Your agency cannot find its opportunity
The agency believes it is active, but candidates cannot readily locate a current opportunity.
Existing SkillBridge Program Audit
An approved SkillBridge MOU is not the same as an operational program.
An agency may hold an approved SkillBridge MOU while individual training records remain incomplete, under review or unavailable to candidates. PHS helps law-enforcement agencies determine whether an existing program is current, visible and structured to turn military interest into academy-ready candidates.
Fixed pricing · Defined deliverables · No continuing obligation
125+
Public Safety ProgramsIdentified by DoWas “Under Reviewâ€
“Under Review†identifies a missing training-plan record.
A current review of public-safety programs in the DoW provider list identified more than 125 listings displaying “Under Review.†This is a concentrated issue within the public-safety category—not simply 125 records across the directory’s roughly 11,000 programs. In its August 2026 Employer Roundtable, DoW explained that this status appears in the Duration of Training field when no training plan is uploaded with an organization’s approved training—even when the plan was previously submitted and approved outside the new Provider Portal.
Training-plan deadlineDec. 312026Time remainingMissing plans can result in removal of associated position announcements.
—Weeks
—Days
Army participation warningArmy representatives stated during the 2026 SkillBridge Employer Roundtable that participation would not be approved for opportunities displaying “Under Review.†The December 31 remediation period therefore may not protect current access to Army candidates.This operational clarification was provided during the roundtable discussion and does not appear in the accompanying slide deck.
Check your listing
Would your agency recognize the warning?
The public provider list can reveal a problem before an agency realizes its opportunity is difficult to find—or that its training duration is marked “Under Review.â€
How to check your agency’s listing
Filter by stateStart with the state where the program or training location operates.
Search by serviceTry “police†or “sheriff,†as appropriate.
Check related resultsDo not rely only on the agency’s exact name; the listing may use a program or parent-organization name.
Review the statusLocate “Duration of Training†and confirm whether it shows a duration or “Under Review.â€
The provider list opens in a new tab so you can keep these directions visible. The public status is a starting point; PHS does not determine official program standing or act on behalf of DoW.
When to review
Your program may need attention if…
An executed MOU can coexist with outdated listings, unclear ownership, incomplete processes or a program structure that never became a recruiting pipeline.
The original program manager left
Contacts, responsibilities and institutional knowledge may no longer be current.
The program has hosted few or no participants
Approval exists, but awareness, intake or operational barriers prevent participation.
The program is built only around academy dates
Military separation dates and fixed academy schedules rarely align perfectly.
Reporting responsibility is unclear
The agency lacks a reliable process for participant, offer and retention outcomes.
Operations have changed since approval
Locations, occupational tracks, training activities or hiring procedures have evolved.
Current expectations
Approval is only the beginning.
The 2026 DoW roundtable places the pressure on three measurable responsibilities: keep the program current, maintain its training plans in SPP CMS and produce credible employment outcomes.
01 · Maintain
Keep every public-facing program detail current.
Changes to training, locations, opportunity details or program structure cannot live only in an internal document. The public record and approved program must remain aligned.
DoW MOU §§ 4.2.14–4.2.15
02 · Restore visibility
Upload required training plans by December 31, 2026.
DoW instructed affected organizations to provide missing training plans through SPP CMS. If they do not, associated position announcements may be removed from the public SkillBridge Locations Page.
A deadline with a direct recruiting consequence
03 · Perform
Convert completed training into employment opportunity.
75%minimum qualifying-offer threshold
85%DoW KPI goal
A program cannot be measured only by participation. DoW connects successful completion with the probability of immediate post-service suitable employment.
What PHS tests behind those obligations
The audit translates the federal expectations into the operating questions a law-enforcement agency must be able to answer.
Directory visibility
Training-plan integrity
Candidate capacity
Hiring pathway
Program ownership
Outcome tracking
PHS evaluates the agreement and guidance applicable to the agency. A review does not presume that every newer provision applies retroactively or that an agency is out of compliance.
Reference: current SkillBridge MOU and training-plan required elements.
Program performance
Traditional law-enforcement SkillBridge compared with the PHS approach
The academy-direct structure is widely used because it appears simple, but every required timing intersection becomes another place where an otherwise qualified transitioning service member can be lost. This comparison identifies program-design risks; it does not represent a claimed loss rate or a judgment about candidate quality.
Traditional law-enforcement SkillBridge
Qualified transitioning service member
Does the separation date align with the academy?
Candidate exits the pathway
Can agency vetting finish before separation?
Candidate exits the pathway
Can the candidate manage any waiting gap?
Candidate accepts another opportunity
Candidate reaches academy placement
A “no†at any timing decision can remove an otherwise qualified candidate. The loss occurs because the candidate cannot fit the program’s single timeline—not because the candidate failed an agency standard.
Parallel-process SkillBridge model
Engage before military separation
Run agency screening and military approval
Complete structured pre-academy training
Reach an employment decision earlier
Align with the next available academy
Multiple transition timelines can be forecast across future academies while the agency preserves every existing hiring standard.
SkillBridge should bridge the candidate to the academy—not require the candidate’s separation date to match it perfectly.
ETSOPS
Program management built for law enforcement
Standardize the process—even when every military transition is different.
Transitioning service members enter the hiring process with different separation dates, command-approval timelines, terminal leave plans and academy availability. ETSOps helps an agency manage those variables as one repeatable recruiting and training process.
1
Forecast each candidate against academy datesSee where military transition milestones and agency hiring steps need to run in parallel.
2
Apply one consistent workflowGive recruiters a defined process without forcing every service member into the same calendar.
3
Maintain program visibilityTrack participation, hiring decisions and required outcomes without relying on scattered notes or institutional memory.
Transparent pricing
Start with the level of review your agency needs.
Both options have a fixed fee, defined scope and written findings. No hourly billing and no obligation to purchase recovery or redesign services.
Program Status Review
$1,500 fixed fee
For agencies seeking clarity about current status, public visibility or an immediate program concern.
- Directory visibility review
- Published opportunities and locations
- High-level MOU orientation
- One agency interview
- Concise written findings
- 30-minute findings call
- Five-business-day target
Compliance & Performance Audit
$2,500 fixed fee
For agencies preparing to update, reactivate or improve an existing or under-review program.
- Applicable MOU crosswalk
- Detailed training-plan assessment
- Directory and opportunity accuracy
- Candidate intake and selection review
- Academy-timeline and candidate-loss analysis
- Outcome-reporting readiness
- Prioritized corrective roadmap
- Leadership findings presentation
- Seven-to-ten-business-day target
No undefined consulting engagement
PHS will not begin additional work without agency authorization and an agreed fixed-price scope. Findings remain confidential and are provided only to the requesting agency.
When findings require action
Preserve what works. Repair what does not.
If the review identifies correctable documentation, visibility or operational issues, PHS can provide a separate Program Recovery proposal. Usable elements of the agency’s existing MOU, training plan and approval history are preserved whenever practical.
A complete redesign is recommended only when the existing foundation cannot reasonably support the agency’s current structure or desired program.
Simple process
From uncertainty to a documented path forward.
Choose the review
Start with status clarity or a complete operational assessment.
Share program materials
PHS requests only the documents and context relevant to the scope.
Receive written findings
See what appears current, what needs attention and why it matters.
Choose the next step
Act internally, authorize recovery or retain the findings for planning.
Common questions
Before requesting a review
Is this an official DoD compliance determination?
No. PHS provides independent program-development, documentation and operational consulting. Final determinations regarding approval, status or continued participation remain with the appropriate government authorities.
Where does the “125+ public-safety programs Under Review†figure come from?
It reflects a current review of public-safety results in the DoW SkillBridge provider list and may change as directory records are updated. The DoW Employer Roundtable explains that “Under Review†appears in the Duration of Training field when no training plan is uploaded with an approved training. The figure is an independent observation, not an official DoW compliance total.
Is December 31 the same as the December 1 application deadline?
No. December 31, 2026 is the deadline stated in the DoW training-plan notice for affected existing providers to supply missing plans in SPP CMS before associated announcements are removed. December 1 closes the Fall enrollment period for new industry-provider applications. An agency requiring a new application or material program change may need to consider both timelines.
Will PHS automatically recommend rebuilding our program?
No. The review is designed to identify what remains usable. Recovery is recommended when focused corrections can restore or improve the program. A more substantial redesign is discussed only when the existing foundation cannot support the agency’s current needs.
What if our program is still under review?
An audit can help identify incomplete documentation, training-plan weaknesses, ownership gaps or operational questions that may be preventing the agency from moving forward. PHS cannot guarantee approval or identify confidential DoD reasoning that has not been shared with the agency.
Does an audit require a software purchase?
No. Neither audit option requires an ETSOps subscription or continuing engagement.
What if our agency does not have an existing program?
This service is intended for existing, inactive or under-review programs. Agencies starting from the beginning can explore turnkey SkillBridge program development.
Find out what your agency already has—and what it needs next.
Begin with a confidential conversation or select a fixed-price review.