A person who exits the military with an honorable discharge might still find it a challenge to reintegrate into a civilian career. The army is different from a regular job in many ways, even though employers are eager to hire soldiers in many cases because of their discipline and high productivity. The adjustment can be difficult because the mindset and rules are different. Find a program that can help a veteran transition back to civilian work, especially if injuries and mental fatigue are involved.
One example is how infractions are handled. The military might use physical exercise as a punishment for failing to rise to expectations. An employer, under unusual pressures to avoid offending certain interest groups or superiors with branding expectations, might be dissatisfied with a soldier who behaves coarsely and pragmatically. A soldier exiting active duty needs to adjust to a new branding system and attitude.
Other adjustments include transitioning off base and into a paid apartment. Soldiers receive benefit packages in the army that includes free housing, meals, and transportation. Having a reserve status or end of service means having fewer of these benefits. A veteran will need to find a civilian apartment and adjust to making payments.
For that matter, a veteran might not be able to eat at the base after exiting full-time service. Meals will also need to be purchased. Adjusting to cooking and selecting healthy meals might be a challenge. A reserve soldier is less active and needs to consume fewer calories. Not adjusting to a new lifestyle might result in weight gain.
Transitioning a veteran depends on the status of the veteran. Many soldiers are put on reserve after active duty for a total of eight years of service. A reservist has to maintain fitness level and the ability to return to active duty when necessary. Other types of soldiers are completely discharged for various reasons, some of them possibly a source of shame for the person making the adjustment.
Soldiers are subjected to both combat stress as well as the stress of working in a very demanding and confining environment. Psychological casualties are not uncommon for navy personnel who work on a submarine. A medical discharge can be for either physical or mental issues, but a person who is medically discharged might have to deal with both a lingering disability and personal grief or shame.
Adjusting means finding effective ways to deal with lasting handicaps. This might mean rehabilitation training or making mental adjustments. Finding work appropriate for a condition might be part of a veteran transition service. With the right professionals, a veteran is in good hands.