6 Tips for the Spouse of a Transitioning Veteran

1. SAVE You can never be too financially prepared for your transition out of the military. It is important to keep in mind that best laid plans rarely survive the first shot so, while you may have to forego some fun now, it is best to save 3-6 months of personal expenses in an emergency fund before transition so that you have room for any unpleasant surprises during the time your veteran is looking for a job . 2. LOCATION After having the military tell your family where to live, you finally get to make your own decision! For many this may be liberating; for others it could be terrifying. Whether you are looking to be closer to family or friends, want to return to a previous location, or want to try somewhere new, make sure to take a peek at the job markets there to make sure that you will be able to sustain your family at your new location. ( Top 10 Places You Should Live After the Military ) 3. OCCUPATION Speaking of the job market, what do you and your spouse want to do in the civilian world? Take this Transition Readiness Quiz ! Do you have a current job that you could pick up with in a new location? For your spouse, remember that not all MOSs transition smoothly to civilian jobs: be sure that your spouse highlights his/her leadership skills and other beneficial attributes that most military members gain with their years in service. Both of you should consider how to use benefits such as the GI Bill ( here's how to use it ) to gain extra skills that will make you even more desirable to employers. 4. BUDGET Make sure that whatever you find yourself doing post military life that it can pay the bills and then some! You can use this military pay calculator to see how much you would need to make at a civilian job to equal your current military pay. Remember some things that the military has taken care of previously are now your complete responsibility. 5. NETWORK Social media can be key here! Reach out to old battle buddies and other military spouses who have gone through transition already. See if the companies they are working for are hiring. Often times having a good word in from a current employee will seal the deal for you. Your spouse should also consider the benefit of joining professional military organizations. LinkedIn also offers a free Premium Job Seeker account for current service members and veterans for 1 year. Find out more info at veterans.linkedin.com. 6. COMMUNITY While financial issues were the biggest concern, all of the veterans I spoke with also mentioned this issue. Once you leave the military, the community of the military is gone for the both of you. Your spouse could consider joining the National Guard/Reserves to continue their service. Look for military/veterans groups in your new area. Team RWB is a great organization for both of you to join that encourages physical activity as well as supporting our veterans. Many areas also have organizations such as Association of the US Army or Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Employers also are beginning to have veterans' groups and even mentorship programs specifically for veterans. I just want to thank the veterans who were kind enough to share their experiences during transition and the family members that expressed their top concerns. I hope this article will be useful to all those who will be transitioning back in the civilian world! Connect with us on Facebook! Photo , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6

6 Tips for the Spouse of a Transitioning Veteran

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