Making Transition Programs Flexible for Veterans

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A majority of the $13 billion invested in military transition programs by the federal government is spent on education, according to a recent report by Rand. While pursuing higher education is appealing to some service members, and remains a strong draw for recruiting through the GI Bill, there must also be clearly defined and well-supported alternatives as troops transition into civilian life, such as direct employment. The Department of Defense needs to expand its offerings to provide transitioning service members stability regardless of what path they choose.

According to a survey conducted by Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families, 53% of service members said that "educational benefits" were a factor in their decision to enlist -- but that leaves nearly half of service members enlisting for other reasons. Some join to gain technician skills that could be used in post-service trade professions. Additionally, veterans may prefer to transfer their GI benefits to a child or spouse, while others may change their mind after a yearslong career in the military.

It's important to recognize that the transition out of military service impacts both the veteran and their spouse, often requiring both to find employment and adjust to civilian life simultaneously. This can be especially challenging for couples who've faced frequent relocations or overseas postings. While education is a valuable benefit, overemphasizing it at the expense of other transition needs for veterans and their spouses is a mistake.

Many service members leave the military with years of valuable experience that translates well into the workplace, but it can be difficult to know where to begin -- especially for veterans who have never been in the civilian workforce before. As a result, 61% of veterans report being underemployed three years post-service, primarily citing a struggle to find jobs that align with their military background and skill set. Even after six and a half years, that statistic decreases only to 59% underemployment. However, this presents an opportunity for the DoD to step in.

Diversifying and improving existing military transition programs can lead to more effective job matching. For instance, the Credentialing Opportunities Online (COOL) program helps service members obtain occupational credentials based on their military training and skills, and the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP), allows service members to complete civilian apprenticeship requirements while on active duty. Both programs offer service members resume-building workshops that can better translate their skill set.

There are several programs that already exist to try to fill this gap but, unfortunately, they're not enough. For instance, the Department of Defense Skillbridge Program was developed to provide service members with tangible work experience in their last six months of service. Yet despite Skillbridge's popularity, the Marine Corps recently limited Marine participation in the program from six months to three due to the lack of manpower, giving veterans less time to prepare for their transition to the professional workspace. In a poll by Mission Roll Call, 85% of veterans said that military transition assistance programs did not prepare them to enter the corporate world.

Focusing on post-service job placement that helps veterans establish a stable source of income can have a significant impact on veterans' ability to find stable housing. More than 35,000 veterans experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2023, marking a 7.4% increase from 2022 and the largest surge in 12 years. Housing and health care are major pillars of support for transitioning veterans, but jobs provide a familiar sense of routine and purpose and can enable veterans to be more autonomous more quickly.

Prioritizing direct employment programs among veterans is crucial in the fight against veteran homelessness, and ensures veterans have a steady source of income to support themselves and their families holistically.

For example, the Realization Project, a 2020 initiative created by the Economic Roundtable, supported homeless individuals in Los Angeles through rapid reemployment. Through their efforts to support individuals in securing a stream of income, 90% of participants remained employed and 95% had a stable housing situation at the time of the project's completion.

Just as there is no one path in serving one's country, there is no one path for what veterans choose to pursue after their service has ended. We need service members on the front lines of dangerous combat zones on land, at sea, and in the sky, just as much as we need them on bases at home and abroad, in service academies, and everywhere in between. Similarly, in the civilian world, we need professionals with advanced degrees and those who choose specialized trades or substitute work experience for years in the classroom. The programs and training that the Department of Defense provides for active-duty service members to pursue their niche within the armed forces are robust -- and the programs available as they begin the next chapter in their lives must be as well.

-- Jim Whaley is the CEO of Mission Roll Call. He is the former director of communications at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. As a 20-year veteran of the Army, his awards and decorations include the Master Army Aviator Badge, Legion of Merit, Air Assault Badge and Humanitarian Service Medal.