Little can prepare you for the physical, mental and emotional toll of active service, and even less can prepare you to resume life back home. The joy of being reunited with friends and family, memories of stressful service and strong relationship, and anxiety about what’s next blends together to create a unique cocktail of confusion, relief and frustration.
One thing is for sure: you aren’t the same person you were when you left. The trick is harnessing this collection of old and new experiences to create the life you desire. Each soldier’s experience back home is different, but a few basic principles may help jumpstart your post-service life.
Getting to Work
After long, stress-filled days in uncomfortable living arrangements. Many veterans seek a well-earned reprieve from responsibility when they return home. Certainly, the first days and weeks after a tour of duty should include time relaxing and reconnecting with loved ones, but most vets feel an urge to working. That’s because you’ve never been more wired for productivity in your life.
Veterans almost always have at least one skill that can improve any type of business. The intelligence, discipline, quick thinking and ingenuity you developed in the service didn’t stay overseas, it’s still in you at this moment. So put these skills to use in the marketplace. Not only will you reclaim the satisfaction of a hard-working day, but you’ll also carry valuable momentum into your new career. HireVeterans.com post listings for former servicemen and women looking for work.
Stay Secure
Despite considerably safer surroundings, it’s tough not to bring a sleep-with-one-eye-open mentality back from active duty. Only time can dispel all lingering anxiety, but peace of mind can help. If you worry about protecting your family like your fellow soldiers, install home security to provide reassurance. Security firms offer 24/7 monitoring, surveillance and support while DIY security systems are more affordable and free of commitment, according to SecurityCompanies.com. This subtle upgrade may be the first step toward releasing the anxiety you carry from active duty.
Staying Connected
While you may not have realized it at the time, military service provides the foundation for unbreakable bonds amongst soldiers. These relationships may grow while serving, but they don’t have to end when you’re done. Stay connected with your close friends, in the military. Not only will these relationships remind you of all the good you’ll also be able to relate to post-military struggles. Google created a resource for veterans to connect. Googleforveterans.com is a Google+ platform on which veterans create profiles to share information. Whether you meet with old friends from your squad or a recently discharged soldier, a fraternity of veterans will provide lifelong encouragement.