact for one-on-one assistance.
DOL and VA are also taking actions to improve the information they  provide on benefits and services available to separating service members.  DOL plans to use focus groups and survey data to assess the strengths and  weaknesses of its employment workshop curriculum in serving the needs  of all service members. VA has improved its marketing activities by  issuing pamphlets, brochures, a videotape, and a wallet-size card with  information on how to obtain further information about VA health care  and benefits. One of its brochures is entitled “A Summary of VA Benefits  for National Guard and Reserve Personnel.”
To ensure that all participants have the information they need in DTAP, VA  formed a task force in 2004 to restructure and standardize the DTAP  curriculum to meet the needs of all separating service members who have  or may have a disability and invited DOD and the military services to  participate. As a result, VA has developed a new curriculum with video,  slides, and a script for DTAP. This standardized DTAP curriculum is  intended to provide extensive information on VA’s vocational  rehabilitation and employment services. VA also issued a quick reference  guide to present information about vocational counseling, rehabilitation,  and employment services available to active duty service members as well  as veterans with service-connected disabilities. The guide is intended for  distribution at DTAP sessions offered at military installations and  treatment facilities and for other purposes and locations as appropriate.  Along with this new effort, VA continues its outreach campaign to contact  all service members in need of these services.
section_title: Actions Are Planned or Under Way to Increase Participation in TAP
paragraphs: DOD and its partner agencies are considering or have undertaken several  actions designed to increase participation in TAP, including    making attendance mandatory or mandating that service members  receive permission to attend TAP, so that individuals have the  opportunity to participate with the support of their commanders or  other leaders;    emphasizing the importance and relevance of veterans’ benefits by  offering this information before the employment workshop as a stand- alone briefing by VA;    sending DOL contractors and VA staff overseas to present their TAP  components to service members located at bases around the world;  and    developing a centralized database to automate and manage information  on participation.
Recently, the TAP service representatives at DOD proposed to the  Secretary of Defense that participation in TAP be mandatory. Under the  proposed policy change, all service members would be required first to  attend preseparation counseling. Following preseparation counseling, all  service members would be required to attend the veterans’ benefits  briefing, because the range of benefits is extensive and likely to affect the  lives of most separating service members. In addition, attendance at DTAP  would be required of all service members who have or think they have a  service-connected disability, are awaiting a medical discharge, or have  incurred an injury or illness while on active duty, or aggravated a pre- existing condition. Further, service members with an interest in attending  the employment workshop who check “Yes” on the preseparation  counseling form would receive permission, without exception, to attend  the DOL- or service-sponsored employment workshop in its entirety.
The policy change in TAP participation is being proposed to (1) bring  more consistency to the overall program, (2) allow more service members  to access TAP, and (3) encourage commanders to release service members  to attend the VA briefings and all other relevant components of TAP. In  2002, we reported that the support that commanders and supervisors have  for transition services may determine the degree to which service  members have access to the services. If supervisors are not supportive of  the transition assistance, or if they feel that mission needs are too  pressing, they may be reluctant to allow service members under them to  access services offered. Some service members we met told us that they  faced difficulties being released from military duties to attend TAP  because of the priority accorded their military mission or the lack of  supervisory support for TAP. They said that even when commanders  support attendance at the workshop, others—such as the platoon, section,  or unit leaders—may be reluctant to approve requests to attend the  workshops. This proposed policy change is designed to address these  issues.
In addition, VA and DOL are taking actions to improve access to transition  assistance for active duty service members stationed overseas. It is  important for service members stationed overseas to receive transition  assistance there, especially for those who separate at overseas locations.
Starting in 1993, VA sent six military service coordinators or veterans’  benefits counselors to U.S. military installations located in Europe and  later increased the staff to seven, assigned them for tours of 3 to 6 months,  and extended their territory beyond Europe. However, VA has no staff  overseas for 3 months each year. In 2003, DOL began phasing in its  employment workshops, first using its own staff and later contractor  personnel living overseas, rather than relying on the military services to  conduct overseas employment workshops, as had been the case  previously. Standard operating procedures are being developed to clarify  the roles and responsibilities of DOL, DOD, and VA in the delivery of  employment workshops at overseas locations. Currently VA provides its  benefits briefings at 68 military installations and plans to have a military  service coordinator in Bahrain starting in May 2005, while DOL provides  its employment workshops at 49 military installations and plans to expand  to additional installations. (See app. VIII for a list of locations overseas  where DOL and VA offer TAP.)
In January 2005, the TAP managers with DOD and the military services  met to discuss ways to better understand service member participation in  TAP. In particular, they discussed the development of a centralized  database to automate and manage information on the participation of  active duty and Reserve and National Guard service members. This new  information system is in the initial planning stages. It would provide DOD  and the services with the capability of disaggregating data on service  members attending preseparation counseling to identify those who are  retiring or separating voluntarily or involuntarily. The system would also  provide information on the reasons why service members do not receive  preseparation counseling at least 90 days prior to separation or retirement,  as required by law. In addition, the new information system would permit  DOD and the services to analyze information specifically relevant to active  duty service members or to Reserve and National Guard service members.
section_title: Challenges Remain in Meeting the Needs of Reserve and National Guard Service Members
paragraphs: Although several actions are under way or planned to improve TAP,  challenges remain, particularly in designing transition services that better  accommodate the schedules of demobilizing Reserve and National Guard  service members. DOD acknowledges that this presents several unique  challenges, that the service members have not been surveyed to determine  how to meet their needs, and that further study might suggest ways to  address the challenges, primarily in the logistics of when and where to  offer TAP. Table 1 describes some of the key differences in circumstances  between Reserve and National Guard members and others separating that  need to be considered.
The TAP managers for DOD and the military services identified several  challenges in designing transition services that better meet the needs of  demobilizing Reserve and National Guard service members. Staff who  provide transition assistance may not know when Reserve and National  Guard units are returning for demobilization, because national security  concerns prevent the release of information on the movement of large  numbers of service members. Moreover, the time scheduled for  demobilization varies by service and demobilization site. Commanders are  challenged with trying to balance demobilizing some units while at the  same time mobilizing others. They also balance getting Reserve and  National Guard members back to their families as quickly as possible with  the extra time needed for transition assistance. Finally, DOD, VA, and DOL  do not know the amount of resources needed to provide transition  assistance in a different format, such as providing TAP after the Reserve  and National Guard service members have returned home and begun to  readjust to civilian life. At this point, they may be more receptive to TAP  and better able to define their needs.
DOD’s proposed policy revisions acknowledge logistical issues that limit  access for Reserve and National Guard members to TAP. For example, the  planned changes to the preseparation counseling checklist require that  demobilizing service members be released by commanders to attend the  employment workshop only if there is time to complete this component  before they are released from active duty. Under current demobilization  schedules, Reserve and National Guard members do not have sufficient  time to attend the workshops. Further, the TAP managers with DOD and  the military services told us that they did not know how many  demobilizing service members would be interested, if time could be made  available, or how the content should be altered to meet their special  needs.
To deal with the logistical challenges, the TAP managers for DOD and the  military services are considering the option of providing some TAP  components to Reserve and National Guard members after they have been  demobilized, and DOL is involved in state pilot programs to test this  option. DOD officials envision VA presenting its benefits briefing and  DTAP, where applicable, during a scheduled drill weekend after the  service members have been home for 45 to 60 days. DOD officials believe  such an option would require additional resources and a mandate that  Reserve and National Guard commanders allow sufficient time for staff to  provide the transition assistance. However, the TAP managers do not  know how many Reserve and National Guard members might be  interested and able to attend such activities. Meanwhile, DOL is currently  involved in three state pilot programs of employment workshops designed  for returning Reserve and National Guard members. One in Minnesota will  offer a shortened version of the employment workshop, using a  curriculum based on input from unemployed or underemployed Reserve  and National Guard service members. The pilot program will involve a  change in National Guard rules so that members can be required to attend  the activity 30 days after their release, when they may be facing financial  and other problems. In Oregon, DOL is working closely with the National  Guard and the state workforce agency to provide employment workshops  to National Guard members. The first workshops were offered in March  2005. In Michigan, the state workforce agency is negotiating with the  Reserves and National Guard to arrange a 4-day workshop, where these  personnel will work alongside veterans who are receiving intensive case  management services at the One-Stop Career Center.
Besides limiting access to the employment workshops, short  demobilization time frames may also result in Reserve and National Guard  members who are not informed in a timely manner of the requirement to  apply for health insurance coverage and certain VA education benefits  while on active duty. The National Guard members we spoke with who  had attended the VA benefits briefing told us that they could not recall  being informed of the need to apply for these benefits while on active  duty; these members included one who believed that he had been on  active duty long enough to qualify for the more generous education  benefits. They indicated that too much information was covered in the 45- minute benefits briefing they received from VA at demobilization and  believed that at a minimum the VA should have highlighted the  significance of applying immediately, explained what information was  required, and told them where to submit the application. They added that  they were unfamiliar with the services and layout of the installation where  they were demobilizing, because they were only passing through on their  way home.
section_title: Conclusions
paragraphs: The men and women who serve in our armed forces, particularly now that  the U.S. military has increased its presence in contingency operations  around the world, put their lives on the line every day. For this reason, it is  important that the government do all it can to help servicemen and women  successfully transition to civilian life after service ends. Unlike their full- time active duty counterparts, however, the Reserves and National Guard  members returning from active duty overseas who might opt for transition  assistance do not always have the opportunity to participate in formal TAP  components. Although they receive some of the same information in  briefings at demobilization, they may be required to attend as many as 18  briefings and activities over 5 days, most dealing with issues other than  TAP, such as legal and medical matters. As a result, the information on  available benefits is often abbreviated and may not emphasize certain  benefits, including some education and medical benefits, that they may  forfeit if the service members do not apply while they are still on active  duty. In addition, because these personnel are released from active duty  within days of returning to the United States, any transition assistance  must fit within this compressed time frame, and be offered overseas near  the areas of combat or after the service members have returned home. The  agencies responsible for TAP are aware of the challenge but have not  determined the number interested, the appropriate topics, or the optimal  timing and location. Moreover, for service members who have incurred  disabilities, DTAP information is critical. Yet VA does not keep track of  how many service members attend DTAP. Better program statistics in this  area could help VA meet the needs of these service members and provide  follow-up assistance.
section_title: Recommendations for Executive Action
paragraphs: To ensure that members of the Reserve and National Guard have the  opportunity to benefit from transition assistance, we recommend that  DOD, in conjunction with DOL and VA, determine what demobilizing  Reserve and National Guard members need to make a smooth transition  and explore the logistical options for providing that assistance, such as  opportunities for employment workshops before or after their  demobilization and providing timely information about the need to apply  for certain benefits while still on active duty. To develop more accurate  program statistics, we also recommend that VA keep track of service  members who attend DTAP to ensure that adequate follow-up is possible  with this population, which may be in particular need of the services.
section_title: Agency Comments and Our Evaluation
paragraphs: We provided a draft of this report to DOD, DOL and VA for review and  comment. All concurred with our findings and recommendations. The  written comments from these agencies appear in appendixes IX through  XI.
DOD said that the report accurately portrays the program and its  operational processes and also recognizes logistical and other challenges  in meeting the needs of Reserve and National Guard service members.  DOD agreed with our recommendation and stated its commitment to work  with its partner agencies to determine the needs of these service members  for assistance, explore options to enhance their participation, and ensure  that they receive timely information on the need to apply for certain  benefits before they are released from active duty.
DOL acknowledged the need for continuous monitoring and refinement of  the employment workshops. DOL stated it will offer its assistance to DOD  in determining the TAP workshop requirements for members of the  Reserves. In addition, DOL highlighted several initiatives described in the  report that are designed to improve transition services, such as the pilot  programs in three states that provide employment information to service  members after their release from active duty. DOL noted that the lessons  learned and best practices that are derived from these pilot programs will  be disseminated widely.
VA said it recognizes the need to emphasize time limits for establishing  eligibility for certain benefits while on active duty, especially education  and medical benefits. VA added that it is developing a brochure to describe  a new education benefit for members of the Reserves and National Guard.  VA also explained that it is developing a process to track DTAP  participation, as we recommended. In addition, an agreement with the  National Guard Bureau has been drafted so that VA will know when and  where demobilizing members return to their communities.
We are sending copies of this report to appropriate congressional  committees, the Secretaries of DOD, DOL, and VA, and other interested  parties. Copies will be made available to others upon request. In addition,  the report will be available at no charge on GAO’s Web site at  http://www.gao.gov. If you have any question about this report, please call  me at (202) 512-7101. Key contributors are listed in appendix XII.
section_title: Appendix I: Scope and Methodology
paragraphs: To assess how the transition assistance program (TAP) is administered,  we reviewed the legislative and regulatory history of TAP, including  records of congressional hearings, and interviewed responsible officials,  including TAP managers and other officials from the Departments of  Defense (DOD), Labor (DOL), and Veterans Affairs (VA); the armed forces;  Reserve Affairs; and the National Guard Bureau. We did not interview  officials from the Department of Homeland Security concerning the Coast  Guard. We reviewed memorandums of agreement among the federal  agencies involved, minutes of Steering Committee meetings, as well as  policy directives prepared by DOD and VA. We reviewed TAP program  materials, including guidebooks and manuals prepared for participants  and facilitators, slides, videos, and handouts. To examine the role of  veterans’ service organizations—the extent of their participation in TAP  and their views on what their role should be—we conducted structured  interviews with officials in the following organizations: AMVETS, Disabled  American Veterans, American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and  Veterans of Foreign Wars.
To experience firsthand the challenges of providing TAP to members of  the Reserve and National Guard returning from overseas, we visited Fort  Bragg, North Carolina, on February 23-24, 2005. At Fort Bragg we observed  a morning demobilization briefing given to members of the Army National  Guard that covered several topics, including VA veterans’ benefits, health  insurance, and completion of the preseparation counseling checklist. We  also attended the formal TAP preseparation counseling, two concurrent  employment workshops, and the briefing on VA veterans’ benefits for  other service members. In addition, we discussed transition assistance  with the installation command, program providers, and demobilizing  service members who participated in the demobilization briefing as well as  other service members who participated in the formal TAP components.
To show the level of participation in TAP for each of the armed forces for  each fiscal year from 2002 through 2004, we obtained from the TAP  managers the number of service members participating in two of the four  components of transition services—preseparation counseling and the DOL  employment workshop. VA data do not separately identify the number of  service members attending its benefits briefings or Disabled Transition  Assistance Program sessions. However, VA told us that in the United  States the number of service members attending the employment  workshop should approximate the number attending the VA benefits  briefings, because the VA briefings usually follow the employment  workshops.
To estimate the rate of participation in preseparation counseling, we used  data from the armed forces on the number of service members discharged  who had served on active duty for at least 180 days and data on the  number of service members who had completed the preseparation  counseling checklist. To estimate the rate of participation in the DOL  employment workshop, we used data provided by DOL on service  members completing the workshop and DOD data on service members  discharged who had served on active duty for at least 180 days. We note  that the DOL workshop is not mandatory and not all service members  express an interest in taking the workshop. Because the number of service  members interested in taking the workshop was not available for all the  armed forces, our estimate represents the number of service members  completing the workshop in relation to the number of service members  discharged, not the number who indicate they wanted to attend the  workshop. We would expect the estimated rate of participation in the DOL  employment workshops to be higher if we were able to compare the  number participating with the number expressing an interest in  participating.
We consider the rates shown in appendix VI to be estimates, because  many of the service members who participated in a component during one  of the years shown were not among the service members who separated  that same year. By law, the armed forces must try to provide preseparation  counseling between 1 and 2 years prior to separation. This means that  service members may participate in TAP in 2002 but not be counted as  separating until 2004. Further, some service members who participate do  not separate as planned, either because of their personal decision to  extend or reenlist, or the armed forces’ policy of stop loss. Stop loss keeps  individuals on active duty beyond their normal date of separation or  retirement and has been implemented at various times by all of the armed  forces since September 2001. For these reasons, the estimated rates for  the Army and Marine Corps in the mandatory preseparation counseling  component exceeded 100 percent in 1 or more years.
To assess the reliability of the data on the number of service members  discharged with at least 180 days of active duty service and the number  participating in TAP, we reviewed documentation about the data systems  and data entry, interviewed agency officials knowledgeable about the data,  and worked closely with agency officials when we found discrepancies to  understand or correct them. We determined that the data were sufficiently  reliable for the purposes of this report. We conducted our work from  December 2004 through April 2005 in accordance with generally accepted  government auditing standards.
section_title: Appendix II: Checklist Used by the Armed Forces in Preseparation Counseling until Fiscal Year 2005
section_title: Appendix III: Transition Assistance Funding by Military Service, Fiscal Years 2002 through 2004
paragraphs: DOD’s budget assumes an estimated 200,000 full-time active duty  personnel have been eligible for TAP each fiscal year since 2001. The  number of participants is based on lists drawn up by the military services  of personnel who have indicated their interest in separating as well as  those who may be uncertain about their decision. This list constitutes the  anticipated separations but does not include unanticipated separations or  demobilization of Reserve and National Guard members. DOD officials  note that funding for TAP has been flat since fiscal year 1995; prior to that,  we reported that DOD spent about $83 million in fiscal years 1992 and  1993.
section_title: Appendix IV: Scheduling and Delivery of TAP Components at Military Installations
paragraphs: The scheduling of employment preparation workshops generally takes  place in one of the 44 states with medium to large military installations.  DOL relies on federal Veterans’ Employment and Training directors  assigned to each state and territory, who meet with the commanders of the  military installations in their area and obtain estimates for the numbers  separating at each installation. Based on these planning figures, workshop  schedules are developed that are reviewed quarterly and may be adjusted  more frequently as long as DOL has at least 14 days’ warning. Generally  DOL tries to have at least 15 participants in each workshop, but preferably  25 to 35. If many additional participants are expected, DOL officials told us  that they will try to add a facilitator to give participants more individual  attention during certain sessions, for example, when participants practice  interviewing for jobs. In some cases, the services have requested separate  workshops for retirees only or for senior personnel with different kinds of  skills. Depending on its budget, the number of potential participants, and  the availability of facilitators with the appropriate skills, DOL may honor  such requests. For example, we observed two employment workshops  running concurrently at Fort Bragg, one specifically for personnel in the  higher pay grades.
The facilitators who conduct most of the employment workshops are state  employees supported by DOL grants who specialize in providing services  to veterans. They are either local veterans’ employment representatives or  disabled veterans’ outreach program representatives and must be trained  and certified by the National Veterans’ Training Institute. For the veterans’  benefits component, VA generally relies on DOL to arrange for the  workshops and contact a local or regional VA representative to conduct  the VA briefing on veterans’ benefits at the end of the workshop. Overseas  and at about 70 military installations in the United States, the employment  workshop facilitators are DOL contractors working for Native American  Management Services, and they are also trained and certified by the  institute. DOL officials we interviewed told us that they prefer to have VA  personnel present information on veterans’ benefits because the VA  personnel usually have the expertise, experience, and most current  information necessary to advise participants concerning their personal  circumstances.
section_title: Appendix V: Employment Workshop Critique Form for Completion by Participants
section_title: Appendix VI: Participation in Transition Assistance Program by Component, Fiscal Year, and Military Service
paragraphs: Appendix VI: Participation in Transition  Assistance Program by Component, Fiscal  Year, and Military Service Numbers include Reserve and National Guard members who demobilized after at least 180 days of  federal active duty. The Air Force count of preseparation counseling participants does not distinguish  these members from other eligible members who participate. The Air Force TAP manager believes  that a more reliable measure of participation is a December 2004 audit of 400 personnel records of  members separated from various installations that shows 91percent had completed their  preseparation counseling checklists.
This is calculated as the percentage of total eligible separations. For the employment workshops  where participation is voluntary, a better indicator would be the percentage of service members  indicating an interest in attending, but these data are not available for all services and years.
Number of service members separating with 180 days or more of active duty, not including Reserve  and National Guard members.
The Navy reports that the numbers of preseparation participants are understated because of  incomplete or delayed reports from uniformed military personnel to transition staff, and that the actual  numbers should more closely approximate the numbers of employment workshop participants.
section_title: Appendix VII: Changes Planned in 2005 to Checklists Used by the Armed Forces in Preseparation Counseling
subsections: section_title: Draft checklist for active duty excluding Reserve and National Guard
paragraphs: Transitional Health Care Benefit – for Eligibility  Criteria and additional information go to  www.tricare.osd.mil  (1) A member of a reserve component who is  separated from active duty to which called or  ordered in support of a contingency operation if  the active duty is for a period of more than 30  days.   (2) A member who is separated from active  duty for which the member is involuntarily  retained (Stop Loss) in support of a  contingency operation.  (3) A member who is separated from active  duty served pursuant to a voluntary agreement  of the member to remain on active duty for a  period of less than one year in support of a  contingency operation.
section_title: Appendix VIII: Overseas Locations Where DOL and VA Provide TAP
section_title: Appendix IX: Comments from the Department of Defense
section_title: Appendix X: Comments from the Department of Labor
section_title: Appendix XI: Comments from the Department of Veterans Affairs
section_title: Appendix XII: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments
subsections: section_title: GAO Contact
section_title: Acknowledgments
paragraphs: In addition to the contacts named above, William E. Hutchinson and  Martin Scire made key contributions to this report. In addition, Roger  Thomas provided legal assistance, William R. Chatlos assessed the  reliability of participation data, and Corinna Nicolaou assisted in report  development.
section_title: Related GAO Products
paragraphs: Military Pay: Gaps in Pay and Benefits Create Financial Hardships for  Injured Army National Guard and Reserve Soldiers. GAO-05-125.  Washington, D.C.: February 17, 2005.
Military Pay: Gaps in Pay and Benefits Create Financial Hardships for  Injured Army National Guard and Reserve Soldiers. GAO-05-322T.  Washington, D.C.: February 17, 2005.
Vocational Rehabilitation: More VA and DOD Collaboration Needed to  Expedite Services for Seriously Injured Servicemembers. GAO-05-167.  Washington, D.C.: January 14, 2005.
Military Personnel: DOD Needs to Address Long-term Reserve Force  Availability and Related Mobilization and Demobilization Issues. GAO- 04-1031. Washington, D.C.: September 15, 2004.
Military Personnel: DOD Actions Needed to Improve the Efficiency of  Mobilizations for Reserve Forces. GAO-03-921. Washington, D.C.: August  21, 2003.
Military and Veterans’ Benefits: Observations on the Transition  Assistance Program. GAO-02-914T. Washington, D.C.: July 18, 2002.
Military Downsizing: Persons Returning to Civilian Life Need More  Help from DOD. GAO/HEHS-94-39. Washington, D.C.: January 21, 1994.