ARMY CAREER & ALUMNI PROGRAM

Your time on active duty has been challenging and rewarding for both you and your spouse. As you’ve traveled and lived in different places, you’ve met interesting people and, together, learned new things. You may have endured long separations and unpredictable reunions, and there probably have been times when you’ve been solely responsible for keeping your family and your life intact. Your ability to cope with change and your good judgment provided the stability that enabled your spouse to succeed in the military. As you come to the end of your time in the military, it’s time to use the skills you’ve acquired on “active duty” to face the challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life. In many ways, this may be your opportunity to start a new career or perhaps upgrade your skills and education.

There are valuable services and benefits you and your spouse have earned while on active duty that can help ease your transition from the military. If you don’t know what they are, you can’t take advantage of them. Congress has mandated that all Military Services Members must complete a Preseparation Counseling Checklist, DD Form 2648 or 2648-1, no less than 90 days prior to separation or retirement. Because planning retirement is such serious business, Soldiers can complete a Preseparation Counseling Checklist up to 2 years before they actually plan to retire. Only Soldiers must receive preseparation counseling; however, you can also attend a preseparation counseling session if you wish. ACAP Counselors and this website will help you.

You can learn more about preseparation counseling at AC/RC Preseparation Counseling. There you can download the Preseparation Guide or Transition Guide, develop an Individual Transition Plan (ITP) or schedule ACAP services. As you learn about available services and benefits, you can help your spouse get started with his or her transition then provide support and encouragement through the entire process.

Whether your spouse is transitioning after a first term of enlistment, retiring after a full career in the Army or has already retired, the information on this website has value for both of you. Spouses of DA civilians who are retiring or subject to RIF or BRAC will benefit from the detailed information they’ll find, as well. One of the benefits ACAP provides is employment assistance. If the next stage of your life will involve a job, select Employment Assistance and take advantage of comprehensive job search tutorials and online services or schedule a TAP Employment Workshop and other ACAP Center services such as counseling and seminars. ACAP On-Line supports your research and job search, too, with Links, job listings (Jobs) and Job Fairs.