A Helpful Guide: Military Transition to Civilian Life
Why is the thought of transitioning to civilian life so much scarier to you than donning a pair of durable tactical pants and sturdy military boots and trudging through the war-torn Middle East? Whether you maintain an aircraft, patrol in Afghanistan, or work in an office, you know that military life is nothing like civilian life. Things are vastly different, and you’re used to the military now. Here are some tips to make the transition easier.
Getting a Civilian Job
Do you know what job you want to work once you’ve retired or separated from the military? The Transition Assistance Program or TAP is an excellent resource for those transitioning out of the military. The program provides tools and services that help ex-military personnel transition into civilian life and careers and explains all military benefits.
The program also demonstrates how your military skills translate into civilian jobs that match your skills and training. You’ll also learn about any gaps that need to be filled with experience or training to meet your career goals.
Also, make sure you obtain your VMET. The military verifies your training and experience using this form, the DD 2586. It assesses your skills, experience, and knowledge as they relate to the civilian jobs you want to pursue.
One job that you may easily shift into is law enforcement. With a paramilitary structure, law enforcement may be an easy transition. Your experience may translate better into these jobs, and you’ll likely find camaraderie with fellow service members who joined the law enforcement career path for the same reasons.
Photo by Specna Arms
Returning to a Job
Perhaps things will be easier for you because you already have a job if you were deployed as a Reserve or National Guard member, right? Finding yourself at a desk job after you come home is a stark difference from a combat zone. There may be new skills to learn, new people to get used to, and you’ll have to adjust to the social changes. Some Veterans fear the loss of a job as well.
Adjusting to the Need to Provide Basic Necessities
The military provides everything that you need, so there are very little choices and decisions for you to make, such as what you eat and wear or how you dress. When you find yourself in civilian life, the options can be overwhelming. Only other military service members understand that feeling. You may have to shop at off-base stores and get prescriptions at a retail pharmacy instead of the military base.
Structure
Once you leave the armed forces, you go from the structure and chain of command of the military to a lifestyle of flexibility. If you want to live successfully as a civilian, you’ll need to create your own structure and adjust to living in a world with more ambiguity.
Civilian Life Requires You to Adjust to a Different Pace of Work and Life
As a soldier, your duty doesn’t end at 5 PM. You go home once you complete the mission. As a civilian, your workday may end at 5 PM. Most jobs have a clear start and end time, except for law enforcement. Veterans may find that stopping work before the mission is complete is difficult to adjust too.
Private sector jobs can be more competitive and lack the camaraderie and teamwork of military work. Also, workplace lingo differs significantly.
Creating a Sense of Community Off Base
The military helps families and soldiers adjust when they change duty stations, but there isn’t anyone to do this in the civilian world. You’ll need to find ways to create your own community with neighbors and friends once you separate or retire from the military.
Re-establishing a Role in Your Family
Over time, your spouse and kids get used to you being deployed and physically absent. Your family gets used to new routines without you. You may feel left out when you find yourself home for good.
It’s important to re-establish your role as a parent and partner. Be patient because this process can take some time and realize that this adjustment doesn’t mean your family loves you any less. It’s just new for everyone involved, but they’re undoubtedly glad you’re back for good.
Hopefully, these tips help prepare you for the next stage of your life. Getting out of the military may feel like losing your identity, but nothing can take away your skills and training. As time goes on, being a civilian will become your new normal and provide incredible opportunities for personal growth and a fulfilling career.
