Veterans today often need far more support in returning to civilian life than official sources offer. Thousands of active military personnel transition out of service each month — translating to roughly 550 transitions per day. Many of these former service-members face difficult returns home or to entirely new cities. As if that weren’t enough, many also deal with inner battles and physical challenges that can make reintegration into their old way of life a stressful, confusing journey.

Despite these facts, official military resources continue to focus almost exclusively outward: on quick job placements in a limited set of industries. Little, if any, focus is turned inward, to examine what the service-member needs and wants holistically, as a complex and unique human being.

A better, more comprehensive approach — such as the one SAVI envisions — instead starts with four crucial questions to future success: How, why, when, and where? Only from the answers to these big-picture questions can a Veteran work backward to develop an effective transition plan. The idea is to help service-members strategically evolve toward a life they want to be in — not just one they’re stuck in without hope or choice.

Today’s Military Support Lacks Whole Life Guidance

Currently, the official transition from service-member to Veteran focuses narrowly on setting and meeting employment goals. For example, the five-day, optional “Transition GPS” course instructs Veterans on how to prepare a resume, search and apply for jobs, and speak to civilian employers. At times, the program seems only to want to translate battlefield skills into something that works in a cubicle.

While the vast majority of Veterans do transition directly into the civilian workforce (versus retirement or school), very little investigation is made into how they picture their future lives as a whole — emotionally and spiritually, as well as professionally. As a result, Veterans often end up living a life that they find unfulfilling and stressful. This is particularly devastating for those Veterans who leave the military with physical or emotional scars from their service.

In addition, this one-size-fits-all approach lacks personalization and presumes to know where service-members want to end up upon leaving the military. Little wiggle room is left for adaptation to individual wants and needs.

Developing an Alternative

A more comprehensive framework helps Veterans and service-members envision and track toward an all-around happy life in the immediate and long-term future. How do they see their day-to-day? What desires drive them? Most important, how can those desires translate into personal fulfillment?

By crafting a vision of what they really want to do, how they want to spend their time, and what brings them closer to true happiness, a plan can be reverse-engineered that will help turn a Veteran’s vision into reality. This alternative strategy requires an honest evaluation that addresses not simply where a Veteran will work, but also how and why.

Creating a Vision of a Fulfilling Life

The SAVI approach answers this call. We start with identifying a long-term goal, then work our way backward to today. This allows the transitioning service-member to fully imagine what he or she wants from life from the outset — not just employment, but full-time employment in the IT sector, living close to the ocean, and working a flexible schedule to spend more time with the kids and on the trails, for example. SAVI then looks at the concrete steps required to achieve that vision, encompassing educational, emotional, spiritual, and financial elements.

Opening to Feedback

In addition, the SAVI program is unique in recognizing that feedback is an integral part of the transitioning journey. Ideas come from all sources, including spouses, family members, mentors, friends, and military leadership. But the most vital source of feedback is the Veteran’s own changing experience, as only he or she is fit to judge whether the plan is working well (or not) on a personal level.

By helping track progress across all life’s elements, SAVI lets Veterans capture the kind of objective feedback that empowers them to pinpoint what’s working, what’s not, and what needs adjusting to stay true on the course to their ultimate vision.

What Comes Next?

SAVI’s whole-life approach intentionally lacks any set start or end dates. We believe that, while specific goals can be reached, life is about enjoying moments and moving strategically forward toward sustainable happiness. This happiness looks different for each person, and adjustments are never-ending. SAVI’s own vision is to provide ongoing resources and support to all transitioning service-members, so that today’s dreams become tomorrow’s realities.

Choosing to leave behind any type of career comes with a lot of uncertainty. But for Veterans first learning to navigate an unknown civilian world, the many hoops they’re asked to jump through to from the very start can be overwhelming.

That’s why the first stop in this reintegration process is often a phone call with a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs representative. These passionate workers are tasked with going over the many specific benefits that the Veteran has accumulated during time spent in the armed forces — as well as what benefits are available for all the years ahead. Details matter here. The stakes are high.

Because these benefits are vast, varying, and often complicated, the representative on the other end of that call (you) has the power to make or break the “getting out” experience. It’s a tough business to be in if you can’t communicate well, but a rewarding one if you can. And with thousands of Vets leaving the military each year, it’s also a job with a high workload.

At SAVI, we talked with real Veterans and real VA representatives to identify mutual pain points and best practices for their initial work together. Here are five tips to make the transition not only less intimidating for your Veterans but also more efficient for you.

1. Update Your Credentials: Make sure you’re up to date on all training designed for Veterans Affairs employees in your specialty. As the single point of contact for many Veterans each day, you’ll be expected to know the answers to questions relating to both old and new VA policies. While most career tracks come with at least some mandatory training, we recommend asking your supervisor what else is available that will equip you with the skills and knowledge to make your day-to-day journey easier on the path to serving Veterans. Becoming familiar with many areas of the VA benefits and claims processes as well will only help you build rapport with — and reduce complaints from — clients as you guide them into this next chapter of their lives.

2. Organize Like It’s Your Job: Your productivity level is usually a reflection of your organizational skills. Some people got it, some people don’t, but everyone can learn. There are tons of podcasts, articles, and apps (e.g., “The Productivityist Podcast,” “Tips for Getting Your Work Life Organized,” and “30/30”) on this topic. We recommend spending a few minutes each morning making sure supplies, informational packets, and anything else you need to serve your clients are ready and available before you begin your tasks. Don’t be in the middle of a client call when you realize you can’t find that pamphlet of information to reference. If there’s anything you think you might need handy, have it visible and within reach.

3. Train Your Brain to Empathize: Veterans will be turning to you with disability questions, dependent benefit concerns, and an endless queue of other less-than-fun disputes on benefits they may or may not qualify for. It’s not always going to be a pleasant interaction. But if you train yourself to be empathetic and consider the Veteran caller’s situation as entirely unique, you’re more likely to create a positive experience that will earn you not only immediate appreciation from the Veteran, but also praise from your colleagues and supervisors down the line as they see your results. Keeping a robotic, you’re-just-a-number-on-my-list tone will serve nobody well in the long run!

4. Make Task Lists Your New Best Friend: Do you have a growing portfolio of clients looking at you for all their Veteran inquiries? If you’re not already creating daily and weekly to-do lists, you should start now. A recent study found that you’re 33 percent more likely to achieve a goal if it’s written down. Having a written list — whether on an old-school notepad next to your computer, an app on your smartphone, or a tool synced to your email — will help you remember and complete your tasks much more efficiently than if you just kept a mental running tab. You’re busy, you’re filtering through a lot of information, and you have other people (Veterans, colleagues, supervisors) counting on your timeliness. A to-do list can help you meet your daily goals in this fast-paced environment.

5. Know Your Motivators: How do you perform best? Do you work better in a closed office or open room, by taking notes or through active listening, in a team-based environment or on your own, and with or without deadlines? Sometimes being more productive at work starts with understanding how your mind operates. We recommend taking a personality test, such as The Myers Briggs Type Indicator® Assessment, and taking time to reflect on what parts of your day let you reach the ideal “flow” state. Once you’ve figured out you, try to change habits and your work environment where you can, and ask for help if you need it.

Looking for more ways to stand out in your job? Why not make your work easier for yourself? Check out SAVI’s certification program and online manuals or contact info@savivets.wpengine.com to learn more.

I spent my early 20s in the U.S. Marine Corps as enlisted aircrew aboard UH-1Y helicopters. The military was never meant to be a lifelong career for me. But it was a calling and experience that I knew I needed to fulfill in life after growing up in the shadow of 9/11. Like many others I came to know, I had an internal voice telling me to do my part to serve and protect my country, and eventually I had to listen. I knew there would be struggles on my path to becoming a Marine, but I rarely considered the one that would come after taking off my uniform for the last time.

Facing the In-Between

My squadron came back from Afghanistan shortly after Thanksgiving 2012, and I knew then that my purpose for enlisting had been achieved. College seemed to be the next logical step, though I didn’t put much thought into the specifics outside of this broad idea. All I knew was that the time had come to look toward the great unknown of the civilian world.

I had a very lax approach to the 10 months between my return from deployment and my actual leaving the military. And as most Veterans can attest to — and what the statistics confirm — this led to a transition full of stumbling blocks.

While all military members attend mandatory classes designed to help them with the transition, the reality is that these good intentions fall short of being actually useful. Classes are primarily designed to teach service-members how to create resumes, find career resources, and step into the civilian workplace. But the fire hose of information and the lack of perspective that many Veterans have at the time about their future lives often lead to an underutilization of these resources — and a haphazard plan at best.

When that joyful day finally arrives and the Veteran is holding a warm, freshly printed DD 214 in hand, all that’s often in place is an inadequate sketch for the next day or week — and I was no different.

Slow to Start

This lack of planning and purpose leaves many Veterans just like me unsure of how to create a new life, or even how to access basic military benefits like VA healthcare and the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

I came to discover that the GI Bill is perhaps the easiest benefit to understand because colleges have gotten so used to processing Veteran students. They always seem to have at least one person on staff who can walk you through the process if you just ask the administrative office for a point of contact. Moments after getting pointed toward my school’s Veteran Services Office, for example, I had all the information I needed to get my benefits process started. But what I didn’t realize during my first couple of years of school was how many scholarships and grants were available — many exclusively for Veterans.

So, while I was able to use my official military educational benefits easily, I missed out on some of the peripheral sources of help that existed. It wasn’t until the last semester of my junior year that I discovered my college had a list of scholarships online to browse through, as well as other scholarships that nonprofits offer to Veterans. Looking back, I should have asked the financial aid office sooner.

Dealing with the VA healthcare system was a much more intimidating prospect. Most Veterans maintain an aura of toughness on a day-to-day basis. They’re used to sucking up the pain of injuries throughout their enlistment and avoiding medical care if at all possible as a matter of pride and respect for those who are “actually sick.” (At least, that’s how it was for me.)

Because of this mindset, many Veterans I know don’t report their injuries for their medical records. They may also be resistant to asking for support altogether. Add to this reluctance the nightmare stories we’ve all read about at the VA or about the claims process, and it’s no surprise that many service-members shy away from even attempting to get the help they need.

Fortunately, the reality is that the process doesn’t have to be nearly as confusing or painful as the stories lead you to believe. There are numerous Veteran advocate organizations that would be glad to represent you throughout the process. (I personally turned to the VFW for help with my claim, and within a few months it was all straightened out.) While the process isn’t always particularly smooth or free of frustration, my experience is that if you remain patient, the job will get done.

Beneath the Surface

Unfortunately, these challenges just scratched the surface of all my problems. At the time I transitioned out, my personal life was a mess, and my mental health was in poor shape at best. Our squadron had dealt with the loss of several Marines, we had just returned from a very active combat deployment, and, like half of all married Marines today, I had recently gotten divorced.

While you’re in the military, you don’t have much time (or need or interest) to sit down and actually address your personal problems. Yet when you’re holding a pristine separation form in your hands, time is all you seem to have.

For me, having an uncertain future led to an unnecessarily long period of self-induced isolation, which just worsened the problems at hand. Isolation, in my opinion, is the most dangerous enemy a Veteran can face during the transition into civilian life.

Reaching out to military friends — both active duty and Veterans alike — can help fend off this imaginary foe. The various Veteran organizations out there can also help, as they exist for the expressed purpose of keeping you connected with the extended family you earned a spot in during your time in service. Only looking back do I realize that, had I turned outward for connection sooner, this period of darkness would have been much less intense and time-consuming than it was.

Setting a Vision

Getting out of the military doesn’t have to be as daunting or jarring as it was for me and others in my position. Preparing for civilian life before you leave active duty — in a thoughtful way — can help you navigate the pitfalls many Veterans face.

My advice is to start by deciding what a successful day at work or in your personal life looks like, and then plan out the steps you need to get there. Also, reach out for support to service organizations or to fellow Veterans who have been through their own transitions — and never underestimate the power of Google to help you find support.

As a Veteran, I believe we all have valuable experiences to offer, a strong work ethic, and a driven mindset when we leave the service. If you lean into these strengths, as well as the many resources at your disposal, then you will find that success is waiting for you in your new civilian life.

5 Things To Do in Your First Year of Post-Military Separation

Transitioning from military life to civilian life is an exciting time. There are so many possibilities and choices to be made – from where to live to what career to pursue. Military separation also provides a great opportunity for personal growth and development.

Sometimes, service-members struggle to find their place in the civilian sector. This is especially true within the first twelve months of leaving the military. At SAVI, we are dedicated to assisting military Veterans with resources and encouragement to make your military separation transition successful.

During this major-life transition, here are some recommended things to pursue within your first year of post-military separation.

Education

Pursuing higher education after years of military service can help you acquire the right skills and tools for today’s workforce. If you haven’t taken the time already, set aside some time during the year after separating from the military to discover what interests you and what kind of career you’d like to have next.

SAVI’s education track is designed specifically to support Veterans in everything from academic advising to helping you understand your VA education benefits. Our program gives you access to tools designed specifically for post-military students, including career path guidance. Enrollment in our program is completely free.

Networking

During your time in the military, networking was pretty much a built-in activity. Opportunities both inside and outside of the workplace made it easy to connect with people that could help shape and build your career.

In the civilian world, networking can be a little less intuitive.Sometimes workplaces have an established culture that can be hard to break into. Some companies may even lack opportunities for networking. Whatever career you find yourself in, make sure to take the time to join associations and organizations related to your industry. These will help you forge connections with the influencers in your field. Don’t wait to be invited to something. Instead, take the initiative and pursue networking options inside and outside of your workplace.

Benefits

Understanding your benefits after separating from the military is a critical step for success in the first year post-separation. One of the most vital, but often overlooked steps is ensuring that your health care is optimized for you and your family. The U.S. department of Veterans Affairs has set up systems to help you in person, by phone and even online. SAVI always recommends contacting them directly to make sure that you are receiving all of the benefits that your service has earned you. Most Veterans qualify for cost-free health care, and the benefits expand for Veterans who have served in combat-zones for both themselves and their family members. Female Veterans also have access to health care coverage for gender-specific services, such as prenatal care and cancer screenings.

Another extremely important benefit that Veterans can take advantage of, is continuing your life insurance in your post-military separation. Even if you’ve set up your Veterans Group Life Insurance prior to separating, you should always double check that the coverage and benefits that you signed up for are still the most comprehensive for your personal situation. If your education, career or life goals have changed since you filled out the paperwork well before you separated, now is a great time to check in and reevaluate the benefits that you are receiving.

Want to learn about more benefits you’re entitled to as a Veteran? Schedule a call with one of our transition experts today for free!

Purpose

Military service gives members a great deal of satisfaction and the sense that they are part of something meaningful. Your military service gave your life purpose. Because of this, transitioning to civilian life can feel hard in some ways because you may lose that sense of meaning.

In order to counteract this, Veterans need to find purpose and meaning through other things. Taking the time to volunteer for a cause you care about or pouring your time and energy back into your family are two things that can help give your life more purpose when you separate from the military. Consider this time an opportunity to pursue things that matter to you.

Activities

In addition to finding purpose and meaning outside of the military, take that first year post-separation to explore activities you find enjoyable. Hobbies that you’ve put off because you just didn’t have the time or new ones entirely. Consider joining a group of like-minded service members such as your local Team Read, White & Blue Chapter or service-oriented groups in your local community. Just because you’ve left the military doesn’t mean you’re alone. Take the time to focus on yourself and your interests.

The year post-separation can be full of firsts for Veterans. Visit SAVI to learn more about how we can help you reach your full potential on the other side.