Thu, March 28, 2024

Army program prepares service members for life, careers after the military

When 1st Lt. Marcus Masello transitions out of the U.S. Army next summer, he hopes to work in the aerospace industry and plans to apply for jobs at NASA.

On Thursday, Masello, who currently works in IT and cybersecurity, attended a job fair hosted by the Army Transition Assistance Program (TAP) at Fort Gordon.

“I want to continue serving my country in a different capacity,” he said.

1st Lt. Marcus Masello

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Masello said TAP’s services, such as resume writing assistance, have been helpful in preparing him for his next career.

“It’s a year-long process, and they guide you through it,” he said.

Transition Services Manager, Angela Gaston said 52 employers registered for the fair, which was open to service members and their spouses. Employers included the Secret Service, Rural Sourcing, and Lockheed Martin. Gaston welcomes businesses interested in hiring veterans to participate in future job fairs.

Besides resume writing, she and her team help transitioning service members develop a variety of job skills, such as networking and interviewing. They also conduct assessments to determine a soldier’s preparedness for life after leaving the military and offer classes presented in conjunction with various agencies, including the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Department of Labor.

“The program is here to let them know they’re not in this alone,” Gaston said.

Julius Johnson and Angela Gaston

Congress has mandated that all soldiers enroll in TAP at least a year before they plan to transition out of the military. Commanders receive reports listing service members who haven’t begun taking classes. Some of these classes are required, while others are optional.

They have presented classes on financial literacy, VA benefits, and entrepreneurship, among other topics.

“Prior to 2011, service members weren’t required to complete these classes,” she said.

But after leaving the military, many of those veterans were unemployed and homeless.

Service members can also participate in the Army Career Skills Program, which provides them with internship opportunities that often lead to full-time job offers, but Gaston said there are no guarantees. Fort Gordon partners with various companies that offer these opportunities.

SOFtact Program Manager Marcus Reese

One of those companies is SOFtact Solutions, woman-owned cybersecurity and IT firm, which has a location at the Georgia Cyber Center. SOFtact Program Manager, Marcus Reese said the company participates in the Career Skills Program.

“We know the talent that’s here,” Reese said.

He said there are many advantages to hiring former service members, including self-discipline, and many already have the security clearances required for many jobs.

SFC Dionte Wilder, a combat medic who’s retiring from the Army after 20 years, also attended the fair. Wilder is currently looking for administrative or management positions and appreciated the opportunity to meet with employers at the base.

“Because it’s on base, it tears down that wall we face,” he said.

SFC Dionte Wilder

Like Wilder, Col. Julius Johnson is looking for his next job because he retires at the end of next month. He used to work for Alltel and plans to return to the corporate world. Johnson feels better prepared for his next steps, thanks to TAP. It has also given him the opportunity to ensure the soldiers he commands are prepared as well.

“That’s my last opportunity to take care of them,” Johnson said.

Masello said transitioning from active-duty military to civilian life isn’t easy.

“It’s definitely a big switch, and it’s something many people don’t understand,” he said.

For more information about TAP, visit home.army.mil/gordon/index.php/sfltap.

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