Legislative Hearing on: H.R. 3123, Ernest Peltz Accrued Veterans Benefits Act; H.R. 3627, Justice for America’s Veterans and Survivors Act of 2025; H.R. 3833, Veterans’ Caregiver Appeals Modernization Act of 2025; H.R. 3834, Protecting Veterans Claim Options Act; H.R. 3835, Veterans Appeals Efficiency Act of 2025; H.R. 3854, Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act; H.R. 3983 Veterans Claims Quality Improvement Act of 2025; H.R. 3951, Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025; H.R. 659, Veterans Law Judge Experience Act; H.R. 2055, Caring for Survivors Act; H.R. 2701, Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Act; H.R. 2721, Honoring our Heroes Act
Hearing•House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs•Jun 24, 2025 · 1:15 PM
Summary
House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on Jun 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM in Cannon House Office Building, Room 360, rescheduled. 16 witnesses appeared.
Record
The meeting has its video, its transcript, witnesses and documents on the record.
Video
The proceedings, as the committee streamed them.
Transcript
The transcript runs to 3,878 lines and 222,038 characters, as the Government Publishing Office printed it.
1[House Hearing, 119 Congress]2[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]34 STRENGTHENING THE TRANSITION5 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: EXPLORING6 OUTCOMES TO IMPROVE THE7 TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE89=======================================================================1011 HEARING1213 BEFORE THE1415 COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS1617 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES1819 ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS2021 FIRST SESSION2223 __________2425 TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 20252627 __________2829 Serial No. 119-273031 __________3233 Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs3435[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]3637 Available via http://govinfo.gov3839 __________4041 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE4261-166 WASHINGTON : 20254344-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------4546 COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS4748 MIKE BOST, Illinois, Chairman4950AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN, MARK TAKANO, California, Ranking51 American Samoa, Vice-Chairwoman Member52JACK BERGMAN, Michigan JULIA BROWNLEY, California53NANCY MACE, South Carolina CHRIS PAPPAS, New Hampshire54MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS, Iowa SHEILA CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK,55GREGORY F. MURPHY, North Carolina Florida56DERRICK VAN ORDEN, Wisconsin MORGAN MCGARVEY, Kentucky57MORGAN LUTTRELL, Texas DELIA RAMIREZ, Illinois58JUAN CISCOMANI, Arizona NIKKI BUDZINSKI, Illinois59KEITH SELF, Texas TIMOTHY M. KENNEDY, New York60JEN KIGGANS, Virginia MAXINE DEXTER, Oregon61ABE HAMADEH, Arizona HERB CONAWAY, New Jersey62KIMBERLYN KING-HINDS, Northern KELLY MORRISON, Minnesota63 Mariana Islands64TOM BARRETT, Michigan6566 Jon Clark, Staff Director67 Matt Reel, Democratic Staff Director6869Pursuant to clause 2(e)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, public70hearing records of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs are also71published in electronic form. The printed hearing record remains the72official version. Because electronic submissions are used to prepare73both printed and electronic versions of the hearing record, the process74of converting between various electronic formats may introduce75unintentional errors or omissions. Such occurrences are inherent in the76current publication process and should diminish as the process is77further refined.78 C O N T E N T S7980 ----------8182 TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 20258384 Page8586 OPENING STATEMENTS8788The Honorable Mike Bost, Chairman................................ 189The Honorable Mark Takano, Ranking Member........................ 39091 WITNESSES92 Panel I9394Mr. Manish Gupta, Chief Technology Officer, Combined Arms........ 69596Mr. Ross Dickman, Chief Executive Officer, Hire Heroes USA....... 79798Mr. Joseph Loomis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer,99 TurboVets, Inc................................................. 9100101Ms. Rebecca Burgess, Senior Fellow, Yorktown Institute........... 10102103 APPENDIX104 Prepared Statements Of Witnesses105106Mr. Manish Gupta Prepared Statement.............................. 41107Mr. Ross Dickman Prepared Statement.............................. 42108Mr. Joseph Loomis Prepared Statement............................. 46109Ms. Rebecca Burgess Prepared Statement........................... 47110111 Statements For The Record112113Schultz Family Foundation Prepared Statement..................... 53114Blue Star Families Prepared Statement............................ 55115Document for the Record Submitted by The Honorable Derrick Van116 Orden, U.S. House of Representatives, (WI-3)................... 61117U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of118 Defense Memorandum of Understanding............................ 63119Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State120 (Clearinghouse) Prepared Statements............................ 66121122 STRENGTHENING THE TRANSITION123 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: EXPLORING OUTCOMES TO IMPROVE THE124 TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE125126 ----------127128 TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025129130 Committee on Veterans' Affairs,131 U.S. House of Representatives,132 Washington, DC.133 The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:15 a.m., in134room 360, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Mike Bost135(chairman of the committee) presiding.136 Present: Representatives Bost, Mace, Miller-Meeks, Murphy,137Van Orden, Luttrell, Ciscomani, Kiggans, Hamadeh, King-Hinds,138Takano, Brownley, Pappas, Cherfilus-McCormick, McGarvey,139Ramirez, Budzinski, Kennedy, and Conaway.140141 OPENING STATEMENT OF MIKE BOST, CHAIRMAN142143 The Chairman. The Committee will come to order, and without144objection, the chair may declare recess at any time. Good145morning, everyone, and thank you for being here. I want to146thank the witnesses for being here. Now, before we begin, I147want to take a moment to pause and think about the service148members stationed throughout the Middle East right now. I,149along with some of our colleagues, just returned from a visit150with our service members that were deployed overseas in Spain.151Whenever I met with these men and women, and I always return152home with the assurance that one, we have the best and most153capable military in the world. Two, the people that do that are154some of the best people in the world. While we were in Spain,155we were going to visit and see the destroyers that were located156there. They had all shipped out.157 Matter of fact, one of them, it reminded me of what it was158like to be a young person in the military. There at the159reception area in the airport was a volunteer and she and her160husband had just, this was their first duty station in Spain. I161came, we came in and her husband, when they deploy those162cruisers, normally it is about 4 months to 4 and a half months163out. Her husband had came back in and 48 hours went right back164out. She was learning what it was like to be a military spouse165as well as him understanding what it was like to be and be in166the military. If we want to, if you would just remember them167all in your prayers and make sure that you ask for the Lord to168keep them all safe no matter what their duty is. Today we are169going to focus on the importance of the TAP, our Transition170Assistant Program, or TAP, and broader themes of service171members transition experience. A service member's transition172begins during the last year of their active duty.173 During TAP, a service member is required to go to classes174hosted by U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Department of175Labor (DOL) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The176goal of TAP is to set each service member up for success in177civilian life, regardless of their role in the military. Now178that means whether you are a young corporal or three-star179general, TAP should offer the personalized assistance service180members need to thrive. My staff knows that I was make this181statement and I will make it again now. It is in my--in my182script here, but I am going to add a little to it. You know,183when I was a Marine when, and I went through, there was a TAP184program and the TAP program was whenever the colonel tapped you185on the shoulder and said, ``Goodbye, have a great life.'' The186other TAP program was when you got with your buddies the last187time and you hit the TAP at the bar. Other than that, that was188the TAP programs that were available. However, thanks to former189members of this Committee and this Committee as a whole, we190have done a lot of work to make the program mandatory and191improve outcomes to find what works for our veterans. This is192not to say there is still that progress does not still need to193be made.194 Matter of fact, a lot of progress still needs to be made.195Even after significant legislation, only 52 percent of service196members meet the 1-year TAP timeline requirements. I believe197that 52 should not be counted as a success but as a failure.198Additionally, research from Pennsylvania State University199Veterans Metric Initiative shows that more than 60 percent of200veterans are either unemployed or underemployed. In many cases201this is due to poor transition. Finally, nearly 20 percent of202veterans do not feel like they are fully transitioned until 6203years after leaving the military service. I also believe we204must view TAP and transition as a vitally important to all205volunteer forces (AVF).206 An unsuccessful transition can impact public view of how we207treat our military members, which can impact our Nation's208security by the fact that in all voluntary service people are209not encouraged to volunteer. Clearly there is more work to be210done by this Committee and by the community to fill the gaps.211In front of us today are innovators in the transition212community. These groups have unique programs and forward-213thinking technologies that have helped make thousands of214service members transition to veteran status better. Now,215without these organizations, veterans will continue to slip216through the cracks and VA will always be playing catch up to217get these veterans back in the groove of civilian life. Under218President Trump leadership, I know we are going to put you the219veterans VA services back at the center of the VA mission, and220I hope to hear from these groups about the broader solution221that Congress can take back and get legislation that will boost222our TAP program. Many of these themes are already included in223my friend Subcommittee Chairman Derrick Van Orden's Bill H.R.2243387.225 With that I want to welcome the witnesses and look forward226to your testimony. I now recognize the Ranking Member Takano227for his opening ceremony, opening statement.228 Mr. Takano. I have not done opening ceremonies in a while.229 The Chairman. If you want to do them, go ahead.230231 OPENING STATEMENT OF MARK TAKANO, RANKING MEMBER232233 Mr. Takano. Thank you Chairman Bost. I appreciate your234opening comments about keeping our service members in our235thoughts and prayers. I would ask that all here and all who are236watching the hearing keep my committee staffers who are service237members who are currently deployed. Chris Bennett, he is238actually saw and witnessed the Qatar bombing. I believe he is239in Qatar. Matt Reill is in the theater. I am not exactly sure240where he is, my staff director. I appreciate your sentiment,241Mr. Chairman.242 I appreciate this committee's continued focus on service243member transition. The period of transition is oftentimes the244hardest period for veterans to navigate. This committee was the245driving force behind the 2019 National Defense Authorization246Act's (NDAA) improvements to the Transition Assistance Program,247or TAP. The improvements included offering transitioning248service members more tailored courses and information. However,249much of that law is still not implemented, and many more250improvements are needed to make sure veterans leave the251military with a job, a plan for their education, or whatever252resources they need for a smooth transition. Failure to do so253can have catastrophic results. Studies continue to find254correlations between difficulties in transition and suicides.255The more difficulty a service member has during their256transition period, the more likely they are to have suicidal257ideations. If this administration is serious about reducing258veteran suicide rates, it is critical we get the period of259transition right.260 This Committee has treated transition with the seriousness261it deserves, having held 7 hearings at the subcommittee level262or full committee level over the last 5 years. However, the263Veterans Affairs Committee is only one part of the story, which264also includes the Armed Services Committee as well as the265Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Over the same 5266years, our counterparts on the House Armed Services Committee267have yet to hold a similar hearing.268 However, because of where transition was originally written269into Federal code, our committee only has secondary referral270and jurisdiction of this topic. As we see from the witnesses271before us, none of the Federal agencies responsible for a272transition is before us. In fact, I ask that the secretary of273defense or his designee to testify before us today. Last week,274the Department of Defense abruptly refused to participate in275this hearing after previously committing to appear. This276cancellation came just days after Secretary Collins and277Secretary Hegseth signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU)278titled ``Strengthening Our Partnership to Those Who Serve,'' a279memo that was not provided to the committee, but rather we280received from our Veterans Service Organization (VSO) partners.281Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that this MOU be included282in the hearing record.283 The Chairman. Without objection.284 Mr. Takano. Now, this hearing would have been a perfect285opportunity for DoD and VA to present to the Committee how286their proposal to collaborate on sharing healthcare resources287will work and to provide us with the details on how they plan288to address VA enrollment during transition. Now, I have been289working for years to pass my legislation, the Ensuring290Veterans' Smooth Transition (EVEST) Act, which would charge VA291health care enrollment from an opt in, excuse me, would292change--which would change VA health care enrollment from an293opt in process to an opt out, meaning you are automatically294enrolled in VA when you transition out of the military. Now, if295the MOU is to be believed, the administration shares this view296and I would like to hear more. It is just too bad they are not297here. Finally, if DoD was here, we could learn how it plans to298identify transitioning service members who may be at higher299risk from mental health challenges.300 Now, it is impossible to mention DoD's absence and not301think about the unconstitutional airstrikes in Iran ordered by302President Trump over the weekend. Congress was not provided any303justification for these strikes. Congress did not vote on an304authorization of military force. The public only learned about305the strikes from president's--from the president's personally306owned, failing niche social network website. This Congress is307choosing to give up its responsibility as a co-equal branch of308government and that will have grave consequences. We are in the309middle of an unprecedented constitutional crisis. There are no310Federal agencies here before us from which to demand311accountability. What disservice are we doing to service members312at this moment when they are called upon to this--in this313unprecedented and dangerous time? How can we respond to the314transition needs as the economy continues to spiral and we face315massive threats to the programs and services on which service316members and veterans and their families depend? None of our317agency partners found it worth their time to come today, and my318Republican colleagues do not think it worthwhile to invite319them. Where does that leave us? We are left holding a hearing320on a legally mandated program that our committee lacks primary321jurisdiction of. I appreciate the witnesses that are here today322to share their work. Servicemembers and veterans should not be323left depending on charitable donations to foundations for their324post separation needs, nor should they depend on the for-profit325industry to navigate their earned benefits.326 Unfortunately, the lack of participation of the Trump327Department of Defense, the Trump Labor Department of Labor, and328the Trump VA is indicative of the goal of this administration.329Hollowing out Federal agencies, firing workers, and shifting330responsibility of the mission of VA and DoD onto individual331veterans where nonprofit entities are squeezed and overwhelmed332and where claim sharks and scammers rush in to take advantage.333Now, this is unacceptable, and this committee should not stand334by and accept playing second fiddle on this issue. We certainly335should not accept a hearing on a Federal program without the336responsible Federal agencies being present. Failures at337transition become responsibilities for VA, VSOs, and other338stakeholders. Solving a crisis is always more expensive and339less successful than preventing one. For example, preventing340homelessness with supportive housing costs 1/3 of what it does341to house a chronically homeless person. Investing in quality342education instead of allowing for profit predatory schools to343recruit veterans would save the Federal Government and veterans344billions of dollars in wasted GI Bill benefits. Translating345career skills gained during military service into quality346employment would save tens of millions of dollars in347unemployment benefits paid by the Department of Defense. Now,348these are goals I believe every member of this committee agrees349with. I put it to my colleagues, does this Committee deserve350better than being ignored by DoD? Does this Committee deserve351better than being ignored by DoD on such a critical issue like352transition? Mr. Chairman, DoD's absence is unacceptable, and I353ask you to join me in delivering that message. I also ask you354to join me in petitioning our respective leadership about355updating House rules to put the responsibility of transition356where it belongs, with the House Veterans Affairs Committee,357our committee.358 With that, I yield back.359 The Chairman. Before we go on to the witnesses, you know, I360want to say I find it funny now that the Republicans are in the361White House. Suddenly there is a concern that the Secretary of362Defense and the Department of Defense is not available for363hearings. Under Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Biden364administration, DoD had the reputation of not showing up for365hearings at all. If the ranking member did not have issue with366the last Congress, I do not see the ranking member should have367issue at this time. The Congress, under President Trump's368leadership and department, has already been to two economic369opportunities subcommittee hearings. To me, that seems like a370partisan exercise that wanted to get real with the answers from371DoD and responding like that. I also find it surprising that372the ranking members should bring up this, frankly, when the373secretary right now has pretty big issues in the Middle East.374We both agree that we need to pray for those men and women,375because we talked about that. I do also find it funny now that376with the Republicans in the White House, suddenly there is a377concern for our colleagues about how VA is being run. During378the Obama administration, VA grew considerably. This is not379only from the number of veterans, but from the programs being380created and reformed to by the Congress and the administration.381During those 8 years, the Obama administration dropped over38292,000 bombs in the Middle East. Now, after one strike, to383prevent an adversary from having nuclear weapons, some people384in this room think VA should halt any changes to making the385agency work better or believe that VA needs additional386bureaucracy. That is ridiculous. If there is a conflict in the387Middle East, veterans will need VA working for them instead of388bureaucracy more than ever. That is why over 75 million389Americans elected President Trump. That is also exactly why390what Secretary Collins has appointed, why he is been appointed391by the president, and what his intention is, is to do the job392of the VA for our veterans as they--and now we want to talk393about why they are transitioning and how they are transitioning394and how we make that better.395 Testifying before us we have Mr. Manish Gupta, chief396technical officer at Combined Arms, Mr. Ross Dickman, chief397executive officer (CEO) of Hire Heroes USA, Mr. Joseph Loomis,398founder and chief executive officer of TurboVets, and Ms.399Rebecca Burgess, senior fellow at Yorktown Institute.400 Will the witnesses please stand and raise their right hand.401Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to402provide is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the403truth?404 [Witnesses sworn.]405 The Chairman. Thank you. Let the record reflect that the406witnesses answered in the affirmative. You may be seated.407 I now ask Mr. Gupta for 5-minute opening testimony, if you408please.409410 STATEMENT OF MANISH GUPTA411412 Mr. Gupta. Chairman, Ranking Member and distinguished413members of the committee, thank you for inviting Combined Arms414to testify and for your unwavering commitment to our veterans.415 Combined Arms is a nonprofit technology company that416empowers veterans and military families with access to vetted417veteran sources service organizations through our innovative418Software as a Service (SaaS) platform. As the chief technology419officer of Combined Arms, I lead a network that harnesses420advanced technology to strengthen veterans' transitions. Our421platform spans all 50 states, integrating 650 vetted422organizations that provide over 1500 available social services423including housing, job, healthcare services and more. When424joining Combined Arms, veterans complete secure profiles425detailing service history, skills, and wellness needs, enabling426personalized support pathways to match them to resources.427Veterans are able to select services such as job training or428mental health support using filters by location and category.429We also provide real time analytics that tracks delivery and430accountability of services. Our pilot with United Service431Organization (USO) will engage with active duty 18 months pre-432separation. Our innovative data strategies streamlined access433to essential help, delivering an Amazon shopping cart style434approach to navigate social services.435 We are proud to serve over 85,000 veterans and military436families across the country, connecting them to thousands of437social services. The Transition Assistance Program or TAP,438which is a result of interagency partnership across the Federal439Government, provides information, tools and training to ensure440service members and their families are prepared to enter the441civilian life. TAP is a vital bridge to connecting veterans to442civilian resources. With enhanced collaboration from Department443of Defense, Veteran Affairs and Labor, Combined Arms platform444could serve as a force multiplier for TAP.445 Our closed loop data powered digital marketplace can446significantly enhance TAP's ability to deliver seamless447personalized support to service members. For example, DOD448collaboration could provide early service data along TAP to449tailor pre-separation career and benefit plans. VA integration450could accelerate benefit access, linking veterans to health451care and or education support. Dual partnerships could enhance452job pipelines, integrating programs like SkillBridge to boost453employment outcomes. Our platform is equipped with provider454interfaces featuring case management, interagency referrals,455digitized forms, and Americans Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)456508 compliance, and has been endorsed by the VA and George W.457Bush Institute. We recommend standardized VA liaisons, flexible458policies for community innovations like mentorship and national459community of practice.460 Our digital hub could enable TAP stakeholders to share best461practices leveraging over 220,000 strong audience reach to462drive continuous improvement. Our platform can strengthen TAP's463outcome measurements, employment, mental health and civilian464satisfaction. We provide advanced analytics which facilitate465over 14,000 careers placements since 2020 and layer client data466with public metrics to generate county level heat maps467identifying service gaps in rural or unserved areas.468 With DoD, VA and DOL data sharing, TAP could accommodate469resources, track long-term well-being, ensuring adaptability to470veterans evolving needs and as recognized by the VA. These471analytics empower data driven decisions optimizing TAP's472effectiveness across diverse Western communities. To realize473this vision, Combined Arms recommends Congress fund technology474integration with TAP platform leveraging VA systems for cost475efficient personalized support Enhanced VA led task force to476standardize collaboration and integration private sector477networks and support pilot programs to test these solutions478with metrics tracking employment and well-being.479 In conclusion, with robust D0D, VA, and DOL collaboration,480Combined Arms platforms could serve as a force multiplier for481TAP, revolutionizing veteran transitions through technology. We482stand ready to partner with this committee and stakeholders to483build a future where every service member thrives. Thank you484and I welcome your questions.485486 [The Prepared Statement Of Manish Gupta Appears In The487Appendix]488489 The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Gupta. Mr. Dickman, you are490recognized for 5 minutes for your opening statement.491492 STATEMENT OF ROSS DICKMAN493494 Mr. Dickman. Chairman Bost, Ranking Member Takano and495members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to496testify on improving outcomes for veterans and transitioning497service members. I am Ross Dickman, CEO of Hire Heroes USA, the498Nation's leading nonprofit focused on veterans and military499spouse employment. We serve over 25,000 clients every year,500primarily transitioning service members, veterans, and members501of the Guard and Reserve, offering personalized one-on-one502support to help them achieve meaningful and lasting careers503after service. The transition from military to civilian life is504more than a single moment. It is a process, one that can take505years and looks different for everyone. Multiple factors506contribute to the transition and the unique circumstances507surrounding a service member's experience. Though rank often508serves as a key indicator of success. The American Enterprise509Institute's April 2025 report spotlighted that junior enlisted510veterans face the most challenges post service, including high511unemployment, poor economic outcomes and low utilization of512existing services.513 This highlights a clear need we must move beyond a one size514fits all approach to one that is responsive to the different515experiences, challenges, and goals of each veteran. While516helpful for broad awareness and education of benefits, the517Transition Assistance Program's current structure is not518optimal for individualized employment success. Last year's519Research and Development (RAND) report and a similar U.S.520Government Accountability Office (GAO) report a year earlier521determined that nonprofit organizations fill a critical gap to522supplement Federal transition programs. Of the $13 billion the523government spends annually to support transition services,524approximately 97 percent of funds are spent on education,525despite career support being the number one requested service.526Allow me to offer three areas of concern that deserve527congressional action.528 First, outcomes must matter more than outputs. Success529cannot be measured solely by TAP course completion or number of530attendees. Many veterans are underemployed in roles that do not531reflect their skills, experience, or leadership potential.532Sixty-one percent of veterans report underemployment 3 years533post-separation, and that number barely budges after 6 years.534These numbers signal that we must redefine a successful535transition experience.536 Second, skills-based hiring must be elevated and537incentivized. Many veterans possess advanced experience and538leadership capabilities that do not align with traditional539degree requirements but make them highly competitive and540qualified for in demand roles. At Hire Heroes USA, we help541veterans articulate and validate these transferable skills to542employers. Broader adoption of skills-based practices supported543by Federal incentives could dramatically increase access to544meaningful employment.545 Third, public-private partnerships are successful and they546work. Federal programs like TAP are foundational, but their547structure limits the level of personalization. That is where548nonprofits like ours come in. As an original partner of the549Department of Labor's Employment Navigator and Partnership550Program, Hire Heroes USA has delivered faster and more551sustainable employment outcomes for thousands of veterans.552These results are made possible by high quality nonprofit553partners who deliver these services at no cost to veterans and554without compensation from the Federal Government. This model is555not sustainable. Based on these concerns, we recommend the556following to improve veteran transition to civilian life.557 First, we encourage Congress to prioritize individualized558solutions and Federal transition programs. Concerted efforts559should be made to focus on service delivery during the 2 years560immediately following separation from service and on the561promising practice of skills-based hiring. Second, outcome562measures must align in the public and private sectors. Metrics563like underemployment, skills utilization and long-term564financial security must be part of the equation.565 Last, we urge Congress to incentivize long-term sustainable566participation of nonprofits in these programs through567contractual agreements and competitive grants. Private568organizations relying on philanthropic support have mitigated569TAP shortcomings, but declining resources jeopardize the570private sector's continued sustainment of individualized571employment programs. Veterans deserve a transition system that572reflects the realities of today's labor market. One that573empowers them with the tools, guidance, and opportunities to574build the futures they have earned. We look forward to working575with Congress to improve this system to benefit all veterans576and military spouses.577 Thank you for the opportunity to be here today and for your578leadership on this issue. I welcome your questions.579580 [The Prepared Statement Of Ross Dickman Appears In The581Appendix]582583 The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Dickman. Mr. Loomis, you are584recognized for 5 minutes to open your opening statement.585586 STATEMENT OF JOSEPH LOOMIS587588 Mr. Loomis. Chairman Bost, Ranking Members and589distinguished members of the Committee, thank you for the590opportunity to speak with you. My name is Joseph Loomis. I am591the Navy Veteran and the founder of TurboVets and CEO, a592veteran focused technology company committed to improving how593service members and veterans apply and access all their594benefits and services at no cost for the entirety of their595lives. Over the past 20 years, I have led innovation in596cybersecurity advanced technology, building companies that597solve complex problems and challenges, including systems598integrations in many of the agencies.599 At TurboVets, our mission is to close the gap between600policy and technology, ensuring that service members as well as601veterans experience a streamlined, supportive, successful602transition from civilian into civilian life beyond and life603beyond service. The current transition assistance program is604obviously outdated and insufficient in addressing actual needs605of the dynamics of a service member. Despite the efforts of606dedicated agencies, the structure often leaves military service607members without clarity, relevant instruction, support, and608resources.609 Like many veterans, I also experienced firsthand challenges610in navigating the maze of the disconnected systems. The process611felt more like death by PowerPoint and the consequences are612much more significant. Today we are seeing a rising rates of613unemployment, financial hardship, mental health crisis,614increased homelessness as well in the veteran community. Most615concerning of all, we continue to lose more than 6,000 veterans616to suicide each year. This is not just a number, it is a call617to action and why my team and I started TurboVets. A problem618that we are solving today with the Department of Veteran619Affairs and the Department of Defense. TAP can be and must be620reimaged into a long-term personalized journey rooted in the621trust and capability and support.622 The transformation requires public-private partnership that623integrates technology at every stage of the service members624transition process. It also is more than just briefings. It is625more than just learning and continuous statements that are made626by command leadership. It is tailored tools and podcasts,627relevant video instruction, personal mentorship, transparency628in real time products. We must envision a secure centralized629platform, a true one stop that is similar to the evolution of630technology today, a system that allows online resumes job631building connections to nonprofits like the other witnesses632here today. The platform must seamlessly integrate into633government systems with providing real time data automating634eligibility verifications, eliminating fraud, protecting635veterans from claim sharks and other organizations leveraging636their benefits unbeknownst to their eligibility.637 The vision is the foundation upon what we built TurboVets.638It is a veteran led team. We use Artificial Intelligence (AI)639automation system integrations from our previous experiences in640building companies. We are partnered with the agencies in order641to solve this problem together. Technology can no longer be a642luxury anymore. It is a necessity to integrate and exist in the643world today. My team and I, as well as my fellow Americans owe644our veterans not just gratitude, but effective modern solutions645that deliver meaningful outcomes. It is our duty to serve for646those who served us and I have committed my life to partnering647with government agencies to fulfill this responsibility. I am648confident that with the leadership of the VA and DoD and a649collaboration with TurboVets, we will build that outcome and650success we seek today.651 Thank you for the opportunity to share this vision. I look652forward to working ahead and the chance to take anyone653questions.654655 [The Prepared Statement Of Joseph Loomis Appears In The656Appendix]657658 The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Loomis. Ms. Burgess, you are659recognized for 5 minutes for your opening statement.660661 STATEMENT OF REBECCA BURGESS662663 Ms. Burgess. Chairman Bost, Ranking Member Takano and664distinguished members of this committee, for 250 years, every665branch of the U.S. Armed Forces has had one consistent output,666the military veteran. Yet for 250 years, our Nation has never667articulated a national veteran strategy. Not even when we668returned to our voluntary service routes in 1973 do we669recognize the importance of the well transitioned veteran for670the sustained success of the AVF. This failure to ask what it671might take societally to sustain a volunteer professional672military is rooted in the failure to understand there is a life673cycle to military recruitment that both begins and ends with674the veteran. The veteran is the unacknowledged but permanent675Ambassador of national service. How we treat them, talk about676them, legislate about them directly relates to how society677conceptualizes military service. Perhaps we come to this678failure honestly. We have separated our Department of Defense679from our Department of Veteran Affairs. That physical680structural breaking apart has resulted in a mental breaking681apart, especially among those employed in the Defense682Department treating soldiers as national security concerns, but683veterans as vanishing into the ether of someone else's domestic684policy concern.685 Our first need then is to recognize that any failed686reintegration of a veteran is a discouragement against joining687the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast688Guard. Every successful reintegration is equally an incentive689to join. The several service branches and their secretaries and690DoD at large must be brought to recognize that it has a vested691interest in the successful reintegration of each veteran after692their active or reserve duty is completed. In the Nation having693a coherent, modernized, effective, and efficient suite of694programs and services to make up that transition process. Two695concrete steps to take in this regard are to reestablish the696Chairman's Office of Reintegration, thereby returning DoD697leadership to the transition process while signaling to all698stakeholders that transition outcomes are crucial to the699sustainment of the AVF.700 Second, perhaps this step would finally trigger the Armed701Services Committees of both House and Senate to hold joint702hearings with those of Veterans Affairs. Around 200,000 service703members exit the military every year, having access to some70445,000 registered nonprofit veterans service organizations,705numerous VA benefits such as the Post 911 GI Bill, DoD706SkillBridge apprenticeship and immersive career programs, and707corporate hiring initiatives. Most of these services and708programs have come about haphazardly. The result is that the709current institutional framework governing the scope of710challenges affecting veterans remains far too disparate,711reactive, and administratively marginalized. Survey after712survey consistently reveals that the number one source of713stress and anxiety for veterans they themselves identify is714about knowing where and how to navigate these benefits. We know715that transition is both an event and a process taking up to 10716years for some individuals. Generally speaking, the first 90717days are crucial, but the bulk of the reintegrating work occurs718in the initial 2-year period after receiving one's DD 2 and 4.719Those significant numbers of at least post 911 veterans have720felt that they were not entirely fully transitioned at even 6.5721years after service. The Veterans Metrics Initiative have722identified 7 domains that are critical to success in723transition. Employment, education, finances, legal security,724social connections, and physical and mental health.725 Furthermore, we know that our junior enlisted women and726minority veterans are facing the steepest post service727challenges, which are exacerbated by low utilization of728existing employment services. Explanations for why include the729current fragmentation of the veteran support system. Further730insight continues to elude us because of a lack of data731transparency and a lack of data about veterans simply. Enhanced732data sharing among the DoD, VA and other entities is essential.733Connecting the VA DoD identity repository data base and734information available from the Social Security Administration735specific to payroll information at the zip code level would go736a far way toward enabling a better delivery of resources737targeted to regions of the country with enduring economic738challenges. The majority of VA programs appear only to measure739outputs rather than outcomes.740 This leaves us in the dark about whether the billions of741dollars that are annually allocated for these programs are742accomplishing anything other than smoke signals. Any funding743would therefore be directed to the programs that effectively744improve veteran outcomes and have concrete evidence of the745same. Similarly, neither VA nor Congress have articulated any746key performance indicators to measure key transition goals. The747result is there is no standardized set of outcomes and impact748measures for veterans serving programs. Mandating evidence-749based funding and third-party oversight to ensure alignment750with measurable goals via implementing a Veterans Impact751Dashboard would allow for the tracking of the effectiveness of752any of the investments in support programs for government753delivered and nonprofit and private organizations that receive754Federal dollars.755 In conclusion, what we need for an improved transition from756soldier to civilian is not more programs or more money, but757better coordination, data sharing and outcome measurement of758existing programs and initiatives. We are 52 if not 250 years759behind in examining and understanding the dynamics that exist760between our society, our government and our military branches761in order to sustain an entirely volunteer military. Thank you.762763 [The Prepared Statement Of Rebecca Burgess Appears In The764Appendix]765766 The Chairman. Thank you, Ms. Burgess. I want to say thank767you to all the witnesses and the written statement of all the768witnesses will be entered into the hearing record and we are769now going to go to questions and I recognize myself for 5770minutes.771 Mr. Gupta, Combined Arms has over 312 member organizations772and has successfully made 85,000 military connections. What is773the biggest gap you see from the TAP program that transition774service members need from Combined Arms?775 Mr. Gupta. Thank you for the question, sir. Combined Arms776focus continues to be supporting the veterans and the military777families and part of the TAP's transition program. The biggest778gap we have seen is the early intervention in making awareness779of how nonprofits programs like ours, platform like Combined780Arms, can support the transition into civilian life,781translating their skills, experiences in a translatable782civilian job profile manner and helping them find the resources783and services they need in a very unified single open-door784policy where they do not have to think or worry what the next785step of support structure might look like.786 The Chairman. What feedback have you received from the787companies that hire through Combined Arms? What do you hear788from them that they need when hiring veterans?789 Mr. Gupta. Veterans have identified the corporate structure790lacks the awareness and the discipline to guide the transition791to civilian in terms of translation of their benefits offered792by the government and available to them through their GI bills.793That is the biggest gap in the overall administration on how794they move forward and receive the resources and the care they795need.796 The Chairman. Thank you. Ms. Burgess, in one of your797articles you discussed the broken veteran narrative. What can798Congress do to reverse this narrative, especially when it comes799to transition?800 Ms. Burgess. Thank you very much for that question. I801believe that actually the tone of congressional legislation can802help us nationally reverse that broken veteran narrative. In803other words, most of our legislation historically has always804taken a kind of victim aspect, looking at the needs and the805wants and the potential hurts of veterans. If we could flip806that narrative, where we are encasing the language in which we807identify bills as veterans, as social assets that need808particular programs that will lift them up rather than social809deficits, I think this could go a very large way toward810changing the veteran narrative at that national level.811 The Chairman. I think the frustration that we see with this812committee, and I have expressed it to other members many times813from this committee, and that is the fact that we quite often814always have to deal with what are we going to do to get815physically and mentally straightened out painting a picture816that all veterans are broken and all veterans are not broken.817They are the best employees that you could have. They are going818to show up to work on time. Once you give them a mission set,819they are going to accomplish that mission because that is what820they are used to. We need to focus, I think, more on that, to821make sure that people know and understand that. Do you agree?822 Ms. Burgess. Absolutely. If I could add, I think something823we have not looked at nationally is to try and understand824veteran transition. If it is about a 10-year process, how does825that compare to the civilian transition from college and the826identity that you create in college to those first years in the827professional world? We all--we all probably went through it as828a very, you know, unsettling time. What is unique to the829veteran and what is unique, you know, just to young adults830taking on a new--new identity and sense of purpose.831 The Chairman. Mr. Dickman, what challenges do junior832enlisted veterans face during transition compared to officers?833 Mr. Dickman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for that question.834Junior enlisted service members face some of the largest835barriers in terms of their relative perceived inexperience,836their overwhelming lack of degrees. Most junior enlisted837service members, almost a 20 percent differential from838civilians, job seekers, do not have a bachelor's degree, which839impacts them in their career search. They also struggle to840connect through like a no wrong door policy into organizations841that can help them with the right coaching to leverage the842experience they do have them in the military and the skills843that they do have that translate immediately to direct hiring844action. When that is done well and that they are supported from845someone that understands their experience, they do tend to use846more services within our organization. They use about 2.7847services compared to other clients of ours, and they get hired848very well using technical skills, but it takes time to help849them translate that and find the right pathways.850 The Chairman. Are there other groups, I mean, obviously the851difference between a junior enlisted and an officer it is just852maturity and everything like that, someone who was in the853military. Are there other unique areas of certain people coming854out with different non skill sets or whatever that we could855look at?856 Mr. Dickman. There certainly are, Mr. Chairman. I mean we857look at women veterans have unique struggles as well in terms858of leveraging their experience and networks appropriately. We859also see and do not want to minimize the challenges that860military spouses face in their career search and the impact861that has on the sustainment of the service members862participation as an active-duty service member. Junior863enlisted, from our research we have been doing this for 20864years as far as delivering service interventions, that is the865group that has the had the most consistent struggles in866obtaining equitable employment after service.867 The Chairman. Thank you very much. My time has expired and868I now recognize the ranking member.869 Mr. Takano. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr.870Chairman, in your rejoinder, in your remarks about the role of871DoD, I just want to point out that I actually think you872actually made my argument that DoD is not here. The argument is873that they are busy. Even when they are not busy, you know, DoD874has not made transition services a priority regardless of which875party is in control. You know, I would just submit to you that876the energy and the bipartisanship behind ideas to move877transition forward has come from this committee, and we should878not have to do it through the NDAA. I would just request that879you join me in going to our respective leaderships and ask for880this change because I would rather have changes to TAP come881straight from all of us here. I see you nodding, yes.882 I am not calling out Pete Hegseth on this particular issue.883I just say, I just think that the talent and the energy from884this committee on a bipartisan basis would be better channeled885if we--if we had the jurisdiction. With that I am going to ask886my question to--first question to Ms. Burgess.887 Last month, with no explanation, Congress, VA, and DoD888announced a memorandum of understanding strengthening our889partnership in service to those who serve. While DoD was asked890to attend this hearing to explain this MOU, they declined891testifying. My question for you is regarding the automatic892enrollment into VA healthcare. My legislation EVEST requires893automatic VA enrollment during transition, changing an opt in894to an opt out. How would this shift service members? How would895this shift serve service members and veterans?896 Ms. Burgess. Am I understanding you correctly? Your897question is how would it shift the narrative, the public898perception of the veterans?899 Mr. Takano. Well, how would this shift to an opt--an opt900out, meaning you are automatically enrolled in VA from an opt901in where you have to go and sign up for VA. How would that, how902would that shift serve service members and veterans?903 Ms. Burgess. I think it would help many of the veterans who904are--who assume that they are automatically enrolled. This is a905point of interest maybe to many veterans or to those who serve906veterans. Many veterans do not understand that it is not an907automatic process and it comes as a shock to them. Sometimes908after the process, if they were already automatically enrolled,909it would take out potentially some of the stress of those the910first 90 days or the first 2 years of trying to scramble after911they already need a service and getting into a hole of service.912 Mr. Takano. If we have 200,000 veterans a year913transitioning from military and civilian life and they were all914automatically enrolled, that would mean VA could stay in touch915with them, they could make sure that they knew about programs916that VA had to reduce the stressors of that transition. You917know, employment programs, training programs, health programs,918et cetera. It also strikes me that, well, I was going to Mr.919Gupta. Mr. Gupta, the GAO reported on March 2024 that younger920and lower ranked service members and service members facing921unanticipated separations for short notice administrative or922medical separations were experienced a more difficult923transition. What are some of the unique transition challenges924you have observed among these groups of veterans?925 Mr. Gupta. The unique challenges across any veteran is the926adaptation and accumulation back to the society with their927basic needs to be met. What we have seen, based on the data928driven strategies and active feedback from our strong member929audience, is navigation of the space. With Combined Arms as a930technology platform which has an open-door policy, what we see931is most veterans are engaged in one aspect of life like job932security, resulting into other opportunities and support933services which they might not have been aware of. Awareness934seems to be a bigger challenge in navigating the space and how935to seek assistance. That is where the platform connects and936reaches out. Mention their basic needs and all life standards937are met.938 Mr. Takano. Well, thank you. Mr. Chairman, in closing, let939me just say that I had hoped that both secretaries would940communicate more forthrightly with members with such an941important memorandum. Especially I am delighted that both942secretaries are looking at some sort of automatic enrollment943and doing it administratively. I would appreciate if we could944get representatives from both departments to explain how this945memorandum understanding would be implemented, what the details946are, et cetera. Thank you.947 The Chairman. Representative Mace, you are recognized for 5948minutes of question.949 Ms. Mace. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the950opportunity to discuss the Transition Assistance Program today.951An important step for our service members as they leave active952duty embark on the next chapter of their lives. We owe our953veterans a seamless path to success after service. For many954service members, the transition from the structure of military955life can be overwhelming. Every individual has different needs956when it comes to leaving service, and the TAP program must957equip every departing veteran with the skills they need to958succeed in civilian life. When TAP succeeds, communities959prosper, local businesses gain skilled employees, colleges960enroll motivated students, and veterans are given the skills961they need to thrive. I am particularly interested in the ways962the Department of Veterans Affairs can leverage technology to963improve TAP, so the bulk of my questions will be related to964that today.965 Modernizing TAP through digital platforms and data driven966approaches greatly improves our ability to prepare service967members for civilian life. By embracing technology and968streamlining processes, we can deliver personalized guidance969earlier, monitor outcomes more effectively, and adapt quickly970to evolving needs. A more connected TAP bridges gaps,971simplifies access, and ensures every veteran completes his972journey ready to succeed in their next role in life and973civilian life. Private companies have played an important role974in modernizing and improving the TAP process to better serve975our veterans. My first question is for to you, Mr. Gupta. How976do your services differ from the traditional TAP experience?977 Mr. Gupta. Thank you for the question. At Combined Arms, it978is an opt in model and it is a big force multiplier for any979veteran or the family members seeking assistance. Like980previously mentioned, we focus on the care and supporting981sustaining life's healthy thriving models. Regardless of your982needs, using our technology predictive analytic data driven983approach, we analyze the patterns of a given veteran.984Individualized care is provided based on the frequency of the985resource needed or the amount of care needed for that986individual scenario.987 Ms. Mace. Can you talk to a little bit about technology988integration to the TAP program to leverage VA systems? How can989you elaborate a little bit more on how that would work?990 Mr. Gupta. Given the predictive and data driven991storytelling and overlaying of AI with a data governance and992strict cadence given and only the needed data of a veteran is993shared with the resource agencies, we can establish patterns994and technology pathways to guide and predict the next steps in995a journey of a family care.996 Ms. Mace. Is that solely AI driven?997 Mr. Gupta. Oh no. AI is just a force multiplier. You can998never replace a human interaction to understand that underlying999cause. Entry point to a resource might be, let us say job or1000food assistance, but through the frequency and the nature of1001engagement of a veteran and the services they need, AI1002predictive models, prescriptive models can help analyze the1003pattern and the next best care made available to that veteran.1004 Ms. Mace. Can you talk to some of the collaboration between1005DoD and VA in this model?1006 Mr. Gupta. Yes, early awareness.1007 Ms. Mace. Okay.1008 Mr. Gupta. Right from preparation.1009 Ms. Mace. How early? When you say early awareness, how do1010you define early awareness?1011 Mr. Gupta. Right from the engagement or the enrollment into1012a TAP's program or a class, streamlining the veteran community,1013potential community, and tying it back to geographical1014locations, the transitions might happen. Balancing that with1015the nursing natural resources care facilities in that area,1016made available to that veteran can help bridge this gap and1017make the transition very smooth.1018 Ms. Mace. Okay, Mr. Loomis, you got my last minute and a1019half. Can you speak to how your digital platform connects1020veterans with job opportunities and career guidance?1021 Mr. Loomis. Yes. Thank you, Congresswoman. More1022specifically, I think it has to do with the way the world is1023integrated today and becoming more and more integrated. It is1024understanding the service members story, what their journey is1025like. Everybody's journey is different and that is more1026specifically around what their role or their career was in the1027military, what their likes and preferences are, where are they1028geographically wanting to be located during discharge or their1029last destination.1030 More specifically, what are their objectives, what are1031their 5-year goals, what are they looking for in order for job1032placement? Then working with--we are more of an integrator1033where we integrate with organizations that offer job placement1034programs for veterans. More specifically, to the witness to my1035right, Mr. Dickman, it is really about enabling the veterans1036data to drive what the potential and the possible job1037opportunity that sets them up for success. You know, it is not1038a matter of just applying for every job that you can. It is1039more about what are the top five employment opportunities that1040were ideal for me to succeed in my career. That is really the1041integration point.1042 Ms. Mace. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.1043 The Chairman. Representative Pappas, I recognize you for 51044minutes.1045 Mr. Pappas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks to you and the1046ranking member for holding this session here today on an1047important topic, the transition from military to civilian life.1048I want to thank our Panel for their contributions to this1049conversation. We know that TAP continues to fall short in many1050ways. Many service providers members report that the program1051feels more like a checkbox rather than a serious investment in1052their futures.1053 60 percent of post 911 veterans report difficulty adjusting1054to civilian life. Many relocate to entirely new communities1055with little support in finding housing, employment or1056structure. Although TAP is a multi-agency effort, I have heard1057from far too many veterans who complete the program only to1058scramble later in life for answers on benefits, job placement,1059and stability for their families. These gaps underscore the1060indispensable role of VSOs, nonprofits, and Non-Governmental1061Organizations (NGO). Your organizations are often the ones1062filling the void offering career prep, benefit navigation, job1063placement and much needed support structure along that road. I1064wanted to ask you a question, Mr. Dickman.1065 I appreciated your discussion about measuring outcomes,1066about skills-based hiring opportunities and public-private1067partnerships. SkillBridge is one program that Congress has1068focused its attention on over the last many years. I have seen1069the success of this in my district. We know that these1070experiences help service members build resumes, gain exposure1071to market relevant skills, and in many cases lead to post1072service employment with the same organization. In my State,1073partners offer opportunities in advanced manufacturing,1074aerospace, software development, and even public service roles1075with our State Department of Transportation. Congress has taken1076steps in recent years to expand an institutionalized1077SkillBridge. I am wondering if you have any observations for us1078in terms of what is working, what more we can do to modernize1079this program for today's workforce? Cut back on red tape and1080invite more employers to be a part of it.1081 Mr. Dickman. Thank you, sir, for the question. Yes, we are1082as at Hire Heroes USA, we are not a SkillBridge facilitator. We1083are a sort of a upstream preparation for active-duty service1084members and military spouses before they compete for a1085SkillBridge opportunity. If you think about it, SkillBridge as1086an internship model has the same challenges that any other1087veteran might encounter. They have to interview for that1088internship opportunity. They have to know what their skills1089are. They have to know what their value proposition is. They1090have to be able to kind of land that internship and perform1091well in it.1092 What we have seen that works really well is when service1093members engage in one-on-one coaching with one of our1094transition specialists at Hire Heroes USA for skills1095development, resume interviewing prep and the ability to1096articulate what their goals are. They perform better in their1097SkillBridge internship and are more likely to obtain employment1098afterwards. What I would encourage to improve that system is1099more upstream interventions that are aligned around the time1100sequence for what that service member might need to compete1101more effectively at that maximum point closer to their1102transition when they are eligible for SkillBridge.1103Understanding how to articulate and validate their skills in a1104way an employer would recognize and use those to make a hiring1105decision that can happen upstream and does not need to happen1106right at the point of transition when everything's very1107stressful for a service member.1108 Mr. Pappas. I appreciate that and I think that responds to1109the statistic you cited, 61 percent of veterans that report1110being underemployed once separated from military service.1111 If I could go to you Ms. Burgess. Question about just the1112mental health issue that you cited in your testimony. I am1113wondering if you can provide any additional observations on1114gaps in the continuum of care from DoD to VA and what steps we1115should be taking to address those gaps. You talked about data1116sharing and coordination as important priorities. Any other1117observations you might have I think are incredibly helpful as1118we work to provide the best mental health support we can?1119 Ms. Burgess. Thank you very much, Congressman, for that1120question and the opportunity to elaborate a little bit on that.1121I think that one of the most difficult things for Congress when1122it comes to mental health of veterans is that you cannot1123legislate hope, but you can legislate the things of hope. I1124think the things of hope for the transitioning veteran are many1125of the things which all of my fellow panelists were speaking1126about today. Are the particular programs that are rooted in1127especially education, employment, legal services, financial1128well-being, but especially what the research continues to show1129both in the U.S. and recent studies out of Sweden and out of1130the UK show that the sense of identity is the single most1131important element of the transitioning veteran. They are losing1132a very important identity which is rooted in a public, a very1133large sense of service and purpose.1134 Trying to enable them to return to refine to that sense of1135purpose is what each of these programs should be helping them1136as one rung up the ladder to be able to do so, enabling them to1137connect with these different programs at their own level and as1138they need it. This is what gets to that 24-7 model of the1139technology, the importance of the technology rather than1140thinking about a job fair for the 21st century. Where does a114121-year-old or a 25-year-old go today? They talk to their buddy1142or they go online and do a Google search. We need better1143immediate touch points, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that1144enable that veteran to find the support services that they need1145and that come to them in a way rather than them having to go1146out to discover across the board what may or may not work, what1147may or may not be in that area.1148 As someone who has worked and has observed Combined Arms in1149the past, to me this is a model that could be scaled because it1150brings to the veteran kind of a clearinghouse of here are all1151the programs that ask you the questions that you need and you1152are able to input what you are looking for and then it spits1153back out at you and unscientific language. Here are the1154different programs or government agencies that you could be1155connected with that could help you and then it makes those1156appointments, helps you find those people.1157 Mr. Pappas. Thanks for your thoughts. I yield back.1158 The Chairman. Dr. Miller-Meeks, make sure you are1159recognized for 5 minutes.1160 Ms. Miller-Meeks. Thank you very much. I really want to1161thank Chairman Bost for having this extraordinarily important1162hearing. This is something that we hear about. As a 24-year1163army veteran who left--who left the service and to your point,1164Ms. Burgess, I actually left to pursue education, to go to1165medical school. I had hope that there was a career pathway for1166me outside of the military. I think how we help assist active1167duty to go into the veteran space or into civilian life is1168extraordinarily important. There is a ton of questions I would1169love to ask, but I now have 4 minutes and 27 seconds.1170 Mr. Gupta, the recently congressionally mandated report1171showed that 52 percent of veterans met the mandated 360-day1172timelines for TAP. Do you think service members would be more1173prepared for transition if there was accountability to actually1174get service members to TAP on time?1175 Mr. Gupta. Thank you for the question. The accountability1176translates in our mind is toward awareness and the benefits and1177education. It is not just a matter of just a class, one class1178and you are done. It is more of engagement and enrollment and1179also outreach to the local community in terms of being1180readiness to accept that volume of veterans coming in. It is a1181two-way street and has to be coordinated appropriately.1182 Ms. Miller-Meeks. Yes. Our Governor Brandstad had did that1183with an initiative called Homestead Iowa. We have communities1184all throughout that prepare to receive veterans and veteran1185spouses. In your testimony you mentioned that combining1186technology integration into the TAP program to leverage VA1187systems would be beneficial. Can you elaborate--elaborate on1188how this would practically work?1189 Mr. Gupta. Yes. Through the transition, the biggest1190challenge is adaptation and education and acceptance and1191through technology, not only veterans who can be made aware of1192social services and community events or any kind of campaigns1193going on, but it is also important for the community to be1194aware of the veteran's skill set coming in, the hardships they1195have gone through and how do we translate a military life to a1196civilian life. That partnership really helps.1197 Ms. Miller-Meeks. I am going to follow up on that with Mr.1198Dickman. With over 100,000 successful hires, how does Hire1199Heroes USA, what do you do to find opportunities for veterans1200and help them stay employed? Do you track attrition rates?1201 Mr. Dickman. Thank you for the question, Congresswoman.1202Actually, probably as we are speaking today, we will pass1203110,000 unique service members and military spouses put into1204work through our program. The way we work on that is through a1205one-on-one personalized care model where a member of our staff1206is both their coach, their guide, and at times the1207uncomfortable truth teller that a service member might need to1208hear about how do they need to leverage their skills and apply1209in their job search1210 Running behind them in the back end that the veteran may or1211may not be aware of is a complicated series of both searches,1212placement activity and employer engagement systems that are1213aligning that skill experience. That we are running searches in1214the background based on the experience and data that we have.1215We also then tap into forward facing and more active searches1216so webinars and engagements directly with employers so they can1217build that connective tissue.1218 We do track attrition and we have seen that when placed1219well, veterans stay longer and employers and are promoted1220faster. It is that first role that tends to be the most1221critical. The challenge point that we see is, especially with1222long delay in seeking services and support, is that often1223veterans have to make a choice of getting a job now versus1224finding that right job where their skills are going to be put1225to the best use.1226 Ms. Miller-Meeks. Mentioning that nonprofits currently bear1227a lot of the burden of assisting veterans and transitioning1228service members. Mr. Loomis, the veteran post transition1229outcome data is lacking and is one of the main reasons it is1230been so hard to get government agencies to prioritize TAP. How1231can TurboVets help fill this gap?1232 Mr. Loomis. Thank you Congresswoman for the question. The1233priority really comes down to the collaboration and the first1234time we are really driving the idea that the DoD and the VA1235need to be working together and to integrate this new1236technology. There is no way that historically it is been done--1237it has always been a very siloed approach where one owned one1238version or phase of it and then another agency owned the next1239phase. That disconnection really the veteran or the service1240member would feel the most. Our collaboration of working with1241the Secretary of Defense's office as well as the Secretary of1242VA's office more specifically to focus on that integration of1243being able to connect their data of what the DoD has for the1244service member, integrating that into the job market and then1245integrating that also into the veteran status role model. Our1246approach is getting the veteran to sign up for VA benefits1247automatically with our product. Whether we can get the law and1248the acts passed and the policy endorsed in order to make that1249happen, we are doing it for them because we want to get the1250veterans.1251 Ms. Miller-Meeks. That is an excellent point. My time has1252expired and I yield back.1253 The Chairman. Representative Budzinski.1254 Ms. Budzinski. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Chairman,1255and thank you, Ranking Member Takano for holding this hearing.1256I want to thank the witnesses for being here as well. I am1257really glad that this committee is spending time focusing on1258that transition period for active-duty military into civilian1259life. We do know, and I know it is been mentioned, there have1260been a number of improvements made to the TAP program. We also1261acknowledge that we still have work to do in this space. I1262would share with you, I have heard from my Women Veterans1263Advisory Council and recent reports from the Wounded Warrior1264Project, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and others confirm1265that women veterans are among the most vulnerable in the1266transition process.1267 I am especially concerned about the mental health1268challenges veterans face, obviously during this transition.1269That is why I introduced a bipartisan bill, the VA Mental1270Health Outreach and Engagement Act with Congressman Edwards,1271which would expand VA's outreach to veterans about the mental1272health services that are available to them. There is bipartisan1273consensus that too many transitioning service members and1274recently separated veterans are still falling through the gaps.1275Organizations like those represented here today help fill those1276gaps by connecting veterans with peer support, career services,1277and assistance navigating VA benefits. We are missing the1278opportunity today, which is disappointing to hear from the1279Department of Defense directly, which is, I understand,1280declined to join today's hearing.1281 It is incumbent upon DoD, in partnership with VA and the1282Department of Labor, to ensure that every service member, every1283veteran is afforded transition counseling and supports that1284they need to flourish in civilian life. The Federal Government1285must lead this using key performance indicators and outcome1286measures to improve transparency and accountability. During the1287previous administration, governmentwide work on navigating the1288transition to civilian life produced valuable insights. Now we1289must use these insights to take action to reshape the1290transition experience, so that it is easier and more tailored1291for each service member's individual needs and goals. My1292question is for Ms. Burgess.1293 Your testimony highlights that women, minorities and junior1294enlisted veterans face the steepest post service challenges.1295You bring up the need for better demographic data to research1296and understand this. What would you recommend to reduce those1297gaps? Could you also speak to what key performance indicators1298would you recommend to access to assess improvement?1299 Ms. Burgess. Thank you very much, Congresswoman, for your1300comments and your question. I think one of the most important1301things when it comes to women veterans, again, we suffer so1302much in this area from a lack of actual data or access to data.1303For those of us who live in the research world and want to1304understand this, especially if you do not have a background in1305actual military service. The other thing is changing the1306narrative about mental health itself. That for a veteran,1307accessing mental health care is not about giving yourself a1308life sentence. We have completely distorted what happens to a1309veteran after their terms of service. In fact, maybe only 101310percent actually experience Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), where1311most transitioning veterans actually experience something1312called transition stress. Then there is something else that1313many of our special operators especially experience, which is1314operator syndrome. All of these have these new. Medical1315research has made leaps and bounds about how to address access1316these things.1317 For most of the American public and most of the1318transitioning veterans, the idea is that if you seek mental1319health, you are acknowledging to yourself that you have this1320life sentence ahead of you. Women especially shrink back from1321that type of a label for themselves. While we have also found1322through some research of just social data bases that women1323veterans are frequently the most to express some of their1324concerns socially, among social media, they actually are less1325frequent to find and actually do something about it for1326themselves. That can also just go back to some of the other1327support services that, you know, are out there that should be1328identified for them because they have a lack of access to1329childcare or their caregiver in addition to maybe going to1330school. It is identifying which of those other underlying1331issues might be there that is preventing them from actually1332seeking the health care provider, or is it simply not1333understanding that there is an online component that they could1334avail themselves of.1335 That is one aspect and something that could help us1336understand whether it is kind of financial and local to a1337region versus in general is what I mentioned in my testimony,1338which is connecting VA and DoD identity repository data base1339with information from the Social Security Administration that1340is specific to the payroll at the zip code level. That could1341tell us so much information that we could then isolate out even1342types of service, whether it is National Guard, which none of1343us have mentioned today, about the struggles of National1344Guardsmen or women coming back versus reservists, active-duty,1345et cetera. That is one idea. Could go on all day, but I will--1346--1347 Ms. Budzinski. That is really wonderful. Thank you, that is1348helpful. Would love to hear more of your ideas too after today.1349Thank you. Thank you and I will yield back.1350 The Chairman. Representative Luttrell is recognized by the1351Chairman.1352 Mr. Luttrell. Thank you, Ranking Member and Chairman Bost.1353You know, we would not have the veteran community if we did not1354have DoD, and we would not have DoD if we did not have the1355veteran community. You, most of you, the Panel has said it,1356there needs to be a relationship between the two. It seems like1357it has fallen short or has fallen short. I will just be1358brutally honest. It has fallen short.1359 There is a lot of intangibles, a lot of pitfalls between1360there and here when it comes to DoD and the VA. You know, we1361need to take a hard look at, and I call them children, but they1362are grown men and women, when they enlist in the military,1363especially our junior enlisted service members, and they will1364come out of high school at 17 years old, 18 years old, spend a1365short amount of time or extended period of time in the1366military, and then they are kind of cast out into the civilian1367population.1368 Well, there is a lot that happens. If you leave high school1369and you go to college and your parents kind of put you in this1370position here, you learn how to be an adult. I do not have a1371better way to say it, but you have the--nobody's paying for1372your--nobody's paying for where you are, you know, when you go1373out at night, paying your bills, your car payment, you take1374that responsibility. Junior enlisted service members, they are1375taught how to walk, talk, shoot, do all the other kind of1376stuff. Give them a place to live, give them a place to eat, no1377matter what, they are taken care of. Then when their time is1378up, here we go, and welcome to the real world. Now, if they are1379married with children, if they have a disability, that is a lot1380to shoulder the second that you step off that train that is1381traveling down the track. When we were talking about transition1382assistance and the platform itself and how do we assist these1383members there is, I do not know how you, and I do not mean this1384in a negative connotation, but how do you teach somebody how to1385be a responsible adult in a way that when you are in the1386civilian world, when you have not had to do that more or less1387when you are in the military, again, because it is provided for1388you a lot of times. That is another one of those things that we1389are going to have to figure out.1390 Now, when we are populating the digital footprint in your1391organizations, I want to make sure that everybody is1392specifically, that we focus on each individual specifically.1393Like if my resume or my portfolio is inside the organization1394and his is inside the organization, his and I are very similar,1395but we are very different people. I am obviously a way better1396congressional member than this guy. I was a way better seal at1397the time.1398 Mr. Van Orden. This is not true.1399 Mr. Luttrell. Mr. Gupta, I heard you speak on the personal1400relationships that you have inside your organizations with1401those members. Now, I think that we should start transitioning1402a member's resume from the time they complete basic training1403until the time that they exit the military. That way, when you1404are talking to a Marines, like, ``Hey, what did you do?'' The1405response from the Marine is, ``Look show me bad man. I take bad1406man away.'' You know, that is kind of an infantry Marine's1407response. That is their job, and that is their responsibility.1408How does that translate into the civilian world? We are1409responsible for making that articulation the day that we leave.1410Hey, here you go. Thanks for playing. Figure it out.1411 The communication breakdown in between these organizations1412is one of my primary concerns, from start to finish again. Mr.1413Loomis, can you--can you kind of walk me through what you think1414the best way to have VA and DoD communicate? Again, two very1415large organizations that live on different platforms, and this1416committee always runs into whomever we are speaking to it is1417like we do not talk to each other very well. If we are creating1418a digital footprint to assist our veterans, how does that--how1419can that work?1420 Mr. Loomis. Thank you, Congressman. I think, it goes back1421to your point about when people join the military and then1422having something that they can build a relationship with along1423through their journey of military service, including their goal1424and their career goal aspirations while they are in the1425military. I do believe that the way that we are talking with1426the VA and the DoD right now is to build a ecosystem that1427essentially allows a service member to understand what benefits1428there are in the military and staying in the military, as well1429as the benefits of going into civilian life. I think that is1430not presented well when it comes to service members when they1431are going through TAP, including what pitfalls there are, what1432difficulties, what opportunities there are to retain certain1433talent to stay in the military.1434 I think the integration that is going on today between the1435DoD and the VA is more around the service member's journey.1436What is this service member doing? What are their goals, and1437can we match those goals? Can the DoD aid in keeping that1438service member enlisted to join and achieve their goals? If1439they cannot, then what can the VA do to help that service1440member achieve their goals? Whether it is a career in1441technology, whether it is owning your own business, going1442through the vocational readiness program. I think it is more1443about the way that the data is shared, right? The DoD does not1444share data with the VA very well, including the service member.1445They do not get their DoD data very easily. I think that the1446way that the data connectivity is with working with our1447platform is to build that career, the service member has their1448data with them 24-7, 365 from the day they join the military to1449the day they transition to the day that they need any kind of1450benefits.1451 Mr. Luttrell. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.1452 The Chairman. Ms. Brownley.1453 Ms. Brownley. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to1454each of you for what you do for our Nation's veterans. I am not1455sure what our system would look like without you, so I am very,1456very grateful. Ms. Burgess, I appreciate how in your testimony1457you describe the role veterans play as the unacknowledged, but1458permanent Ambassador of national service and how they are1459treated after service can have a big impact on public1460perception and recruitment for our country's all volunteer1461force. Clearly, high quality health care is a solemn promise1462that we make to our Nation's veterans. That is certainly why1463the VA benefits and service brief during the TAP course is1464required and so consequential for transitioning service1465members.1466 I would like, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask unanimous1467consent to enter into the record an article from the Guardian1468published on June 18, 2025 titled, ``VA Hospitals Remove1469Politics and Marital Status from Guidelines Protecting Patients1470from Discrimination.''1471 The Chairman. Without objection.1472 Ms. Brownley. Are you familiar, Ms. Burgess, with the new1473medical staff bylaws language discussion in this article that1474eliminates the requirement for healthcare professionals to care1475for veterans regardless of their politics and marital status?1476 Ms. Burgess. Unfortunately, I have not kept up quite on1477that aspect of.1478 Ms. Brownley. Okay, all right. Assuming that it is true,1479and it is true that the VA has changed the bylaws in their1480language, they that would allow the VA medical professionals to1481the bylaws at least eliminate the requirement for healthcare1482professionals to care for veterans regardless of politics and1483marital status. What that really means is it could be that1484individual providers could now decline care for patients based1485on their personal characteristics or their marital status and1486that would not be protected under the law. Do you think a1487change like that should be brought to service members attention1488during the TAP program, during the VA benefit and service1489brief?1490 Ms. Burgess. I think one of the difficulties is when they1491are in those TAP programs, they feel so inundated by1492information that it goes in one ear out one ear and they do not1493remember any of those particular particulars. I would like to1494say while in theory, maybe, when else would they understand1495that or be presented with it. In reality, they are not going,1496that will be so far down on their list of concerns outside of a1497few where their lifestyles might have them particularly attuned1498to that type of issue.1499 Ms. Brownley. I think probably the more important question1500is what do you think the impact will be on perception and1501recruitment if members leaving the service, transitioning to be1502in veteran status now learns that they could be discriminated1503against based on their marital status or their political1504beliefs by medical professionals within the VA?1505 Ms. Burgess. I think, again, that will vary by kind of1506subsets of culture within the military. Many of those who might1507be already concerned about those questions might never think1508about joining the military in the first place because they1509might see it as not conducive.1510 Ms. Brownley. Do you think they have the right to be, to1511know and understand that they may be denied care?1512 Ms. Burgess. I am sure we all have every American should1513understand their rights in terms of accessing health care. I do1514think, though, on the health care side, I will just--I will1515yield back right now.1516 Ms. Brownley. Okay. All right. Well, Mr. Chairman, I bring1517this up because I find that this policy is really outrageous1518and it is a concern. I mean, it is not just their political1519views in one direction or the other. It does not matter in1520terms of what your political views are. If a medical1521professional believes and does not like that political view, he1522or she can deny care. Simple as that.1523 The Chairman. The Chair--the secretary did give a full1524video explaining that that was not the case----1525 Ms. Brownley. I do not know why they published it in their1526bylaws to say that. It----1527 The Chairman. Just telling you what is the other----1528 Ms. Brownley. I think it is consistent with the Trump1529administration that they are inconsistent in their message1530messages. I will just leave it at that. I will--well, it looks1531like my time is up, but I will leave it at that. Again, I am1532very, very concerned that our Nation's veterans could be denied1533care based on their political beliefs and or their marital1534status. I will yield back.1535 The Chairman. Representative King-Hinds, you are recognized1536for 5 minutes.1537 Ms. King-Hinds. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Ranking1538Member. Thank you to all of you for being here today. I just1539wanted to see what the interplay is with regards to your1540organizations. Are you in some sort of a data base or a data1541bank where a vet, for example, can, going to your point about a1542la carte services, is there a one stop shop or a site where, if1543I was a vet and I was looking for different options or1544different services that are available through nonprofits, is1545there a site that I can go where I can pull that information or1546resource?1547 Mr. Gupta. Thank you for that question. At Combined Arms we1548have a very vigorous vetting process for all the VSOs. It is at1549no charge to the veteran and the organizations will never1550charge the veteran. Through full transparency and an open-door1551policy, a veteran coming in can reach out to any organization,1552seek any resource, and the agencies are under Combined Arms1553agreement to help them to the best they can and forward on the1554veteran to other agencies without them having to search and1555start all over again.1556 Ms. King-Hinds. Okay, did you want to share----1557 Mr. Dickman. Thank you, Representative for the question.1558For example, our organization is one of the vetted1559organizations that is partnered with Combined Arms.1560 Ms. King-Hinds. Okay.1561 Mr. Dickman. If a service member in Texas joins Combined1562Arms Network and is curious or needs help with their job1563search, their filters would then direct them to us for support1564and our one-on-one transition specialist would support that1565veteran with their career search. We are only an employment1566service delivery organization, so we carry a network of about15671600 referral partners who serve other need areas such as1568housing or financial insecurity, food insecurity, any other1569area that we have also vetted, and we will refer them to. There1570is a variety of open-source websites that attempt to serve as1571sort of a catch all index of veteran service organizations, but1572with about 45,000 out there, the closest are probably some of1573the more tailored lists that stick to the top 100 or 200.1574 Ms. King-Hinds. Do you service places outside of the1575continent of the United States, like the territories? I am from1576the Northern Marianas where access to services is very limited.1577Is there an opportunity to be able to provide folks with the1578resources that you currently provide, whether through online1579platforms or whatever other mediums?1580 Mr. Dickman. Thank you, Representative. Yes, at Hire Heroes1581USA we serve any veteran, any service member, any military1582spouse. It does not matter when they served, how long they1583served, what rank, the constitution of their service or where1584they live. Any member of your constituency as long as they1585served 1 day in uniform or were married or partnered with a1586service member is eligible for our services all through our1587web-based platform. Then our online coaching is a distributed1588and remote model.1589 Ms. King-Hinds. Okay.1590 Mr. Gupta. Just to add to that, currently at Combined Arms1591we do have active veteran and military family profiles1592leveraging the platform from Indian territories and other1593states, Puerto Rico, Guam, equally.1594 Ms. King-Hinds. Okay, great.1595 Mr. Gupta. They--all services available either regionally1596or at national level to them.1597 Ms. King-Hinds. Okay, that is good to hear. Did you want to1598chime in?1599 Mr. Loomis. Yes ma'am. More specifically, we want to talk1600about what our focus is unlike the witnesses here is to really1601how benefits application process and management goes. We are1602more on the benefits and application process for all benefits1603across all different services. It could be disability,1604vocational readiness, GI Bill, healthcare, even active-duty1605service members wanting a VA loan. We are working on automating1606the VA loan to lower cost to the service members as well being1607very disruptive of how all benefits operate on a single unified1608platform.1609 While we handle all the technology of benefits management,1610when it comes to services and support nonprofits, integrations1611like working with Hire Heroes or Combined Arms, which we are in1612conversations with, is to elevate that there is too much1613repetition in the nonprofit and services community. I quite1614frankly think it should be combined in order to remove the1615redundancy and combine, really do a force multiplier. I also1616think that, when it comes to recruitment and how to do1617recruitment and how do service members have access to services1618that they do not even know they have. Like when you are active-1619duty, there is education benefits that you can use for1620continuing education that most service members do not know they1621have. That is the benefit of putting all the benefits on one1622unified platform that we are building.1623 Ms. King-Hinds. All right, well, may I yield the balance of1624my time?1625 Mr. Gupta. Dr. Conaway, you are recognized for 5 minutes.1626 Mr. Conaway. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have listening1627intently and I guess where I would start with Ms. Burgess, do1628you have a thought or an opinion about how the, the yearlong1629educational process on the transition of veterans from the1630service works? You know, the data that they provided to us1631suggests that, I guess despite this long transition education1632there is a low uptake of completion of those services. Do you1633have thoughts about how we want to change that process to raise1634the number of veterans transitioning from the service, actually1635complete the training so that they can successfully transition1636from the service?1637 Ms. Burgess. Yes. Thank you for the question. Though I am1638not a specialist in all of the nitty gritty of all the top ins1639and outs, I would say one, there is a radical solution that I1640would love to put on the table, which is to think of the end of1641service with a 30-day leave. You do not just say that you are1642going to exit the service and then be gone and then be in1643uniform 1 day. Now you have 30 days in which you could really1644get through each one of those aspects of reintegrating into1645civilian service, as in try and figure out where you are going1646to live, where the jobs are that you want to be, et cetera.1647 The other is that it seems very anecdotally. Again, this is1648one of the issues of the data. Much of this is anecdotal from1649individual soldiers and those from other branches coming back1650telling us that the yearlong, when they start, they forget the1651information that they may have received and they forget at1652when--at which point in that year it would be the most helpful1653to apply some of that, especially regarding enrollment in, say,1654VA healthcare type issues. Perhaps, you know, it needs to be1655thought of as a more condensed issue at one particular point1656rather than over that year. Though, in general----1657 Mr. Conaway. Thank you. I just want to reclaim my time1658because you have answers, I think you will agree have been1659quite long. Any comment from the other--other members of the1660Panel? Good, because let me move on. I just certainly want to1661say that I am concerned about the statistics that 60 percent of1662veterans are having difficulty finding employment after 6 and1663half years. Clearly we need to do more. I am hopeful that our1664committee here in the Congress and other interested Members of1665Congress will address that issue.1666 I do have a concern about privacy in particular. This1667question is to Mr. Loomis.1668 As I understand it, you are leveraging data to help1669veterans apply for services and the like. You know, I am a data1670privacy legislator. I am very concerned about access by private1671entities to personal data and how that might be misused. In1672fact, I have introduced the VA Data Act, which would restrict1673special government employees from accessing and extracting data1674in possession of Veterans Affairs. I am concerned about data.1675 Could you just describe to me and the Committee how you1676access and get access to the data that you are using to help1677veterans access the services that you are offering in your1678program, Mr. Loomis?1679 Mr. Loomis. Thank you, Congressman. The data access is1680through technology. It is through secure communication between1681the VA data base systems and our data base systems. That is1682done through a program called Lighthouse. It is a Lighthouse1683team that goes through a rigorous program of terms of service.1684What is used with that data? The data is never used. It is1685never, never repopulated. There is no advertising of the data.1686It is never sold to any organization. The veteran owns their1687own data. They can delete their own data. They can consent to1688the data extraction from the VA in order to apply for benefits1689and aid them with it. More specifically, because of my1690cybersecurity background, data security is a very big, serious1691concern for us as well. More and more importantly, we are1692working on hosting the platform inside of the Federal ramp,1693which is the government cloud, so that this data is not out in1694the commercial marketplace. It is in a protected environment1695behind the government infrastructure so that government systems1696can securely communicate to each other.1697 Mr. Conaway. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will1698yield back.1699 The Chairman. Thank you. Mr. Van. Or Representative Van1700Orden.1701 Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Unfortunately, you1702know, I have got a bunch of stuff I want to ask, but I got to1703counter what my Democrat colleagues have been saying.1704 This is a--this is an email from the VA that directly1705disputes that bullshit article from The Guardian. I am sorry1706for using that profanity, sir. I want this with--I would like1707this entered into the record.1708 The Chairman. Without objection.1709 Mr. Van Orden. What Ms. Brownley, who I respect1710tremendously, said is an absolute flat out lie. We are not1711going to take that when--when my Democrat colleagues did decide1712to lie like that. It makes people not want to go to the VA and1713that increases the risk of suicide, and that is unacceptable.1714My Democrat colleagues also have seemed to rail against1715President Trump deciding to take out the Iranian nuclear1716problem. I do not recall any of them, and many of which were in1717Congress when President Obama executed 4 American citizens with1718drone strikes. Enough is enough. We should not politicize this.1719I am the chairman of the Subcommittee for Echo, or for Economic1720Opportunity (EO). I would like to thank Chase, Holly and Ali.1721They are my subcommittee staff, so I take personal1722responsibility for the TAP program. I do not mean them. I do1723not mean this committee. I mean me. The DoD has testified twice1724in front of my subcommittee, so maybe they do not like the1725folks on the other side of the aisle. They have been here, and1726they have showed up and I appreciate that tremendously. I got1727to ask some very pointy questions. Mr. Gupta, how much money do1728you receive from the Federal Government for your programs?1729 Mr. Gupta. I am sorry, I do not have the information top of1730my hand, but we can get back that to you.1731 Mr. Van Orden. You received money from the Federal1732Government?1733 Mr. Gupta. We work at a State level.1734 Mr. Van Orden. You do? Okay, good. Dickman, how about you?1735 Mr. Dickman. Thank you for the question, Mr. Congressman.1736It makes up the smallest portion of our total revenue.1737 Mr. Van Orden. How much?1738 Mr. Dickman. It is about 5 percent for Homeless Veterans1739Reservation program.1740 Mr. Van Orden. How much is that give me dollar?1741 Mr. Dickman. It is less than $700,000.1742 Mr. Van Orden. Okay. How about you, Loomis?1743 Mr. Loomis. Zero. We are privately funded organizations.1744 Mr. Van Orden. Okay. Ms. Burgess.1745 Ms. Burgess. Zero.1746 Mr. Van Orden. Okay. Are you guys familiar with the Muddy1747Oaks Warrior Foundation?1748 You are? Okay. They are the most successful program that1749has ever existed to prevent veteran suicide. They receive zero1750money from the Federal Government. The answer to my colleagues1751on the other side of this dais is not Federal dollars, it is1752the application of will. Ma'am, you talked about hope. You want1753hope, you are going to find it in faith. You are not going to1754find it in a Federal dollar. I just want to bring us all down1755to zero and understand that if in fact, we have very, very1756successful programs that receive zero money from the Federal1757Government, we should look at that and we should apply those1758same things. Mr. Gupta, how many veterans do you serve?1759 Mr. Gupta. We have over 85,000 veterans on the platform,1760sir.1761 Mr. Van Orden. Mr. Dickman.1762 Mr. Dickman. We serve 25,000 annually.1763 Mr. Van Orden. Mr. Loomis, what are you looking to serve?1764 Mr. Loomis. Every veteran service member we are aimed to1765put on the platform for free of charge.1766 Mr. Van Orden. Okay. Ms. Burgess.1767 Ms. Burgess. 18 million veterans alive and all those1768coming.1769 Mr. Van Orden. Okay. Are you guys familiar with the1770enlisted ladder? That is a program. It takes a person when they1771join the Navy to a 30-year career. What I would like to do, and1772if you are not doing this, you should take that from the 30-1773year career into your entire lifetime. I think that is very, it1774would be valorous if we were able to do that.1775 I am looking forward to working with all of you guys in the1776future. Listen, I do not care if you are a private, public1777thing. If you are a public thing or a private thing, I do not1778care. If you are helping our veterans, I am with you. On that1779note, I have 43 seconds. Will everybody here in the audience1780raise their hand if you are a veteran? How many people went1781through the TAP program? How many people thought it was worth.1782Yes, thanks. Well, Mr. Chairman, maybe I should resign because1783that is my failure. I want to thank you all for coming here. My1784office is always open for you cats. Jason, thanks for showing1785up, pal. There is another frogman there, too.1786 With that, I will yield back, sir.1787 Ms. Cherfilus-McCormick. Mr. Chairman.1788 The Chairman. Yes.1789 Ms. Cherfilus-McCormick. Mr. Chairman, does the Committee1790have rules on decorum? Personally----1791 The Chairman. It does. I was going to express my concern1792that decorum should be followed as. The rules are that way,1793regardless how frustrated you are with that. Representative1794Ramirez, you are recognized for 5 minutes.1795 Ms. Ramirez. Thank you, Chairman. This weekend, many of us1796watched, appalled, as the President launched an illegal and1797unauthorized attack on Iran that had put our country and our1798service members in harm's way. He justified taking us to the1799brink of war with the same excuses his predecessors used to1800send service members to endless wars. This administration is1801fully committed to undermining our democracy, undermining our1802security and our safety through reckless disregard of the1803Constitution, irresponsible and unpredictable governance,1804dangerous and unaccountable decision-making. The way he1805approached foreign affairs this weekend is not unlike how this1806administration has approached veterans care. You see there is a1807pattern here. Reckless disregard of VA workers, 30 percent of1808whom are veterans, by the way, irresponsible and unpredictable1809rulemaking, dangerous and unaccountable empowerment of1810Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to make unproven1811changes across agencies. While the administration is running1812around bombs out and middle fingers up. We as Members of1813Congress still have a promise to uphold for our veterans.1814Veterans deserve to know that we are doing everything,1815everything to ensure their peace and safety when they return1816home.1817 The transition to civilian life is complex. Many service1818members return with physical injuries and mental health1819challenges that require so much more than the transitionary to1820do's and checklist. The Transition Assistance Program, we know,1821is a vital means of ensuring that veterans achieve peace,1822fulfillment and safety after service. We know that from1823employment assistance to health services, housing support and1824continued education, our veterans deserve an integrated1825education and streamlined, comprehensive approach to TAP that1826provides them with the resources and the supports that they1827need to succeed. It is why you are here.1828 TAP should be a gateway to stability to opportunity and1829dignity for every service member leaving active-duty, not just1830some as we saw a moment ago. Nearly 70 percent, 70 percent of1831service members are still not accessing the program on time. To1832me, that is systemic failure that Congress has to rectify. I1833want to talk about SkillBridge.1834 Last week I met with previously approved SkillBridge1835providers in my district who were recently and without notice,1836without notice, removed from the SkillBridge provider website.1837They still do not know the exact date or reason why they were1838unlisted. They did not get no notice, no explanation. You and I1839both know that the SkillBridge is an important component of1840TAP. Ms. Burgess, can you explain what it means for veterans if1841trusted SkillBridge providers are being quietly removed? My1842follow up to that, how will this affect service members1843transition into your program?1844 Ms. Burgess. Thank you for your question. I do not have a1845program. I am a researcher, PhD and I look at the whole1846ecosystem. From kind of that 10,000-foot view, I would say1847probably my colleagues at this table have better, more1848detailed, tangible answers to you. In general, though, of1849course, it will affect whichever employers, potential employers1850that were dropped, any of those individuals who are interested1851in those particular types of employment.1852 Ms. Ramirez. Thank you, Ms. Burgess. Let me ask you then,1853Mr. Loomis, Mr. Dickman or Mr. Gupta, what can Congress do to1854ensure that service members have the greatest level of access1855to SkillBridge approved organizations?1856 Mr. Loomis. I think a strong public-private partnership1857that is endorsed and supported regardless of administration1858that allows private organizations and nonprofits to be able to1859work with government to do the heavy lifting. I think that is1860been proven that innovation and disruption comes from the1861outside in the commercial markets and really is the only way to1862integrate. I believe TAP should start probably 12 months prior1863to discharge, primarily so that you can either retain the1864individual for a military service career because it is a good1865opportunity for them, or to start the transition process,1866including repair, financial viability, credit repair, all that1867stuff takes time. 30 days is not going to solve that.1868 Ms. Ramirez. You recommend 12 months?1869 Mr. Loomis. At least 12 months in advance.1870 Ms. Ramirez. Thank you. What about you, Mr. Dickman, and1871Mr. Gupta?1872 Mr. Dickman. Thank you for the question, Congresswoman. I1873would recommend to the constituents who that had their1874SkillBridge removed to obviously keep pursuing that discussion1875with the Department of Defense. Unfortunately, I am not an1876expert on SkillBridge administration, so I would not be able to1877advise them on what rules that they would have to follow. I1878would encourage them as well to expand their talent pipeline1879considerations for veterans transitioning military and military1880spouses. There are numerous other direct hiring actions that1881they could take that plug into already separated veterans or1882military spouses or others who are not eligible for SkillBridge1883who equally are struggling with underemployment that they1884could----1885 Ms. Ramirez. My time is up. Mr. Gupta, if you want to do 31886seconds before.1887 Mr. Gupta. Yes, I would agree with our speaker s here. Then1888focusing on the need and the feedback from the veteran on where1889the lack is, is a primary target and focus how we serve them1890better. If it is education, extensive partnerships, as long as1891they are geared and supported to the veteran well-being.1892 Ms. Ramirez. Thank you, Mr. Gupta. Look, I know my time is1893up, so Chairman, I am going to yield back and just remind us1894that we have to make sure that these programs are effectively1895helping every one of our veterans. It is actually how we honor1896their service with action. Thank you. With that, I yield back.1897 The Chairman. Representative Hamadeh, you are recognized 51898minutes.1899 Mr. Hamadeh. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As a veteran myself1900and I also serve on the Armed Services and Veteran Affairs1901Committee and you know this program I have been through it as a1902former Army Reservist, when I was getting off my deployment of190314 months, I did not find it all that useful, especially1904because I was a reservist going back to my civilian job. I1905think we got to have some common sense in a lot of this1906policies. We also need personalization.1907 I want to first ask my question to you, Mr. Loomis. Your1908Arizona-based company, TurboVets, aims to make TAP technology1909driven and personalized. One complaint I consistently hear is1910that the TAP program feels like a one size fits all checkbox.1911You have spoken about customization and in your view, what1912steps could the DoD and VA take to make it a little bit more1913personalized?1914 Mr. Loomis. Thank you, Congressman. The personalization1915comes from the individuality of the person that is going1916through TAP. That includes their upbringing, their service1917connective services that they did, their career that they did1918in the military, their desires, their interests. TAP needs to1919be built on what their inadequacies are and what their goals1920are. More specifically, that changes by the individual. The1921individual, that is the problem. With AI today and the ability1922to consume lots of data and being able to build a roadmap, we1923like to build a custom curriculum per individual that1924specifically focuses on 5-year goals, what their career in the1925military was, what their weak points are, what their strengths1926are so that they can have good job placement, but they can also1927work on their--what they are struggling with. If they have got,1928you know, weak financial viability, they need to have, you1929know, put together a program about budgeting, you know,1930financial saving, credit repair. You know, all of these things1931are required prior to discharge. You know, if you try to get an1932apartment or a home after military service and you have got bad1933credit, that is going to be a real problem. That is the goal of1934financial literacy is a very, very strong component to1935individualizing everybody's transition.1936 Mr. Hamadeh. Yes, I like that. I think a lot of the1937innovation comes from the private sector. Keep it up. Another1938question, Mr. Loomis. I am also concerned about the classroom1939approach and how it fails to resonate with a lot of the1940transitioning service members. How do we bridge that civilian1941military gap and what would a technology enabled TAP program1942actually look like on the ground?1943 Mr. Loomis. On the ground, thank you, Congressman, for the1944additional question. On the ground, it is more about1945partnerships. We are working with the Medal of Honor Museum in1946Arlington, Texas. We are working with popular podcasters that1947are out there, Mr. Ryan, who is obviously a Navy SEAL as well,1948to really personalize the experience where these are service1949members talking to future veterans. That connectivity of1950personalizing it, getting, you know, digital learning is1951different today than it was 25 years ago. You know, people are1952looking at 5-minute clips of video to gather and consume the1953data rather than reading a chapter of a book. You have to kind1954of keep up with time. On the ground, it is about building that1955digital platform to be able to have one, the content that is1956changing to the market. We cannot--we cannot sell and teach1957based on PowerPoint anymore. People lose their attention. They1958will be thinking about what they want to do tomorrow. More1959importantly, it is about staying with relevant with data. Then1960obviously good stakeholder's human effect. We do not need AI1961teaching everybody everything. We really need to have good1962content from video creators and obviously social media1963platforms.1964 Mr. Hamadeh. Very good. Ms. Burgess, I got a question for1965you. In your testimony, you mentioned that a majority of the1966potential employers believe that veterans need more training or1967additional education on soft skills before they are ready to1968maintain a career in the civilian sector. Can you elaborate on1969that, how we can better prepare the soft skills aspect of it?1970 Ms. Burgess. Sure. Thank you for the question. Essentially,1971it comes down to translating the skills that they had in the1972military into more civilian speak. Communication skills is1973often considered the first or most principle of this. In terms1974of how do you do an interview, how do you present yourself in1975an interview, in a civilian interview, elaborate about your1976personal characteristics and what you bring to an employment1977location.1978 Mr. Hamadeh. Very good. I know there is a lot of foreign1979investments coming to United States. Every single one of these1980companies that have met with me I encourage them to hire1981Americans and hire veterans specifically because there is1982always, they always mention the challenge of our workforce. I1983know the veterans are the hardest workers. As the chairman said1984earlier, they show up on time, they are disciplined, and I1985think they make the best employees.1986 With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.1987 The Chairman. Representative Cherfilus-McCormick, you are1988recognized for 5 minutes for question.1989 Ms. Cherfilus-McCormick. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman.1990Thank you so much for your service and being here in helping1991our veterans.1992 We have talked extensively about the TAP program and the1993problems with it. I wanted to deep into, take a deep dive into1994some of the services that you provide, especially some of your1995software. Now, we know the most critical thing is connecting1996our former service workers into jobs that they want, where they1997can leverage their talents.1998 My first question is for Mr. Loomis. I understand that your1999company is currently designing and testing a product that helps2000transitioning service members to identify employers that want2001to hire our veterans. Can you walk us through the product and2002what has the preliminary feedback been from our veterans and2003also their employers?2004 Mr. Loomis. Thank you, Congresswoman. The preliminary2005feedback is that it is a high-speed solution right now and it2006is customized. Transition is a very tricky thing because2007everybody's transition is different. Right. Some might going2008through it with no financial literacy and no financial2009stability. I think the institutionalization that happens when2010you are a service member, we take for granted that we are being2011paid, fed and housed without thinking about it. No matter what2012problem comes up, when you are military service, you have a2013chain of command that will help you solve that problem.2014 I think with transition, it is really preparation. Do2015people and individuals going through the service, through the2016TAP program as service members, do they understand those2017differentiations that you are going to have to provide for2018yourself, you are going to have to feed yourself, you are2019always going to have to house yourself? I think we take that2020for granted. Even for myself, it was a big change to make that.2021The feedback that we are receiving is the individuality that2022comes from everybody's situation is different. It should start202312 months prior to discharge because. If someone has made a bad2024loan when they were young and they did not know that 30 percent2025loan that they did not pay ruined their credit, that is going2026to be a problem when they are in the civilian world. It takes2027time, as we all know in this committee to repair your credit.2028The time and the accessibility of solutions that is key. That,2029you know, with technology we can connect those dots. We connect2030with partners that are on this Panel as well.2031 Ms. Cherfilus-McCormick. Now, with looking at that2032feedback, is there any recommendations you would make directly2033to Congress that we can institute to help you also in your2034feedback and what you are finding to help our soldiers2035transition?2036 Mr. Loomis. Yes, the 12-month requirement. I also think2037that 1 day, one or a few hours a week per command endorsement,2038we find that a lot of commands do not really support the TAP2039program because the individual might be a high performer and2040that individual then does not really get any time off. They2041kind of leverage them to the day they get off. I think that it2042would be important, important that every command in the U.S.2043Military endorses and supports an individual spending and doing2044their TAP. They really need to back them in that second2045transition from the first. I do not think that is happening2046today. I think that the command sometimes will just disregard2047that as not important compared to the mission itself.2048 Ms. Cherfilus-McCormick. Now, has there been any negative2049feedback that you have gotten from your application?2050 Mr. Loomis. No, the only negative feedback is when can we2051have more features. Everybody is pretty impatient with when can2052I, when can you have more stuff in your product roadmap come2053online?2054 Ms. Cherfilus-McCormick. Well, one of the biggest2055complaints I hear from my veterans in my district is that the2056military assumes they want to continue the same or similar jobs2057that they have been doing when they were civilian workforce.2058What do you--is there a filter that helps matches them? They2059might have other talents that they would like to explore. How2060are you actually bridging that gap for our veterans who feel2061the same? Feel that way?2062 Mr. Loomis. Yes. That is the partnership with like, you2063know, here's for hire. Also there is another company called2064OpLine that actually does the matching. The other thing is a2065lot of veterans and service members do not realize that you can2066also contract back to the military for your same job. There is2067an opportunity. If you have a very specialized skill set, like2068working on certain aircraft that only the military has, there2069are contracting opportunities for those individuals to continue2070their service in the civilian world.2071 Ms. Cherfilus-McCormick. Another question that I get also2072is that we hear a lot about how veterans are being exploited2073for a profit by claim sharks. How does the TurboVets product2074prevent veterans from the predatory practices of claim sharks?2075What safeguards are in place to prevent the claim sharks from2076accessing this?2077 Mr. Loomis. Thank you. That is our number one driver is to2078eliminate the vulnerability that exists with veterans that do2079not know that there is free help out there. There is good help2080with the disabled, American veterans, American Legion, the2081Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), all have2082VSOs, and the county veterans service officers, Texas Veterans2083Commission, all have free services to help these veterans. Our2084goal is to build a shielded environment. We are shielded from2085access of anybody of a claim shark. For example, we work with a2086company called ID.me, which all veterans are familiar with. We2087use it to log into va.gov. Blake Hall is a very good friend. We2088only allow veterans or validated individuals, including2089accredited agents or VSOs access to our platform. There is no2090cross selling, there is no poaching, there is no manipulation.2091Our goal is to eliminate the claim shark business whatsoever2092altogether in its entirety. There is no need for veterans to be2093giving up their compensation for getting their forms filled out2094and for the proper things done.2095 Ms. Cherfilus-McCormick. Well, thank you so much. My time2096is up and I yield back.2097 The Chairman. Representative Kiggans, you are recognized2098for 5 minutes.2099 Ms. Kiggans. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the2100witnesses for giving us your time today and sharing how2101Congress can help the men and women who served our Nation2102transition into civilian life more easily. As a Navy veteran,2103the wife of a retired Navy veteran, and the Representative who2104represents a very large veteran population down in Hampton2105Roads, Virginia, I understand the challenges service members2106and their families face when transitioning from a mission2107driven career into everyday civilian life outside of the2108uniform. I hear it time and time again just when I am out and2109about in the community about the challenges just of leaving2110service and leaving that really the job we do every day and2111taking on a new life. They are very communicative and I2112appreciate just being part of the solution. Thank you for your2113work.2114 It is estimated that 200,000 service members transition2115from the military into civilian life each year. It is getting2116harder and harder for them to do so. Nearly 60 percent of the2117post 911 veterans have reported difficulty adjusting to2118civilian life, compared to 25 percent of veterans from earlier2119eras. You must support programs that make the transition from2120the service to civilian life as smooth as possible.2121 I am excited to announce today we have introduced the2122Veterans Energy Transition Act, or the VET Act. This2123legislation will create a Department of Labor grant program for2124employers in the energy and advanced manufacturing sectors to2125train and hire eligible veterans and transitioning service2126members, addressing workforce shortages in these critical2127sectors, as well as ensuring our veterans have ample2128opportunities for gainful employment. This bill directly2129complements the mission that many of you have here today. I2130thank you again for being here to discuss how we can establish2131new and improve existing programs to make this transition2132period smoother for our Nation's veterans. I have a question2133for Mr. Dickman. Mr. Dickman, one of the main goals of Hire2134Heroes USA is to help veterans secure employment after their2135time in service through one-on-one support that aims to help2136them. Can you elaborate on the sort of skills that many2137veterans leave the service with and how those match up with2138what skills employers are looking for? How often are employers2139in the energy and manufacturing sectors looking to connect with2140skilled veterans?2141 Mr. Dickman. Thank you so much for the question,2142Congresswoman. One of the things that we have learned and2143learned through our partnerships with McKinsey as well is that2144junior enlisted and enlisted service members have really strong2145representative technical skills that employers make hiring2146decisions off of really quickly. In the manufacturing sector,2147in the logistics sector, in the healthcare sector, and in the2148energy sector, anything dealing with manual labor or cyber-2149Information Technology (IT), those inform hiring manager2150decisions and those enlisted service members get hired on those2151skills really quickly. Where they tend to struggle is that2152their leadership or personal or soft skills are not recognized2153as much. They struggle to be upwardly mobile within those2154organizations. More senior service members, their leadership2155skills, decision-making, product management, program2156management, those are more recognized and are way more into2157hiring manager decisions for those more senior and executive2158type of transitioning military, but they are not often hired on2159technical roles in those types of industries.2160 Ms. Kiggans. Great. We will, continue to work on that.2161During a service members transition, what does this period look2162like for the family? How does Hire Heroes USA make the families2163of service members leaving the military just help them to make2164the adjustment as well?2165 Mr. Dickman. Thank you for the continued question,2166Congresswoman. It is extremely stressful on the family. You2167know, not only is the service member leaving that culture that2168they are part of, but the military spouse and children are2169leaving that tight knit community as well. We do work with2170military spouses, any military spouse, regardless when they met2171their partner, if they are still partnered with them or not.2172Any marriage to a service member affects the career trajectory2173of that spouse and has long-term effect. We encourage military2174members that we are working with to have their partner or2175spouse sign up with us as well for continued career support,2176especially if they are moving to a new area. We are happy to2177say that a lot of our referrals come from partners of an2178already existing client.2179 Ms. Kiggans. Great. Thank you for that. As a military2180spouse, that is important. As a mom to future veterans, I know2181that will be important to them as well. Thank you for that2182work.2183 Last question for Ms. Burgess. Ms. Burgess, in your2184testimony you noted that around 200,000 service members exit2185the military each year. As well as that there are around 45,0002186registered veterans, service focused nonprofit organizations,2187that is one nonprofit for almost every 4 veterans. The issue is2188obviously not with the amount of organizations but rather2189access to or the coordination of programs.2190 How can government agencies better focus on employment2191services for veterans to create a more efficient experience?2192How can we streamline the existing landscape to perhaps put2193things more in one place?2194 Ms. Burgess. I will echo some of the--some of the other2195witnesses on this testimony. I think that it comes down to2196public-private partnerships and leveraging what each side--each2197side is doing best. I think more importantly is we need to2198start with measuring outcomes, not outputs. That is something2199that is directly something that Congress can mandate for all of2200these VA programs. We are not going to know what works best2201unless we know what the outcomes are. To know what the best2202outcomes are, first we have to determine what it is that2203Congress wants out of all of these programs. Thank you.2204 Ms. Kiggans. We will continue to do our part as well. Thank2205you so much. I yield back, Mr. Chair.2206 The Chairman. Thank you. Representative Cherfilus-2207McCormick, is there any closing statement you need to make for2208the----2209 All right, then. First off, I want to say thank you to our2210witnesses. As you know, this is a very important issue to each2211of us on this Panel. Sometimes I think we should stay focused2212on the issue out here than bringing up the other issues around2213that kind of cause havoc in that. Let me say this. I would2214agree with the ranking member in his statement earlier that2215regardless whether Republican or Democrat, whichever2216administration there, it has been difficult to get the DoD to2217communicate with the VA on this issue. I am hoping that we are2218working with the administration to try to find that common2219ground. Remember DoD, and when I look at our veterans that are2220sitting at the table there, remember DoD's job is to put a2221bullet down range or support those who do.2222 Trying to find that window and trying to convince2223commanding officers that how important the TAP program is, is a2224challenge for all of us. We want to make sure that we do that2225in a way, as I explained in my opening statement, that it is2226got better, but by no means are we done yet. Okay? It is2227vitally important. I have watched my own nephews, grandson go2228through this. I was blessed in the fact that I went home to a2229family business, knew what I was going to do. Believe me, by2230the time my, this will stick into your mind, by the time I had2231my mullet and curly perm grown out, I had already transitioned.2232No problem. Not everybody does that. Okay? We need to make sure2233that TAP program is there and that our military personnel are2234advised. I also want to bring up that, you know, when we went2235out and visited the TAP program in Twentynine Palms, one thing2236that they did that was very wise is they did bring the spouse2237in. Quite often our military personnel, when they get ready,2238especially junior, when they are getting, if they are married,2239they are getting ready to leave, they just want to get out,2240their spouse quite often is more worried about the landing zone2241than they are.2242 Trying to put this together, this is vitally important. I2243hope that we will sit down with both secretaries and try to2244find that place and through their employees so that we can find2245that place where we can focus on making sure there is plenty of2246time for the TAP program.2247 With that, I want to say thank you again, and we are2248looking forward to continue to work. I ask unanimous consent2249that all members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend2250their remarks and include extraneous material.2251 Hearing no objection. So, ordered.2252 The hearing is now adjourned.2253 [Whereupon, at 12:15 p.m., the committee was adjourned.]22542255=======================================================================22562257 A P P E N D I X22582259=======================================================================22602261 Prepared Statements of Witnesses22622263 ----------22642265 Prepared Statement of Manish Gupta22662267 Chairman, Ranking Member, and distinguished members of the2268Committee, thank you for inviting Combined Arms to testify and for your2269unwavering commitment to our veterans. As Chief Technology Officer of2270Combined Arms, I lead a network that harnesses advanced technology to2271streamline veterans' transitions. Our digital platform, proven by2272connecting a veteran to housing and job resources in mere minutes,2273showcases the power of applying innovative data strategies to2274streamline access to essential help, delivering an ``Amazon shopping2275cart''-style approach to navigating social services. With enhanced2276collaboration from the DoD, VA, and DoL, Combined Arms' platform could2277serve as a force multiplier for the Transition Assistance Program2278(TAP), transforming its ability to deliver seamless, personalized2279support to servicemembers.2280 TAP is a vital bridge, guiding veterans to civilian resources.2281Combined Arms' platform, spanning all 50 states, integrates 650 vetted2282organizations, including 76 national partners, to amplify TAP's impact2283through innovative technology and robust agency partnerships.2284 Our platform is a closed-loop, data-powered digital marketplace2285designed to enhance TAP's efficiency. Veterans complete secure2286profiles--detailing service history, skills, and wellness needs--2287enabling personalized support pathways to match them to resources,2288serving as a one-stop shop for social services. DoD collaboration could2289provide early service data, allowing TAP to tailor pre-separation2290career and benefit plans. Veterans select services, such as job2291training or mental health support, using intuitive filters for location2292and category. Real-time analytics track delivery, ensuring2293accountability, while quick connections to over 650 service agencies2294drive efficiency. Our platform's ability to serve over 85,000 clients,2295connecting them to over 190,000 social services demonstrate its2296capacity to scale TAP's resource delivery.2297 The platform fosters multi-sector collaboration to broaden TAP's2298reach. Equipped with provider interfaces--featuring case management,2299interagency referrals, digitized forms, and ADA/508 compliance--it2300streamlines coordination, as endorsed by the VA and George W. Bush2301Institute.2302 VA integration could accelerate benefit access, linking veterans to2303healthcare or education support. DoL partnerships could enhance job2304pipelines, integrating programs like SkillBridge to boost employment2305outcomes. Our USO pilot, engaging veterans 18 months pre-separation,2306aligns with TAP's early intervention goals. We recommend standardized2307VA liaisons, flexible policies for community innovations like2308mentorship, and a National Community of Practice. This digital hub2309would enable TAP stakeholders to share best practices, leveraging our2310220,000-strong audience reach to drive continuous improvement.2311 Our platform strengthens TAP's outcome measurement--employment,2312mental health, and civilian satisfaction. Advanced analytics, which2313facilitated 14,406 career placements since 2020, layer client data with2314public metrics to generate county-level heat maps, identifying service2315gaps in rural or underserved areas. With DoD, VA, and DoL data sharing,2316TAP could dynamically allocate resources and track long-term well-2317being, ensuring adaptability to veterans' evolving needs, as recognized2318by the VA. These analytics empower data-driven decisions, optimizing2319TAP's effectiveness across diverse veteran communities.2320 To realize this vision, Combined Arms recommends:23212322 1. Fund technology integration with the TAP platform,2323 leveraging VA systems for cost-efficient, personalized support.23242325 2. Establish a VA-led task force to standardize collaboration2326 and integrate private-sector networks.23272328 3. Support pilot programs to test these solutions, with metrics2329 tracking employment and well-being.23302331 In conclusion, with robust DoD, VA, and DoL collaboration, Combined2332Arms' platform could serve as a force multiplier for TAP,2333revolutionizing veteran transitions through technology. We stand ready2334to partner with this Committee and stakeholders to build a future where2335every servicemember thrives. Thank you, and I welcome your questions.23362337 Prepared Statement of Ross Dickman23382339Introduction23402341 Chairman Bost, Ranking Member Takano, and Members of the Committee,2342thank you for the opportunity to speak today on improving outcomes for2343veterans and transitioning service members. Leaving the military is a2344shared experience for those who serve, but each servicemember's journey2345is unique. Ensuring the Federal Transition Assistance Program is2346tailored to meet the needs of all those transitioning, while2347standardizing effective outcome measures is essential to improving the2348transition process. The sustainable future of the all-volunteer force2349relies on providing the right care to veterans as they exit, and2350through their post-service careers.23512352Background23532354 Hire Heroes USA is the Nation's leading veteran and military spouse2355employment nonprofit. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, we are2356proud of our nationwide presence, serving clients in all 50 states and2357abroad. Hire Heroes USA offers comprehensive, one-on-one employment2358services to 25,000 transitioning service members, veterans, and2359military spouses annually. Founded in 2005, we are celebrating our 20th2360anniversary this year and have helped secure employment for nearly2361110,000 unique individuals.2362 The scope and scale of our client population provides us with2363robust insights into the myriad employment barriers veterans face after2364they leave the military. Approximately 60 percent of our clients2365registered for assistance while still on active duty, and 32 percent2366registered after their separation from the military. Around 8 percent2367of our annual clients are military spouses.\1\ This individualized2368model grants us a unique lens on interventions both pre-and post-2369separation. I am honored to elevate our clients' experiences for the2370committee today, especially those related to evaluating and improving2371the transition process. The transition process must incorporate policy2372reforms that support the right solutions and outcomes.2373---------------------------------------------------------------------------2374 \1\ ``Hire Heroes Report,'' 2023, https://www.hireheroesusa.org/wp-2375content/uploads/2024/12/2023-Hire-Heroes-Report.pdf.23762377---------------------------------------------------------------------------2378The Transition System: A Fragmented Landscape23792380 Each veteran experiences a unique journey after service, including2381education, embarking on a career path, starting a business, or2382continuing service to their community. Due to the variety of pathways2383available when leaving active duty, developing a standardized method of2384measuring every veteran's success can have its challenges. However, we2385can effectively evaluate indicators of well-being for veterans in their2386civilian lives. Data from key nonprofit and research entities in this2387sector propose solutions for not only assessing but improving outcomes2388in veteran programming. These datasets reveal several key contextual2389factors that policymakers should consider when seeking to reform2390military to civilian transitions: (1) transition is a process, (2)2391specific needs exist at critical intervals throughout that process, and2392(3) needs vary based on each individual; and those needs could be2393impacted by their rank, education, timeline, experience, and other2394unique factors at time of separation.2395 First, transition is a process that can extend well beyond the2396point of separation from the military. Data from The Veterans Metric2397Initiative (TVMI) longitudinal study conducted by Penn State2398University's Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness studied the2399well-being of over 10,000 individuals who separated from the military2400in 2016. The study examined seven domains of well-being: employment,2401education, financial security, legal issues, social connectedness,2402physical health, and mental health. A key finding from the research is2403that transition from military to civilian life is a process--not a2404single moment in time. While 65 percent of veterans reported feeling2405fully transitioned within 3 years of separation, 19 percent still did2406not feel fully transitioned even six and a half years later.\2\2407---------------------------------------------------------------------------2408 \2\ Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness The Pennsylvania2409State University, An Overview of the Typical Veteran in Transition2410(2025), https://veteranetwork.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TVMI-2411VETS_Transitioning-Veteran-Infographic_2025Mar26.pdf.2412---------------------------------------------------------------------------2413 The study also highlights that the first 2 years post-separation2414are critical for intervention, revealing that specific needs exist at2415critical intervals throughout the transition process. During this time,241665 percent of transitioning service members accessed at least one2417program offering specialized services across the well-being domains.\3\2418Most veterans used multiple services throughout their transition2419journey, with financial security emerging as a primary concern.2420Although many pursued higher education after leaving the military, they2421often did so while simultaneously seeking employment to stabilize their2422financial situation.\4\2423---------------------------------------------------------------------------2424 \3\ The Pennsylvania State University, ``An Overview of the Typical2425Veteran in Transition.''2426 \4\ The Pennsylvania State University, ``An Overview of the Typical2427Veteran in Transition.''2428---------------------------------------------------------------------------2429 Finally, multiple factors contribute to the unique circumstances2430surrounding a service member's transition, though rank often serves as2431a key indicator of transition success. AEI's April 2025 Report2432highlighted that Junior Enlisted veterans (ranks E1 to E4) face the2433most challenges post-service, including high unemployment, poor2434economic outcomes, and low utilization of existing services. It further2435says that despite the robust network of support services available to2436this group, measurable results are not being achieved.\5\2437---------------------------------------------------------------------------2438 \5\ Matt Amidon and Brent Orrell, ``Sustaining a National Treasure:2439Veteran Transitions and the Life Cycle of the All-Volunteer Force''2440(American Enterprise Institute, April 2025), https://www.aei.org/wp-2441content/uploads/2025/04/RPT_Amidon_Orrell_Sustaining-a-National-2442Treasure-Veteran-Transitions-and-the-Life-Cycle-of-the-All-Volunteer-2443Force_April-2025-5.pdf?x85095.2444---------------------------------------------------------------------------2445 Supporting these findings, our data indicates that 28 percent of2446clients classified as in active duty, reserve, or veteran status, have2447a rank between E-1 and E-4 (Junior Enlisted). Their top self-identified2448barriers to employment were Education (27.9 percent), Lack of2449Experience (27.6 percent), Career Change (21.5 percent), and License2450and Certification Requirements (18.6 percent). Our Junior Enlisted2451clients also report higher rates of unemployment and underemployment2452compared to other rank categories, and when given access partake in2453multiple services at a high rate--an average of 2.69 services per2454client. In 2023, we observed this population shift from being the least2455likely to most likely to utilize services.\6\2456---------------------------------------------------------------------------2457 \6\ ``Hire Heroes Report.''24582459---------------------------------------------------------------------------2460The Need for an Individualized Approach24612462 Individualized employment services--and other educational and2463vocational resources--are an essential complement to the Federal2464Transition Assistance Program (TAP). A joint initiative led by the2465Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Labor (DOL), the2466Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other Federal agencies, TAP2467has played an integral part in gradually improving employment and2468various other outcomes for transitioning service members, veterans, and2469military spouses. However, TAP is an insufficiently individualized2470process that is not dynamic enough to address the unique employment2471barriers veterans face. TAP has faced no shortage of challenges in its2472more than 20-year history, many of which still remain despite2473recognition by Congress, the military, and the veteran community. A2474recent GAO report reveals concerning findings about TAP, including a2475lack of timely completion of pre-separation counseling requirements and2476inadequate attendance at career-track classes for service members most2477at risk.\7\2478---------------------------------------------------------------------------2479 \7\ U.S. Government Accountability Office, Servicemembers2480Transitioning to Civilian Life: DOD Could Enhance the Transition2481Assistance Program by Better Leveraging Performance Information U.S.2482GAO, (Nov. 9, 2023), https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106793.2483---------------------------------------------------------------------------2484 The sheer volume of transitioning service members each year coupled2485with DoD resource constraints makes a fully one-on-one model2486exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for the government to2487implement on their own. Individualized employment services and2488vocational resources are an essential complement of Federal military to2489civilian transition services, notes the RAND Corporation's recent2490investigation into the Federal and nonprofit landscape. Their June 20242491report found that the Federal Government spends over $13 billion2492annually on 45 different programs across 11 agencies to support2493military transition. Approximately 97 percent of these funds are2494allocated to education services rather than employment services,2495despite the fact that employment services are frequently the number one2496requested support for transitioning service members. Upon further2497investigation into the role of nonprofit organizations in the2498transition process, RAND found that these organizations fill a critical2499gap to supplement Federal transition programs, particularly in2500providing individualized employment services.\8\2501---------------------------------------------------------------------------2502 \8\ Federal Programs to Assist Military-to-Civilian Employment2503Transitions: Limited Scrutiny and Substantial Investment in Education2504Programs (RAND Corporation, 2024), https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA1363-12.2505---------------------------------------------------------------------------2506 Data collected and analyzed by research institutions and nonprofit2507entities show the importance of individualized service delivery during2508the transition process. Such data should inform future partnerships and2509collaborations when discussing and determining how best to measure2510success for our Nation's warfighters once they become civilians.2511Today's veterans and the labor market do not look like those of an age2512gone by--neither should our transition programs. We need a transition2513system that fits the challenges of today's veterans and provides2514opportunities for individuals to overcome challenges and barriers to a2515successful civilian life.25162517The Persistence of Underemployment25182519 Absent from much of the data on veteran transition, the less2520visible and harder to track trend of underemployment is a persistent2521problem for veterans in the civilian workforce. According to Penn State2522University's Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness,2523underemployment occurs ``when veterans' skills, education, and2524experiences are not fully utilized or maximized in a current job2525role.'' \9\ The Veterans Metric Initiative (TVMI) data illustrates that252661 percent of veterans report underemployment 3 years after separation2527from the military. This number only drops slightly to 60 percent of2528veterans reporting underemployment at six and a half years post-2529separation.\10\2530---------------------------------------------------------------------------2531 \9\ ``Policy Brief: Mitigating Veteran Underemployment,'' October25322023, https://veteranetwork.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2533PSU_Mitigating-Veteran-Underemployment_OCT-2023-FINAL.pdf.2534 \10\ The Pennsylvania State University, ``An Overview of the2535Typical Veteran in Transition.''2536---------------------------------------------------------------------------2537 Many veterans experience underemployment because there is not2538always a direct translation of skills gained from their military2539experience. Skills translation is especially critical given that 742540percent of nonveterans hold a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to2541just 54 percent of veterans.\11\ Hire Heroes USA's data reflect this2542with approximately 26 percent of 2023 registrants having a 4-year2543degree and around 17 percent having a 2-year degree. The largest share2544of those jobseekers (40 percent) enter the job market with degree2545attainment lower than a bachelor's. When compared with analysis from2546the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), TVMI's research found2547that 40 percent of veterans were underemployed according to O*NET job2548education requirements.\12\, \13\ Perceived insufficient2549level of educational attainment, regardless of skills and experience,2550prohibits veterans from landing jobs where they are challenged and2551fulfilled. This perceived education gap can follow veterans throughout2552their career--significantly impacting earnings and career progression--2553and reaffirming the need for career support services far beyond the2554point of transition.2555---------------------------------------------------------------------------2556 \11\ ``Table 3. Employment Status of People 25 Years and over by2557Veteran Status, Period of Service, and Educational Attainment, 20242558Annual Averages--2024 A01 Results,'' Bureau of Labor Statistics,2559accessed June 3, 2025, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.t03.htm.2560 \12\ ``US Departments of Labor, Commerce Release Skills-First2561Hiring Guide to Help Employers Hire, Promote Workers Based on Skill,2562Knowledge,'' DOL, accessed June 3, 2025, https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/2563releases/osec/osec20241113.2564 \13\ The Pennsylvania State University, ``An Overview of the2565Typical Veteran in Transition.''25662567---------------------------------------------------------------------------2568Opportunities in Skills-Based Hiring25692570 The persistence of underemployment among veterans demonstrates a2571need for realigning outcome measures. Skills-based hiring presents a2572promising solution to mitigate this. Skills-based hiring refers to2573``the hiring or promotion of workers around skills, knowledge and2574abilities that workers can demonstrate they have, regardless of how or2575where they attained those skills.'' \14\ A 2023 study from McKinsey2576notes that ``unleashing the value of veterans' work experience through2577skills-based hiring could reach almost $15 billion over 10 years.''2578\15\ Our private sector partners recognize this untapped economic2579potential. According to the National Skills Coalition, 52 percent of2580jobs require training beyond high school, but not a 4-year degree.\16\2581Opportunity @ Work, a nonprofit working across sectors to implement2582skills-based hiring, promisingly reports that 8600,000 jobs have opened2583up for STAR (Skilled Through Alternative Routes) jobseekers as 262584states removed degree requirements from government job descriptions2585between 2022 and 2025.\17\ This crucial step in removing degree2586barriers in employment opportunities is an important development for2587all of our clients, but particularly for the 78 percent of Hire Heroes2588USA's Junior Enlisted clients (ranks E1-E4) without a bachelor's2589degree.2590---------------------------------------------------------------------------2591 \14\ ``US Departments of Labor, Commerce Release Skills-First2592Hiring Guide to Help Employers Hire, Promote Workers Based on Skill,2593Knowledge,'' DOL, accessed June 3, 2025, https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/2594releases/osec/osec20241113.2595 \15\ ``Hiring Veterans Can Help Reduce the US Labor Gap McKinsey,''2596accessed June 12, 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-2597and-organizational-performance/our-insights/from-the-military-to-the-2598workforce-how-to-leverage-veterans-skills.2599 \16\ ``Skills Mismatch,'' National Skills Coalition (blog),2600accessed June 12, 2025, https://nationalskillscoalition.org/skills-2601mismatch/.2602 \17\ Chris Francica, ``Three Years In: Tracking the State of the2603Paper Ceiling,'' Medium, March 25, 2025, https://2604blog.opportunityatwork.org/three-years-in-tracking-the-state-of-the-2605paper-ceiling-f24450273266.2606---------------------------------------------------------------------------2607 While the concept of skills-based hiring is not entirely new--every2608role inherently requires specific skills--validating and leveraging2609skills has been an uncommon practice until recently. At Hire Heroes2610USA, elements to support a skills-validation framework were already in2611place, but much had to be developed. Over the past 2 years, we2612collaborated with skill development and validation organizations, job2613seekers, career coaches, and employers to integrate skills-based work2614throughout our efforts. Hire Heroes USA's clients consistently report2615that they find skills validation valuable for enhancing career2616development; in fact, 66 percent of respondents indicated they felt2617more confident in their job search following a skills-based search2618webinar.\18\ There is clear interest among employers and in emphasizing2619skills and competencies that would allow job seekers to demonstrate2620their value more effectively; however, a definitive and market-wide2621framework has yet to emerge. Ensuring widespread standardization and2622adoption of this practice will require continued collaboration between2623employers, nonprofits, validation platforms, and the Federal2624Government. Decision-makers at all levels must actively join the2625movement to remove employment barriers for more than 70 million2626Americans.\19\2627---------------------------------------------------------------------------2628 \18\ ``Skills-Based Hiring White Paper Report,'' 2024, https://2629www.hireheroesusa.org/skills-based-white-paper/.2630 \19\ ``Advocate for Skills-First Government Policies2631Opportunity@Work,'' accessed June 12, 2025, https://2632www.opportunityatwork.org/topics/skills-first-government-policies.26332634The Value of Nonprofit Organizations and Opportunities to Expand2635---------------------------------------------------------------------------2636Public-Private Partnerships26372638 In addition to the formal Transition Assistance Program, the2639Federal Government provides other military transition programs at no2640cost to the service member. One such program is the U.S. Department of2641Labor's Employment Navigator & Partnership Pilot (ENPP) program.\20\2642ENPP provides one-on-one career assistance to transitioning service2643members and their spouses at select military installations. The program2644shows great potential as initial reports indicate ENPP participants2645experienced 2 months less time from separation to employment and 112646percent higher wages than those who did not participate in ENPP.\21\2647---------------------------------------------------------------------------2648 \20\ ``Employment Navigator & Partnership Program (ENPP),'' DOL,2649accessed June 4, 2025, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/tap/2650employment-navigator-partnership.2651 \21\ Witness Statement, (2025), https://docs.house.gov/meetings/VR/2652VR10/20250325/118028/HHRG-119-VR10-Wstate-DevlinM-20250325.pdf.2653---------------------------------------------------------------------------2654 The success of ENPP is due in large part to the nonprofit partners2655that execute service delivery for the program at no cost to the Federal2656Government. Since launching in 2021, Hire Heroes USA has served almost26572,000 veterans, resulting in over 1,125 hired veterans. For Hire Heroes2658USA's ENPP referrals, the 2024 average salary upon hire was $64,485.2659More recently, Hire Heroes USA has participated with the U.S.2660Department of Veterans' Affairs, Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E)2661office. Through this relationship, VR&E case managers refer veterans2662most in need of individualized employment services to us for support,2663and we work diligently with the VA system to ensure a smooth client2664experience.2665 Behind Hire Heroes USA's success is our highly individualized2666approach, where employment services are tailored to the unique needs of2667each client. Our industry-leading employment model is centered around a2668team of trained Transition Specialists who work one-on-one with their2669assigned `client' throughout their employment journey. Our approach not2670only results in better employment outcomes for veterans and military2671spouses, but it also leads to higher levels of satisfaction and2672earnings that surpass the national average for veterans by over 302673percent.\22\2674---------------------------------------------------------------------------2675 \22\ ``Hire Heroes Annual-Report 2022,'' accessed June 4, 2025,2676https://www.hireheroesusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Hire-2677Heroes_Annual-Report-Digital-2022-V3.pdf.2678---------------------------------------------------------------------------2679 There is a need for more public-private partnerships to grow2680effective transition programs. Rather than risk duplicity by creating2681new programs, the government should strengthen existing programs by2682partnering with nonprofit organizations that are already producing2683positive outcomes for those they serve. This position has been2684supported by multiple industry leaders, including the RAND Corporation2685\23\ and AEI \24\ which cite the need for nonprofit partners to be2686appropriately funded to do this work. Private organizations, relying on2687philanthropic support, have filled TAP's shortcomings, but declining2688resources jeopardize the private sector's continued sustainment of2689individualized employment programs. Nonprofits continue to absorb an2690increasing share of the management and measurement of the transition2691process. The Federal Government must incentivize their long-term2692sustainable participation in these programs through mechanisms other2693than philanthropic support, including contractual agreements, grants,2694and other arrangements. These collaborations are critical to ensuring2695service members have access to all the resources they need in a timely2696manner.2697---------------------------------------------------------------------------2698 \23\ The Role, Effectiveness, and Sustainability of Nonprofit2699Organizations That Provide Employment Support for Veterans (RAND2700Corporation, 2024), https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA1363-10.2701 \24\ Amidon and Orrell, ``Sustaining a National Treasure: Veteran2702Transitions and the Life Cycle of the All-Volunteer Force.''2703---------------------------------------------------------------------------2704 In addition to effective partnerships and individualized service2705delivery, there is also a need for standardization in data measurement2706and program evaluation across both private and public programs. We need2707to move beyond simply counting outputs, such as job placement and2708starting salary, to outcomes, such as underemployment, and predictors2709for long-term financial security. Importantly, these outcomes must2710account for factors such as rank at separation, educational attainment,2711and existing support systems.2712 Moving past a one-size-fits-all approach to transition services and2713toward individualized solutions is key to ensuring that service members2714are set up for long-term career success, not just temporary jobs. Under2715the status quo, the success box for veteran employment is checked2716without building sustainable pathways for upward mobility. Unfulfilling2717job hopping without career progression is not a successful outcome in2718our books. However, current guidelines and objectives used by TAP2719evaluators consider these outputs successful.27202721Conclusion27222723 This concludes my statement. Chairman Bost and Ranking Member2724Takano, and Members of the Committee, I once again thank you on behalf2725of Hire Heroes USA for your leadership on these pressing issues. We are2726honored to submit our perspective on improving employment outcomes for2727the thousands of transitioning military members, veterans, and military2728spouses we serve. We welcome any questions you may have.27292730 Prepared Statement of Joseph Loomis27312732 Chairman, Ranking Member, and Distinguished Members of the2733Committee:27342735 Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. My name is2736Joseph Loomis. I am a Navy veteran and the Founder / CEO of TurboVets,2737a veteran-focused technology company committed to improving how service2738members and veterans apply for, manage, and access their benefits and2739services, at no cost, for the entirety of their lives. Over the past 202740years, I've led innovation in cybersecurity and advanced technology,2741building companies that solve complex challenges through automation and2742systems integration.2743 At TurboVets, our mission is to close the gap between policy and2744technology, ensuring that service members and veterans experience a2745streamlined, supportive, and successful transition into civilian life2746and beyond.2747 The current Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is fragmented,2748outdated, and insufficient in addressing the actual needs of today's2749transitioning service members. Despite the efforts of dedicated2750agencies, the structure often leaves veterans without the clarity,2751relevant instruction, support, or resources necessary to succeed.2752 Like many veterans, I experienced firsthand the challenges of2753navigating a maze of disconnected systems, outdated portals, and2754impersonal content. The process can feel like 'death by PowerPoint,'2755and the consequences are and have been significant. Today, we face2756rising rates of unemployment, financial hardship, mental health crises,2757and increasing homelessness within the veteran community. Most2758concerning of all, we continue to lose over 6,000 veterans to suicide2759each year. This is not just a number, it was the call to action to why2760my team and I started TurboVets; a problem we must solve together with2761the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense2762(DoD).2763 TAP must be reimagined as the beginning of a long-term,2764personalized journey rooted in trust, capability and support. This2765transformation requires a public-private partnership that integrates2766technology at every stage of the service members transition process.2767Servicemembers need more than briefings, they need continuous access to2768tailored tools, podcasts, relatable video instruction, personal2769mentorship, and transparent, real-time systems.2770 We must envision a secure, centralized digital platform, a true2771'one-stop shop,' where service members can view and access their2772benefits, monitor application progress, explore career guidance, online2773resume and networking, as well as job opportunities, and even consider2774military reenlistment/retention offers to remain in service. This2775platform must seamlessly integrate with government systems, providing2776real-time data, automating eligibility verification, and removing the2777burdens that currently deter many from seeking help.2778 This vision is the foundation upon which we built TurboVets. Our2779veteran-led team uses AI, automation, and system integration to bridge2780the gaps between agencies and those they serve. We are committed to2781delivering a customized experience that reduces delays, improves2782accuracy, fosters trust, and combats fraud, waste, and loss.2783 Technology is no longer a luxury anymore; it is a necessity to2784integrate and exist in the world today. My team and I as well as my2785fellow Americans owe our veterans not just gratitude, but effective,2786modern solutions that deliver meaningful outcomes. It is our duty to2787serve those who served us, and I have committed my life to partnering2788with government agencies to fulfill that responsibility.2789 I am confident that, under the leadership of the VA and DoD, and in2790collaboration with TurboVets, we can transform TAP into a foundation2791for long-term success, retention, and national security.2792 Thank you again for the opportunity to share this vision. I look2793forward to the work ahead and the chance to make it a reality.27942795 Prepared Statement of Rebecca Burgess27962797 Chairman Bost, Ranking Member Takano, and distinguished members of2798the Committee:27992800 Thank you for your leadership in convening this hearing on2801rethinking the transition process from military service to civilian2802life. Too often, veterans' issues are treated as merely human-interest2803stories--tales to invigorate or innervate the heart; to lighten the2804pocketbook; to castigate government--rather than as serious policy2805issues of national importance. As a Nation, we too often take symbolic2806action rather than substantive actions when it comes to taking care of2807those who have worn the Nation's uniform, their families, survivors,2808and caregivers.\1\ That symbolism is now exorbitantly expensive; the2809evidence now also suggests that it has been largely ineffective.\2\ And2810this continues to have adverse impacts on our national security: A2811nation that struggles to staff adequately each of the separate branches2812of its military, because of false or mythologized impressions of any2813lasting effects of military service at the individual level, is a2814nation that cannot remain secure and strong for long.\3\2815---------------------------------------------------------------------------2816 \1\ Symbolic, even when immensely expensive and to the tune of $4002817billion (the 2025 budget of the Department of Veterans Affairs alone).2818For a detailed expose of this dynamic, see Rebecca Burgess, ``Triaging2819the VA,'' National Review Magazine, July 2024, https://2820www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2024/07/triaging-the-va/.2821 \2\ Meredith Kleykamp et al., Federal Programs to Assist Military-2822to-Civilian Employment Transitions: Limited Scrutiny and Substantial2823Investment in Education Programs, RAND Corporation, June 11, 2024,2824https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1363-12.html.2825 \3\ Bradley Bowman, Marcus Ruzek, and Dan Goldenberg, ``Veterans2826and American National Security,'' Foreign Podicy, February 21, 2025,2827https://www.fdd.org/podcasts/2025/02/21/veterans-and-american-national-2828security/.28292830---------------------------------------------------------------------------2831Understanding the DoD-VA Landscape28322833 For 250 years, beginning with the Continental Army, every branch of2834the U.S. Armed Forces has had one consistent output, the military2835veteran, and yet for 250 years, our Nation has never articulated a2836national veterans' strategy. Not even when we professionalized military2837service and returned to our voluntary service roots with the creation2838of the All-Volunteer Force in 1973, did we officially recognize the2839importance--to the Nation, and especially to the military itself--of2840the well-transitioned military veteran.\4\ Every recruitment cycle2841since that has been overshadowed in concerns about meeting even lowered2842required enlistment numbers is proof of this embarrassing inattention.2843---------------------------------------------------------------------------2844 \4\ Rebecca Burgess, ``Saluting Those Who Freely Serve,'' Law and2845Liberty, August 22, 2023, https://lawliberty.org/features/saluting-2846those-who-freely serve/.2847---------------------------------------------------------------------------2848 An all-volunteer force is not a self-sustaining institution.2849Because we never asked ourself as a nation what it might take2850societally to sustain a volunteer, professional military, we seem to2851have failed to understand that there is a lifecycle to military2852recruitment that both begins and ends with the military veteran. As I2853have repeatedly argued, the veteran is the unacknowledged but permanent2854ambassador of national service: How we publicly portray veterans--by2855how we treat them, legislate about them, talk about them--directly2856relates to how society conceptualizes military service, including what2857happens to an individual during that service.\5\2858---------------------------------------------------------------------------2859 \5\ See, for instance, Rebecca Burgess, ``From a Social Deficit to2860a Social Asset Model: How Congress and the VA Can Empower Veterans and2861Reverse the `Broken Veteran' Narrative'', Statement before the House2862Committee on Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity2863Hearing on Pending Legislation, April 9, 2019, https://docs.house.gov/2864meetings/VR/VR10/20190409/109258/HHRG-116-VR10-Wstate-BurgessR-286520190409.pdf.2866---------------------------------------------------------------------------2867 As a Nation, we have consistently failed to recognize that there is2868a societal ``continuum'' or lifecycle between the veteran and the2869potential military recruit. Perhaps we come by this failure honestly2870and despite the best of intentions, as a byproduct of our government2871structure. Unlike in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Singapore, and2872several other countries, in the United States we have created a2873Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that is an executive agency that is2874independent in every meaningful way from the Department of Defense2875(DoD), from physical buildings to budgets, to personnel, to2876programs.\6\ This physical, structural breaking apart seems to have2877resulted in a mental breaking apart, among those especially employed in2878the Defense Department, of treating soldiers as proper national2879security concerns but dismissing veterans as domestic policy concerns,2880and as almost entirely healthcare policy concerns.\7\2881---------------------------------------------------------------------------2882 \6\ Institute for Defense and Government Advancement, ``Five2883Countries: Five Approaches to Veteran Programs,'' VA Healthcare 2018,2884https://eco-cdn.iqpc.com/gfiles/2885_SXIJAfive_countries_five_approaches_to_veterans_programs_whitepaper.pdf.28862887 \7\ I use ``soldiers'' here collectively for all those serving in2888the armed forces.2889---------------------------------------------------------------------------2890 There is a long-running attitude--however informally articulated--2891within DoD that essentially treats anyone handed a DD214 form as a2892failure of retention and thus as deadweight. That perception must be2893reshaped. Such a mindset is not only outdated, but it directly2894negatively impacts the health of each service branch. It is a mindset2895in drastic need of re-education, in order to recognize the reality that2896every veteran who succeeds or fails to reintegrate healthily into2897civilian society represents investment funds or withdrawals (as it2898were) from the future military, in the form of potential recruits.2899Every failed reintegration of a veteran into civilian life is a2900disincentive and discouragement from joining the Army, Navy, Marine2901Corp, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard; every successful2902reintegration is equally if not more an incentive to join one of those2903same service branches.\8\ Veterans are just as much alumni of their2904alma mater service branch as any college graduate is of their college2905or university. And if there is one thing that alumni represent for2906their alma mater, it is a walking advertisement for enrollment. Or, as2907Brent Orwell and Matt Amidon recently put it, ``veterans are2908recruitment influencers.'' \9\2909---------------------------------------------------------------------------2910 \8\ See Brent Orrell and Matthew Amidon, ``Sustaining a National2911Treasure: Veteran Transitions and the Life Cycle of the All-Volunteer2912Force,'' American Enterprise Institute, April 24, 2025, https://2913www.aei.org/research--products/report/sustaining-a-national-treasure-2914veteran-transitions-and-the-life-cycle-of-the-all-volunteer-force/2915#scrollSection0.2916 \9\ Ibid.2917---------------------------------------------------------------------------2918 The military, and thus DoD, must be brought to recognize these2919societal dynamics. The Defense Department must understand that it has a2920vested interest in the successful transition or reintegration into2921civilian living and society of each veteran after their active or2922reserve duty is completed. And thus the several service branches and2923their secretaries must also understand that they have a vested interest2924in the Nation having a coherent, modernized, effective, and efficient2925suite of programs and services to make up that transition process for2926all veterans, but especially the most vulnerable veterans, including2927young veterans and junior enlisted veterans.29282929Mapping the Transition to Civilian Life29302931 Some 200,000 service members exit the military and re-begin their2932civilian journey every year, having access to some 45,000 registered2933nonprofit veterans service organizations, numerous VA benefits such as2934the Post-9/11 GI Bill, DoD SkillBridge apprenticeship and immersive2935career programs, and corporate hiring initiatives. Many if not most of2936these services and programs have come about haphazardly. The result is2937that the ``current institutional framework governing the scope of2938challenges affecting veterans remains far to disparate, reactive, and2939administratively marginalized.'' \10\ What we need for an improved2940transition from soldier to civilian and a strengthened transition2941assistance program for veterans is not more programs or more money, but2942better coordination, data sharing, and outcome measurement of existing2943programs and initiatives.2944---------------------------------------------------------------------------2945 \10\ Nicholas J. Armstrong and Michael Haynie, ``A National2946Veterans Strategy: The Economic, Social and Security Imperative,''2947Institute for Veterans and Military Families and Institute for National2948Security and Counterterrorism, Syracuse University, February 19, 2013,2949https://securitypolicylaw.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/National-2950Strategy-PublicationFINAL.pdf.2951---------------------------------------------------------------------------2952 More than 20 years ago, the 1996 Congressional Commission on2953Servicemembers and Veterans Transition Assistance conducted the most2954comprehensive review of veterans' benefits since the Bradley Commission2955in 1956. Since many of the benefits and services were established in2956the waning days of World War II, Congress tasked the commission to2957examine everything meant to help service members transition to civilian2958life. The commission was then to propose modernizing measures and2959improvements, including consolidating and eliminating the administering2960organizations.\11\2961---------------------------------------------------------------------------2962 \11\ Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-2752963(1996), https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-104publ275.2964---------------------------------------------------------------------------2965 The commission acknowledged the success of the original GI Bill's2966education and employment provisions. These included traditional2967education assistance and vocational training for nondisabled veterans;2968rehabilitation training; home, business, and farm loans; job counseling2969and employment placement services; and an unemployment benefit. But the2970commission bridged the post-Industrial Revolution time span between29711944 and 1996 with a declaration: ``If employment is the door to a2972successful transition to civilian life, education will be the key to2973employment in the information age.'' \12\ Still in a pre-9/11, pre- War2974on Terror atmosphere, the commission was concerned that the 20th-2975century structural system of benefits the VA oversaw was outmatched by2976the actual needs of veterans in the 21st century.2977---------------------------------------------------------------------------2978 \12\ Congressional Commission on Servicemembers and Veterans2979Transition Assistance, ``Congressional Commission on Servicemembers and2980Veterans Transition Assistance Final Report,'' January 14, 1999, 32981https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/dashboard/searchResults/titleDetail/2982PB2006113212.xhtml.2983---------------------------------------------------------------------------2984 The commission found ``in some cases, benefits and services have2985become so outdated, and program management so ineffective that they2986break faith with those who served, and currently serve, their Nation in2987uniform.'' \13\ The commission therefore distinguished between benefits2988and services that directly help service members readjust to civilian2989life and those that offered mitigated or delayed compensation ``for the2990hardships of military duty,'' opportunities lost or deferred by2991performing military service, or treatment or rehabilitation for2992injuries incurred while on active duty.2993---------------------------------------------------------------------------2994 \13\ Ibid.2995---------------------------------------------------------------------------2996 The Nation and its veterans historically have shifted emphasis2997between these types of programs according to the concerns of the2998moment. After World War I, the 1918 Smith-Sears Veterans Rehabilitation2999Act, also known as the Soldiers Rehabilitation Act, recognized the3000demands that a rapidly growing manufacturing economy placed on3001individuals' commercial abilities. It emphasized vocational3002rehabilitation courses for injured soldiers, so that they could return3003to their old jobs or enter new occupations and ``carry on a gainful3004occupation.'' \14\ This was bookended by compensation legislation3005specifically addressing financial and personal opportunities perceived3006to be lost by performing military service. The post-World War II GI3007Bill further shifted post-service benefits toward education in general.3008In fact, the Congressional Research Service dates the VA's education3009assistance benefits as beginning with the 1944 bill. The Congressional3010Research Service notes that a consistent theme of all GI Bill-type3011programs since 1944 is to ``promote development of work-related skills3012to facilitate entry or re-entry into the civilian workforce.'' \15\ It3013is this theme that the 1996 Transition Commission stresses.3014---------------------------------------------------------------------------3015 \14\ Smith-Sears Veterans Rehabilitation Act, Pub. L. 65-1783016(1918).3017 \15\ Congressional Research Service, ``GI Bills Enacted Prior to30182008 and Related Veterans' Educational Assistance Programs.''3019---------------------------------------------------------------------------3020 ``Returning to private life after serving in the military is a very3021complex undertaking,'' former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense3022(Military Community and Family Policy) Leslye Arsht observed in3023response to the Transition Commission recommendations. ``To assist them3024in doing so, we must empower servicemembers with the tools and3025information they need to fashion individual solutions to the challenges3026they will face in civilian life.'' \16\ Anthony Principi, the former3027chairman of the Transition Commission and former VA secretary, added:3028``The ultimate measure of successful transition from military to3029civilian life is long-term, sustained employment.'' \17\3030---------------------------------------------------------------------------3031 \16\ Leslye A. Arsht, testimony before the Subcommittee on Economic3032Opportunity Oversight, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, US House of3033Representatives, December 7, 2006, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/3034CHRG-109hhrg31325/html/CHRG-109hhrg31325.htm.3035 \17\ Anthony J. Principi, testimony before the Subcommittee on3036Economic Opportunity Oversight, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, US3037House of Representatives, December 7, 2006, 6, chrome-extension://3038bdfcnmeidppjeaggnmidamkiddifkdib/viewer.html?file=https://3039www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-109hhrg31325/pdf/CHRG-3040109hhrg31325.pdf.3041---------------------------------------------------------------------------3042 Ten years after the Transition Commission was formed, both Arsht3043and Principi were concerned that the VA's suite of resources was still3044tailored to ``the needs of a century gone by.'' Rather than helping3045veterans reenter an economy based on manufacturing and agriculture, the3046VA needed to orient its programs toward a services-and information-3047dominated economy. Furthermore, the VA needed to be taking into account3048the fault line that seemed to have developed between those who3049volunteered to serve and decision-makers in government, business,3050labor, academia, and the media, as the Gulf War and post-9/11 conflicts3051reinforced America's reliance on a professional all-volunteer force and3052avoidance of conscription. Echoing the Transition Commission, Arsht and3053Principi emphasized that, with this in mind, Congress, the DOD, and the3054VA needed to especially rethink education assistance as a benefit of3055service to potential recruits.3056 Beyond anecdotal evidence that this remains true in 2025, a wealth3057of scholarship and empirical data gathered from diverse surveys3058reinforces how pivotal the framing of the VA's education benefits is3059for the VA's message of 21st-century economic opportunity for veterans.3060It is equally pivotal for civilian employers and the taxpayer community3061at large to see veterans as a unique national resource in order for the3062Nation to capitalize on its investment in its soldiers' training and3063development. It is illuminating in this regard to examine veteran3064employment through the lens of the military-civilian divide. This3065reveals how education is the crossroads for both veterans and3066employers.3067 Two decades of veteran employment research show that both3068individual-and group-level factors, involving psychological elements3069for the person and cultural elements tied to group functioning, work to3070``ease or impede'' veterans' successful transition from the military to3071civilian workforce.\18\ This is bidirectional, reflecting both the3072veteran employee's and the civilian employer's perspectives. The3073veteran perceives his or her transition as having to negotiate3074military-civilian identities while navigating a civilian society and3075integrating into a civilian workforce. The employer may or may not know3076how to translate the veterans' military skills and experience to the3077workplace (generally the employer does not feel adequate to do this),3078but he or she does believe that the veteran lacks communication3079skills.\19\ A majority of potential employers express openness to3080hiring veterans yet also some concern about veterans as employees,3081often linked to their perceived lack of translatable skills but3082sometimes linked to the ``broken veteran'' narrative.3083---------------------------------------------------------------------------3084 \18\ Hazel R. Atuel et al., ``Veteran Employment in the 21st3085Century,'' in The Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and3086Identities, vol. 1, eds. Louis Hicks, Eugenia L. Weiss, and Jose E.3087Coll (Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2017), 161-79.3088 \19\ Martin Berman-Gorvine, ``'Skills Translation' Crucial for3089Hiring Veterans,'' Berkshire Associates, October 2, 2017, https://3090www.berkshireassociates.com/.3091---------------------------------------------------------------------------3092 In summary, the majority of potential employers believe veterans3093need more training or additional education, particularly in ``soft3094skills'' such as communication, before they are ready for careers in3095the civilian sector. Veterans tend to agree with this assessment, while309650 percent of current service members believe their military experience3097and skills are easily transferable to the private sector. Regardless,3098both veterans and employers nearly unanimously agree on the benefit of3099internship or apprenticeship programs for veterans as they seek to3100reenter the civilian workforce--both traditional employment learning3101paths. Post-9/11 veterans especially see education as crucial to their3102continued success.3103 Truly, as the Transition Commission noted, education is the key to3104employment in the 21st century, and employment is the door to a3105successful transition to civilian life. Given this reality, it behooves3106the Nation to ``provide transitioning service members with the means3107and opportunity to succeed in their civilian lives and to invest their3108talent and ability in the American economy.'' \20\ Existing VA programs3109already have the infrastructure to do this. All that is lacking is a3110structural reorientation of these programs in alignment with 21st-3111century realities.3112---------------------------------------------------------------------------3113 \20\ Congressional Commission on Servicemembers and Veterans3114Transition Assistance, ``Congressional Commission on Servicemembers and3115Veterans Transition Assistance Final Report, 2.31163117---------------------------------------------------------------------------3118Recommendations for a 21st-Century Strengthened Transition Process31193120 In the 21st-century information age, education is key to3121employment, and employment is the door to a successful transition to3122civilian life. Education and employment combined give veterans the3123crucial tools to reforge civilian identities stronger even than their3124military ones. The psychic rewards of work, productivity, and a career3125cannot be underestimated, which is corroborated by the true veteran3126narrative: Veterans, it turns out, are immensely successful. Empirical3127data shore that up by showing how veterans with increased levels of3128education are wealthier, healthier, and more civically engaged than3129even their civilian peers over the life course. Additional research3130established the links between these outcomes and reduces rates of3131dependence, disability, and criminality.3132 But in 2025, outside of these more 10,000 foot observations and3133bits of knowledge, we also know a few additional, essential things when3134it comes to veterans transitioning into civilian life, in terms of3135where the gaps in our knowledge are and where the challenges exist.3136Here, I echo some of the findings and observations that are helpfully3137condensed in the recently published report by the American Enterprise3138Institute, ``Sustaining a National Treasure: Veteran Transitions and3139the Life Cycle of the All-Volunteer Force,'' for which I provided some3140thoughts, observations, and advice.3141 We know that transition is both an event and a process, taking up3142to 10 years for some individuals. Generally speaking, the bulk of the3143reintegrating ``work'' occurs in the initial 2-year period after3144receiving one's DD214, though significant numbers of at least Post-9/113145veterans have felt that they were not entirely ``fully'' transitioned3146at even 6.5 years after service. Mental health, employment, and making3147and keeping friends are profound concerns for the typical veteran3148during this process. The Veterans Metrics Initiative has identified3149seven domains that are ``critical'' to success in transition:3150employment, education, finances, legal security, social connections,3151and physical and mental health.3152 We also know that that initial 2-year period post-transition is the3153most impactful for intervention, and that those programs are the most3154impactful that allow for customized and timely support geared toward3155improving employment and well-being outcomes.Furthermore, we know that3156currently, our junior enlisted, women, and minority veterans are facing3157the steepest post-service challenges, which are exacerbated by low3158utilization of existing employment services. Explanations for why there3159is the low utilization by those who most stand to profit from accessing3160them include the fact that the veteran support system as it currently3161exists is fragmented. But further insight continues to elude us,3162because of this pervasive problem when it comes to veteran-serving3163programs: a lack of data transparency, and a lack of data about3164veterans, simply.3165 High-quality information on veteran demographics and locations is3166scare, hindering efficient resource allocation. Enhanced data sharing3167among the DoD, VA, and other entities is essential. Connecting the VA/3168DoD Identity Repository Database and information available from the3169Social Security Administration specific to payroll information at the3170zip code level, for instance, would go a far way toward enabling a3171better delivery of resources targeted to regions of the country with3172enduring economic challenges.3173 When it comes to the lack of data transparency, our Nation's3174veterans are ill-served by programs that are never meaningfully held to3175account via a true measurement of their outcomes. The majority of VA3176programs, for instance, appear only to measure outputs, rather than3177outcomes. This leaves us in the dark about whether the billions of3178dollars that are annually allocated for these programs are3179accomplishing anything other than smoke from how quickly the monies are3180consumed. Any funding should therefore be directed to programs that3181effectively improve veteran outcomes and have concrete evidence of the3182same, including partnerships with successful nonprofit and private3183initiatives.3184 Currently, neither VA nor Congress (for the VA) have articulated3185any key performance indicators to measure key transition goals. The3186result is that there is no standardized set of outcomes and impact3187measures for veterans-serving programs. Mandating evidence-based3188funding and third-party oversight to ensure alignment with measurable3189goals via implementing a ``Veteran Impact Dashboard'' would be one step3190toward answering this conundrum. Such a dashboard would allow for the3191tracking of the effectiveness of the aforementioned investments in3192support programs for government-delivered and nonprofit and private3193organizations that receive Federal dollars.3194 What might boost such efforts to improve veterans' transition3195assistance programs would be better, and serious, attention paid to3196them coming from the Department of Defense. Reestablishing the3197Chairman's Office of Reintegration would enable the return of DoD3198leadership to the transition process. Rather than distributing the3199responsibility and authority for transition success across multiple3200government entities, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff needs to3201fund and lead high-quality reintegrations. Reestablishing the3202Chairman's Office of Reintegration would highlight to all stakeholders3203that transition outcomes are crucial to the sustainment of the AVF. And3204perhaps this step is what is needed to get both the Senate and the3205House Armed Services Committees to hold joint hearings with the House3206and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees.3207 Since the birth of the All-Volunteer Force in 1973, our Nation has3208never thought to seriously examine the dynamics that do exist--and that3209must exist--between our society, our government, and our military3210branches in order to sustain an entirely volunteer military. A national3211veterans strategy that reestablishes in the minds of our national3212security sector, our public officials in the executive branch as well3213as in Congress, and in the American public at large, the reality that3214the veteran is the beginning point as much as the end point of military3215service, is crucial for the continued health of these United States.32163217 Statements for the Record32183219 ----------32203221 Prepared Statement of Schultz Family Foundation32223223Introduction32243225 In the initial years following the September 11, 2001, attacks,3226many of the men and women who answered the call to serve returned home3227to uncertain futures. Unemployment for this group soared to nearly 123228percent, far exceeding that of nonveterans.3229 Over the past two decades, however, employment outcomes for3230veterans have improved significantly. A key reason is because the3231private and philanthropic sectors have played an outsized role in3232supporting the transition to civilian employment. Among the critical3233contributions of philanthropy has been to help spur the growth of3234innovative veteran-service organizations, which pioneered new skill-3235conversion and job-placement programs that have been instrumental in3236pushing the unemployment rate for veterans below the overall national3237average. Corporate hiring also has helped to create a post-9/11 society3238where returning veterans were greeted with gratitude and respect, not3239stigma.3240 The Schultz Family Foundation, founded by Sheri and Howard Schultz,3241has been at the forefront of this philanthropic movement, investing $643242million since 2014 to support our Nation's veterans, with a specific3243focus on junior enlisted service members who are transitioning into3244civilian life.32453246The role of philanthropy32473248 The Center for a New American Security, in a 2015 paper, described3249the support for veterans from corporate and philanthropic donors as a3250``sea of goodwill.'' As a result of this support, ``Nonprofit service3251organizations and grantmaking entities alike grew up around the3252country, particularly as the unique needs of and issues facing post-9/325311 service members and their families emerged.'' \1\3254---------------------------------------------------------------------------3255 \1\ files.cnas.org/hero/documents/3256VeteransPhilanthropy_151207_rev.pdf3257---------------------------------------------------------------------------3258 Over the last decade, the Schultz Family Foundation has flowed3259substantial resources into this sea, investing in more than 50 veteran3260service organizations, including those that encourage veterans to3261reconnect and serve in their community, those who support families and3262spouses of those who served, and those who enable veteran3263entrepreneurship. Our core focus has been connecting veterans to3264employment. We believe that when veterans have good jobs, they are more3265likely to have structure, purpose, and financial stability--all keys to3266a successful transition after military service. We also recognize that3267veterans bring a set of skills, experience, and perspective that our3268public and private sector institutions can benefit from, including3269leadership, discipline, problem solving, and teamwork.3270 Our largest investment, at nearly $24 million, has been to support3271the launch of the Onward to Opportunity (O2O) initiative, launched3272through partnership with Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans3273and Military Families (IVMF) and JP Morgan Chase. O2O is now active at327415 military and regional locations and is available virtually to3275transitioning servicemembers globally. It offers free, industry-backed3276career-training and certification programs in high-demand fields such3277as information technology, cybersecurity, business, and customer3278service and reaches about 22,000--more than 10 percent of all--3279transitioning service members a year.3280 In 2023, IVMF commissioned an impact evaluation study from the3281Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at The Pennsylvania State3282University. Using The Veterans Metrics Initiative, a longitudinal3283study, the evaluations found that participation in O2O led to a higher3284salary, an increased likelihood to leave a job for better opportunity,3285and a strong benefit for the junior enlisted population. O2O is now the3286only veteran career-training program, including those sponsored by the3287Department of Labor through the SkillBridge program, that can3288demonstrate third-party validated efficacy for program participation.3289 In total, the Foundation's support has helped:32903291 71,000 veterans secure employment32923293 73,000 veterans receive additional skills or credentials32943295 25,000 veterans connect to a mentor32963297 17,000 veterans engage in community service post-3298transition32993300 The foundation also has supported the USO's development of a master3301data management system (MDM) that enables a ``warm handoff'' of young3302veterans from the time of separation to a veterans service organization3303best situated to meet their employment needs. In its first year of3304operation, the USO Pathfinder program, which generates service member3305data to populate the MDM, more than tripled engagement with junior3306enlisted clients--jumping from 3,000 a year to more than 10,500 a year.3307We expect this system to not only expand the number of junior enlisted3308being served and improve the experience and outcomes for young3309veterans, but also to deliver data to all stakeholders that offers a3310holistic view of the broader transition ecosystem.33113312A shrinking sea33133314 As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan fade further into our national3315rear-view mirror, other priorities are capturing the attention of3316philanthropies and corporations. From our perspective as a funder that3317interacts with other funders, we clearly see the level of support for3318veterans' employment transitions--and all veterans-related3319initiatives--heading for a significant reduction. Several leading3320veterans organizations already have reported a significant diminution3321in grants and other commitments from philanthropic and corporate3322funders.3323 This should be unsurprising. Philanthropy and the business3324community stepped up when we were a nation at war and facing a short-3325term challenge in successfully transitioning legions of troops who3326served overseas. But private funders should not be expected to sustain3327their war footing at a time of peace.3328 Our military and its interagency partners, including the Department3329of Labor and the Department of Veterans Affairs, should bear principal3330responsibility for supporting service members in transitioning3331successfully and achieving gainful employment. Given the role3332successful transitions play in sustaining the all-volunteer force, as3333Brent Orrell and Matthew Amidon have written in the American Enterprise3334Institute paper ``Sustaining a National Treasure: Veteran Transitions3335and the Life Cycle of the All-Volunteer Force,'' \2\ greater engagement3336from the Department of Defense is essential. We do not leave the3337feeding of active-duty troops to the goodwill of citizens living next3338to military installations. The responsibility for employment transition3339should not depend so significantly on the goodwill of philanthropists3340and businesses.3341---------------------------------------------------------------------------3342 \2\ https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/sustaining-a-3343national-treasure-veteran-transitions-and-the-life-cycle-of-the-all-3344volunteer-force/33453346---------------------------------------------------------------------------3347A new model33483349 This is not a call for new funding. The good news is that the best3350nonprofit programs incubated with philanthropic funds have pioneered3351new models of helping veterans. Although government job-navigation3352programs have improved in recent years, they remain costly and3353relatively ineffective compared to what nonprofit veterans3354organizations offer. Far more veterans have been aided in employment3355transitions over the past several years by nongovernmental3356organizations than efforts run by government agencies and their direct3357contractors.3358 We believe a greater share of Federal funds devoted to veterans3359employment transitions should be directed toward the most effective3360nonprofit and private initiatives. Doing so would provide greater3361benefit to our transitioning service members with no additional cost to3362taxpayers.3363 To be sure, many of those leaving the military today did not serve3364in Iraq or Afghanistan--they are products of a peacetime armed forces.3365But to simply let veterans organizations and their programs atrophy3366would be more than a disservice to those who have worn the cloth of the3367Nation. These organizations are critical for three reasons:33683369 Facilitating successful employment transitions among3370service members is critical to the health of our all-volunteer force,3371which is 52 years old this year. If we wish to recruit the best and3372brightest into our military, we need to show that those who serve go on3373to successful post-military careers.33743375 The full employment of our veterans helps our overall3376economy. Unemployment payments to veterans who are jobless in their3377first year out of the military are borne by the Pentagon, sapping money3378that would otherwise be used for operations and readiness. In addition,3379veterans bring valuable leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork to3380the American workplace, benefiting everyone.33813382 Should our Nation be at war again, we will need the3383services of our best-performing, most-impactful veterans organizations.3384Too many veterans fell through the cracks in the years before this3385infrastructure developed.33863387 Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this important3388discussion. The Schultz Family Foundation looks forward to working with3389the subcommittee and the executive branch to improve services and3390outcomes for all who have served our country.33913392 Prepared Statement of Blue Star Families33933394 Chairman Bost and Ranking Member Takano, and distinguished Members3395of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on3396``Strengthening the Transition Assistance Program: Exploring Outcomes3397to Improve the Transition to Civilian Life.''3398 Blue Star Families is the Nation's largest military and veteran3399family support organization, with nearly 380,000 families in our3400membership and impacting more than 1.5 million military family members3401every year. By cultivating innovative programs and partnerships, Blue3402Star Families seeks to ensure that our military and veteran families3403always feel connected, supported, and empowered to thrive, wherever3404their service or post-service life takes them, in order to ensure3405military readiness, retention, and recruiting.3406 Blue Star Families' research calls attention to the unique3407experiences and challenges faced by military and veteran families. Our3408annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey (MFLS)--developed in3409partnership with Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans3410and Military Families (IVMF) and fielded since 2009--is the largest3411annual comprehensive survey of military and veteran families, providing3412millions of data points to date. Data from the MFLS and other research3413by Blue Star Families has been used at every level of government to3414help inform those tasked with making policy decisions that impact our3415military-connected communities.3416 Blue Star Families maintains a nationwide footprint through 133417strategically located chapters, offering both virtual and in-person3418support to active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and veteran families. These3419chapters serve as trusted local hubs--delivering innovative programs,3420hosting community events, and providing essential services that foster3421connection and belonging. By building bridges between military families3422and their local neighbors, institutions, and community organizations,3423we work to ensure that those who serve and their families are fully3424integrated into the communities where they live.3425 The last 2 years marked a significant milestone in our efforts to3426enhance the well-being of veteran and military families. Craig Newmark,3427founder of Craigslist, demonstrated extraordinary leadership and3428commitment by pledging $100 million to address urgent issues such as3429mental health and suicide prevention, housing and homelessness, and3430food insecurity. Blue Star Families is deeply honored to be among the3431beneficiaries of Mr. Newmark's generosity, which includes a direct3432investment in the establishment of three to five new chapters and 253433Blue Star Families Outposts.3434 These new outposts will buildupon our existing chapter3435infrastructure and expand our reach into additional communities.3436Through partnerships with local organizations, we will bring programs,3437services, and trusted resources even closer to where veterans and3438military families live. This expansion represents the power of public-3439private collaboration to strengthen communities, improve mental health3440outcomes, and create a more connected and resilient support network for3441those who serve.3442 At Blue Star Families, we recognize that behind every data point3443lies a deeply personal story. It is an honor to bring both evidence and3444lived experience to this discussion as we examine veteran suicide3445prevention and highlight the impact of our community-based initiative,3446Blue Star Support Circles/Upstream Solutions to Crisis. Our work is3447grounded in both rigorous data and the real-world voices of those3448affected--and we believe both are essential to informing effective3449policy solutions.34503451Veterans Transition Experiences34523453 The enduring collaboration between Blue Star Families and IVMF over3454the past decade has provided invaluable insights into the experiences3455of military and veteran families. Our annual MFLS has served as a3456powerful tool, unraveling the intricate tapestry of the transition and3457post-service life for veterans and their families.3458 One consistent and sobering revelation from the survey is the3459persistent challenge veterans face during their transition. In the most3460recent 2024 MFLS, approximately half of the veteran respondents3461described their overall transition as ``difficult'' or ``very3462difficult.'' \1\ This statistic underscores the profound and complex3463nature of the hurdles encountered by veterans as they navigate the3464shift from military to civilian life.3465---------------------------------------------------------------------------3466 \1\ Blue Star Families. 2025. ``2024 Military Family Lifestyle3467Survey Comprehensive Report.'' https://bluestarfam.org/wp-content/3468uploads/2025/02/BSF_MFLS24_Comp_Report_Full-v2.pdf3469---------------------------------------------------------------------------3470 The Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is3471intended to serve as a foundational resource for service members as3472they prepare to separate from military service and reintegrate into3473civilian life. However, recent data indicates that TAP is underutilized3474and inconsistently effective among the veteran population.3475 According to the 2024 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, only 283476percent of veteran respondents reported using TAP resources and finding3477them helpful, while 23 percent reported using them but not finding them3478helpful, and a notable 49 percent did not use TAP resources at all3479during their transition.\2\ Under current DoD policy, service members3480are eligible to begin TAP up to 12 months prior to separation, or up to348124 months prior to retirement, providing a meaningful window of3482opportunity to prepare for civilian life.\3\ Despite this flexibility,3483the low engagement rates suggest a need to improve both awareness and3484relevance of the program to better meet the evolving needs of3485transitioning service members and their families.3486---------------------------------------------------------------------------3487 \2\ Ibid3488 \3\ Vergun, David. 2023. ``Military Well Prepared for Civilian3489Transition.'' U.S. Department of Defense. https://www.defense.gov/News/3490News-Stories/Article/Article/3561651/military-well-prepared-for-3491civilian-transition-official-says/.3492---------------------------------------------------------------------------3493 While the actual timing of participation in TAP may vary among3494service members, the VA strongly advocates for an early engagement with3495the program. The rationale behind this encouragement lies in the belief3496that early participation equips transitioning service members with the3497necessary tools, information, and skills to make a successful and3498smoother transition into civilian life.3499 Insights from our 2023 MFLS shed light on the perceived3500preparedness of veterans for the military-to-civilian transition. We3501found that when veteran respondents have more time to get ready to3502separate from the military, they feel more prepared for a successful3503transition. Yet retired veteran respondents generally report more time3504to prepare than non-retired veterans with non-retired Veterans3505reporting ``I did not or was not able to prepare for my transition.''3506\4\3507---------------------------------------------------------------------------3508 \4\ Blue Star Families. 2024. ``2023 Military Family Lifestyle3509Survey Comprehensive Report.'' https://bluestarfam.org/wp-content/3510uploads/2025/05/BSF_MFLS_Comp_Report_Full_Digital.pdf3511---------------------------------------------------------------------------3512 Furthermore, a significant proportion of all veterans respondents,3513regardless of retirement status, had ``less than a year before3514separating'' despite the DoD and VA recommendations. Some of this may3515be due to unit mission and staffing demands, but it is important to3516consider from a sustainability perspective.3517 The quality of the military-to-civilian transition experience has a3518measurable impact on how veterans perceive their service--and3519critically, whether they would recommend military service to the next3520generation. The 2023 MFLS revealed a statistically significant3521difference in veterans' likelihood to recommend military service based3522on their transition experience. Veterans who reported a smooth3523transition were more likely to recommend service to a young person in3524their family (M = 6.90, SD = 3.18, n = 766) compared to those who3525experienced a difficult transition (M = 6.13, SD = 3.41, n = 1,080).\5\3526---------------------------------------------------------------------------3527 \5\ Ibid3528---------------------------------------------------------------------------3529 These findings illuminate the broader implications of transition3530support--not only for individual well-being but also for the long-term3531sustainability of the All-Volunteer Force. Improving the transition3532experience may be a key factor in restoring confidence in military3533service and strengthening future recruitment pipelines.3534 This underscores the importance of effective transition programs3535and support mechanisms in not only facilitating a smoother shift to3536civilian life, but also in influencing veterans' perceptions of the3537overall value and benefits of military service. Early engagement with3538programs like TAP could support a smoother transition for veterans. By3539initiating the transition preparation process well in advance, veterans3540may be better equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence3541necessary to face the unique challenges associated with post-service3542life and, in turn, contribute positively to the perception and3543recommendation of military service to future generations.35443545Families' Experiences with Transition35463547 The transition from military to civilian life is often framed as an3548individual journey for the service member; however, in reality, the3549entire family undergoes this transition. Military spouses and children3550are deeply affected by the shift in structure, identity, and support3551systems that accompany separation from service.3552 Findings from our 2024 MFLS highlight this reality, with more than355360 percent of respondents reporting that they experienced the military-3554to-civilian transition as a military spouse.\6\ These spouses often3555shoulder the emotional and logistical burden of the transition while3556supporting their service member and managing the needs of the3557household.3558---------------------------------------------------------------------------3559 \6\ Blue Star Families. 2025. ``2024 Military Family Lifestyle3560Survey Comprehensive Report.'' https://bluestarfam.org/wp-content/3561uploads/2025/02/BSF_MFLS24_Comp_Report_Full-v2.pdf3562---------------------------------------------------------------------------3563 Moreover, additional research underscores the potential long-term3564consequences of this transition on family well-being. Military spouses3565who have undergone the transition have been shown to experience poorer3566mental health outcomes and diminished family relationship quality over3567time. Specifically, studies have identified increased symptoms of PTSD,3568declines in marital satisfaction, and greater work-family conflict from3569baseline to follow up.\7\ These outcomes suggest that the transition3570process can introduce or exacerbate stressors that affect the entire3571family unit--not just the service member.3572---------------------------------------------------------------------------3573 \7\ Corry, Nida H., Rayan Joneydi, Hope S. McMaster, Christianna S.3574Williams, Shirley Glynn, Christopher Spera, and Valerie A. Stander.35752022. ``Families Serve Too: Military Spouse Well-Being after Separation3576from Active-Duty Service.'' Anxiety, Stress, & Coping 35 (5): 1-17.3577https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2022.2038788.3578---------------------------------------------------------------------------3579 Military spouses play a vital and often underrecognized role in3580sustaining the well-being and stability of the military family unit,3581particularly during and after the transition to civilian life. They3582frequently serve as the primary caregivers for both children and3583veterans--especially when physical injuries, psychological trauma, or3584service-related health conditions are present. This caregiving role3585becomes even more critical when veterans are managing the aftereffects3586of combat exposure,\8\ which can introduce complex challenges such as3587post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or chronic pain.3588---------------------------------------------------------------------------3589 \8\ Pflieger, Jacqueline C., Cynthia A. LeardMann, Hope S.3590McMaster, Carrie J. Donoho, and Lyndon A. Riviere. 2018. ``The Impact3591of Military and Nonmilitary Experiences on Marriage: Examining the3592Military Spouse's Perspective.'' Journal of Traumatic Stress 31 (5):3593719-29. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22321.3594---------------------------------------------------------------------------3595 Families in which the service member has been exposed to combat are3596significantly more likely to encounter difficulties during the3597reintegration process. These difficulties may include strained family3598relationships, disrupted communication, and an increased caregiving3599burden for spouses, all of which can undermine long-term family3600functioning and well-being.3601 Reintegration plays a foundational role in shaping how military3602families adapt to life after service.\9\ The military-to-civilian3603transition requires the renegotiation of roles, routines, and family3604structures, as families shift away from the predictability and3605institutional support of military life. The success of this transition3606varies widely and is influenced by how effectively each family member--3607particularly the spouse--adapts to these new demands and3608responsibilities.\10\3609---------------------------------------------------------------------------3610 \9\ O'Neal, Catherine Walker, and Justin A. Lavner. 2021.3611``Military-Related Stress and Family Well-Being among Active Duty Army3612Families.'' Family Relations 70 (4). https://doi.org/10.1111/3613fare.12561.3614 \10\ Elnitsky, Christine A., Cara L. Blevins, Michael P. Fisher,3615and Kathryn Magruder. 2017. ``Military Service Member and Veteran3616Reintegration: A Critical Review and Adapted Ecological Model.''3617American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 87 (2): 114-28. https://doi.org/361810.1037/ort0000244.3619---------------------------------------------------------------------------3620 While the health and well-being of spouses play a critical role in3621the successful transition of service members, many spousal support3622services are discontinued at the point of separation--precisely when3623families may need them most.\11\ Although TAP resources are technically3624available to spouses, they are often insufficiently marketed or3625tailored to their unique needs.\12\ This gap in outreach and support3626leaves many spouses underprepared for the challenges of military-to-3627civilian transition.3628---------------------------------------------------------------------------3629 \11\ Graham, Emily. 2024. ``The US Military Does Not Adequately3630Prepare Members for Transition from Service.'' https://surface.syr.edu/3631cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1251&context=lerner3632 \12\ Ibid3633---------------------------------------------------------------------------3634 These findings reinforce the need for holistic transition support3635strategies that include spouses and family members--not only as3636caregivers, but as individuals with their own unique transition-related3637needs. Recognizing and addressing the unique role of military spouses3638and the broader family unit is essential to a comprehensive approach to3639transition support. A successful transition is not solely defined by3640the veteran's employment or benefits access, but also by the family's3641ability to remain connected, stable, and supported as they navigate the3642shift to civilian life.36433644Family Support Circles Transition Together36453646 Throughout TAP training, the potential psychological impacts of3647transitioning from military to civilian life are largely3648overlooked.\13\ Many service members report a profound sense of loss--3649of family, community, and purpose--following military separation.\14\3650However, TAP often approaches transition as a career shift rather than3651a transformation of identity, leaving veterans underprepared for the3652emotional challenges that may arise.\15\3653---------------------------------------------------------------------------3654 \13\ Ibid3655 \14\ Ibid3656 \15\ Ibid3657---------------------------------------------------------------------------3658 During the separation process, veterans and their families3659consistently report feeling overwhelmed and stressed, despite the3660availability of numerous resources.\16\, \17\ A primary3661challenge lies in identifying their specific needs and navigating the3662complex landscape of programs and organizations to find appropriate3663support.\18\3664---------------------------------------------------------------------------3665 \16\ Wounded Warrior Project. 2025. ``Strategies for a Smoother3666Transition from Military Service.'' https://3667newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/Strategies-for-a-Smoother-3668Transition-from-Military-Service3669 \17\ Markowitz, Fred E., Sara Kintzle, and Carl A. Castro. 2022.3670``Military-To-Civilian Transition Strains and Risky Behavior among3671Post-9/11 Veterans.'' Military Psychology 35 (1): 1-12. https://3672doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2022.2065177.3673 \18\ Kleykamp, Meredith, Jeffrey B Wenger, Elizabeth Hastings Roer,3674Matthew Kubasak, and Travis Hubble. 2024. ``Federal Programs to Assist3675Military-To-Civilian Employment Transitions.'' RAND. https://3676www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1363-12.html.3677---------------------------------------------------------------------------3678 In the 2024 MFLS, veteran respondents identified ``discussions with3679peers''--including conversations with colleagues, neighbors, and3680friends--as one of the most frequently used and effective methods for3681seeking and obtaining information about available resources with 423682percent reporting this method was helpful.\19\3683---------------------------------------------------------------------------3684 \19\ Blue Star Families. 2025. ``2024 Military Family Lifestyle3685Survey Comprehensive Report.'' https://bluestarfam.org/wp-content/3686uploads/2025/02/BSF_MFLS24_Comp_Report_Full-v2.pdf3687---------------------------------------------------------------------------3688 In addition to understanding which resources are utilized during3689the military-to-civilian transition, it is equally important to examine3690how those resources are discovered. Among veteran respondents who3691reported using resources during separation (n=610), the majority (543692percent) indicated that they identified these resources through peer-3693to-peer interactions, underscoring the critical role of informal3694networks in facilitating access to support services.\20\3695---------------------------------------------------------------------------3696 \20\ Ibid3697---------------------------------------------------------------------------3698 Given the clear gap in emotional, psychological, and overall family3699support during the transition process--and the demonstrated value of3700peer-to-peer connections--there is a critical need for programs that3701center community, identity, and shared experience. Blue Star Families'3702Family Support Circles Transition Together program directly addresses3703this need by offering structured, peer-based support for families3704navigating the military-to-civilian transition. This innovative3705initiative recognizes that the transition is not just a professional3706shift, but a profound personal and familial transformation. By3707equipping participants with psychoeducation, peer connection, and3708practical tools, the program provides an upstream, community-rooted3709model that complements TAP and strengthens the overall transition3710ecosystem.37113712Core Components of the Program37133714Family Transition Workshops37153716 As part of a comprehensive approach to military-to-civilian3717transition, Family Transition Workshops can offer vital support to3718service members and their families by fostering emotional wellness,3719strengthening interpersonal dynamics, and encouraging a proactive3720outlook on civilian life. These workshops could include the following3721core components:37223723 Mindfulness and Stress Management: Introduce evidence-3724based techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and progressive3725muscle relaxation to help families reduce stress and manage the3726emotional uncertainty that often accompanies transition.37273728 Strengthening Communication: Provide practical exercises3729aimed at enhancing communication among spouses and family members.3730These sessions help cultivate empathy, patience, and understanding as3731familial roles and expectations evolve post-service.37323733 Goal Setting and Vision Building: Support families in3734identifying and articulating shared goals for their civilian lives.3735This may include developing a ``family mission statement'' to promote3736unity, purpose, and a positive forward-looking perspective.37373738 These workshops reflect an upstream, family-centered model that3739acknowledges the broader impact of transition and empowers military3740families to navigate change with confidence and resilience.37413742Peer Support Groups37433744 Peer support groups are a vital component of promoting mental3745health, fostering resilience, and enhancing social integration during3746the military-to-civilian transition. These groups--organized separately3747for service members, spouses, and children--create safe, inclusive3748environments where participants can share experiences, express3749concerns, and receive guidance from trained peer facilitators. Tailored3750group sessions may include:37513752 Managing Role Changes: Assist spouses in navigating3753evolving family dynamics and responsibilities as the service member3754reintegrates into the home, helping to reduce tension and promote3755stability.37563757 Building New Routines: Provide practical strategies and3758peer-driven insights on creating consistent daily routines that reflect3759new employment, education, or community schedules--strengthening a3760sense of predictability and support across the household.37613762 Coping with Change: Equip children and adolescents with3763age-appropriate tools to process and adapt to the changes associated3764with a parent's separation from service, ensuring their emotional well-3765being is not overlooked.37663767 By leveraging the power of shared experience and trusted peer3768connections, these groups serve as a critical supplement to formal3769services, addressing the emotional and relational dimensions of3770transition often missed in traditional programs.37713772Community-Building Activities37733774 The loss of established social networks following separation from3775military service can lead to feelings of isolation for both service3776members and their families. To address this challenge, community-3777building activities are essential for fostering connection, belonging,3778and resilience during the transition to civilian life. Suggested3779initiatives include:37803781 Social Events and Family Outings: Organize family3782friendly outdoor experiences and community gatherings to encourage3783exploration, recreation, and bonding. Initiatives such as ``outdoor3784adventure boxes'' can promote accessible engagement with nature, while3785community service projects create opportunities for families to connect3786with neighbors and strengthen local ties through shared purpose.37873788 Buddy Program: Establish a peer mentorship initiative3789that pairs transitioning families with those who have successfully3790navigated the shift to civilian life. This informal model provides3791practical guidance and emotional support, helping families build3792confidence and connection through shared lived experience.37933794 These community-based efforts promote social integration and reduce3795the sense of disconnection that often accompanies transition,3796reinforcing the importance of relational support as a core component of3797successful reintegration.37983799Resource Navigation Hub--Blue Star Neighborhood38003801 One of the persistent challenges facing families after separation3802from military service is the lack of awareness and access to available3803resources. To address this gap, the Blue Star Neighborhood would serve3804as a centralized Resource Navigation Hub, offering streamlined access3805to nonclinical wellness tools, practical support, and community3806connections. Key components of the program include:38073808 Digital Resource Portal: A user-friendly, centralized3809platform where families can access a wide range of resources,3810including:38113812 Financial planning tools to support long-term3813 stability.38143815 Employment workshops and webinars to assist with3816 career transitions.38173818 Continuing education opportunities for spouses and3819 veterans.38203821 Self-care resources, including toolkits that promote3822 holistic wellness through exercise, nutrition, and sleep3823 hygiene38243825 Community Support Networks: The Neighborhood would also3826help families locate and engage with local veteran-serving3827organizations, recreational activities, and community groups--3828strengthening social ties and fostering a sense of belonging in their3829new civilian environments.38303831 By consolidating critical information and reducing the complexity3832of navigating post-service life, this model empowers military families3833to access the tools and support they need to thrive.3834 The military-to-civilian transition is one of the most critical--3835and vulnerable--periods in the life of a military family. While3836existing programs like TAP provide important career-focused resources,3837they often fall short in addressing the emotional, relational, and3838identity-based challenges that service members and their families face3839during this time. As our research and experience show, families are not3840just passive observers of transition--they are active participants who3841also carry the weight of change.3842 Blue Star Families' Family Support Circles Transition Together3843program fills a crucial gap by offering a comprehensive, upstream3844approach rooted in community, peer connection, and proactive wellness.3845Through family transition workshops, peer support groups, community-3846building activities, and a centralized resource navigation hub, this3847program meets families where they are--emotionally, socially, and3848geographically.3849 We urge Congress to act this year to improve the Transition3850Assistance Program (TAP) by formally including families as a core part3851of the transition process. Successful reintegration is not solely about3852securing employment or accessing benefits--it is about strengthening3853family resilience, preventing isolation, and ensuring the long-term3854well-being of those who have served and the loved ones who have served3855alongside them. By modernizing TAP to be family centered, Congress has3856the opportunity to make a lasting investment in the health, stability,3857and continued success of our veteran families.3858 On behalf of Blue Star Families and the communities we serve, thank3859you for your commitment to bridging the gap and ensuring that every3860veteran and their family has access to the resources, support, and hope3861they need to thrive.3862 Chairman Bost, Ranking Member Takano, and distinguished Members of3863the Committee, thank you once again for the opportunity to share the3864work and insights of Blue Star Families in support of our Nation's3865veterans and their families.38663867 Document for the Record Submitted by Derrick Van Orden3868[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]38693870 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense3871 Memorandum of Understanding3872[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]38733874 Prepared Statements of Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at3875 Penn State (Clearinghouse)3876[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]38773878 [all]Witnesses
16 witnesses appeared, with 20 papers on file.
- Witness Biography — HHRG-119-VR09-Bio-WagnerT-20250624.pdf
- Witness Statement — HHRG-119-VR09-Wstate-WagnerT-20250624.pdf
- Witness Truth in Testimony — HHRG-119-VR09-TTF-WagnerUSAFT-20250624.pdf
- Witness Biography — HHRG-119-VR09-Bio-SmithIIJ-20250624.pdf
- Witness Truth in Testimony — HHRG-119-VR09-TTF-SmithIIJ-20250624.pdf
Documents
The committee filed 43 documents for the meeting.