Transitioning out of the military is one of the biggest changes a service member will ever navigate, and it comes with a lot of paperwork, deadlines, and decisions that can be easy to miss. The Department of Veterans Affairs has released a new tool designed to make that process simpler: the Know Before You Go (KBYG) Workbook.

What Is the Know Before You Go Workbook?

The Know Before You Go (KBYG) workbook is a companion resource to the VA’s Benefits and Services (BAS) course and the interactive Participant Guide, both part of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). Rather than repeating the full course content, the workbook distills it into a timeline-based, quick-reference guide that transitioning service members (TSMs) and their families can use to take timely action on their VA benefits.

Service members enter their separation or retirement date once, and the fillable PDF automatically calculates and populates deadlines for every major milestone, turning a dense set of requirements into a personalized roadmap.

What’s Inside

The workbook walks through six key windows of the transition timeline, from a year before separation to a year and beyond after it:

• 12 to 9 months before separation: Setting up a VA.gov account and beginning to gather medical records for a Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) claim
• 9 to 3 months before separation: Reviewing the DD214 for accuracy, updating contact information, connecting with a VA health care liaison, and applying for SkillBridge and career planning support
• 3 months before to 3 months after separation: Applying for VA health care, submitting an initial Fully Developed Claim (FDC), and connecting with VA Solid Start outreach
• 3 to 12 months after separation: Converting life insurance coverage (SGLI/FSGLI), filing disability claims, and applying for Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
• 12 months after separation and beyond: Accessing mental health support, applying for GI Bill education benefits, and requesting a VA home loan Certificate of Eligibility

Each section includes plain-language explanations, a checklist of next steps, QR codes linking directly to forms and resources, and references to the matching module in the Participant Guide, so the workbook and course reinforce each other rather than existing in isolation.

Why This Matters for Veterans and Their Advocates

Missed deadlines are one of the most common reasons transitioning service members lose out on benefits they’ve earned, whether it’s a lapse in health care coverage, a delayed disability claim, or an insurance conversion window that closes before anyone realizes it opened. By turning the transition process into a clear, personalized checklist, the KBYG Workbook helps close that gap.

For Veteran Service Organizations, sharing this resource is a simple but meaningful way to support the veterans and transitioning service members we serve. Encouraging its use alongside the BAS course and Individualized Transition Plan helps ensure no one falls through the cracks during one of the most consequential transitions of their life.

Download the Know Before You Go Workbook here: https://discover.va.gov/transition-programs/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/02/BAS-KBYG_v1.0_Option1.pdf