From Military to Civilian
The military lifestyle is structured, to say the least. If you’re leaving that environment, the newfound freedom can be a lot to take. In fact, the general change in daily routine can be the very hardest part of the military transition. Chances are that, as a member of the military, you’ve come into contact with civilians every day…but are you ready to be one? Here are a few things to remember.
With freedom comes responsibility. I’m not trying to say that you weren’t responsible while in the military. You had HUGE responsibilities, keeping our country safe. However, when in the military, if you don’t do your job, there is direct and immediate punishment. In the civilian world, the “punishment” for not being responsible is less apparent. For example, during training, if you don’t stay fit and can’t run as long as everyone else, you’ll be forced to do extra workouts. In the civilian world, if you don’t stay fit, the “punishment” will be health problems later in life or an inability to physically do the activities you want to do. You have to be more responsible and just as disciplined. Most of all, this is true with your career. Just because you aren’t on the battlefield doesn’t mean that your job isn’t important.
Not everyone has come from the military. One of the most frustrating things about entering a civilian career is that you’re going to meet a lot of stupid people. I’m not kidding. Your military transition to a civilian career will truly make you want to tear out your hair at times! Try to remain calm. Being in the military doesn’t make you better than other people, but it does mean that you’ve had life experiences that other people your age have not had. This includes your new boss and managers. Try to be understanding towards these people–they really don’t know what it’s like to be calling shots that could mean putting people you know in life or death situations.
It takes time to make a career change. You can be the most adaptable person in the world, but you shouldn’t expect to instantly be happy with your new life. Change takes time. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about that! Before you decide that you hate your new career, take a bit of time to get a feel for it. If you have a bad attitude from the start, you won’t be happy. Have an open mind. If you truly don’t like your new career after a month, look for something new, but at the end of the day, it’s important to keep in mind that the transition to a civilian life is hard and you need to be strong through this change.