On Jan. 6, Fort Carson hosted a Congressional Staff Delegation (STAFFDEL) visit featuring Christopher Bennett and Sgt. Mjr. Anderon Jarvis.
The visit focused on oversight of Fort Carson’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Army Career Skills Program (CSP), with an emphasis on engaging directly with service members currently participating in TAP.
Bennett is a professional staff member for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Economic Opportunity Subcommittee – a role that covers veteran education, housing and employment benefits. The visit provided an opportunity to highlight how Fort Carson’s transition resources support service members as they plan their future after leaving the military.
As part of the tour, he visited Fort Carson’s UA VIP program.
TAP Overview and Facility Tour
The visit began with a TAP overview followed by a tour of the TAP facility. This portion of the day helped set the stage for a deeper discussion of the resources available to active-duty service members preparing to transition out of the military.
By walking through the facility and reviewing program operations, the dignitaries were able to see how TAP services are delivered and how service members are supported throughout the transition process.
STAFFDEL Observes UA VIP Training
A key part of the STAFFDEL visit was stops at three separate in-session CSPs, including the UA VIP program at Fort Carson, which provided the opportunity for direct engagement with current students and instructors.
“I think it was a great honor (to host the tour)”, said Fort Carson UA VIP Instructor Jose Ballejo. “I have been an instructor for five years and this is the first time anyone like them has come and talked to our class.”
Bennett and Jarvis observed one of the students in the welding lab working on a spool piece, walked through the UA VIP training areas and ate lunch and talked with the VIP participants.
Ballejo felt the visitors were engaged, and wanted to know about the challenges the students face and why they picked UA VIP.
“They asked how hard it was to be approved for the class, what the challenges were to be approved, if lodging was provided for those not stationed here, if they would have enlisted in the national guard to guarantee a SkillBridge program, how they like the class and why they chose this program,” said Ballejo.
As a Congressional staff member, Bennett could push for changes to SkillBridge to make it easier for transitioning members to join a program.
“Mr. Bennett asked really good questions, and I hope he is able to help bring some changes to help more transitioning military members attend a SkillBridge program to set them up for success as they transition out of the military,” said Ballejo.
Fort Carson Garrison Commander Col. Erik Oksenvaag joined Bennett and Jarvis on the tour.
“Col. Oksenvaag had a genuine interest in helping soldiers transitioning out of the military and had feedback for Mr. Bennett on what he is going to work on to help the soldiers transitioning out of the military here on Fort Carson,” Ballejo added.
Key Takeaways
The Jan. 6 visit was a successful opportunity to highlight key components of the Fort Carson TAP programs and the resources available to service members.
For programs such as UA VIP – which align with the goals of career readiness, hands-on training and strong employment outcomes – continued visibility and support for transition pathways remains essential.
Learn More About UA VIP
The UA VIP program is a DOW SkillBridge program designed to help active-duty service members smoothly transition from military life to a rewarding civilian lifestyle.
The UA VIP program offers 118 days of accelerated training in welding, HVACR or fire suppression at the following military installations:
- Camp Pendleton (welding)
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord (welding and HVACR)
- Fort Carson (welding)
- Fort Hood (welding)
- Camp Lejeune (welding)
- Fort Campbell (welding and fire suppression)
- Naval Station Norfolk (HVACR)
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