Leaving the military this year? Go slow to go fast.
Why you can't and shouldn't try to have it all figured out by your last day on active duty.
If you’re separating from the military this year, there’s a good chance you were asked a few times over the holidays. Now that we’re back to work after New Year’s, just about everyone you see at the gym or in the halls of your command will ask. Pretty soon, calls from transition assistance programs will start coming in, leaving voicemails asking “So, what’s your plan for when you’re out?”
In your reply, you’ll want to demonstrate confidence in your decision not to re-enlist. Your answer needs to reflect how you’re headed for greener pastures. The role you mention should be lucrative, but not so lucrative that it makes you sound like you’re getting out for money. Also, don’t forget, you need to draw parallels between this next chapter and some greater purpose. Responding with an entrepreneurial venture might serve you well, however this can lead to follow on inquiries aimed at determining your ability to run your own business.
The year I separated, I found when asked some variation of “what are you going to do when you get out?” about 25% of the time it derived from curiosity and 75% of the time it was a leading question, leading to a sermon about why they chose not to separate upon their last opportunity. Regardless, the question consumed my life for the better part of a year. Admittedly, for good reason, you do need a well thought out plan to exit the military. What I didn’t know is that my plan was going to change two or three times and I’d be “transitioning” for the next 3 years, maybe longer.
Can you transition out of the military and into a highly lucrative, long-lasting, and meaningful career on day one of your civilian life? Yes, absolutely, and I would prepare for that first job as if that is going to be the case. But know that it might not be. It’s completely acceptable and quite common for it to take time and a few job changes to learn what you truly want to do and what you want life to look like. That’s called growth. You don’t have to have it all figured out before your last day of service.
For myself, a large emphasis was placed on compensation and location. Being in the military and subject to 100 months of direct deposit on the first and fifteenth, I was overwhelmed by the reality of my income disappearing. I wasn’t thinking about purpose when leaving a career that has arguably the most clearly defined purpose on earth, warfighting. I wasn’t thinking about what problems I wanted to solve. How much money is enough money? How many hours a week is too many hours a week, or what a fulfilling life look like in 5 years?
In those first 18 months post separation, I learned a ton about the relationship between money and happiness. About company culture and values. I talked to a lot of other Vets and discussed the pros and cons of ambiguous job descriptions and identifying false altruism. Now at 36 months, I’ve been lucky to find a role that largely aligns to my priorities, but in other ways I’m still figuring it out.
Choosing the right location, a compelling industry, and the right ratio of compensation to freedom is a long strenuous road to travel. It won’t be found in a Tim Ferris podcast or a single transition assistance course. It’s individualized and highly subject to change.
So if you were hoping for word-for-word advice on exactly how to answer someone when he/she is quizzing you on your transition plan, unfortunately, I can’t give you that. But what I can suggest is that you show yourself some grace in answering it. Despite what it might look like, most recently transitioned Vets are figuring it out as they go, and you will too. Start with the big picture and the granular details will present themselves in time.
The art attached to this post was created by Sarah Rossetti “InvaderGirl” and can be found at