Military service can be demanding and dangerous, but for many veterans, returning to civilian life can be even more difficult.
Imagine the situation faced by someone who joined the Army after high school and is returning to civilian life after five years of service — let’s call her Samantha. Before joining the military, Samantha’s only work experience was a part-time job at a fast-food restaurant, and she’s worried about finding a full-time job. She’s not sure what kind of job the skills she learned in the military qualify her for.
She spends a few months getting settled and applying for different kinds of jobs, but nothing is working out. She isn’t eligible for a lot of positions because she doesn’t have a college degree, and she doesn’t have previous job titles that HR candidate filtering systems recognize. Her applications keep getting rejected before she ever gets an interview or a chance to prove herself. She was successful in her position in the military, but back in civilian life, she can’t figure out where she fits.
Samantha’s struggle transitioning back into civilian life is common as a recent Pew Research Center survey found that about half of post-9/11 veterans say readjusting to civilian life was difficult. In addition to employment, some of the common challenges include:
- Reconnecting with family and re-establishing a role in the family.
- Joining or creating a community.
- Preparing to enter the workforce or returning to a job.
- Creating daily structure.
- Adjusting to providing necessities like food, clothing, and housing.
- Adjusting to a different pace of life and work.
- Establishing services like selecting a doctor, a dentist, or obtaining life insurance.
In addition, those who served in a combat zone or who knew someone who was killed or injured can also face steeper odds of an easy re-entry, according to the Pew survey. That has been particularly true for veterans who have served in the post-9/11 period, as they have reported more difficulties returning to civilian life than those who served in Vietnam or the Korean War/World War II era, or in periods between major conflicts.
The stress of transitioning from the military to civilian life can be complicated by a lack of assistance in navigating this important life change. The Department of Veterans Affairs has a Transition Assistance Program that involves education and counseling, but the burden still falls heavily on the individual to opt into “any of the 20,000 or more available government or non-profit services (throughout) his or her lifespan,” according to the 2022 article Reculturation: A new perspective on military-civilian transition stress published in Military Psychology.
History of Veterans Day
World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”
Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
Learn more at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Help is one call away
Cuyahoga and Geauga counties are home to more than 70,000 veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and when those veterans need help, they can turn to United Way 211’s Help2Veterans program. Created in 2013, Help2Veterans provides referrals for services including employment, food, housing, utilities, counseling needs, family support, legal issues, veterans’ administration benefits, and more.
Remember Samantha? After months of unsuccessful job hunting, a friend told her about the Help2Veterans program. Samantha called United Way 211 and was connected with a local agency that helped her polish her job-hunting skills. She created a resume highlighting her experience managing computer databases, and agency staff coached her on communication skills through a series of mock interviews. Prepared and confident, Samantha soon found a full-time job in the computer industry that allowed her to start her civilian life on a solid foundation.
Led by Alex Cohen, a 211 Community-Based Navigator, the program’s coordinator, Help2Veterans assisted almost 3,900 veterans in 2023. In addition to being a trained specialist, Alex is also a U.S. Army veteran, having served as a counterintelligence agent from 2003 to 2011. That dual perspective allows him to create a more personalized conversation when veterans or their family members reach out for assistance.
Every veteran’s experience is different, but transitioning from active duty to veteran status can often be a challenge, and the Help2Veterans program is uniquely positioned to help veterans and their families navigate the process and set them on a path to a successful post-military life.
If you or someone you know needs help, call 2-1-1 to speak with a trained specialist who can assist in accessing local resources. For more information, visit 211oh.org.
