Veterans & Active Duty

Reach out to other veterans or veterans’ groups. It’s much easier to make the transition when you’re not alone. Social support from non-veterans helps as well. Locate a spiritual or religious advisor you enjoy talking to, or a mental health professional.

Talk to family and friends about your experiences. Even if they don’t fully understand what you’re going through, it helps them to understand why you may have trouble interacting at times.

Recognize that others might not understand your military service or your views. If you talk about your experiences and get a negative response, let it go.

Prepare ahead of time for insensitive questions or topics of conversation. You don’t need to tell anyone about your experiences unless you want to. Practice how to respond or respectfully decline to answer.

Search the web for information on mental health and transitioning. Identify strategies ahead of time to support your transition. Real Warriors is a great site for all soldiers, whether they be active duty, National Guard or Reserve, or veterans and their families. The information and tools there can help with everything from budgeting and work to insomnia, PTSD and depression.

Take care of your body and your mind by proactively finding veteran-friendly health services in your area. You can obtain information on local services through My HealtheVet, the VA’s online personal health record. This site for veterans, active duty service members, and their families provides access to health records, a personal health journal, online VA prescription refill information and details regarding federal and VA benefits and resources.

Take your time reconnecting with family and friends. When you were serving, your role in the family was “distant service member.” Now you and your family are developing a new role for you. Since time has passed, your new role might not be identical to your role before serving. You and your family will adjust and be stronger than before, but don’t expect the adjustments to happen immediately.

Try to be patient with your civilian coworkers and the civilian work schedule. At times you may feel frustrated that employees in civilian life leave when the work day officially ends, regardless of whether the “mission” for the day is complete. They may appear less committed than you’re used to, and less interested in team work. You may also find that you and your civilian coworkers have different modes of speech at the office. Military jargon is a complex language and you might feel like you’re having to translate yourself into “civilian English.”

Recognize that you will feel frustrated sometimes while returning to civilian life, but frustration is normal during this transition. In fact, frustration is a sign that you’re adjusting and growing stronger.

If you find yourself growing more frustrated or isolated over time, talk to a health professional about whether mental health care can help you increase your resilience. The Department of Defense sponsors coaching and support at In Transition (1-800-424-7877). Medical professionals can help you come out of this transition stronger than before.