Thinking about taking that next step, whether its retirement, or allowing your military contract to end? Here are a few things that military families tend to struggle with and what you can do to prepare them for the next chapter.

Untreated Mental Health

While there has been a massive cultural shift within the military community in regards to its viewpoint on the importance of mental health, there is a long way to go. With fast-paced schedules, it can be difficult to pinpoint the difference between mental health problems and job-related stress. This can lead to the Service Member overlooking mental health symptoms and thinking they will pass when they get out only for them to realize the symptoms haven’t gone away. In some cases, they get worse as distractions lessen. Even without a significant mental health challenge, Service Members can struggle with the transition from Soldier to Civilian, resulting in anxiety, depression, or other related behavioral challenges.

Untreated mental health problems can affect military spouses and children in various ways and are all unique to each family. This article by Matthew A. Robinson lists some possible outcomes as children showing anxiety through temper tantrums, refusal to go to school, or rejecting the Service Member’s authority.

This is why its so important to seek preventative mental health care as soon as you decide to transition out of the military. Trained professionals can determine whether you need additional support, medication, or offer support groups to rely on through the process. They will also provide information on how to seek continued care in the civilian sector if you are no longer able to be seen on post.

Financial Uncertainty

After receiving a paycheck on the 1st and 15th of every month, families get used to a certain level of financial safety. They take comfort knowing that no matter what comes up, they will have another sum of money coming within the next few weeks. Additionally, that paycheck accounts for housing, groceries, savings, and healthcare. With routine raises, the cumulative effect of this can lead to something called “lifestyle creep“.

If another job doesn’t immediately follow after service, families may not be able to afford the life that they were used to. This can include things like streaming services, car payments, vacations, hobbies, and more. This sudden change can be a big shock to spouses and children as they may not immediately understand.

Family Role Changes

Something that can stem from financial uncertainty can be changing roles within the family. A number of military families have spouses that stay at home with children. Some spouses may work only part-time jobs or work full-time on a hobby supported by the Service Member. If that income is no longer reliable after service, the spouse may need to find more lucrative work to help keep up with expenses. This would result in a child needing to go to daycare or school earlier than planned. Another possible example, the spouse may have been waiting for their opportunity to pursue a demanding career and need the Service Member to take a turn staying at home.

While all these situations are unique to each family, changing of roles can interrupt the routine they have created. It can lead to power struggles, confusion for children, and sometimes disconnect between partners.

What Can You Do?

All this to say, you are not making a bad choice leaving the military. There are risks with any change. The smartest thing you can do is educate yourself on those risks and prepare your family for the challenges ahead. You will make it through, and it very well might be the start to a beautiful new chapter in your life.

The best thing you can do is learn about the support systems around you. There are many organizations committed to helping veterans and their families through this very process. For example, at Soldiers’ Angels, we offer assistance with groceries via food distributions and food pantries across the country. If you and your family are struggling to ends meet, please do not hesitate to ask for help. You can read more about our available services here.

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