Veterans: Bridging the Gap Between Military and Civilian Life - Essay Sample

Introduction

Every time service members become veterans, they move from an institution that trained them in very specific values, behaviors and skills: they have for years leaned the technical skills required to operate military machinery, technology and weapons. They have for a long time operated in an institutional hierarchy. Most essentially, military personnel acquire all these skills using an institutional language which is very specialized. Clearly, there exists a large gap between military and civilian wok and lifestyles. This explains why service members should be subjected to brief training programs before leaving the military and joining the civilian society from which they have been isolated from for a long time.

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In the military, work happens in a rigid, high-stakes and disciplined environment which has a comparatively clear authority hierarchy and salary structure. Since veterans are habituated to this military working environment, their job preparedness may be diminished in unpredictable ways. For instance, research indicates that most veterans hold unrealistic expectations regarding their skills and how they can transfer the skills to the civilian job markets. Despite most military personnel being motivated to work very hard and move up the civilian jobs hierarchy, most of they may be frustrated to start working in low income entry level placements and they may feel as if they are completely starting over (Zucchero, et al., 2016). Veterans mostly have a challenging time transitioning from their military life to civilian life. The perception of the public on veterans and service members tends to be that of either broken warriors or heroes. Trying to breakdown the public stereotypes about military personnel is not always an easy task and this poses a challenge to veterans who wish to lead normal civilian lifestyles.

Veterans make up almost twelve percent of the homeless population in the United States (Montgomery, et al., 2019). The number has been growing rapidly for years and this has sparked major interest from policy makers and researchers. Most veterans who end up being homeless mostly have some sort of mental disease or struggle with substance abuse related issues. They find it challenging to handle what they have been through and require help for them to adjust to the normal civilian life. This is why veterans deserve to have guaranteed housing once they leave the military (Montgomery, et al., 2019). This way, when they get out of the military and have a challenging time adjusting to normal civilian life they can have home and get services that will help them with the transitioning process.

One of the primary reasons why Veterans have a hard time readjusting to the world of civilians after their service time is because most of them suffer from the effects of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). PTSD is a mental condition triggered by traumatizing events when someone sees or sees something that connects with the traumatizing event. Unfortunately, there has been a substantial increase of veterans suffering from PTSD over the years. PTSD symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety among many others. In severe circumstances, PTSD victims can even become dangerous to people surrounding them or even themselves. Many of the homeless veterans either suffer from some sort of substance abuse problem or mental illness. Substance abuse is in some cases a PTSD symptom (Kalkstein, et al., 2019). Veterans may not understand what they are dealing with and in order to cope with their problems they may turn to anything which makes them feel better which mostly ends up being drugs.

Despite there being organizations set to help provide aid to homeless veterans and victims of PTSD, there is not enough. Despite the continued efforts of the VA and other institutions we still have many veterans who are at risk o of being homeless or suffering from mental related complications. The issue of poverty, overcrowding or lack of support may make veterans more susceptible to homelessness. The VA should always prioritize to offer veterans clean, safe, secure housing with a supportive environment free of drugs at all times. The VA homelessness programs are very beneficial and provide healthcare services to many homeless veterans and other services. Having a reliable place to stay makes the programs more relevant as the veterans can focus on their health routines and get better (Montgomery, et al., 2019). Also, some hospitals do not take the insurance that the military provides and veterans without insurance can have a hard time seeking medical help.

The transition process for service members and veterans-as well as their friends and family- can quite challenging. One of the most challenging areas is dealing with anger. Although all humans often get angry, service members and veterans can sometimes be more prone to react more passionately, quickly and even in an aggressive manner to anything that may trigger them. This is largely as a result of their training and military experience (Kalkstein, et al., 2019). Quick and aggressive reactions to triggers and potential threats may be what kept them alive in their combat experience. However, when it comes to civilian life these responses to regular events can cause work difficulties, damaged relationships, legal problems and health related issues. The Veteran Affairs (VA) department should create courses to help service members and veterans manage their temper issues. Having such programs in place can help veterans understand their individual anger "triggers" better and also equip them with skills for effective communication and conflict resolution (Kalkstein, et al., 2019). Such programs can inherently help veterans with anger issues easily transition to normal civilian lives and stay out of trouble in their everyday lives.

Different counseling programs can be set up to benefit and help veterans easily transition to civilian life. The programs should coach veterans about the relocation and employment assistance (job search skills, resume writing), life and health insurance, educational opportunities and also teach them how to properly manage their finances. In spite the implementation of transition training programs for military personnel, its effectiveness is still limited. The fact that most veterans complete the programs weeks before they are released to the civilian world: most of them are distracted, excited and generally not concerned with seeking employment immediately. Eventually, it gets to a point where they have to seek for employment and they may be not prepared because of different causes. This is why VA programs should deeply help the veterans to easily adapt to their new civilian lives more effectively.

References

Kalkstein, S., Scott, J. C., Vickers Smith, R., & Cruz, J. (2018). Effectiveness of an anger control program among veterans with PTSD and other mental health issues: A comparative study. Journal of clinical psychology, 74(9), 1422-1430. (Montgomery, et al., 2019)

Montgomery, A. E., Szymkowiak, D., Cusack, M. C., Austin, E. L., Vazzano, J. K., Kertesz, S. G., & Gabrielian, S. (2019). Veterans' assignment to single-site versus scattered-site permanent supportive housing. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.

Zucchero, T. L., McDannold, S., & McInnes, D. K. (2016). "Walking in a maze": community providers' difficulties coordinating health care for homeless patients. BMC health services research, 16(1), 480.