{"id":48289,"date":"2020-05-12T08:00:52","date_gmt":"2020-05-12T08:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/05\/12\/why-veterans-need-more-than-transition-assistance-programs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:44:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:44:22","slug":"why-veterans-need-more-than-transition-assistance-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/education-transition\/2020\/05\/12\/why-veterans-need-more-than-transition-assistance-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"Why veterans need more than Transition Assistance Programs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The National Defense Authorization Act of 2020 mandates several improvements to the Transition Assistance Programs (TAP) that each of the services administer prior to a service member\u2019s expiration of time in service (ETS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While long overdue, these improvements and their good intentions will still fall short of what transitioning service members ultimately need to set up themselves, their families, and their prospective employers for success in their next act in life. This is not a swipe at the purveyors of TAP, but rather a recognition of the breadth of needs that transitioning veterans have and a realization of the government\u2019s inability to address them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This should serve as a wake-up call for all service members in what they need to consider in departing the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, what needs do veterans typically have in transitioning from the military? This list is long and can be burdensome. These needs may be summarized as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Employment needs<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Career (not just a job)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Translated competencies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Mentorship<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Education<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Cultural needs<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Camaraderie<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Social network<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Veteran peer connections<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Volunteer opportunities<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Structure \/ order<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Health needs<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Access to care<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Life counseling<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Mental health<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Insurance (if not covered by the VA)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Daily needs<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Housing and sustenance<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Transportation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Legal assistance<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Access to financial resources<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In light of these needs, it is helpful to define what a successful transition would entail. I would submit that a successful transition occurs when a veteran:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Finds meaningful employment aligned with their strengths and preferred career field<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Satisfies their and their family\u2019s basic needs (daily needs noted above)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Identifies resources required to address any post-military transition needs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Acquires healthy means to cope with the stressors of transition<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Has established 12-month personal and professional goals<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Positively contributes to the broader community of transitioning veterans (i)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, which of these does the government actually address and for which of these are veterans responsible? The answer is quite simple. Unless a veteran is retired, receiving disability compensation, eligible for the GI Bill, or has access to the nearest VA hospital, he or she is ultimately responsible for meeting all those needs. Re-read that last sentence. By and large, a successful transition depends upon the veteran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Transition is a difficult process that takes years to successfully navigate, and the cost of failure may be catastrophic. According to a recent study, \u201c44 percent of veterans experience high levels of difficulty when reintegrating into civilian life,\u201d (ii) and veterans who experience the highest difficulty during their transition are 5.4 times more likely to experience suicidal ideation. (iii) In fact, the suicide rate is significantly higher among post-9\/11 veterans, which comprise the 18-34 age group. Those rates have more than doubled from 2006 to 2016 \u2014 out-pacing all other age groups \u2014 despite improvements in mental health services and long-term care (see chart below). (iv)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/vets_suicide_age.JPG.jpg\" alt=\"Veteran suicide rates\" class=\"wp-image-92399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/vets_suicide_age.JPG.jpg 800w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/vets_suicide_age.JPG.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/vets_suicide_age.JPG.jpg?resize=768,576 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Veteran suicide rates per 100,000, by age group, 2005\u20132017 (source: 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news is that there is much support available to assist veterans in their transition efforts. But they need help in navigating the proverbial \u201csea of goodwill.\u201d Aside from the obligatory TAP program (which I strongly encourage service members attend early, multiple times and, where applicable, with their spouse or partner), I\u2019d suggest three resources to assist service members in making a successful transition:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 My book, \u201cMission Transition: Navigating the Opportunities and Obstacles to Your Post-Military Career,\u201d Army Magazine\u2019s recent review has noted it as: \u201cone of the best I have encountered;\u201d \u201cvaluable and needed work;\u201d \u201cexceptionally well organized and easy to understand;\u201d \u201cThis book will help you start planning for your next mission today.\u201d (v)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 The VA\u2019s ETS Sponsorship Program, which connects transitioning veterans to sponsors in their post-military hometown prior to ETS. (vi) Think of the Total Army Sponsorship Program applied to the real world. Many of these sponsors will come from veteran collaboratives based in local communities around the country. Please see my website (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.matthewjlouis.com\/\" target=_blank>www.matthewjlouis.com<\/a>) for a list of these collaboratives and other resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Participation in an apprenticeship or internship. While the list of all currently available programs is much longer than space will allow, consider the Career Skills or SkillBridge Training Programs that the services currently offer. See my website (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.matthewjlouis.com\/\" target=_blank>www.matthewjlouis.com<\/a>) for a much more thorough listing of opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Matthew J. Louis is the author of the HarperCollins book \u201cMission Transition: Navigating the Opportunities and Obstacles of Your Post-Military Career,\u201d a practical guide for veterans in career transition, and serves on the board of TVCA. Louis holds an MBA in operations and finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and a BS in mechanical engineering from West Point. He is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College. Louis served in the Southwest Asia combat theater and on the staff of the US Army\u2019s Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. He is a retired lieutenant colonel.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>(i) Matthew J. Louis, Mission Transition: Navigating the Opportunities and Obstacles to Your Post-Military Career. Nashville, TN: HarperCollins Leadership, (2019): 225. (ii) Rich Morin, \u201cThe difficult transition from military to civilian life,\u201d Pew Research Center, 2011, accessed March 3, 2020, <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2011\/12\/16\/the-difficult-transition-from-military-to-civilian-life\/\" target=_blank><i>https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2011\/12\/16\/the-difficult-transition-from-military-to-civilian-life\/<\/i><\/a><i>. (iii) Kline, A., D.S. Ciccone, M. Falca\u2010Dodson, C. M. Black, &amp; M. Losonczy, \u201cSuicidal ideation among National Guard troops deployed to Iraq,\u201d The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 199, (2011): 914\u2013920. See also Joseph Geraci et al., \u201cThe modern-day Odysseus: How mental health providers can better reintegrate modern warriors and mitigate suicide risk,\u201d J Clin Psychol. (2020): 1-18. (iv) See also: Craig J. Bryan et al., \u201cTrajectories of Suicide Ideation, Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, and Suicide Attempts in a Nonclinical Sample of Military Personnel and Veterans,\u201d Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior 45, no. 3 (2015): 315-325. (v) \u201cMarch 2020 Book Reviews,\u201d Association of the United States Army, February 25, 2020, accessed March 10, 2020, <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ausa.org\/articles\/march-2020-book-reviews\" target=_blank><i>https:\/\/www.ausa.org\/articles\/march-2020-book-reviews<\/i><\/a><i>. (vi) \u201cThe ETS Sponsorship Program,\u201d VA Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Washington, DC, accessed March 9, 2020, <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/etssponsorship.army\/\" target=_blank><i>https:\/\/etssponsorship.army\/<\/i><\/a><i>. See also: \u201cVA program helps service members transition to civilian life,\u201d US Department of Veterans Affairs, November 19, 2019, accessed March 9, 2020, <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blogs.va.gov\/VAntage\/68723\/va-program-helps-service-members-transition-to-civilian-life\/\" target=_blank><i>https:\/\/www.blogs.va.gov\/VAntage\/68723\/va-program-helps-service-members-transition-to-civilian-life\/<\/i><\/a><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Editor\u2019s note: This is an Op-Ed and as such, the opinions expressed are those of the author. If you would like to respond, or have an editorial of your own you would like to submit, please contact Military Times managing editor Howard Altman, <\/i><a href=\"mailto:haltman@militarytimes.com\"><i>haltman@militarytimes.com<\/i><\/a><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The transition to civilian life is a difficult process, but the good news is there is much support available, says the author of this commentary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":92396,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":7,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[77,101,7,25,14,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[6345],"class_list":["post-48289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-daily-news-roundup","category-education-transition","category-newsletters","category-opinion","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"NBYAUUUZ6JDRFO3RGF2N4D2RBQ","arc_canonical_url":"\/education-transition\/2020\/05\/12\/why-veterans-need-more-than-transition-assistance-programs\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why veterans need more than Transition Assistance Programs - Marine Corps Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The transition to civilian life is a difficult process, but the good news is there is much support available, says the author of this commentary.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why veterans need more than Transition Assistance Programs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The transition to civilian life is a difficult process, but the good news is there is much support available, says the author of this commentary.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/education-transition\/2020\/05\/12\/why-veterans-need-more-than-transition-assistance-programs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Marine Corps Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-05-12T08:00:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T08:44:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Matthew J. 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