When Military-To-Civilian Transition Support Falls Short: A Qualitative Assessment of Transition Needs Among U.S. Veterans

Many federal agencies and nonprofit organizations support military service members transitioning back to civilian life. Yet, veterans still report that many of their transitioning needs are not being met. Studies aimed at assessing the needs of veterans during the transition process largely include homogenous samples that lack the diverse gender, racial, and ethnic identities found among current and future populations of veterans. The current study interviewed 50 post-9/11 veterans and oversampled for women and racial and ethnic minority veterans to examine potential gaps in transition supports and the challenges they faced while transitioning out of the military. Veterans described use of federal and nonprofit transition support, though also reported receipt of support from civilian organizations that do not necessarily focus on supplying transition resources, such as university career centers. Some veterans reported challenges following separation, such as with securing mental health care, stable housing, financial stability, and adjusting to civilian workplace communication styles. Drivers of transition challenges included being uninformed about available resources and the increased cost of living. Strengthening awareness among civilian organizations on their potential to support veterans during transition and delivering personalized resources that may streamline access to supports, such as for healthcare and housing, may improve transition support.