According to the article, “The unemployment rate last year for young Iraq and Afghanistan veterans hit 21.1 percent … reflecting a tough obstacle combat veterans face as they make the transition home from war. The number was well above the 16.6 percent jobless rate for non-veterans of the same ages, 18 to 24.”
A large part of the coming home experience for veterans that are ending their contracts with the service is finding a new identity in the civilian world. Some of the skills that service members learn in the military don’t necessarily translate into the civilian world, or still mandate an extensive civilian education. I knew a former Navy Corpsmen at my old community college who, despite his years of medical care taking for Sailors and Marines, had to start at the first step – associate’s degree with a medical concentration – towards becoming a nurse (the same step some 17 year-old recent high school graduate would have started at). At the same time, if someone received PTSD from their MOS (Military Occupational Specialty – or their job in the service) like combat medicine, they probably wouldn’t want to make that their vocation as a civilian.
In the military, service members build their identities around their jobs. It’s the first question another service member will ask their brothers or sisters in arms. It becomes their purpose and meaning for life during their terms. Given the oft repeated scenario above however (substitute corpsmen for any number of combat arms MOS’ or other job skills like infantry, mechanic, administration, etc), returning veterans should make the preparations for possibly starting over completely.
Maybe that sounds scary. Maybe you think that sucks. It’s a good thing, I think. Just like how in the military, you figured out your identity and role through your training at boot camp and then job school, starting over entirely would allow you to do the same thing in the civilian world (and it might be the best thing for your mental health).
Yeah, it would be hard to humble yourself and go take classes at school with a bunch of young, immature teenagers who have not experienced the same personal growth and experiences you’ve had, but you better get used to them. For the rest of your life you’ll be with bona fide civilians. They make up 90% of the entire population (that’s a real statistic by the way – there’s only about 30 million living veterans in the U.S. currently).
It’s a scary prospect, but with the lobbying of veterans organizations on your behalf in D.C., you’ve got more opportunity than ever to create a happy, healthy life for yourself with veteran’s benefits like the New GI Bill. You can use your college years to figure out just who you’ll be after retiring your stripes and colors.
I will always cherish my time as a Marine. But ultimately, even if you do stay in, like me, your time in service is going to end. Whether that’s at age 22 or age 48, what are you going to do then? If you’re out now or getting out soon, despite the rampant unemployment, you can use your benefits to do some really great and maybe, even better things with your life as a civilian.
What do you think? Why are veterans’ unemployment rates higher? Is college the best idea?
Connect with Dario online:
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JMWW Literary Journal (Senior Nonfiction Editor)
The Veterans Writing Project (Instructor, Nonfiction Editor)
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