Lokiate
Super Beast
The people at ACAP are warning Service Members about this. You can have a Masters degree, you can have a decade or more of on-the-job experience, doesn't matter when the jobs simply don't exist. Right now, it's just rough, not just for us, but everyone.
What makes it harder for the Troops going out is that we have to make a lot of changes to adjust back into civilian life. The transition from boots to suits doesn't pop as soon as you get your DD-214, and I don't think a lot of people understand this. We have our own language, customs, and ways. Our demeanor seems harsh and abrasive, we're used to a world where being an individual is wrong, and support is everywhere. When you're a troop, you're not a person, you're a component. Problem is, that's all we've known for years, then one day, you get some papers pushed, turn in your gear, and after years of the Military rattling your cage they turn you loose on a world of civilians with next to no training on how to deal with it, and that's kinda fucked up.
You leave those gates, and all that order, the structure, the support, poof, all that shit's gone. All ACAP really does is teach you how to get a job interview, and they get you started with the VA. That's great, and I'm glad the program exists, but that interview isn't worth a damn if you're still thinking like a Soldier. All that stuff, especially for Troops with deployments under their belts, it's still active. The general wear and tear on mind and body take their toll on the psyche, and continues on, because, it never got deactivated. Some guys can turn it off, some need help. They aren't getting that help, unless they have buddies from the Service that are already on the outside, or they have a family that knows what's up, and how to help them make the necessary changes. If they don't have that support, well, they're kinda fucked. If that Troop has PTSD, TBI, or a debilitating injury, they're even more screwed, because the world is going to keep turning, and with all the cuts we're taking in our benefits, it's just going to get harder and harder.
The best idea I can come up with is Vets getting together, and helping the Troops who are getting out. I don't think it should be a government program, because a lot of Troops don't trust the government, it'll always be subject to cuts, and 'systems' based on numbers games that end up being more about quantity than quality, and just the fact that everything the big G touches turns to shit. Anything said needs to be treated like doctor patient confidentiality, strictly need to know, and the focus should be on helping the Troops transition. If something like this already exists, sweet, I'd love to get info on it so I can pass it on to our guys that are getting out in the next couple months.
What makes it harder for the Troops going out is that we have to make a lot of changes to adjust back into civilian life. The transition from boots to suits doesn't pop as soon as you get your DD-214, and I don't think a lot of people understand this. We have our own language, customs, and ways. Our demeanor seems harsh and abrasive, we're used to a world where being an individual is wrong, and support is everywhere. When you're a troop, you're not a person, you're a component. Problem is, that's all we've known for years, then one day, you get some papers pushed, turn in your gear, and after years of the Military rattling your cage they turn you loose on a world of civilians with next to no training on how to deal with it, and that's kinda fucked up.
You leave those gates, and all that order, the structure, the support, poof, all that shit's gone. All ACAP really does is teach you how to get a job interview, and they get you started with the VA. That's great, and I'm glad the program exists, but that interview isn't worth a damn if you're still thinking like a Soldier. All that stuff, especially for Troops with deployments under their belts, it's still active. The general wear and tear on mind and body take their toll on the psyche, and continues on, because, it never got deactivated. Some guys can turn it off, some need help. They aren't getting that help, unless they have buddies from the Service that are already on the outside, or they have a family that knows what's up, and how to help them make the necessary changes. If they don't have that support, well, they're kinda fucked. If that Troop has PTSD, TBI, or a debilitating injury, they're even more screwed, because the world is going to keep turning, and with all the cuts we're taking in our benefits, it's just going to get harder and harder.
The best idea I can come up with is Vets getting together, and helping the Troops who are getting out. I don't think it should be a government program, because a lot of Troops don't trust the government, it'll always be subject to cuts, and 'systems' based on numbers games that end up being more about quantity than quality, and just the fact that everything the big G touches turns to shit. Anything said needs to be treated like doctor patient confidentiality, strictly need to know, and the focus should be on helping the Troops transition. If something like this already exists, sweet, I'd love to get info on it so I can pass it on to our guys that are getting out in the next couple months.
