Separating from the military can be a difficult transition, one that may cause uncertainty about where one may be employed next.

With the assistance of SkillBridge, servicemembers are eligible to “test drive” civilian employment at a variety of companies across the United States for up to 180 days prior to their official retirement or separation date.

“SkillBridge is a program that is designed to help people transition from the military into the civilian world,” said Darryl Gagne, 23d Force Support Squadron (FSS) education specialist. “It was created by the Department of Defense to help servicemembers transition instead of separate, go home and apply for jobs.”

To be eligible, the servicemember must have an official separation or retirement date and a maximum of 180 days left in service. Beyond that, it is up to leadership to determine whether extra steps are required before the process can begin. Servicemembers who are under the Medical Evaluation Board are not eligible for the SkillBridge program due to the uncertainty of an official separation date and time taken away from the internship for medical appointments.

“I had to meet with my supervisor and get my commander’s approval,” said Senior Airman Christopher Nance, 23d Comptroller Squadron (CPTS) and recent SkillBridge applicant. “Once I found a company and sought my commander’s approval, it was really easy to go through the process.”

Airmen who are planning to separate must find a company that is willing to add them to their team then communicate with their chain of command regarding whether or not their absence will be detrimental to the mission. Gagne handles the logistics and provides counseling throughout the process.

“Once you fill out the vetting checklist and get it signed by the employer, the Air Force Virtual Education Center approves it,” said Gagne. “I call the company to make sure they don’t pay the applicants due to the fact that they are still on active duty. Once the commander approves the final paperwork, I send it to the Air Force Personnel Center. They give me an approval form, so the applicant can put in for terminal leave and out-process.”

While not everyone is eligible, those who have gone through SkillBridge are often met with success.

“I’ve done 81 packages here at Moody since the program started,” said Gagne. “Most of them [SkillBridge participants] that I see with the exit survey say,’ Hey, I got hired.’ When I call employers, they are super enthused about getting a veteran and getting someone who is excited to work for them.”

SkillBridge has provided many companies with passionate workers, but for Airmen like Nance it has also removed much of the stress and uncertainty that comes with separating.

“For my internship, I get to experience different branches of IT rather than just one thing, so I get to experience multiple facets of the career that I want to transition into,” said Nance. “If you assess what you’ve learned in the Air Force, it can definitely help in the transition. I ask people if they know the phrase ‘It’s too good to be true.’ It’s like that, but it is true.”