On the Outside: Adjusting to Civilian Life After Serving in the Military

By Shaela Foster | The Afro | Word In BlackThis post was originally published on AfroCredit: Specna Arms/Unsplash(WIB) – Roughly 200,000 service members transition from military life to civilian life each year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Serving in the military can be demanding, but transitioning to civilian life comes with its own challenges. According to the VA, common challenges include preparation to enter the workforce, creating community, adjusting to providing oneself with basic necessities and adjusting to a different pace of life and work.Service members choose to begin the civilian life transition for various reasons like injury, medical issues and honorable or dishonorable discharge, according to John D. Sawyer, Director at the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). At GAO, Sawyer works for the education, workforce and income security team while overseeing work involving civilian transitions.Sawyer said that military service provides structure, from the time a servicemember wakes up to the time they retire to bed. This can pose a problem once members of the Armed Forces transition into the regular world.“You have to sort of be in charge of your own fate or your choices that you make and sometimes assistance is needed in those...