DOCUMENT RESUME ED 355 395 CE 063 247 TITLE Transition Assistance Program. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Education, Training and Employment of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, Second Session. INSTITUTION Congress of the U.S., Washington, D.C. House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. REPORT NO ISBN-0-16-038950-X PUB DATE 19 Mar 92 NOTE 352p.; Serial No. 102-31. For a related hearing, see ED 342 927. AVAILABLE FROMU.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402. PUB TYPE Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials (090) Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.) (120) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PC15 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Education; Armed Forces; Dislocated Workers; *Employment Services; Enlisted Personnel; *Federal Programs; Hearings; *Job Training; *Military Personnel; *Transitional Programs; *Veterans IDENTIFIERS Congress 102nd; *Transition Assistance Program (Veterans) ABSTRACT This congressional hearing reviews the continuing implementation of sections 1142, 1143, and 1144 of Title 10, United States Code, and section 1418(a) of Title 38, the Transition Assistance Program to assist servicemembers separating from the Armed Forces as a result of downsizing. Testimony includes statements, prepared statements, and written committee questions and their response from U.S. Representatives and individuals representing the following: AMVETS; South Carolina Employment Security Commission; Disabled American Veterans; Paralyzed Veterans of America; U.S. Navy; Department of Veterans Affairs; U.S. Army; New York Department of Labor; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States; Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development; U.S. Marine Corps; Fleet Reserve Association; U.S. Air Force; Department of Labor; and Department of Defense. (YLB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the origi.ial document. *****************************.***************************************** TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM cez HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SECOND CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MARCH 19, 1992 Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs Serial No. 102-31 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDU ATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) reoroduCed as IlMs document has been recerved from the person ororganizatron originating it t' Minor changes oa,,e beenmade to improve reproduction Gamuts, nts Ot view or opinions statedin this docu _nt CIO not necessarily represent&tibia! OERI positron or pcifrcr N c\I U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE (A WASHINGTON : 1992 -C1 Fri the I .S. timenlinetst Pnnunt ( )11 Stithirultendent ol DoCunie:its. Congressional Sale, Office. Wa.haigton.IX. 20402 ISBN 0-16-038950-X cJ BEST COPY AVAILABLE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS G.V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY, Missiszippi, Chairman DON EDWARDS, California, Vice Chairman BOB STUMP, Arizona DOUGLAS APPLEGATE, Ohio JOHN PAUL HAMMERSCHMIDT, Arkansas LANE EVANS, Illinois CHALMERS P. WYLIE, Ohio TIMOTHY J. PENNY, Minnesota CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey HARLEY 0. STAGGERS. Ja.. West Virginia DAN BURTON, Indiana J ROY ROWLAND, Georgia MICHAEL BILIRAKIS. Florida JIM SLATTERY, Kansas THOMAS J. RIDGE, Pennsylvania CLAUDE HARRIS, Alabama CRAIG T. JAMES, Florida JOSEPH P KENNEDY, II, Massachusetts CLIFF STEARNS, Florida ELIZABETH J. PATTERSON. South CarolinaBILL PAXON, New York GEORGE E. SANGMEISTER, Illinois FLOYD SPENCE, South Carolina BEN JONES. Georgia DICK NICHOLS. Kansas JILL L LONG, Indiana RICHARD JOHN SANTORUM, Pennsylvania DOUGLAS "PETE" PETERSON, Florida CHET EDWARDS, Texas MAXINE WATERS, California BILL K BREWSTER, Oklahoma OWEN B PICKETT. Virginia PETE GEREN, Texas BOB CLEMENT. Tennessee MACK FLEMING. Staff Director and Chief Counsel SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT TIMOTHY J. PENNY,Minnesota, Chairman JIM SLATTERY. Kansas, Vice Chairman CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH. New Jersey ELIZABETH J. PAITERSON, South CarolinaCHALMERS P. WYLIE, Ohio GEORGE E. SANGMEISTER, Illinois RICHARD JOHN SANTORUM. Pennsylvania PETE GEREN, Texas THOMAS J. RIDGE. Pennsylvania BOB CLEMENT, Tennessee CONTENTS March 19, 1%2 Page Transition Assistance Program 1 OPENING STATEMENTS Chairman Penny 1 Hon. Chris Smith 45 Hon. Thomas J. Ridge 47 WITNESSES Brinck, Michael F., national legislative director, AMVETS 40 Prepared statement of Mr. Brinck 166 David, Dr. Robert E. (Jack), executive director, South Carolina Employment Security Commission 29 Prepared statement of Mr. David 114 Drach, Ronald W., national employment director, Disabled American Veter- ans 38 Prepared statement of Mr. Drach, w/attachment 197 Dupree, Clifton E., associate legislative director, Paralyzed Veterans of Amer- ica 42 Prepared statement of Mr. Dupree 185 Gallo, Rear Adm. S.F., U.S. Navy, Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel 14 Prepared statement of Admiral Gallo 90 Gray, D Wayne, Chief Benefits Director. Department of Veterans Affairs 3 Prepared statement of Mr. Gray 63 Hickerson, Brig. Gen. Patricia P., Adjutant Gene: al, U.S Army 13 Prepared statement of General Hickerson 81 Hines, Thomas M., executive deputy commissioner of labor, New York De- partment of Labor 96 Prepared statement of Mr. Hines 106 Hubbard, James B., director, national economics commission, The American Legion 41 Prepared statement of Mr. Hubbard 170 Manhan. Robert, assistant director, national legislative service, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States 41 Prepared statement of Mr. Manhan 175 Middlebrooks, Charles, assistant secretary for employment and training, Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development 31 Prepared statement of Mr. Middlebrooks 117 Neal, Br g. Gen. R.I., U.S. Marine Corps, Director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division, Manpower and Peserve Affairs Department 15 Prepared statement of General Neal 101 Pearson, Norman E., national executive s-cretai y, Feet Reserve Association 42 Prepared statement of Mr Pearson 180 ntn I IV Page Porter, Maj. Gen. William J., Director of Personnel Programs, U.S. Air Force 15 Prepared statement of General Porter 97 Ritterpusch, David S., Acting Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training, Department of Labor 2 Prepared statement of Mr. Ritterpusch 51 Woods, Millicent, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Personnel Sup- port, Families, and Education, Department of Defense 3 Prepared statement of Ms. Woods 56 MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD Statements: Air Force Sergeants Association 188 Georgia Department of Labor 195 Written committee questions and their response: Chairman Penny to Department of Veterans Affairs 198 Congressman Ridge to Department of Veterans Affairs 242 Chairman Penny to Department of Labor 244 Congressman Ridge to Department of Labor 253 Congressman Ridge to Department of Defense 257 Chairman Penny to Department of Defense 260 Chairman Penny to Department of the Air Force 263 Chairman Penny to Fleet Reserve Association 265 Chairman Penny to Department of the Navy 267 Chairman Penny to Department of the Army 269 Chairman Penny to Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development 290 Chairman Penny to New York Dcpartment of Labor 299 Chairman Penny to Disabled Veterans of America 306 Chairman Penny to The American Legion 314 Chairman Penny to AMVETS 316 Chairman Penny to South Carolina Employment Security Commission 319 Chairman Penny to Veterans of Foreign Wars 324 Chairman Penny to Paralyzed Veterans of America :327 erg TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1992 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m., in room 334, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Timothy J. Penny (chair- man of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Representatives Penny, Patterson, Geren, Smith, and Ridge. OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN PENNY Mr. PENNY. The subcommittee will come to order. The subcommittee meeting this morning is to review the continu- ing implementation of sections 1142, 1143, and 1144 of title 10, United States Code, and section 1418(a) of title 38. We met regard- ing this issue last July shortly after the end of the Persian Gulf War during the early stages of the draw-down of military person- nel. Since that time, downsizing has begun in earnest, and the impor- tance of, and need for, the transition programs provided in title 10 and title 38 are clear. Visits made to military bases across the country, and ongoing discussions with State and Federal officials involved in the implementation of these programs, indicate that, in general things are going well. There are, however, areas of concern that must be discussed and problems resolved. Hundreds of thousands of servicemembers will be separating from the Armed Forces over the next 4 years. Many are trained in skills which are critical to the Nation's defense but not necessarily readily transferable to the civilian workforce. All of these service- members will be seeking employment during a time of economic uncertainty. It is our shared responsibility to ensu. e that programs provided by Congress to assist in the transition from military serv- ice to civilian life are effective and useful. We have a great many witnesses this morning, and, as