Scott Maucione | Federal News Network | Jan. 6, 2022
Leaving the Army can be tough for some soldiers who have spent their whole professional careers in the military.
The service has made quite a few advances with its Soldier For Life campaign to help service members land on their feet when they finally leave the military, but some of those programs can be cost-prohibitive.
Army Emergency Relief (AER), the service’s official non-profit, is trying to change that by offering $3 million in grants to soldiers in 2022 for the Career Skills Program (CSP).
The initiative puts soldiers in apprenticeships, job-shadowing opportunities or training provided by corporations that team with the Army, with the expectation that a soldier will be hired when they leave the service.
“It’s good for the Army, but it’s also good for the corporation,” Scott Wilder, financial assistance administrator at AER, told Federal News Network. “They’re getting pretty skilled service members who have a lot of qualities you just inherently learn in the military like time management and organizational skills.”