Free Resource Hub
What you shouldn’t
have to pay for.
Veterans are routinely charged for knowledge, tools, and frameworks they already earned the right to have. These resources are free. Use them. Share them.
Resource disclaimer — All documents on this page are independently developed by Summit Strategies Group LLC or community contributors. They are not official DoD, VA, or U.S. Government documents. They do not replace professional legal, medical, or financial advice. Where documents reference military processes or VA claims, they are provided as educational support only. SSG is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency.
Mental health awareness
01 / 07 InteractiveFlagship resource
Mental Health Awareness Matrix
Eight conditions mapped across four lenses: what it feels like inside, how it reads at work, how it appears to loved ones, and what signals to watch for. Includes a hard documentation warning and free resource directory. Built on SSG’s clinical-adjacent framework — not therapy, not a diagnosis. Language for what’s actually happening.
8
Conditions mapped
4
Lenses per condition
Free
Always
Immediate support
Free & confidential options
MFLC, Veterans Crisis Line, Military OneSource, Headstrong Project. No cost, no rank, no record — with honest notes on what each option can and cannot do for your VA claim.
Critical — read this first
Document your health now
An undocumented condition is significantly harder to service-connect. What to do before separation, how the VA rating system works, and why MFLC alone is not enough to build a claim.
Downloadable resources
02 / 07 SSG-generatedFlagship tool · New release
SSG Passage Pro — Command Board & Resource Hub
A complete transition execution system in Excel. Enter your separation date and every milestone calculates automatically — SkillBridge start, PTDY start, out-process start, terminal leave window, and live days remaining. Includes a full resource directory with 90+ curated links across VA, TRICARE, career, federal hiring, and retirement checklist items.
90+
Curated resources
Live
Auto-calculates daily
Free
Always
Weekly productivity · Print-ready
SSG Weekly Schedule Planner
Professional weekly planner in Excel. Auto-calculates the current week’s dates. Seven-day layout with daily writing rows, objectives, to-do items, deadlines, and notes. Print one-page landscape from any office — no setup required.
Transition support
TAPS Information Guide
Transition Assistance Program breakdown — what TAPS covers, what it misses, and how to use it effectively without being sold something you don’t need.
Transition support
Transition Assistance — Actual
A practical, honest breakdown of what transition actually looks like on the ground. Not the briefing — the reality. Built from real experience.
Readiness process
Thought Process — ISO Readiness
A structured thinking framework for readiness planning and inspection preparedness. Applicable to unit readiness and individual transition readiness.
Veterans affairs awareness
03 / 07 InformationalDisability claims — what to know
- File within 1 year of separation for retroactive pay Nexus letter
- Request a Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) claim 180–90 days out
- Request a C&P exam before you out-process On record
- Get a VSO — they are free and they advocate for you No cost
- Buddy statements can support claims with no record Sworn statement
- Appeal denials — most first claims are underrated HLR or BVA
SSG does not provide VA claims assistance. This is general awareness information only. Contact an accredited VSO or claims agent for your specific situation.
Key VA benefits most veterans underuse
- VA home loan — no down payment, no PMI VA Form 26-1880
- Vocational rehabilitation (Ch. 31) — not just school VR&E
- VA mental health care — same-day access available Call 1-800-827-1000
- Individual Unemployability (IU) — 100% pay at lower rating VA Form 21-8940
- Caregiver support for family members PCAFC Program
- Dental care — available at 100% rating or specific criteria VA Dental
Ratings and eligibility change. Verify current rules at va.gov or through a VSO before making decisions based on this information.
VSO directory — free advocacy
- American Legion legion.org
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV) dav.org
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) vfw.org
- Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) pva.org
- Veterans Service Organizations (eBenefits) ebenefits.va.gov
- VA accredited claims agents va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation
VSOs do not charge for claims assistance. If someone is charging you to file a VA claim, that is exploitation. Report it to the VA OIG.
Crisis and immediate support
- Veterans Crisis Line — call 988, press 1 24/7
- Veterans Crisis Line — text 838255 24/7
- Military OneSource — 1-800-342-9647 Free · 24/7
- SAMHSA Helpline — 1-800-662-4357 SUD · Free
- Give an Hour — free licensed provider care giveanhour.org
- Headstrong Project — free for post-9/11 vets headstrongproject.org
If you are in immediate crisis, call 988 (press 1) or go to your nearest emergency room.
Transition resistance program support
04 / 07 Unofficial · SSG-generatedPETM readiness
PETM Readiness Approach
A structured approach to Personnel, Equipment, Training, and Maintenance readiness built from operational experience. Framework for unit leaders managing readiness cycles.
Circumstance tracking
IRT Circumstance Tracker
Individual Readiness Tracker for managing circumstances, actions, and status. Originally built for unit readiness management — adaptable for personal transition tracking.
Execution speed readiness
Readiness Control at Execution Speed — PETM-R
The full PETM-R briefing deck. Designed to help leaders understand and communicate readiness status rapidly, without losing precision. Covers control mechanisms, execution frameworks, and real-time readiness posture management. Provided as a reference — not an official DoD publication.
Personal tracker and productivity tools
05 / 07 Adaptable toolsWeekly planning
Priorities Planner
A practical weekly planning tool built for high-tempo environments. Use it to manage your week, track priority tasks, and maintain situational awareness on what matters. Adaptable for personal, unit, or organizational use.
How to use it
Making the tracker work for you
The tracker is a tool, not a system. It works when you adapt it to how your mind actually operates. This guide explains the logic behind the columns and how to avoid the tracker becoming more work than the tasks it tracks.
PETM-R readiness process guide
06 / 07 Process frameworkFull reference
PETM-R Detailed Guide
Complete PETM-R framework documentation. Covers personnel readiness, equipment status, training requirements, and maintenance cycles in an integrated management model.
Visual reference
Process Chart — PETM-R Flow
Visual process flow for PETM-R execution. Use as a briefing aid, planning reference, or wall chart for unit operations. Print-ready format.
Transition application
Applying PETM-R to your transition
PETM-R is a management efficiency framework. This guide explains how to apply the same readiness logic to your personal transition — treating yourself as the system you’re optimizing.
Critical thinking and leadership tools
07 / 07 DemystifiedDemystified
Critical thinking — you already do this
Companies sell courses on critical thinking to veterans who have been doing it operationally for years. This resource gives you the language to name what you already do and translate it into civilian professional contexts.
Competency translation
Warrior-minded leader — civilian translation
The five domains — Professionalism, Communication, War Fighting, Leadership, Mission Execution — translated into civilian leadership language with resume, interview, and performance review applications.
Transition tool
Resume translation — no one should charge you for this
A direct guide to translating military experience into civilian resume language. Format, vocabulary, common mistakes, and how to write accomplishment statements without removing the weight of what you actually did.
SSG programs
When you need more than a resource page
If you’re past the “I need information” stage and into “I need structured support,” SSG’s TIF, Mentorship, and Leadership programs are built for this. Learn what each does and whether it fits where you are.