A veteran returning to civilian life faces many challenges. It is a routine life in the military or any discipline of the armed forces. The veterans adjust to a lifestyle in the army that is a mile apart from civilian life. While civilians may not realize the challenges that military services have to go through to adjust to a healthy life, the statistics speak for themselves. There are numerous reporting where veterans are jobless, without a home, or with severe mental issues like depression and anxiety. Some of the challenges that are common with Veteran Transition include:
Building Old Relations
Veterans are in a disconnect from their families while they are away at services. They have to adjust to the lifestyle that their family is living in the civilian world. The routines are not what they were when the veteran left for duty. In some cases, the children are adults, marriages are not as passionate as it used to be, or there are no real family interactions. A veteran has to learn to blend with his family, who he has not seen for years.
Establishing Community Ties
In arm services, when a soldier moves from one unit to another, some protocols allow him to establish relations with the new group. However, in civilian life, there is no real community bridge program, so the veteran has to step out and reach out to the community to be a part of the neighborhood. Much like the family interactions, the district may also not be the same, with many changes. A veteran has to acknowledge the differences and reach out to others to establish connections.
Finding Work
One of the most challenging veteran’s transition phase is to find employment in the civilian world. You’ll meet countless veterans who have never given interviews, face HR and management, or talk to a supervisor in their life. All they know are the skills and qualifications they got from their military services. So unlike regular job seekers, not only the veterans are old, they do not have experience or soft skills to appear for interviews. So most veterans translate the skills they have into the job roles they can find, such as working as a security guard.
The overall Veteran Transition is never smooth, and the community must give love and support to these soldiers. Not only the veterans spend their entire life serving the country, but they sacrifice their social lives as well. So all assistance to them should come naturally from the community.
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