Transition
Thank you for your service, Marine! Whether you have served four years or forty, we want to ensure you are prepared for your new adventure. The Transition Readiness Program (TRP) process is not a onetime event; The TRP process is composed of five key steps designed to assist and guide you throughout your transition process.
The TRP process consist of:
- Individualized Initial Counseling (IC) – Must be completed NLT 365 days from EAS.
- Pre-Separation Counseling – Must be completed NLT 365 days from EAS.
- Transition Readiness Seminar (TRS) – Must be completed NLT 180 days from EAS.
- Capstone Review – Must be completed NLT 120 days from EAS.
- Commander’s Verification – Must be completed NLT 90 days from EAS.
Remember, transition impacts your entire family. If you’re married, encourage your spouse to attend the Spouse Transition and Readiness Seminar (STARS); speak with your installation’s TRP office for more information about STARS. As with the other points on the life cycle, planning is critical to a successful transition. The topics below will assist as you prepare to return to civilian life.
Things You Need to Do
- Meet with your Unit Transition Coordinator (UTC) – Your UTC will prepare you to begin the transition process by explaining pre-work requirements, IC preparation, pre-separation counseling completion and attendance to the TRS.
- Initiate your Self-Assessment/ ITP – This fillable tool allows you to map your transition, identify gaps in your transition plan, and helps guide the conversation during your IC.
- Complete your IC – NLT 365 days from EAS, schedule an appointment with your installation’s TRP office to complete the mandatory IC. The TRP personnel, such as Personal and Professional Development (P&PD) Advisors, are committed to providing a full range of education, vocational, career, and transition services that educate, encourage and empower you and your family in achieving personal and professional success.
- Attend Pre-Separation Counseling – Just like the IC, Pre-Separation Counseling must be completed NLT 365 days from EAS. Pre-separation counseling covers by-law information to include resources, benefits and entitlements available to you and your family members.
- Attend the TRS – The TRS provides mandatory training to prepare you for your transition to civilian life. You may attend this seminar as early as 18 months prior to your separation or as early as 24 months from retirement but NLT than 180 days from EAS. Based on the Tier level assigned to you at IC, you must elect to attend at least one of four two-day tracks; these include the Employment Track, Vocational Track, Education Track, and Entrepreneurship track. You may also attend more than one track based on your post-transition goals. Speak with your installation’s TRP office for registration information.
- Complete the Career Readiness Standards (CRS) – CRS are required to be completed by all Marines and are shared with your TRP office at Capstone Review, in preparation for the final meeting with your Commanding Officer (or Designee). CRS are documented on the DD Form 2648 eForm. The CRS requirements include:
- Complete Initial Counseling
- Complete Pre-separation Counseling
- Complete Self-Assessment/Individual Transition Plan
- Register for an eBenefits premium account
- Attend Department of Defense Day – TRS
- Managing Your Transition
- Military Occupational Code Crosswalk
- Financial Planning for Transition
- Attend the VA Benefits Briefs and Services - TRS
- Complete the One-day Department of Labor Employment Workshop - TRS
- Attend the Reserve Opportunities and Obligations Brief (Active Component Only)
- Complete the required CRS Based on your two-day (2-Day) track election:
- Employment Track: Resume or verification of employment
- Education Track: Comparison of Higher Education or Technical Training Institution options
- Vocational Track: Comparison of Higher Education or Technical Training Institution options
- Create a criterion-based budget – as required by Tier level
- Complete a Gap Analysis – as required by Tier level
- Complete your Capstone Review and Commander’s Verification – This is coordinated between you and your UTC. You must meet with your Installation’s TRP office NLT 120 days from EAS to complete your Capstone Review; Capstone Review prepares you for your Commander’ Verification meeting. Your installation’s TRP office will review your completion of all required CRS and your overall readiness to transition. The culminating event for the TRP process is Commander’s Verification. At commander’s Verification your Commanding Officer, or Designee, verifies your achievement of all required CRS and ITP and finalizes your DD From 2648. This meeting must be completed NLT 90 days from EAS
- Explore DoD SkillBridge. DoD Skillbridge links Transitioning Marines (Enlisted and Officers) to valuable civilian workforce training provided by employers in need of high-quality Veteran talent. Training is provided during duty-hours with the training location assigned as the official place of duty. Marines who are 180 days from End of Active Service/Retirement are eligible to participate.
- Meet with Your Personal Financial Manager (PFM) – Your installation PFM can help you prepare your budget or other financial plans to eliminate/minimize debt while still on Active Duty and in preparation for separation or retirement. You can also view the Blended Retirement – Overview of the new Blended Retirement System: training and brief article and discuss your options with the PFM.
- Meet With the Education Services Officer (ESO) – ESOs are available to assist and advise you with your education plan to include education and testing programs, the Joint Services Transcript, and the American Council on Education (ACE) college credit recommendations, Tuition Assistance programs (Financial Aid, GI Bill, Scholarships, and Grants), and preparing for the Leadership Scholar Program.
- Encourage Your Spouse to Visit the Family Member Employment Assistance Program and register to attend the Spouse Transition and Readiness Seminar (STARS) which is designed to support spouses of transitioning Marines. They can also provide military family members with the tools they need for career exploration, resume writing, job search skills, interviewing techniques, and career assessments.
- Update the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS). DEERS should be updated anytime there is a change that would affect benefits and entitlements for you and any dependents; DEERS information should be reviewed for accuracy once a year.
- Contact the Installation Personnel and Administration Center (IPAC) - Coordinate with your Admin office to make sure you complete the documented IPAC separation process to ensure your obtain your complete and correct Form DD214.
- Begin Job Search and Determine Career Path. Explore MyNextMove for Veterans, attend local hiring events and career fairs. Contact your P&PD Advisor for assistance.
- Contact Base Legal to update legal documents to include Will, Power of Attorney, Medical Directives, and receive a legal ethics employment counseling briefing per DODI 1332.35.
- Attend Home Buying and Selling Class. Contact your PFM for workshop schedules.
- Resolve all open Family Advocacy Program (FAP) cases to ensure continuity of care.
- Contact Transportation and Household Goods – To help you get organized, the Defense Personal Property System has streamlined the moving process with their website Move.mil.
- Service Treatment Records – Ensure your complete service treatment record is submitted to the servicing IPAC/ADMIN RUC prior to departing on separation/terminal leave.
- Update Your Military ID Card – Obtain a card for your spouse and children to gain access to military benefits and facilities such as commissary, exchange, medical and dental services. You will need DD Form 1172 and your marriage certificate. Visit the RAPIDS Site Locator to find the office and required documents near your current location.
- Update Your TRICARE – Ensure your family members are properly registered in TRICARE, the military health care program for Service members and their families registered in DEERS.
- MetLife Dental Program – MetLife is available to active duty family members and National Guard and Reserve members and their families registered in DEERS. Information and enrollment can be completed through their website. Visit http://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/Dental/TDP.aspx for information on transitional and retiree coverage options.
- Family Members? Review/Update Your Service member’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) – Designate or update beneficiaries, reduce or decline coverage, or restore previous coverage. Download and complete SGLV-8286, SGLI Election & Certificate and submit and completed form to your personnel office.
- Family Members? Review/Update Your Family Service member’s Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) – A program that provides term life insurance coverage to the spouses and dependent children insured under SGLI. You pay the premium for spousal coverage. Dependent children are insured at no cost. Use SGLV Form 8286A.
- Use the Personal Transition Timeline on the usmc-mccs.org/cycle to develop your individual transition timeline based on your EAS.
Things You Need To Know
- Marine and Family ProgramsMarine and Family Programs provides assistance with services such as relocation, employment opportunities, financial education, personal skills-building classes, deployment planning, volunteer opportunities, outplacement assistance and assistance with crisis situations.
- Information and Referral Specialists provide assistance in providing information on programs and services for service members and families. They maintain a database of base and community resources and will make appropriate referrals to internal or external military and community agencies and relocation information.
- Family Advocacy Program (FAP) - FAP provides a variety of programs and services to military members and their families to enhance life skills and improve their quality of life. Support resources include information on spouse/intimate partner and child abuse, victim advocacy, counseling for individuals, couples and children, as well as classes on stress, anger management, domestic violence, communication and conflict resolution skills, and positive parenting.
- myPay – myPay is the accounting firm of the Department of Defense (DoD). Service members, military civilian employees, and retirees can resolve various pay issues.
- Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) – NMCRS provides financial, educational, and other need-based assistance to active-duty and retired Sailors and Marines, their eligible family members, and survivors.
- The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) – The TSP is a retirement savings plan for United States civil service employees and retirees as well as for members of the uniformed services. Contact your Personal Financial Manager (PFM) for assistance in tsp options.
- Your Joint Services Transcript (JST) – The JST is a military service transcript showing American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations for military training and college courses. Contact your ESO for assistance.
- Single? Participate in the Single Marine Program (SMP) – The SMP exists to improve the quality of life for single Marines. The program plans recreation, social events, and community participation activities.
- School-Aged Children? Contact the School Liaison Program - The School Liaison supports Marine families by advocating on behalf of the family to optimize the educational experience and transition of elementary, middle and high school students in local school districts.
- Visit Your Local Base Library – Library resources and services are available to Marines and families on board all USMC installations and on-line 24/7/365. The online databases provide academic research, professional and recreational material including databases covering academic, research, health, criminal justice, web-based foreign language lessons, over 200 digital magazines, over 500 online self-improvement and lifelong learning classes, and thousands of streaming films for informational and recreational use.
- Explore Online Academic Skills Course (OASC) and College Placement Skills Training (CPST) – Contact your ESO to decide if it would be beneficial for you to review your math and writing skills in order to improve job skills, pass exams, advance in your career or continue your education.
- Explore Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) – COOL will help you find civilian certifications and licenses that are related to your military occupation.
- Military One Source - Military OneSource is a confidential Department of Defense-funded program providing comprehensive information on every aspect of military life at no cost to active duty, National Guard, and reserve members, and their families. As a virtual extension to installation services, information provided includes, but is not limited to, deployment, reunion, relationships, grief, transition, parenting, and childhood services. Comprehensive education and career exploration services are also available at no cost to all eligible military spouses through the SECO career center. (800) 342-9647
- SemperFit – Locate the fitness facilities aboard your installation and speak with the SemperFit team to see what’s unique to your new location.
- Family Members with Special Needs? The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) – EFMP supports Active Duty Service Members and families to ensure that they are assigned to Duty Stations where services exist to support the EFM with Continuum Of Care, ensuring access and availability to medical and educational services.
- CREDO - The Chaplains Religious Enrichment Development Operation (CREDO) is a retreat program that supports Marines, Sailors, and their families with high-quality, evidence-based education and enrichment opportunities focused on marriage and family relationships, character-building and personal growth, unit cohesion, individual and corporate resilience, moral and ethical decision-making, and crisis intervention skills development.
- Children and Youth Programs – Children &Youth Programs Resource & Referral offices can assist you in starting the enrollment process to ensure your children have a safe haven for recreation activities, and before and after school programs.
- New Baby or Young Children? Contact the New Parent Support Program (NPSP) – NPSP provides parenting education, support and assistance to expectant parents and parents with children ages 0-5. Services include group parenting workshops, baby boot camp, and individual family home visits.
- Visit the Military Installations (MI) Website – The MI website will provide you with lots of information regarding your new location.
- Information, Tickets and Tours (ITT) - ITT is your one-stop, fun shop for discounted tickets to the movies, museums, and zoo. Theme parks, sporting events, water parks, festivals, theatre, concerts, and more. They are located at every installation and offer tickets for your round attractions, seasonal attractions, and sites all over the country.
- The Marine Corps Training Information Management System (MCTIMS) guides Marines on career training and education requirements, tracks training completions, and includes information on training standards and MOS Roadmaps to learn the steps necessary to achieve a high level of MOS proficiency and other recommendations for further enhancement training.
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