Welcome to the first entry to The Colonel Journal. This entry if the first in a series to shed light on the paths of my fellow veterans as they leave the familiarity of their service environments to continue their lives beyond the military in the civilian sector. For many, their “release to the wild” is an uncertain and stressful transition from a lifetime of regiment in culture, duties and identity as a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine. Many of my colleagues have not truly been immersed in a non-military environment since they were teenagers.
Despite the best efforts for pre-separation seminars and career transition coaching of military professional organizations, the reality re-entry into the civilian sector can be very difficult for veterans and their families. Having departed myself on May 31, 2015 after 28 years of service, I feel your pain. Fortunately, I have nearly six years of navigation experience on these waters to share in many adventures that may not be the most intuitive for newly separated veterans. I will share them with you as they happened, many of which were not my best moments. We will also discuss the various stages of separation and transition, as well as the many resources available to assist you on this journey of discovery. I will also call on my friends in the retirement community to write guest articles on the subjects that they found particularly poignant. We will maintain a sense of humor in this journal, because a lot of what happened to me was (ultimately) funny once I got up and brushed myself off.
In the end, all service members must remember that we have the opportunity to live three distinct lives as veterans; life before our service, life during our service and finally, life after our service. With all due reverence, affection and affinity for the days I spent in the service of our nation, this journal will focus almost entirely on the latter of our three lives. We owe this attention and due diligence to the success of our transition to our families, ourselves and to the many beloved comrades that will never know life beyond their ultimate sacrifices in the service of this country.
Please allow me to work out the technical snags associated with websites, links, social media and entries as we embark on this literary adventure. I hope that you enjoy it and find the information useful as you step forth from the embrace of your service colleagues and out into the wonderful world waiting for you. Bless you and your families for your service and sacrifice. On behalf of a grateful nation, I thank you for all that you have endured as the legacy of our nation’s finest.
Your brother,
Jack
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