Introduction
The Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act, November 2011, and the subsequent passing of Public Law 112-56, Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors to Work Opportunity Tax Credits, gave authority to the Department of Defense and Homeland Security to permit Soldiers to participate in job training and employment skills training, including pre-apprenticeships and internships.
The Army Career Skills Program (CSP) provides Soldiers the opportunity to participate in first-class (pre)apprenticeships, on-the-job training, employment skills training and internships. These programs afford Soldiers the opportunity to obtain industry-recognized skills and move into high-demand and highly skilled careers at little to no cost.
Implementation
Installation or Senior Commanders implementing the CSP for eligible Soldiers in transition will:
- Given the mission requirements, provide reasonable opportunity for eligible and authorized Soldiers to participate in approved job training and employment skills training, apprenticeship programs, internships, and job shadowing programs, as applicable.
- Identify those Soldiers who fall into the target “at-risk” populations, defined as the following:
- 18 to 24 years old.
- First term enlistments.
- Involuntarily separating due to force shaping.
- Rapid separation from active duty.
- Acquisition of disabilities that result in medical separations.
- Allow eligible Soldiers who are identified for possible early transition, either voluntarily or involuntarily, to enroll in CSP. Examples include a hardship discharge, involuntary separation due to failure to reenlist, or extension to complete an upcoming deployment, entry in the IDES, early demobilization due to curtailment of mission, or like separations or transfers.
- Unless otherwise directed, designate the Director, Human Resources (DHR) with oversight for all CSP actions conducted on the installation.
- Coordinate with approval authorities, in accordance with this regulation, for selection of candidates for pilot and other sanctioned CSP, such as credential-fulfillment, apprenticeship, OJT, internship, and job shadowing programs.
- Establish a memorandum of agreement between the installation and CSP provider.
- Obtain an installation-level legal review of any pilot or program governed by this regulation, when higher headquarters approval has not already been established.
- Issue required operation orders advising commanders of program requirements, nomination procedures, and after-action review and assessment requirements. Installation Army Education Centers will work with installation DHR to develop and execute operation orders.
- At a minimum, evaluate the quality of training, in accordance with the measures of performance and effectiveness established by the Army Transition Division and IMCOM CSP managers.
Unit commanders of eligible Soldiers participating in programs will:
- Maintain daily accountability of Soldiers participating in programs and require participation in unit formations, physical training, and other unit requirements as needed.
- May authorize permissive TDY to participants within the parameters defined in AR 600–8–10.
- Will maintain a copy of the Soldier’s letter of participation.