European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 18, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 18, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 go transition to civilian life re studied army wants to keep soldiers in but help those separating by Cunt Swift Washington Bureau Washington to improve re Calis Lenl Fig ures and to make the transition to civilian life easier for sex soldiers the army is seeking to change the Way it thinks about people getting out of the service. Under a plan taking shape at the Pentagon the army would View a Soldier s separation As a process that begins a year earlier and extends into civilian life said maj. Thomas Johnson of the adjutant Gen eral s office. If a Soldier wants the help the process could in clude Aid in being accepted at a College or technical school or in Landing a Job. He said. The players in the new process could include Ca reer Counselor education centers military and civilian personnel office the Reserve National guard labor department and veterans admin a Littion. However. Continued emphasis will be placed on turning the Best of the 65,000-Plui soldiers who leave the service each year Johnson said. Al departing soldiers Are contacted during the year about separation related subjects the army will have an Opportunity to encourage them to re enlist or join the Reserve or the National guard. Starting a year in Advance will give the army a Chancy to make certain soldiers have a positive attitude about their tour in uniform and Are Al the least heartily thanked for their service he said. Even with soldiers who have made up their minds to leave the extra attention should pay dividends. An c i Soldier is a continued asset for the total Force and an excellent Means of advertising the  Johnson said. Helping soldiers get into the schools of their choices or getting jobs they want also will help re Duce America s unemployment and the costs of other social welfare programs. The program signals changing attitudes toward soldiers who Aren t re enlisting. He s just at a diff rom base one planning document says. "1 t s the same Ball Field and  the plan also emphasizes the family reflecting the belief trial a Soldier s feelings about the army Are at least partly a product of How of her members of the family feel about it. Spouses will be offered help in finding a Job or school and planners want better facilities at out processing Points including Day care and billets Johnson said. Job assistance could involve placement testing and counselling with the help of the labor depart ment the veterans administration and civilian personnel offices Johnson said. The labor department has a network of state agencies and the a has Adata base on 7,000 employers hat the army May be Alilce to draw on. Soldiers getting out overseas still could be helped with Schoofs or jobs their applications would just have to be mailed Back to the slates Johnson said he said the army had no plans to