Curbelo, Murphy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Departing Military Servicemembers Successfully Transition to Civilian Life

Statement

Today, Representatives Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) and Stephanie Murphy (FL-7) introduced bipartisan legislation to help the more than 200,000 servicemembers who leave the military each year successfully transition to civilian life and provide for their families.

The Better Access to Technical Training, Learning, and Entrepreneurship (BATTLE) for Servicemembers Act will better prepare departing servicemembers to attend college, learn a technical trade, or start a small business.

Other original co-sponsors include Representatives Jack Bergman (MI-1) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9).

"We owe it to our servicemembers, and their families, to better help them transition back to the civilian job market," Curbelo said. "We have a variety of programs available, though too many of these brave men and women are not aware they exist. While much work must still be done to help ensure they have successful and productive post-military careers, this legislation is a positive step forward in achieving those goals."

"As a nation, it's our responsibility to help our servicemembers succeed, whether on the battlefield or in the workforce," said Murphy. "America's armed forces produce some of the most talented, well-trained, and tenacious individuals in the world, but too many of these warriors struggle to transition to civilian life. I'm proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to better prepare our servicemembers to succeed in whatever civilian career they pursue following their military service."

"When transitioning back to civilian life, our nation's servicemen and women offer employers an unparalleled skill set rooted in rigor and integrity. DOD has long recognized the value in providing targeted resources through the Transition Assistance Program, which includes employment advising, financial planning, and benefits management," Bergman said. "Unfortunately, TAP often goes unused and represents a missed opportunity for more robust and individualized training. The BATTLE for Servicemembers Act works to fill this gap by adding two-day, specialized workshops to the core curriculum of TAP, while maintaining the choice and flexibility separating servicemembers deserve."

"Arizona veterans have sacrificed to defend our country and now it's our responsibility to prepare them for success," said Sinema. "That's why I am working across the aisle to improve access to educational programs for veterans and servicemembers. This bill furthers our commitment to veterans by giving Arizona's bravest men and women the tools to launch rewarding careers and build successful businesses when they transition to civilian life."

BACKGROUND

Currently, the Department of Defense (DOD) requires all departing servicemembers to complete the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which offers a required core curriculum designed to help them transition to civilian life. In addition, departing servicemembers currently have the option to participate in a specialized two-day workshop in one of the following areas:

* higher education, conducted by DOD;
* technical and skills training, conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs; or,
* entrepreneurship, conducted by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

According to a recent Government Accountability Office report, fewer than 15 percent of eligible active-duty servicemembers participated in one of these two-day workshops in Fiscal Year 2016, including only 4 percent of eligible Marines. BATTLE for Servicemembers Act will boost participation in the training by requiring departing servicemembers to opt out of this specialized training rather than opt in.