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Military Downsizing: Persons Returning to Civilian Life Need More Help from DOD

HEHS-94-39 Published: Jan 21, 1994. Publicly Released: Jan 21, 1994.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the extent to which the Departments of Defense (DOD), Labor (DOL), and Veterans Affairs (VA) provide transition assistance services to separating members and their spouses.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct the secretaries of the military departments to implement the transition assistance program required by law.
Closed – Implemented
DOD has issued directives to implement the transition assistance program.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct the secretaries of the military departments to get skills verification documents to those personnel they missed and ensure that all future separatees have the document to use in the individual preseparation counseling sessions.
Closed – Implemented
On November 5, 1993, DOD issued a policy memorandum requiring the skill verification document be provided to service members 120 days prior to separation. Also, the Air Force and the Marine Corps have been asked to review their efforts to contact former service members and offer them the document. ASD (P&R) approved DOD Instruction 1332.35, "Preseparation Counseling for Military Personnel," on February 14, 1994, replacing the policy memo of November 5, 1993. The Air Force has contacted separated airmen, and the Marine Corps conducted a nationwide campaign in print and radio to encourage Marine veterans to contact a toll-free number to request the verification document.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct the secretaries of the military departments to evaluate transition assistance at the installation level until the secretaries are certain the programs are operating effectively and make periodic evaluation thereafter.
Closed – Implemented
DOD Directive 1332.35 directs the military departments to use their inspectors general to evaluate installation transition programs and report annually. The DASD (Personnel Support, Families, and Education) implemented quarterly reporting requirements to monitor the system more closely. Spot checks of installation transition programs are ongoing.

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Topics

National Defense
EducationEmployment assistance programsIncome maintenance programsMilitary dischargesMilitary downsizingMilitary personnelPersonnel managementReductions in forceTraining utilizationVeterans employment programs