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Military to Civilian Re-entry



The transition from military to civilian life can be abrupt and disorienting. We can undergo a special kind of culture shock where everything feels both foreign and familiar, making us feel lost in plain sight. It can be hard to adjust to having a lot more agency combined with a lot less structure, especially if we spent our entire lives either in school or in the military. We can feel like we lost our community, our purpose, and our identity all at once. And if we have encountered any traumatic experiences in our service, we are often left to process them around people who—no matter how much they love us—have difficulty understanding what we are going through. As isolating as it can feel, it can help to remember we’re not the only ones living through this, and that we have access to tools that can help us take charge of our lives.

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13:09

Sebastian Junger: Why Veterans Miss War

Civilians don't miss war. But soldiers often do. Journalist Sebastian Junger shares his experience embedded with American soldiers at Restrepo, an outpost in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley that saw heavy combat.

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Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior: Navigating the Transition from Combat to Home—Including Combat Stress, PTSD, and mTBI

Being back home can be as difficult, if not more so, than the time spent serving in a combat zone. It’s with this truth that Colonel Charles W.

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‘A Way to Talk About It’

A veteran turned to art to try to heal his trauma. There he found solace and meaning. Now he helps others.

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03:59

Maj. Dick Winters on Adjusting to Civilian Life after WWII (Band of Brothers)

Major Dick Winters has been a personal hero of mine ever since I’ve seen the show “Band of Brothers” as a young man. Here are some clips from an interview of Dick Winters done by Rep. John Payne, which was recorded in the early 2000s. Thank you Rep.

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Military in the Rear View Mirror: Mental Health and Wellness in Post-Military Life

When a service member leaves the military, they are leaving a unique way of life. Whether it’s the early mornings, the time away from family, or simply the connection to other service members, the daily life of someone who served in the military is not common to those who never served.

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Asking for Career Help Is Not a Sign of Weakness

When it comes to transitioning, you have to ask for help. This applies to mental health, fitness, and most importantly, to career transition.

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13:29

Our Lonely Society Makes It Hard to Come Home from War | Sebastian Junger

Sebastian Junger has seen war up close, and he knows the impact that battlefield trauma has on soldiers.

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Veteran Mindset 2.0: Warriors Think Differently

After finding his purpose in 2018 and getting clean and sober from drugs and alcohol, Shawn Laurie took what he had considered to be the end of the road for him, and he turned it around to become the best version of himself when he turned his "Mess into his Message.

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How PTSD Became a Problem Far Beyond the Battlefield

Because PTSD is a natural response to danger, it’s almost unavoidable in the short term and mostly self-correcting in the long term. Only about 20 percent of people exposed to trauma react with long-term (chronic) PTSD.

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22:52

Fight or Flight: The Veterans at War with PTSD

One hundred years on from the end of the first world war, a group of veterans in Dorset are torn between their pride in their military careers and their anger over the lack of psychological support provided to them by the Ministry of Defence.

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