SkillBridge: civilian job training in your last 180 days of service

SkillBridge lets active-duty service members spend up to their last 180 days of service training full-time with an approved civilian employer, through job training, apprenticeships or internships. You keep your military pay and benefits the whole time, and the employer provides the training. Participation is optional, and your commander has to approve it in writing before it starts (skillbridge.mil, as of October 2026).

skillbridge.mil now calls it the "DoW SkillBridge" program (Department of War). The rules come from DoD Instruction 1322.29, which the SkillBridge FAQ cites for eligibility and the 180-day limit.

Who is eligible

According to skillbridge.mil (as of October 2026), you may be eligible if you:

• Have 180 days or fewer left before your discharge or release from active duty, and
• Have served at least 180 continuous days on active duty, and
• Get approval from your unit commander, and accept that the service can end your participation at any time if the mission requires it.

Any rank, enlisted or officer, may apply, though each service sets its own rules, including rank restrictions. Members of the Guard and Reserve can take part too, but each service sets its own eligibility rules for them (SkillBridge FAQ).

Who approves it

Approval comes from the first field-grade commander (O-4 or above) in your chain of command who has authority to impose non-judicial punishment under Article 15. That commander can approve or disapprove based on the unit's mission, and decides how much time you get (SkillBridge FAQ, as of October 2026).

How it fits with TAP and leave

• TAP: skillbridge.mil strongly recommends finishing the mandatory parts of the Transition Assistance Program first, and services or commands may require it.
• Leave: leave can't be sold back if you do SkillBridge. The program expects you to use your leave, and any house-hunting or permissive TDY, before or during the program.
• Pay from the employer: none. You're still paid by the military, so SkillBridge participants aren't eligible for wages or other benefits from the employer.

After SkillBridge

Employers in the program must offer a high probability of a job after service, with them or another employer in a related field, but finishing SkillBridge doesn't entitle you to a job with that employer (SkillBridge FAQ).

Opportunities are listed on the SkillBridge locations map. Your installation's SkillBridge point of contact, often in the transition or education office, can explain your service's approval process.

What this means for your TSP when you separate

SkillBridge happens while you're still on active duty and paid by the military, so it comes before your separation date. Your TSP account doesn't close when you leave: you can leave the money invested, move it to an IRA or another eligible plan, or withdraw it, and each choice has different tax rules. See TSP withdrawal rules and timeline and how TSP withdrawals are taxed. If you were under BRS, how the military TSP match works explains which agency contributions were yours to keep.

Common questions

Can I start SkillBridge more than 180 days before I separate?

No. SkillBridge is for active-duty members within 180 days of discharge or release from active duty, and a program can't run longer than 180 days.

Is SkillBridge open to veterans and military spouses?

SkillBridge itself is for active-duty members and some Guard and Reserve members within 180 days of separation. Some SkillBridge employers also offer training for spouses and veterans; the SkillBridge site suggests spouses search its locations page for "spouse" and contact the SECO Spouse Career Center through Military OneSource.

Do I have to finish TAP before SkillBridge?

The SkillBridge FAQ strongly recommends completing the mandatory parts of TAP first, and some services and commands require it.

Am I required to do SkillBridge?

No. Participation is optional.

Sources

• skillbridge.mil: Program overview
• skillbridge.mil: Military members: eligibility
• skillbridge.mil: FAQ: approval authority, TAP, leave, Guard and Reserve, spouses and veterans, employment after the program
• skillbridge.mil: Resources: service-specific guidance

Educational information only. Not affiliated with DoD, the Department of War, the TSP or the U.S. government. Your service's and command's rules decide your eligibility; check with your installation SkillBridge point of contact.