Next Steps

Get details about TAP from the:

• Department of Defense (DoD)
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
• Department of Labor

The DoD provides:

• Links to the transition assistance programs for each specific branch of military service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force)
• An overall Transition Timeline

The U.S. Armed Forces keep an Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) for every veteran and service member. This includes your military discharge paperwork (DD214).

• If you are a veteran or a member of the Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force and are serving as active duty, Reserve, or Guard, or if you are retired, then you can use the Defense Personnel Records Information Retrieval System (DPRIS) page on the milConnect website to ask for and get scanned copies of documents in your OMPF.
• For OMPF records not available on milConnect and for veteran health records, or if you are a family member of a veteran or a member of the public (and cannot access milConnect), the National Archives explains how to request Military Service Records in a variety of situations.
• The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) explains the type of records available and how to request them.

Learn more about the:

• Post-9/11 GI Bill
• Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
• Montgomery Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
• Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E)

In some cases, a veteran’s dependent or surviving spouse and children can get educational help through a GI Bill program. Learn more about education assistance for survivors or dependents.

To apply for VA education benefits, you have several options:

• Apply online
• Go to the VA's Phoenix Regional Office and have a VA employee help you
• Work with your school’s certifying official (usually in the school’s registrar or financial aid office)
• Call 1-888-442-4551 (1-888-GI-BILL-1) and ask to have an application mailed to you. Fill it out and mail it to the VA Regional Processing Office nearest to the school you want to attend.

Get free copies of your credit report from the top three credit reporting agencies — Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax — by ordering them at AnnualCreditReport.com, the only website that is part of the legally mandated free credit report program. Beware of other sites that claim to offer “free credit reports,” “free credit scores,” or “free credit monitoring”.

Online Job Boards

These online resources can help you look for work.

• VetJobs.org
• USAJobs.gov
• FedsHireVets.gov
• VACareers.va.gov
• VAforVets.va.gov
• Veterans’ Employment and Training Services (VETS)
• Military.com
• Veteran and Military Transition Center at CareerOneStop.org
• Marine for Life Network

Get Help

• The Arizona Department of Economic Security's Veteran Services program helps veterans and their eligible spouses get jobs and job training. Schedule an online appointment or find an office near you.
• Arizona One-Stop Job Centers offer free services, including specialized services for veterans and job seekers with disabilities. Schedule an online appointment or visit your local ARIZONA@WORK One-Stop Job Center. Also available through One-Stop Job Centers, ARIZONA@WORK helps employers and job seekers connect. Its free services and resources can help you find work. Eligible veterans get priority services.
• The Ticket to Work Program helps people with disabilities who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits find and keep work. Call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).

Major life changes can be stressful for you, your spouse, and your family. Fortunately, help is available:

• While you are on active duty, you can get free help with personal issues and other challenges on base through the Family Service Center, Chaplain’s Office, and military mental health care facilities. Search for available services.
• Phone help is available 24/7 from Military One Source at 1-800-342-9647 (for up to 180 days after your retirement or discharge date).
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) REACH program links to resources for a wide variety of challenges facing veterans.
• The VA's Veterans Crisis Line offers free, confidential support 24/7 to veterans, service members, national guard and reserve members, and those who support them. Dial 988 then press 1; chat online; or text 838255. (You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to use the crisis line.)
• The Arizona Department of Veterans' Services helps Arizona veterans and their families with information, resources, and support, including its Arizona Veterans Benefits Guide. Call 1-602-255-3373 or find your local ADVS office.
• Get help applying for benefits from a Veterans Benefits Counselor.
• BeConnected at 1-866-429-8387 provides support and connection to resources for all Arizona service members, veterans and their families.
• If you need help getting the benefits you’re entitled to from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), search the VA’s online database for an accredited veterans service organization (VSO) representative, claims agent, or attorney. Tip: It works best to search by state, not zip code.

You can use 2-1-1 Arizona to find social services near you, from benefits applications to job counseling.

Find services for vets on 2-1-1 Arizona's Veterans and Military page.

If you're currently on SSI, SSDI, or CDB benefits, and you're looking for a job, you should qualify for free benefits consulting services. Trained Work Incentive Counsultants at Benefits 2 Work Arizona can help you understand Social Security work incentives, disability benefit programs, and how they are impacted by work. Their goal is to help you avoid complications while developing a sustainable financial plan for your future.

You can contact Benefits 2 Work Arizona at 1-866-304-WORK (9675) toll-free to find a Work Incentive Consultant serving your community.