The SFL-TAP Process
The SFL-TAP process must be initiated early. Allowing Soldiers to start early provides
you and the Soldier the flexibility needed to prevent a conflict between mission
requirements and SFL-TAP services. It also ensures compliance with timeliness standards
and promotes the program’s effectiveness. As they prepare for transition, Soldiers
need an average of 40 hours, spread over a 12-24 month period of time, to take advantage
of SFL-TAP services. For more information on timeliness requirements and the need
to start early, read Getting Started Early.
Commanders will assist Soldiers in getting an early start through a formal
notification process. Soldiers must register for services and schedule their first
service. For their first service, Soldiers will receive preseparation
counseling, complete DD Form 2648 or 2648-1, the Preseparation Counseling Checklist,
learn more about SFL-TAP and schedule additional services. Soldiers document the
counseling and additional VOW/CRS requirements on,DD Form 2958, Individual Transition
Plan Counseling Checklist., This form documents the Soldiers achievement of VOW/CRS
and determines if the Soldier and your unit have met the Army's timeliness
standard.
Many Soldiers will sign up to receive employment assistance training, either by
attending a Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW)
or viewing DOLEW training online. The DOLEW provides the skills and knowledge
Soldiers need to attain their post active duty transition goals. Once they’ve completed
the DOLEW, Soldiers will need additional assistance and services to select a career
objective, write a resume, find a job opportunity, apply for a job and prepare for
an interview. These additional services can be scheduled and
completed over a number of weeks and months and around mission requirements using
a variety of resources. In addition to this regular menu of additional services,
many SFL-TAP Centers schedule special events. Throughout the
SFL-TAP Process, the TSM and SFL-TAP Center staff remain accessible to commanders
and other Army Leaders. You can always verify a Soldier’s appointments or confirm
that the Soldier reported for a scheduled appointment by contacting your SFL-TAP
center. The entire SFL-TAP Team is committed to helping you support your Soldiers
transition while also ensuring that your critical mission continues without interruption.
Getting Started Early
Each commander, sergeant major and first sergeant is responsible for ensuring that
Soldiers initiate SFL-TAP services early on in the transition process. Recognizing
that the effectiveness of services is directly linked to the time Soldiers spend
preparing for their transition from active duty, Soldiers should begin the transition
process up to two years (for retirees) or no later than one year (for non-retiring
transitioners) prior to transition from active duty. From a leader’s point of view,
early is better than late. Soldiers who begin their SFL-TAP services early in their
transition are better able to complete SFL-TAP activities around unit duty requirements.
More importantly, if the Army is to realize the benefits of reduced unemployment
compensation costs, enhanced active duty retention, enhanced enlistment in the National
Guard and Reserve and enhanced image of the Army as a great place to start, Soldiers
must have time to receive substantive transition and employment assistance services.
SFL-TAP Centers maintain statistics on unit compliance with Army, DOD policies and
congressional mandates regarding timely involvement in transition and job assistance
services. Your chain of command will typically have access to this data and your
unit’s compliance rate will be a matter of record.
Notification
The chain of command should ensure that transitioning Soldiers receive notification
correspondence and take timely action to arrange for their first service. Remember,
from a leader’s point of view, early is better than late. In addition to direct
notification, Soldiers may be informed of the need to access SFL-TAP services through
pre-retirement briefings, ETS briefings and on-post marketing initiatives.
Registering for Services
Notified Soldiers can register for their first SFL-TAP service online, in person
or pre-register by phone. Once registered, they can schedule services and print
an appointment slip. Soldiers can choose to receive services in the SFL-TAP Center
or online. Face to face service at the SFL-TAP center is always the preferred method.
Either way, they will be advised of what they need to do next. You are always welcome
to contact the SFL-TAP Center to confirm a Soldier’s first appointment or to confirm
that the Soldier actually reported to the SFL-TAP Center as scheduled or completed
preseparation counseling online.
First Visit
The first step in the SFL-TAP process is a two-hour preseparation counseling session,
most often presented as an automated presentation delivered by the SFL-TAP On-Line
website or at the SFL-TAP Center. The contents of the counseling are defined by
DOD and Army policy and provide Soldiers valuable information on transition benefits
and programs designed to assist their smooth transition from active duty. Soldiers
complete a DD Form 2648 or 2648-1 to acknowledge receipt of this counseling and
indicate their desire for additional information and services. The date of this
briefing is recorded in the automated SFL-TAP system and, along with the Soldiers
ETS date, is the basis for all statistical reports on unit compliance with Army,
DOD policies and congressional mandates. At the conclusion of the briefing, Soldiers
will be provided information on other service providers and given the opportunity
to schedule follow-on SFL-TAP services. When Soldiers do schedule a follow-on activity,
they can print an appointment slip. As always, unit commanders and leaders can
always verify an appointment by calling the SFL-TAP Center.
Workshops
The next step in the SFL-TAP process is attendance at a Department of Labor Employment
Workshop (DOLEW). DOLEW is conducted by DOL facilitators.
The workshop is three days in length and provides attendees the knowledge, information
and skills they need to achieve their post-transition occupational goals. The Veterans
Administration provides two briefings to ensure Soldiers are made aware of all the
benefits offered to veterans of the Armed Services, to include those disabled as
a result of their service. Additional Workshops assist Soldiers compare their current
salary, benefits and opportunities with those they might be able to attain in the
Private Sector, as well as identify gaps in their military skills that may assist
with civilian employment. A schedule of your installation’s workshops can be found
on SFL-TAP On-Line.
Additional Services
No one ever found a job just by attending a class. The real work of preparing for
transition success begins where the workshop ends. Soldiers, even those going to
school after separation, will need to begin the process of setting a career objective.
Objective setting requires a careful assessment of occupations, the job market and
the Soldier’s own skills, aptitudes, experience, education and training. Once the
Soldier has set an objective, the tough task of achieving that objective begins.
Typically, job seekers must create a resume, network, identify job opportunities,
apply for jobs, prepare for interviews and prepare to negotiate salary and benefits.
These are difficult tasks and few Soldiers have ever performed them prior to their
entry on active duty. SFL-TAP staff members are qualified professionals who have
the training and resources to help Soldiers perform these critical tasks. Counselors
can be contacted through SFL-TAP On-Line or counseling sessions can be scheduled
for individual attention. Soldiers can also go to SFL-TAP On-Line or schedule time
in the SFL-TAP Center to use the automated job assistance training program, JATA,
as a means of supplementing workshop instruction as well as career exploration tools,
resume writers and Internet job search resources. Generally, Soldiers can print
an appointment slip and commanders and leaders can always contact the SFL-TAP Center
to verify an appointment or attendance at an appointment.
Special Events
Your SFL-TAP Center may schedule special events to enrich SFL-TAP services. Job
fairs may be held to help transitioners meet and interview with hiring employers.
Local employers may be invited into the SFL-TAP Center to help Soldiers understand
the local job market and better appreciate what employers are looking for in successful
job applicants. The SFL-TAP Center also might hold short classes for those who want
to learn more about a specific job search topic such as resume writing or interviewing.
A schedule of these special events can be found on SFL-TAP On-Line.