Vetunite.org Transition Guide

When we are part of a big team we are taught self-reliance. It is done to make sure we are ready for the collective group when they need us. The people who are less prepared are " squared away" and we helped them in order to keep the group up to standard. What we fail to realize, after we transition, that we really were not self-reliant in the civilian sense. In fact, you were never really self-reliant at all while in the military and we perceive ourselves as failures if we are not successful. This, in turn, can make the "world" seen chaotic and stressful. Conversely, in the military our pay is taken care of, our shelter, garrison safety, food are all taken care of for its members. It can be especially challenging for younger veterans who went from home to military life than back to civilian life as an adult. This culture shock can be difficult to handle. Add to these physical and psychological injuries and civilian life can quickly become overwhelming. This guide is designed to give the veteran's a step by step guide to help assimilate. It is designed to be done with a mentor or in a group setting. The mentor should be one who has studied the related materials and a basic understanding of resources available to assist a veteran. The mentor does not have to be a veteran but only a person who cares and is willing to help.