You have decided to end your military service.  ETS.  Expiration of term of service or retirement.  Your gut is telling you that you have made the right decision.  However, your head is making you feel nervous, nauseous, and terrified.  Your heart is questioning how you will survive without being tied to your military service. You begin running through the checklists in your head, but then you realize you don’t even know what you don’t know.  To add insult to injury, things like a global pandemic or civil uprisings make job security look more and more like a good thing and separation like a badly timed decision. 

What should you do and how should you do it.  Start with a minimum 6-month timeline, but preferably 24 months before ending your military service.  I know, 2 years sounds like a very long time.  But, once you take a hard look at everything you need to do to accurately prepare for your transition out of the military, you will be glad you thought ahead.

The below list gives you elephant size chunks of information you will need to digest. Future blogs will take each and every step and break out the resources you can use to assist with completing each and every task. Keep in mind, I highly encourage the use of the Skillsbridge Program which gives you up to 6 months of paid internship time on the dime of the DoD. If you plan to do Skillbridge, the 24-month transition timeline below is 6 months out from your terminal leave, skillbridge, and any permissive TDYs you plan to take at the end of your service.

18-24 Months Out

• Make an appointment and sit down with your local Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Counselor to begin your personal counseling. I often see this step skipped and it is evident when you speak to someone who transitioned out of the military without taking the time to make a plan.
• Attend a TAP class, then attend another one when you are within 12 months of your transition
• Complete a self-assessment or Individual Transition Plan (ITP)
• If you are retiring, attend a pre-separation counseling session (usually done between 12-24 months out from your retirement.
• Identify a mentor that will be helpful and useful in your transition
• Create a proper LinkedIn account
• Begin building your network
• Evaluate your CCAF Transcript, Joint Service Transcript, and/or higher education transcripts to see if you have completed the schooling you think you will need for your next phase in life.
• Consider finishing your degree, taking CLEP exams, earning certificates, or taking advantage of the plethora of educational programs and opportunities geared towards military members exiting their military service.

12-18 Months Out

• Explore the SkillBridge program for potential post-military employment, on-the-job training (OJT), and/or entrepreneurship ideas
• Take a hard, long look at your personal finances. Ask yourself if you are prepared to enter the civilian sector. Are you debt-free? Do you have an 8-month emergency fund? Have you taken advantage of the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA)? Consider making an appointment with a certified financial counselor or planner.
• If you didn’t attend the TAP class yet, do so now!
• Begin building your resume. You will want to encompass your entire work history in a MASTER resume. You will use this master resume to cherry-pick and pull data points from as you apply for specific employment and build job-specific resumes
• Get unofficial copies of all of your higher learning degree transcripts, you may need to upload them as part of a job application process
• Get a copy of your medical records. Review them thoroughly, ensure you have documentation of all of your aches and pains, ensure all medical history is included (especially any care you received outside of the military network)

6-12 Months Out

• Seriously begin to focus on and refine your job search
• Start drafting targeted resumes. Create resumes whose descriptions match those in the line/s of work you hope to do
• If you plan to go to school, narrow down your degree/certificate plan, and what school you want to go to, and how you can maximize your Post 9/11 or GI Bill benefits
• Research and make a near-final decision about VA Health Benefits
• I would recommend you NOT sign up for the free year of LinkedIn Premium services (I’ll explain further in a future post)
• Decide where you want to live

4-6 Months Out

• If civilian employment is your next step, begin attending career fairs (even if you are participating in the Skillbridge Program)
• Plan out your terminal leave (I do not recommend selling back leave unless unforeseen circumstances force you to)
• Update your legal documents (wills, trust, insurance, etc)
• Determine if you are eligible for separation pay or early retirement
• Submit a pre-discharge disability claim to the VA, this will all but guarantee you your potential disability rating before you separate/retire

3 Months Out

• Complete your TAP capstone
• Review your Pre-Separation Checklist (DD2648)
• Research your life insurance options
• Have personal copies of your medical and dental records on your person
• Set up an appointment with a VA Benefits Advisor and VA Education and Career Counselor
• Plan your separation or retirement ceremony if you choose to have one

90 Days Out

• Finalize all outprocessing appointments (HHG, Medical/Dental, base checklist, etc)
• Begin interviewing with potential employers
• Ensure your disability claim is filed
• If retiring, determine your Survivor Benefits Election
• If retiring complete DD 2656

The above list is extensive and by no means is it all-inclusive. This entire website is dedicated to what this transition timeline will look like. As I develop additional blogs that tackle many of the above bullet points, I will link them in the article. Good luck on your transition and I hope we can be a resource for your successful transition.