New changes to TAP Published Sept. 18, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Kathryn Stilwell 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- There comes a time in every Airman's career when they have to transition from the military lifestyle into a less-structured civilian routine. The Airman & Family Readiness Center offers the Transition Assistance Program, a workshop designed to ease the conversion from military service to the civilian workforce. The program is currently undergoing a transformation. According to Executive Order 13518, the program is scheduled to undergo a facelift in gradual increments including a new name change. TAP will be called "TAP GPS" for "goals, planning and success." The biggest change is that it is becoming mandatory to attend, said Jim Pacer, community readiness consultant with the 436th Force Support Squadron. Service members are still required to attend pre-separation counseling, and the remainder of the course is now mandatory before separation. Another big change anticipated for the program is the length of the workshop, which will expand from three days to five days with emphasis on the Department of Labor and Veteran's Affairs. Airmen should expect to be out of work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. those days unless otherwise exempt. "The challenge right now is getting the different agencies [such as the Department of Labor and Veteran's Affairs] up to par with the new requirements," said Pacer. Obtaining manning and resources, including useable classrooms, are some of the obstacles faced by those at the A&FRC, but Pacer assures the program will be ready by December 2012, its scheduled implementation date, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. For more information, or to sign up, call A&FRC at 677-6930.