Effects of a Career Change (Reserve Component)

You have been in the military for some time, and you are facing the transition back to civilian life. Understanding stress, and coping with it, is an essential skill you will need to get through this difficult time. The following information and resources will help you prepare for a successful transition.
Demobilizing/Deactivating from the Military Challenges Your Identity
You have worked hard to make the adjustment from civilian life to the military. Now you must start over as a civilian. You may be returning to a job you had before being activated or you may be looking for something new. In either case, this Guide contains valuable information that can assist you. 
Changing careers is a stressful undertaking, perhaps even more so for those leaving military service   As a Service member you may have worked for 30 years to achieve a rank or grade, but upon leaving the Armed Forces, he or she leaves this rank behind—and with it, a large portion of your identity. 
Some people find it easier than others to adopt new identities. Transition can be traumatic and stressful, but it also opens up a whole range of possibilities. You can take a giant step toward reestablishing your identity by approaching your transition as an opportunity to grow. 
What Is Stress?
Everybody knows what stress feels like. But what is it really? The experts tell us that stress is a   state of being. It is not an attitude; it is not a sign of being unable to handle things. Stress is a physical response, which, left unchecked can lead to mental and physical exhaustion and illness. 
Natural stress in our lives is considered good. It allows our bodies to respond to danger. You know the expression, "Fight or flight."  Unnatural stress comes from continued threats or dangers over which we have no control. The body is alert for long periods of time with no chance to relax. It is important to remember that the body, like any good machine, begins to wear out if it runs in high gear for too long. 
Life's Most Stressful Events
In his book, Winning Life's Toughest Battles, Dr. Julius Segal outlines three broad categories of very stressful events. These include the following:
Transitioning from the military can have aspects of all three categories. In a sense, you lose many special relationships by losing the daily interaction with your co-workers. If you are transitioning involuntarily, you may be in a situation that is beyond your control. Transition, obviously, has permanent consequences and being involuntary separated brings on some unforeseen stresses. When you change jobs, your life changes.   
The Stress-Health Connection
You may suffer from any of the following symptoms:
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, it is likely they are stress related. 
The "Grieving Process" Is Normal
Research has shown that most people go through major life changes in stages. These stages are present in a wide variety of major life traumas:
Proceeding through each step is normal, and the process should not be rushed. Often however, people may progress out of a stage and then drop back into it. If uncontrolled, the bouncing back and forth between stages can continue for a long time. As you make your transition to civilian life, look for these stages in yourself and acknowledge your movements from one step to the next. 
Coping With Transition-Related Stress
The experiences of thousands of service members who have recently separated suggest that this transition is likely to be stressful for you and your family. Those that have transitioned in the past have found several tactics extremely important in dealing with the stress related to separation from the military:
Date Last Reviewed: March 20, 2009

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