Navy Support Centers are a Primary Resource for Transitions Many programs like TAP and CONSEP are offered worldwide By MC1 (SW/AW) Monique Hilley, Commander, Navy Installations Command Public Affairs
F uu Ted Cremer, Fleet and Family Support Center educational services facilitator, speaks to Sailors transitioning out of the Navy on stress management during an enlisted retention board (ERB) transition forum.
leet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) offer transition assistance services to prepare separating and retiring service members and their families with the tools and self-confidence needed to ensure successful re-entry into the civilian market. Pre-separation counseling, benefits, and financial considerations during a career change, employment assistance, relocation assistance, and TAP workshop provided by the Department of Labor are just a few of the many services available at FFSC’s worldwide. One such program, the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is designed to enhance personal readiness, speed the attainment of career milestones, and return Sailors to the civilian community.
(MCSN Scott Youngblood/USN)
The TAP workshop covers many topics including employment skills verification, individual skills assessment, pre-separation counseling, an understanding of the civilian workplace, job search process, federal employment opportunities, financial management, interview techniques, resume preparation, networking, VA benefits eligibility, salary negotiation, job training opportunities, educational opportunities, spouse employment, and relocation assistance. The TAP workshop is mandatory for all Sailors not selected for retention by enlisted retention board and highly encouraged for all personnel departing the military service. Career Options and Navy Skills Evaluations Program (CONSEP) is also available to Sailors with 12-24 months remaining on their current contract that are either first-term Sailors or mid-career Sailors with 6-12 years of active duty. CONSEP is a 32-hour workshop providing enlisted Sailors with comprehensive military and civilian career information enabling students to make informed decisions concerning their career path. During CONSEP, Sailors will be offered personalized “career coaching” services free of charge for both themselves and their family members. Sailors looking for further transition assistance resources can get 24/7 access via TurboTAP at www.TurboTAP.org for helpful pre-separation and transition guides, employment, education, relocation, and benefits checklists and more. Other information about career options and employment opportunities is available at www.careeronestop.org, a Department of Labor website. SW
The Life of a Detailer
A look inside the daily workings of this weighty responsibility By MC1 (SCW) Demetrius Kennon, Surface Warfare
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avy Personnel Command (NPC) in Millington, Tenn., is the central hub with which all Sailors, at some point, negotiate for orders to their next command. The influence a command has over Sailors directly impacts their careers, whether by providing opportunities for special awards, warfare designators, and qualifications or by offering assignments outside of their ratings. Therefore, the detailer role is critical, and not just in the careers of each individual Sailor, but also in the shaping of the U.S. Navy force. They must work to remain up to date on the latest Navy administrative messages (NAVADMINS) and the military personnel manual (MILPERSMAN), both of which affect manning and personnel transfers. This vital responsibility isn’t taken lightly. Sailors are selected to be detailers based on their overall performance
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Spring 2012 • Surface Warfare magazine
in the Fleet. “The best of the best are chosen to come here to represent their rating’s Sailors,” said Quartermaster (QM) 1st Class (SW/AW) Sam Patel, who was hand-picked. Sailors chosen to be detailers must display characteristics of integrity, fairness, and have well-rounded careers. “I immediately knew that I wanted to be a detailer,” he said. “It is an honor to be engaged in a Sailor’s career progression and to provide guidance and knowledge in the best interest of the Sailor and the Navy.” Sailors taking on this assignment undergo initial training before they become qualified detailers. The Detailer Communications Skills and Strategies course held at NPC is designed to provide prospective detailers with an understanding of the benefits of a service culture and the skills to achieve it. The monthly course entails