TRANSITION PROCESSING
MILPER MESSAGE NUMBER : 03-052 TAPC-PDT-P TRANSITION PROCESSING

Posted Monday, January 10, 2005

MILPER MESSAGE NUMBER : 03-052 TAPC-PDT-P TRANSITION PROCESSING

A. AR 635-10, PROCESSING PERSONNEL FOR SEPARATION

B. AR 600-8-105, MILITARY ORDERS

C. CDR, PERSCOM MESSAGE, TAPC-PDT-P, MILPER MESSAGE 01-063, SUBJECT: AS ABOVE IS RESCINDED.

1. THIS MILPER MESSAGE WILL EXPIRE JAN 06. THE CONTENTS OF THIS MESSAGE WILL NOT EXPIRE UPON THE EXPIRATION OF THE MESSAGE. THE PROCEDURES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN AN ARMY REGULATION/PAMPLET, OR THE MESSAGE WILL BE REISSUED.

2. EVERY SEPARATING SOLDIER IS DESIGNATED AN AUTHORIZED TRANSITION CENTER (TC) FOR TRANSITION PROCESSING. ONLY RETIREES ARE AUTHORIZED TO ELECT THE STATION OF CHOICE (SOC) OPTION, AT NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 69 ARMY TRANSITION CENTERS (TCS); HOWEVER ONLY 29 OF THOSE TCS ARE AUTHORIZED SOC LOCATIONS. THE 29 AUTHORIZED SOC LOCATIONS ARE IDENTIFIED ON THE TC DIRECTORY LISTING AVAILABLE ON THE RETIREMENTS AND SEPARATIONS HOMEPAGE, HTTPS://WWW.PERSCOMONLINE.ARMY.MIL/TAGD/RETIRE/TCLIST.HTM

3. NORMALLY, THE SOLDIER'S AUTHORIZED TC IS THE TC LOCATED ON THE INSTALLATION WHERE THE SOLDIER IS ASSIGNED. HOWEVER, IF THE SOLDIER IS FURTHER ASSIGNED FOR DUTY AT ANOTHER LOCATION THAT HAS A TC, THAT TC MAY BECOME THE AUTHORIZED TC. (FOR SOLDIERS ASSIGNED TO A LOCATION WITHOUT A TC, THE AUTHORIZED TC WILL BE THE NEAREST TC.)

4. THE NEED FOR SOC ELECTIONS HAS BEEN REDUCED SINCE THE INCEPTION, IN 1995, OF THE OCONUS CONTRACTOR OPERATED TCS. OCONUS TCS HAVE DRAMATICALLY CHANGED TRANSITION PROCESSING. THE MAJORITY OF SOLDIERS STATIONED OCONUS CAN NOW RECEIVE FINAL TRANSITION PROCESSING WHILE OCONUS AND PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THEIR HOMES IN CONUS. HOWEVER, FOR SOLDIERS ASSIGNED TO SCHINNEN, MONS, LIVORNO, NAPLES, TURKEY, SAUDI ARABIA OR ANY OTHER PLACE IN EUROPE WHERE THERE ARE NO TC'S AVAILABLE AND STATION OF CHOICE IS NOT AVAILABLE, THE SOLDIER'S UNIT MAY DECIDE WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS ARE BEST FOR THE SOLDIER:

(A). HAVE ORDERS REFLECT FT JACKSON, SC AS THEIR AUTHORIZED TC.

(B). TRANSITION AT ANY ARMY INSTALLATION NEAREST THE SOLDIER'S HOME OF RECORD.

(C). TRANSITION AT ANY ARMY INSTALLATION THAT WILL COST LESS THAN RETURNING TO THE SOLDIER'S HOME OF RECORD.

(D). TRANSITION AND REMAIN IN USAREUR (MUST HAVE APPROVED OVERSEAS SEPARATION).

5. ONE STOP TRANSITION PROCESSING IS MORE CONVENIENT FOR SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND SAVES THE ARMY MONEY.

6. SOLDIERS, ELIGIBLE TO ELECT THE SOC OPTION, SHOULD BE ADVISED THAT THEY WILL NEED TO UNDERGO TRANSITION PROCESSING AT BOTH TCS (AUTHORIZED TC AND AUTHORIZED ELECTED SOC LOCATION). ALL PRE-TRANSITION PROCESSING, TO INCLUDE PRE-SEPARATION COUNSELING, PHYSICALS, FOR RETIREES PRE-RETIREMENT BRIEFINGS, AND PREPARATION OF THE DD FORM 214 WORKSHEET WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED AT THE AUTHORIZED TC. THE SOC LOCATION TC WILL BE REQUIRED TO VERIFY ALL ACTIONS COMPLETED AT THE AUTHORIZED TC TO PROCESS THE FINAL DD FORM 214, SEPARATION TRANSACTION AND ANY OTHER REQUIRED ACTION TO PROVIDE FINAL TRANSITION PROCESSING. ALL TRANSITION PROCESSING MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE SOLDIER TAKING PTDY/TRANSITION LEAVE.
7. WHEN AN ELIGIBLE SOLDIER ELECTS THE SOC OPTION, THE AUTHORIZED TC WILL PROCESS MILITARY ORDERS FORMAT 434, TRAVEL TO LOCATION OF PERSONNEL CHOICE FOR RETIREMENT OR SEPARATION (AR 600-8-105). IN ADDITION TO INCLUDING THE SOC LOCATION TC ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF ORDERS FORMAT 434, THE AUTHORIZED TC SHOULD SEND AN EMAIL TO THE ELECTED SOC LOCATION (EMAIL NOTIFICATION SHOULD ALSO BE USED TO ALERT THE TC WHEN SOLDIERS ASSIGNED TO A LOCATION WITHOUT A TC ARE BEING PROCESSED AT THE NEAREST TC.) THE NOTIFICATION SHOULD INCLUDE AT A MINUMUM:

(A) NAME, GRADE, AND SSN OF THE SOLDIER ELECTING SOC OPTION.

(B) STATION OF CHOICE LOCATION (GAINING TC).

(C) REPORTING DATE (REMEMBER TO ALLOW 2 DAYS FOR TRANSITION PROCESSING AT THE SOC LOCATION) (DO NOT SCHEDULE THE SOLDIER TO ARRIVE ON A FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY OR HOLIDAY).

(D) DATES OF TRANSITION LEAVE/PTDY.

(E) SEPARATION DATE.

(F) CURRENT UNIT OF ASSIGNMENT (INCLUDE UIC).

(G) FOR RETIREES - SPECIFY THAT SBP COUNSELING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

(H) AUTHORIZED TC (OR UNIT, IF APPLICABLE) (INCLUDE UIC) AND POC WITH PHONE NUMBER.

8. ONLY MACOMS AND PRINCIPAL HQDA AGENCIES MAY CONTACT HQ, PERSCOM FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE. INSTALLATION/FIELD AGENCIES
AND SOLDIERS MUST CONTACT THEIR RESPECTIVE MACOM OR PERSONNEL SERVICES BATTALION FOR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE. MACOMS AND PRINCIPAL HQDA
STAFF AGENCIES MAY CONTACT MS. SNIDER AT HQ, PERSCOM, DSN 221-4148, COMMERCIAL (703) 325-4148, EMAIL ADDRESS:
DEBORAH.SNIDER@HOFFMAN.ARMY.MIL.