Career & Alumni Services
We are here to provide comprehensive transition services and job assistance to military personnel, Department of the Army civilians (DACs), and their authorized family members at Fort Gordon.
We are located at 33800 Rice Road, Fort Gordon, GA 30905.
Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) Center
ACAP Express is your speedy access to the Army's transition program (ACAP). ACAP Express provides immediate access to services via a high speed portal for those considering transition and those in the process of transition. Anywhere you have Internet access, you can use ACAP Express, even in remote locations: in the comfort of your own home or convenience of your office and yes, even in the field or motor pool.
ACAP Preparation
The ability of Service members to attain their transition goals are directly related to the time they have to take advantage of ACAP services as well as services provided by other service providers. Consequently, the Army wants as many soldiers and family members to begin to take advantage of available services early in their transition from service life. This means that 90 days is not the ideal, but rather the minimum time needed.
The Army has a real stake in your success as a transitioning soldier. Your success is an affirmation of the Army’s value as a "great place to start" and your successful transition is a living advertisement for Army service.
Who must attend the preseparation counseling?
All soldiers (regardless of component) who receive a DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) IAW AR 635-5 (Separation Documents) paragraph 2-1; dated 15 Sep 00 are required to receive the preseparation briefing and complete the DD Form 2648 with the following exceptions:
- Soldiers who are being discharged or released from active duty before the completion of 180 days of active duty. This does not apply to soldiers who are being retired or separated for disability.
- Enlisted soldiers discharged to continue on active duty as commissioned or warrant officers, or warrant officers terminating warrant status to continue on active duty as commissioned officers.
- Officers who revert to enlisted status.
- Active duty list officers approved for interservice transfer to another uniformed service.
How can I get my preseparation counseling?
You can receive your preseparation counseling by attending a two hour briefing at the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) Center, located at building 33800 Rice Road , Fort Gordon . Briefings are conducted Monday through Thursday beginning promptly at 0800 and 1300.
To attend one of these briefings, call us at 791-7356 or 791-7333. You’ll need to provide us with your name, rank, last four of Social Security Number, branch of service, unit, AKO account ID, duty telephone number and your separation date or the type of "out" you are expecting. You can also schedule an appointment by going to https://www.acapexpress.army.mil.
What Happens at a Preseparation Briefing?
At the mandatory preseparation briefing, you are provided with information on services and benefits that you may be entitled to as a result of your military service. You prepare your Preseparation Counseling Checklist, which is necessary for your final outprocessing).
During the Preseparation Briefing you will be encouraged to make reservations for a four hour Veterans Administration (VA) Benefits Briefing, a two hour VA Disabled TAP Briefing, and a two and one half day (2 ½) TAP Employment Workshop designed to provide you with employment assistance and information. The three events are conducted on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, bimonthly. The events begin at 8:00 a.m. each morning and end at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and 12:00 p.m. on Friday. They are held at the ACAP Center (building 33800 Rice Road ). Spouses are also very welcome. Reservations are required.
In the preseparation briefing, you will be encouraged to schedule follow-up appointments after the TAP Workshop. Through a series of return 1 to 2-hour appointments, staged over 12 months, you should conduct follow-up visits to ACAP. These visits are to accomplish such functions as job assistance training, practice interviews, research job opportunities locally and worldwide, prepare resumes and cover letters with the ACAP resume writer program or use Microsoft Word, develop federal job applications, and participate in specialized programs that are brought to the installation by ACAP for separating service members. Computer workstations can be scheduled or used on a first come, first served basis. The visits should be scheduled with unit mission considered foremost throughout the transition process.
What if I am being deployed or released early from the military?
Completion of the Preseparation Counseling document (DD Form 2648) should be the first step in a soldier’s transition process. Soldiers being processed for accelerated separation (adverse, early-release, etc.) should complete the separation checklist as soon as possible. Soldiers preparing for deployment who will have less than 90 days until separation or retirement remaining on active duty on their return should complete the DD Form 2648 during the predeployment qualification process.
Ideally, your supervisor will ensure that you attend ACAP in a timely manner. This is not always possible, however. If you find yourself in such a situation, you must still obtain preseparation counseling at ACAP. Call the ACAP Center during our business hours, Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to set up an appointment or you can schedule an appointment by going to https://www.acapexpress.army.mil
Transition Process
When a Service member is in their window of opportunity to participate in the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) Center services, the Service member and the commander of the Service member are notified by mail through the installation distribution center.
Congress has established three separate standards for transition services. First, Service members mustreceive a preseparation briefing no less than 90 days prior to separation. Second, Service members who are retiring may initiate transition and employment assistance as early as 2 years prior to retirement. Third, in the case of a separation other than retirement, the Service member may initiate transition and employment assistance up to 1 year prior to separation.
The Service member’s ability to attain their transition goals is, in most circumstances, directly related to the time they have to take advantage of ACAP services, as well as services provided by other service providers. Consequently, the Army wants you and your family members to take advantage of available services early in your transition from military life. This means that 90 days is not the ideal, but rather the minimum.
A “loss roster” received from Military Personnel Division identifies Service members having an ETS date within 12 months from the current month. When a Service member has 12 months or less remaining on active duty they should request an appointment from ACAP to receive the mandatory Preseparation Briefing, complete the DD Form 2648, and begin the transition and employment assistance process. This briefing is conducted at the ACAP (Bldg 33800 Rice Road) Monday through Thursday beginning promptly at 0800 and 1300. Each briefing lasts approximately 2 hours. Remember, an appointment is required to attend.
During the Preseparation Briefing you will be encouraged to make reservations using your AKO account for a two and one half-day workshop designed to provide you with employment assistance and information. The workshop is conducted on
Wednesday through Friday, biweekly. The workshop begins at 8:00 a.m. each morning and ends at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and at 12:00 p.m. on Friday. The briefing is conducted at the ACAP Center ( 33800 Rice Road ). Spouses are also very welcomed. Reservations are required.
Through a series of return 1 to 2-hour appointments, staged over 12 months, you should conduct follow-up visits to ACAP. These visits are to accomplish such functions as Job Assistance Training, Practice Interviews, Job Analyzer, Self-Assessment Research Tools, research job opportunities, prepare resumes and cover, develop Federal Job Applications, and participate in specialized programs that are brought to the installation by ACAP for separating Service members.
Workstations can be scheduled between 1000 and 1500 or used on a first come, first serve basis, if available. The visits should be scheduled with unit mission considered foremost through the transition process.
We, in ACAP, thank you for your military service and look forward to meeting with you at the ACAP Center . An appointment must be scheduled by calling 791-7356/7333 or you can schedule an appointment at https://www.acapexpress.army.mil. If you decide to re-enlist, please accept our congratulations on your decision and thank you for your continued service to this great Nation.
Back to top...About the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP)/Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Workshop...
Congratulations! By signing up for the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) Center’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) workshop, you’ve taken the first step towards your new career.
Conducted by the Department of Labor and the Veteran’s Affairs Office, the TAP workshop is a two and one half day event designed to provide you, the transitioning individual, with employment information and assistance and Veterans Benefits information. If you are married, your spouse is also very welcome to attend this workshop and use our follow-on services, with or without you.
Program Highlights
- How to Write Resumes and Cover Letters
- Dressing for Success
- Networking Techniques
- Veteran’s Benefits
- Evaluation and Negotiation Strategies
- Interviewing Techniques
The TAP workshop begins promptly at 8:00 AM each morning and ends at 4:00 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday and 1230 on Thursday. It is held at the ACAP Center, on Tuesday through Thursday Bimonthly in building,33800 Rice Road on Fort Gordon in the Training Room. Please be on time...just as you would for a job interview!
You are encouraged to dress like the civilian you are soon to become! Plan to dress comfortably on the first and third day of the workshop. On the second day, you are invited to "Dress for Success".
The ACAP Center can be very useful in your job search process, especially after the workshop.
Other services that we provide include:
- Automated Computers Offering Resume Writer and Federal Job Applications
- Career Resources Library
- Fax/Photocopy Machine
- Individual career counseling upon request
- Internet Job Search
- Transition Processing
- Word Processing Programs/Laser Printer
Documented research indicates that clients who use all of ACAP’s services have an 80% greater chance of earning from $5,000 to $7,500 more, each year, than their counterparts who choose to transition without any assistance. We’re glad you’ve decided to take advantage of the ACAP....and you will be, too!