Have you recently separated from the military? Or maybe you’ve been out for awhile now but are struggling to get readjusted back to civilian life? Read on for some additional tips and strategies for planning your life after the military!
I initially planned on making this one blog post. However, I soon realized that there was just too much information to cover in one post. So I decided to break it up into two parts.
In Part 1, I discussed the importance of planning your life for success after the military. I also mentioned that with proper planning and the right mindset, you can achieve massive success after the military.
The first topic and step I emphasized was the importance of having a solid support system in place. Next, I talked about the necessity of enrolling in the VA health care system. If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, make sure you do so first before reading on!
Let’s pick up where we left off!
Apply for the VA benefits you’ve earned!
I already mentioned the importance of enrolling in the VA health care system. And while that’s certainly one of the benefits the VA offers to veterans, there’s more that you may qualify for.
What exactly you’ll qualify for is dependent on a number of factors, like the priority group the VA assigns you to. And while I can’t possibly cover every benefit in one blog post, I’ll mention the most common ones to help you get started.
Another important thing to note is that some of these potential benefits are time-sensitive. So the sooner you start looking into them once you get out, the better!
Finally, I wanted to point out that, while there may be some exceptions on a case-by-case basis, you typically need an honorable discharge in order to take advantage of most benefits the VA offers.
First, let’s talk about the G.I. Bill. College tuition isn’t getting any cheaper these days. In fact, it’s getting so expensive now that many people avoid it altogether!
Those that do take the plunge often graduate with thousands of dollars in debt that takes them years to pay off! So if you can get Uncle Sam to pay for college, why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?
Also, the G.I. Bill pays for many other continuing education programs besides just college. Examples include things like technical training, apprenticeships, and even pilot training! This is definitely one of the VA benefits you don’t want to pass up!
Next, I want to mention the VA home loan benefit. Like the G.I. Bill, I’ve personally used this benefit. And I’m glad I did, because without it, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be a proud homeowner today!
The way it works is that the VA guarantees a portion of the loan. This in turn provides an incentive for the lender to offer you more favorable terms than you would normally get. Examples of this include not requiring any money down or private mortgage insurance (PMI).
I understand that not everyone is going to be in a position to buy a house right away. But for those of you who are, this is an invaluable benefit! And on the plus side, this benefit never expires and can be used again and again!
Finally, I wanted to briefly discuss VA disability benefits. This is a very broad topic, so I’ll be writing a separate blog post on this sometime in the future to share my personal story with you. But for now, just know that this benefit is very time-sensitive.
It also often involves a very long, tedious process. But if you believe that you’ve developed a medical condition that is the result of your military service, whether physical or mental, you owe it to yourself to file a disability claim! Don’t hold off on this one. Get on it now!
Some other VA benefits you may be eligible for include the following:
- Life insurance
- Vocational rehabilitation and employment services
- Education and career counseling
- Mental health counseling
- Pension programs
- Burial and memorial services
- And more!
Obviously, the best way to determine what benefits you qualify for and to get the ball rolling is to visit your nearest VA regional office or medical center. You can also apply online as well. But I personally recommend going in person and becoming familiar with your local VA.
The exception to this rule is when applying for VA disability benefits. I do not recommend doing this directly through the VA! For VA disability claims, you’ll want to seek representation from a reputable veterans organization, like the VFW.
Decide on your continuing education goals and establish a career.
Hopefully you’re taking advantage of the G.I. Bill, like I mentioned. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever need it, don’t rule it out! You never know when it might come in handy.
When I first got out of the military, I didn’t think I’d ever need the G.I. Bill. But it’s a good thing I signed up for it because I ended up using it after all! Whether or not you plan on using it, you still need to develop a plan and goals for your continuing education and career.
Commit to continuing your education in some way, and strive to be a lifelong learner! This can be in the form of reading books, taking online courses, or even attending a mastermind or live training event! Albert Einstein said it best: “When you stop learning, you start dying.”
For those of you who were smart (unlike me) and chose a military occupational specialty that gives you job skills that directly transfer to the civilian sector, this process should be a lot easier for you.
Of course, you may ultimately decide to pursue a completely different field. And there’s definitely nothing wrong with that!
But for those who don’t have a lot of transferable job skills, it’s not the end of the world or anything. It just means that you’re going to have to really buckle down and work a little harder to get to where you want to be. And that’s where S.M.A.R.T. goals really come in handy!
Create S.M.A.R.T. goals.
So, what are S.M.A.R.T. goals, you might be asking? And why am I bringing them up?
The first known use of this term dates back to 1981 and is typically associated with Peter Drucker’s Management by Objectives concept, which he created in 1954.
The concept has since evolved over the years by multiple individuals into an effective form of objective and goal achievement.
I won’t bore you with all of the history behind it. But just know that it’s commonly used today in many organizations to accomplish objectives, achieve goals, and drive results. You may have even come across it while in the military!
S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym, in case you haven’t guessed, and stands for:
S: Specific
M: Measurable
A: Achievable
R: Relevant
T: Time-bound
Basically, when setting both short-term and long-term goals, you want to ensure that they meet the above criteria.
Are they specific and well-defined?
Can you easily measure and track their progress?
Can they be achieved within the allotted time frame you’ve set, as well as any other criteria you’ve defined?
Are they relevant and within the scope of your main objective, goal, and plan? And are they going to help your bottom line?
Finally, have you explicitly defined and established a strict timeline for when you’ll see the goal come to completion? This would include not just how much time you’ll allow for completing the goal, but a start and end date as well!
If you ensure your goals are S.M.A.R.T. goals, you’ll have a much better chance at accomplishing them! I’ve been using this strategy for awhile now when setting my own goals. And quite frankly, it works!
What are you doing to ensure your success after the military?
Do you have a plan in place to get you on the path to success? Have you created your S.M.A.R.T. goals? Where do you want to be one year from now? What about five years?
Be sure to comment below and share your goals to help keep you accountable! I’m rooting for you! You’ve got this!
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