Photo Information

Transition Readiness Advisors with Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point pose for a group photo outside the Training and Education Building, MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, Sept. 9, 2022. The advisors are the face of the Transition Readiness Program (TRP) and guide attendees through the 10 steps of the TRP. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tristen Reed)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Tristen Reed

Transition Readiness Seminar

3 Oct 2022 | Lance Cpl. Tristen Reed Marine Corps Installations East

Every year, approximately 1,400 Department of Defense (DoD) members aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point utilize the Transition Readiness Program (TRP) services, initiating transitioning from the military to the civilian community, according to Ivy Prior, Employment Assistance Manager.   The TRP Staff advise all service members to begin active transition services 18 to 24 months before their separation date.

At the start of the transition process, service members speak with their Unit Transition Coordinator (UTC) before starting the pre-work. Pre-work consists of an eight-step process, for which UTCs provide a transition checklist. Once service members complete their pre-work, they will participate in Initial Counseling with the Personal & Professional Development (P&PD) staff. The IC is a one-on-one counseling session with the transitional team to determine and plot the best course to meet the needs of each transitioning service member.  Next, Staff will schedule the service member to attend the Pre-Separation Counseling Brief, which both the IC and Pre-Sep Brief must be completed no later than 365 days before the end of their active service date. The Pre-Separation Counseling Brief covers by-law information, including benefits, entitlements, and resources for eligible transitioning service members. Caregivers and spouses are encouraged to attend the Pre-Separation Counseling Brief with their service members.

After the Pre-Separation Counseling Brief, Service members will attend the Transition Readiness Seminar (TRS). TRS is a mandatory 2–5-day program designed to equip service members and their families with the tools and resources needed for a successful transition. TRS must be completed no later than 180 days before a service member's end of active service (EAS) or retirement date.

The final stage of the TRS process will culminate with a Capstone Review. This review is a one-on-one appointment with a transition counselor who will help to review all required documents to ensure the service member meets the Career Readiness Standards and must be completed no later than 120 days from their EAS or retirement date. After the Capstone Review, the Service member will meet with their unit Commander or a Command designee to finalize the TRP process.

"Transitioning out of the military is much more than merely leaving the military," says Colleen Francis, the Transition Readiness Program Coordinator. "Numerous service members and their spouses don't realize how many benefits and resources are available to veterans from the beginning of the TRS week."

Additional classes and seminars, such as My Education, Boots to Business, and Federal & Civilian Resume writing, will provide other support services for transitioning service members and their family members.


To get started, please get in touch with the TRS Advisory team at 252-466-4201 or ombcherrypointtrs@usmc-mccs.org.


For a step-by-step process, visit https://ppr-cherrypoint.libguides.com/chptppdp/trp.


Ivy Prior and Colleen Francis contributed to this story.