Easing the Transition From Veteran to Civilian Life
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indicated a belief that career satisfaction would provide life satisfaction and happiness , a veteran ’ s life satisfaction may reflect other life areas , including purpose and meaning .
• Refer veterans to qualified support systems , including financial supports , which normalizes the need to seek help . Student veterans expressed mixed feelings on finances , with some stating that they will pursue careers that bring happiness regardless of finances . In contrast , others stated they will seek careers specifically for financial stability . Yet multiple student veteran comments indicated that finances were negatively impacting their overall satisfaction , including these comments : “ Personal life is great . Only issues in my life is being crushed by student loans and credit card debt ,” and “ Economics wise , this is a hard time for transitioning ; be sure this is what you want ...” If you feel unqualified to discuss financial planning with veteran clients , refer them to a professional financial planner !
• Explore disappointments and discouragements , as well as veterans feelings of abandonment or disappointment with civilian and VA systems . These concerns were captured by impact statements , such as “ the system wasn ’ t there for me ” or “ career counseling has been terrible .” These let-downs can exacerbate veteran feelings of isolation and disconnection from civilian communities .
ESSENTIAL : A ROBUST REFERRAL NETWORK
College student veterans may experience challenges with help-seeking behavior , as well as with career transition and life-satisfaction concerns . Clinical mental health counselors can support student veterans by building rapport around topics with low-stigma and by involving a spouse / partner in counseling with appropriate permission .
Mental health counselors need to be prepared to support the whole veteran undergoing carer transition , which may include their social , emotional , family , career , and financial needs . Mental health counselors need a robust referral network of veteran-friendly and veteran-familiar resources for planning , career , benefit , and financial needs to support veterans ’ overall wellness and life satisfaction during their career transition .
Resources on Veterans ’ Transition to Civilian Life
• Alonso , N . A ., Porter , C . M ., & Cullen-Lester , K . ( 2021 ). Building effective networks for the transition from the military to the civilian workforce : Who , what , when , and how . Military Psychology , 33 ( 3 ), 152 – 168 .
• Brown , N . B ., & Bruce , S . E . ( 2016 ). Stigma , career worry , and mental illness symptomatology : Factors influencing treatment-seeking for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom soldiers and veterans . Psychological Trauma : Theory , Research , Practice , and Policy , 8 ( 3 ), 276 – 283 .
• Buzzetta , M . E ., Lenz , J . G ., Hayden , S . C . W ., & Osborn , D . S . ( 2020 ). Student veterans : meaning in life , negative career thoughts , and depression . The Career Development Quarterly , 68 ( 4 ), 361 – 373 .
• Eagle , D . R ., Iwanaga , K ., Kaya , C ., Muller , V ., Lee , B ., Rumrill , S ., Chiu , C-Y ., Tansey , T . N ., & Chan , F . ( 2020 ). Assessing self-stigma of help-seeking in student veterans : A psychometric validation study . Journal of College Student Psychotherapy , 36 ( 3 ), 226 – 240 .
• Guthrie-Gower , S ., & Wilson-Menzfeld , G . ( 2022 ). Exmilitary personnel ’ s experiences of loneliness and social isolation from discharge , through transition , to the present day . PLOS ONE , 17 ( 6 ), e0269678 .
• Kleykamp , M ., Montgomery , S ., Pang , A ., & Schrader , K . ( 2021 ). Military identity and planning for the transition out of the military . Military Psychology , 33 ( 6 ), 372 – 391 .
• Mahoney , M . A ., Rings , J . A ., Softas-Nall , B . C ., Alverio , T ., & Hall , D . M . ( 2023 ). Homecoming and college transition narratives of student military veterans . Journal of College Student Psychotherapy , 37 ( 2 ), 173 – 195 .
• Porcari , C ., Koch , E . I ., Rauch , S . A . M ., Hoodin , F ., Ellison , G ., & McSweeney , L . ( 2017 ). Predictors of help-seeking intentions in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and service members . Military Medicine , 182 ( 5 ), e1640 – e1647 .
• Robertson , H . C ., & Eschenauer , R . K . ( 2020 ). Student veteran perceptions of college-to-career transition . College Student Affairs Journal , 38 ( 1 ), 52 – 64 .
• Shue , S ., Matthias , M . S ., Watson , D . P ., Miller , K . K ., & Munk , N . ( 2021 ). The career transition experiences of military veterans : A qualitative study . Military Psychology , 33 ( 6 ), 359 – 371 .
• Summers , E ., McEwen , D . L ., Cordero , R . A ., & Silva , J . ( 2024 ). A mixed methods study of student veterans ’ academic and service transitions before , during , and after attending community college ( s ). New Directions for Community Colleges , 2024 ( 206 ), 63 – 78 . 18 The Advocate Magazine 2025 , Issue # 1 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org