Angie Papple Johnston - Military Transition For Dummies

Military Transition For Dummies

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Copyright 2021 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2021943089

ISBN 978-1-119-82478-7 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-82480-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-82479-4 (ebk)

1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 4
3. Chapter 5
4. Chapter 8
5. Chapter 11
6. Chapter 13
7. Chapter 16
8. Appendix

1. Chapter 2
2. Chapter 3
3. Chapter 4
4. Chapter 7
5. Chapter 8
6. Chapter 9

Military transition is inevitable; everybody has to get out sometime. Whether youve served one enlistment contract (or fewer) or youre retiring with 30 years (or more) of service under your web belt, its probably been a while since you were part of the civilian workforce, got to sleep in past 0530 regularly, and lived your life without a direct line supervisor keeping an eye out for you. You may never have had a civilian job or been to college, paid rent without receiving housing allowance first, or dealt with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or a private health insurance company, either.

The U.S. military discharges around 200,000 people every year, give or take, and if youre reading this book, your number is likely almost up.

I wont sugarcoat it: Leaving the military is hard. Ive done it myself. Thats true even if you dont like your job, your unit, your branch, or the military in general. But the good news is that you can do it, and you may even be good at the whole civilian thing. Youre equipped with a unique skill set, body of knowledge, and set of habits that will help you get up to speed in no time.

Military transition isnt a one-shot deal. Its a process that starts when you decide to request a release from active duty, to resign your commission, or not to renew your enlistment contract and ends when you finally become accustomed to working or going to school in the civilian sector.

Military Transition For Dummies is the one-stop resource you need to get a handle on your entire transition process. I explain everything from your options to continue military service and the transition programs available to you to finding a job, enrolling in college, getting used to working with civilians every day, and tapping into the benefits youre entitled to receive as a veteran of the U.S. armed forces. I even cover where to go to find help when life starts firing lemons at you on burst.

This book also contains answers to your big questions including things your branchs transition programs may not cover such as

• What if Im being forced out or involuntarily separated?
• Are any mental health resources available for transitioning service members?
• What can I do to prepare a year before I separate from the military? Six months? One month?
• Are employment programs worth the time?
• How do I write a resume for a federal job? What about a civilian job?
• How do civilians get health insurance?
• How do I negotiate a salary when Im used to being paid according to my rank?
• What happens if I want to use my GI Bill?
• How can I fit into the civilian workforce or assimilate at school?

Now, what this book isnt: Its not full of war stories or complaints about the military, a bunch of stuffy and outdated advice that doesnt apply to your generation of warriors, or a glossed-over guide that tells you the grass really is greener outside your installations perimeter fence. Its not a retention tool for the armed forces, either. None of those things are going to be useful to you and I like you, so I want to make sure you have a good grasp on whats in store for you when you say goodbye to the military for good. Plenty of books out there focus on how you can write a resume or get a job after you get out of the military, but this book is more than that. Its a well-rounded look at your entire transition from military life to a civilian future so youre prepared for whatever life throws your way. And as a civilian, thats going to be plenty.