?? We had this question a few months ago. Don’t ask here. If you want to help, contact your local VA.

Yeah it might have been my other account that I asked it on. I don’t want just the va opinion because the VA don’t do enough for veterans or there obviously wouldn’t be over 100,000 reported cases of homeless veterans every year. Also they don’t provide adequate dental and vision coverage/services.

I’ve known many vets and there are a lot of different challenges. I had no problem transitioning. I got out, went to work, got married and started a family. I didn’t miss submarine life at all. But I have known guys that were in the marines and served several tours in hot spots. They had a hard time dialing it down. They were used to the high anxiety life and boring civilian life was driving them nuts. I’m with @Patty_Melt on checking with the VA. Ask them what challenges they have seen. It sounds like you are trying to set up a business or service to help vets. I can appreciate that, but you could still talk to the VA to tap their experience and even see if you can work as a contractor or get referrals from them for you business.

When I retired from the US Army I got a civilian job 2 months later doing the same type of job that I did in the Army (Medical Lab Technologist).

I guess that the biggest issue for me was that they paid me far more than what I was paid in the Army (about 4 times my base pay). Also I had to learn how to deal with so much more free time.

It’s good to be a civilian. I don’t think that most civilians know how well they have it.

I didn’t serve, but for my friends and family who retired young, in their late 40’s early 50’s the biggest challenge was finding a job. The people who retired late 50’s early 60’s had a much easier time. Some of the “older” retirees continued to work part time or did a little side business. Since they all had retirement benefits they didn’t have very big financial worries.

People I know who left before retirement it is hit or miss whether they had a tough time or not. I think it had to do with the job market and the economy at the time. All of my friends were healthy and able when they left service, except for one, so that made it easier. The one that was disabled, he was 100% disabled and married and they lived on very little for a while, and eventually they opened businesses in his wife’s name and made decent money.

One of my friends went to work for the VA after serving. She worked there 5 years so she gets some sort of retirement benefit or pension from there too. Now she works for FEMA on assignments.