Last updated 2 months ago. Our resources are updated regularly but please keep in mind that links, programs, policies, and contact information do change.
The transition home from deployment or military service marks a pivotal moment for service members and their families. While often filled with anticipation and joy, this reintegration period presents unique challenges requiring careful navigation and robust support systems.
This guide outlines the full spectrum of resources available through government agencies, veteran organizations, and community programs to help ease this critical transition.
Understanding the Reintegration Landscape
Reintegration extends far beyond the initial homecoming celebration. It represents an ongoing process of readjustment that unfolds over months or even years. Service members must navigate the return to family life, potentially re-enter the civilian workforce, and cope with the lasting impacts of their service experience.
The path ahead differs significantly from the deployment experience itself. Veterans and their families face challenges across psychological, social, financial, and employment domains that require dedicated attention and support.Research indicates that families tend to report a smoother readjustment when they prioritize open communication, deliberately make time for family connection, and actively utilize available reintegration resources.
Psychological Health Challenges
Post-deployment mental health concerns affect significant numbers of returning service members, particularly those with combat exposure or serving in Guard and Reserve components. Common diagnoses include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Substance misuse, especially alcohol-related issues, frequently compounds these challenges.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) represents another significant health concern, often occurring alongside psychological conditions and requiring specialized care and support. Beyond formal diagnoses, many veterans grapple with intense emotions—heightened fear, persistent anger, survivor guilt, or the stark contrast between deployment routines and civilian life overwhelm.
Sleep disturbances plague returning service members. Sleep disturbances, including nightmares and insomnia, are common, as are difficulties with concentration and hyper-focus. Some veterans also face profound challenges to core values or religious beliefs shaped by their deployment experiences.
Despite the prevalence of these challenges and the availability of mental health services, a concerning number of service members report wanting help but not receiving it. This gap stems from multiple factors: career concerns including potential impacts on security clearances, perception by peers and leaders, confidentiality worries, skepticism about treatment effectiveness, and practical barriers like appointment scheduling.
The complexity increases with co-occurring conditions. Studies show a large percentage of individuals screening positive for both PTSD and MDD simultaneously. This reality demands that support strategies address multiple conditions holistically rather than targeting single diagnoses in isolation.
Social and Familial Challenges
Family reintegration typically begins with a honeymoon period of relief and celebration, but this phase often gives way to stress as the realities of adjustment emerge. Service members may find it hard to reconnect with family members, including spouses and children, after prolonged absences. Family routines and roles inevitably shift during deployment, requiring effort from everyone to readjust.
Communication becomes a central challenge. Service members may struggle to relate their experiences to civilians or family members who lack a shared understanding of military life. Conversely, family members may find it difficult to understand the veteran’s perspective or needs. While some service members aren’t ready to discuss deployment experiences, families may feel excluded by this silence.
The shifting of roles within the family structure can cause distress, with service members sometimes feeling like outsiders in their own homes or anxious about fitting into the family’s established rhythm. Meanwhile, spouses who managed households single-handedly also require support through their own transition back to shared responsibilities.
Children require special consideration in the reintegration process. Children, particularly younger ones, require time and patience to readjust to a parent’s return after a long absence; a year is a significant portion of a young child’s life. Age-appropriate approaches help support their adjustment, especially when parents face mental health challenges like PTSD or TBI.
Re-establishing intimacy between partners may feel awkward initially. Re-establishing intimacy between partners may also take time and can feel awkward initially; patience and open dialogue are key.
Beyond immediate family, veterans face broader social adjustments. Many veterans face difficulties forming new social bonds in the civilian world, wrestling with the loss of their military identity and the inherent camaraderie of service. Rebuilding social support networks becomes critical, as isolation links directly to adverse outcomes including increased suicide risk.
Financial and Employment Challenges
Securing and maintaining stable employment is one of the most significant hurdles faced by transitioning service members and veterans. Veterans report notably high unemployment rates, facing specific obstacles:
- Difficulty translating military skills into civilian terminology
- Lack of experience with civilian job search processes
- Feeling professionally behind civilian peers due to deployment time
- General lack of confidence in the civilian marketplace
National Guard and Reserve members face unique issues when returning to their civilian jobs, such as catching up on industry changes, learning new skills, adjusting to new roles, or even facing layoffs or position terminations that occurred during their absence.
Financial strain is another common stressor during reintegration. This stems from multiple sources: loss of deployment-related income, existing financial worries, and the challenge of managing personal finances independently after structured military support.
Veterans report problems with paying bills, dealing with collection agencies, and falling victim to financial scams. They may become targets of predatory lenders, potentially leading to poor credit ratings. Research indicates higher bankruptcy rates among veterans compared to non-veterans, with longer-term unemployment correlating to poorer physical health outcomes.
Food insecurity has also emerged as a concern within the military and veteran community. The connection between financial instability and overall well-being remains undeniable. Studies demonstrate a strong link between financial problems—such as difficulty managing money or covering basic needs—and significantly worse health outcomes, including drastically increased rates of homelessness and suicide risk, even when accounting for existing mental health diagnoses.
Healthcare System Navigation
The transition from military to civilian healthcare creates significant challenges. Service members accustomed to Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) must learn to access care through the VA, TRICARE, or civilian providers. Common difficulties include:
- Problems scheduling appointments
- Lack of care coordination between providers
- Dissatisfaction with perceived quality of care
- Geographic barriers for Guard/Reserve members
- Complex eligibility rules and enrollment processes
For National Guard and Reserve members, accessing care can be further complicated by geographic dispersion, often living far from military installations or VA facilities, and sometimes lacking awareness of the resources available to them or facing difficulties in accessing those they know exist.
Department of Defense (DoD) Resources
The Department of Defense offers comprehensive programs supporting service members and families throughout transition. The DoD Military-Civilian Transition Office (MCTO) is responsible for the overall design, oversight, and evaluation of these crucial programs.
Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
TAP serves as the cornerstone of DoD transition support. Mandated by law (10 U.S.C. Chapter 58) for all service members who have completed 180 or more continuous days of active duty, TAP provides comprehensive information and training to prepare individuals for civilian life. Service members must begin TAP at least one year before separation, or two years prior for retirement.
TAP’s structured curriculum provides:
- Individualized Initial Counseling: One-on-one sessions for self-assessment and personalized transition planning
- Pre-Separation Counseling: Overview of benefits, entitlements, and available resources
- Core Briefings: Sessions from DoD, VA, and Department of Labor covering transition management, skill translation, financial planning, and benefits
- Specialized Tracks: Two-day programs focused on Higher Education, Career Technical Training, Employment, or Entrepreneurship
A critical output of TAP is the Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) document (DD Form 2586), which helps translate military occupations, training, and experience into civilian-equivalent terms.
Access TAP resources through:
- Installation TAP Offices providing in-person counseling and support
- DoD TAP website as central hub
- milConnect for eForm and VMET documents
- TAP events website for scheduling
- Transition Online Learning (TOL) platform for eLearning
The Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) delivers mandatory Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition (EFCT) workshops. DOL VETS also offers optional two-day employment workshops (DOLEW), Career and Credential Exploration (C2E) sessions, the Employment Navigator and Partnership Program (ENPP) for extended support, and Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT) for veterans and spouses post-separation.
Military OneSource
Military OneSource functions as a comprehensive 24/7/365 support hub. Military OneSource functions as a comprehensive, 24/7/365 support hub for the entire military community – including active duty, National Guard, and Reserve members (regardless of activation status), their families, and survivors. Access services worldwide via 800-342-9647.
Key reintegration services include:
- Confidential Non-Medical Counseling: Free, short-term counseling (up to 12 sessions per issue, per person) is available face-to-face in the community, via phone, online chat, or video session.
- Financial and Legal Support: Including financial counseling, MilTax services, and legal assistance resources
- Family Support: Relationship counseling, parenting skills, special needs support (EFMP)
- Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO): Career coaching and scholarship information through MySECO portal
- Child and Youth Programs: Resources for transitions, deployments, and school changes
- Reintegration Resources: Dedicated content on reunion and reintegration
Military OneSource proves particularly vital for geographically dispersed service members and families, such as those in the Guard and Reserve or stationed in remote locations, who may lack easy access to installation-based services.
DoD SkillBridge Program
The DoD SkillBridge program offers unique transition support. Participants engage in internships, apprenticeships, or on-the-job training with approved industry partners (including public sector organizations like VA) for up to 180 days prior to separation. During this period, participants continue receiving military pay and benefits.
Eligibility requirements include:
- Completed 180+ continuous days of active duty
- Within final 180 days of service
- Command approval
The program aims to bridge the gap between military service and civilian employment by providing real-world experience, networking opportunities, and enhancing a service member’s resume and marketability, potentially leading directly to job offers.
Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP)
YRRP addresses the unique challenges faced by National Guard and Reserve members. Its core function is to connect these often geographically dispersed individuals with essential resources and support networks through dedicated YRRP events.
Regional events provide information on:
- Healthcare options (TRICARE, VA)
- Education and training benefits
- Employment resources and USERRA protections
- Financial planning and legal assistance
- Family support services
YRRP collaborates with various government and non-government partners, such as the Small Business Administration (SBA), Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to ensure attendees receive comprehensive and up-to-date information.
Psychological Health and TBI Centers of Excellence
Operating under the Defense Health Agency, these centers advance scientific knowledge and evidence-based practices. They collaborate extensively across DoD, VA, and other agencies to inform policy, develop clinical guidance, and drive improvements in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Resources include:
- Clinical tools and guidelines for providers
- Patient and family educational materials
- Provider training programs
- Research initiatives
- Psychological Health Resource Center: 24/7 helpline at 866-966-1020
Access additional resources through:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Resources
Upon separation from service, the VA becomes the primary source of benefits and support. Utilizing accredited representatives, often found through Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs), can significantly help in understanding and applying for benefits.
Main entry points for information include:
VA Health Care
Eligibility is based on service history, discharge status, and other factors, often categorized into Priority Groups which influence cost and access speed. Veterans can apply for enrollment through:
- Online at VA health care application (recommended)
- Phone: 877-222-8387
- Mail: VA Form 10-10EZ
- In person at VA facilities
- With VSO assistance
VA health care encompasses:
- Primary and preventive care
- Specialty care services
- Mental health treatment
- Women’s health programs
- Dental and vision care (eligibility varies)
- Long-term care options
Care is delivered through VA Medical Centers (VAMCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), and approved community care providers. Veterans manage appointments and records through My HealtheVet.
Mental Health Services
Importantly, urgent mental health care is accessible to veterans regardless of enrollment status or discharge type. Resources include:
- National Center for PTSD: Information, self-assessment tools, and treatment details
- Vet Centers: Community-based readjustment counseling
- Veterans Crisis Line: 24/7 support by calling 988 and pressing 1
- Family-specific resources for coping with veterans’ mental health challenges
VA Benefits Administration
VBA manages comprehensive non-healthcare benefits:
- Disability Compensation: Tax-free monthly payments are available for veterans with injuries or illnesses incurred or aggravated during military service.
- Pension: Needs-based benefit for wartime veterans with limited income
- Education and Training (GI Bill): Multiple programs including Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, and others
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E): This program assists veterans with service-connected disabilities that create barriers to employment.
- Home Loans: No-down-payment loans through private lenders
- Life Insurance: Conversion from SGLI to VGLI after separation
- Financial Literacy Support: Various resources including the Veterans Benefits Banking Program
VA Solid Start Program
Recognizing the critical and often challenging nature of the first year after leaving military service, the VA established the Solid Start program. This proactive initiative involves qualified VA representatives reaching out to newly separated service members via phone at three key intervals: around 90, 180, and 365 days post-separation.
The program connects veterans to healthcare, mental health, employment, education, and housing resources. Call 1-800-827-0611 for assistance.
Vet Centers
Vet Centers offer a unique and valuable resource for veterans, service members (including Guard and Reserve), and their families seeking support with the transition to civilian life. These community-based centers provide:
- Individual, group, couples, and family counseling
- PTSD and military sexual trauma support
- Bereavement counseling
- Employment guidance
- Referrals to other VA and community resources
Services are free and strictly confidential. Find centers at VA facility locator or call 1-877-927-8387.
Other VA Programs
Additional VA support includes:
- Homeless Veterans assistance: Call 877-424-3838
- Women and Minority Veterans programs
- Adaptive Sports initiatives
- Burial and Memorial Benefits
- Records assistance
- Federal employment through VA Careers and VA for Vets
TRICARE and Health Care Transition
Understanding TRICARE options prevents critical coverage gaps during transition.
Coverage During Service and Terminal Leave
While on active duty, including periods of terminal leave prior to separation or retirement, service members and their enrolled family members remain covered under their existing TRICARE plan (e.g., TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Select).
Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP)
TAMP provides crucial coverage continuity. TAMP offers 180 days of premium-free TRICARE benefits, mirroring active-duty options (Prime, Select, US Family Health Plan, Overseas options), beginning the day after separation.
Eligibility includes:
- Members involuntarily separated under honorable conditions
- Guard/Reserve separating after 30+ days active duty for specific missions
- Stop-loss or voluntary contingency operation extensions
- Sole survivorship discharge
- Regular active duty transferring to Selected Reserve
Verify eligibility via milConnect.
Retiring Service Members
Retiring service members and their eligible family members must actively enroll in a TRICARE health plan within 90 days of the retirement date to maintain continuous coverage. Options include TRICARE Prime, Select, US Family Health Plan, and overseas variations.
Missing the enrollment window limits care to space-available basis at military facilities. Medicare Part B enrollment becomes mandatory at age 65 to qualify for TRICARE For Life.
Dental and vision coverage available through FEDVIP.
Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP)
CHCBP provides coverage similar to TRICARE Select for 18 to 36 months, but requires payment of quarterly premiums. This serves individuals losing TRICARE eligibility, such as after TAMP ends.
Non-Profit and Community Support
Non-profit organizations provide essential supplementary support through specialized services, peer connections, and community building.
Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs)
VSOs play a critical role in the veteran support landscape. Many are congressionally chartered and offer two primary functions: assisting veterans in navigating the often complex VA claims and benefits system (frequently providing free, accredited representation) and fostering community and camaraderie through local posts and programs.
Major national VSOs include:
- The American Legion: Over 10,000 local posts
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Serves overseas conflict veterans
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV): Focuses on disabled veterans
- Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA): Serves spinal injury veterans
- American Veterans (AMVETS): Advocates for all honorably discharged veterans
- Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA): Addresses Vietnam veteran issues
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)
WWP focuses on post-9/11 veterans with service-related injuries through:
- Mental wellness programs including Project Odyssey
- Warriors to Work employment assistance
- Financial readiness education
- Community connection through adaptive sports
- Family support programs
United Service Organizations (USO)
While widely known for supporting currently serving members and families, the USO also plays a role in transition and reintegration. Services include:
- Airport and installation centers
- Operation Phone Home connectivity
- Family programs and spouse networking
- Warrior and Family Care initiatives
Team Rubicon
Team Rubicon offers continued service opportunities. This veteran-led humanitarian organization deploys volunteers (“Greyshirts”), composed of veterans and civilians, to respond to natural disasters and crises domestically and globally.
The organization provides veterans with renewed purpose by applying military skills to humanitarian relief. Join through their Roll Call platform.
Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB)
Team RWB enriches veterans’ lives through physical and social activity. It builds a health and wellness community for veterans, service members, families, and civilian supporters (“Eagles”).
Local chapters organize fitness events, social gatherings, and virtual challenges via the Team RWB App.
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
TAPS provides comprehensive grief support. TAPS provides comprehensive, compassionate care and resources specifically for anyone grieving the death of a military service member or veteran.
Services include:
- 24/7 National Military Survivor Helpline: 800-959-TAPS
- Peer support network and mentorship
- Casework assistance with benefits
- Grief counseling referrals
- Good Grief Camps for young survivors
- Suicide loss support resources
Practical Advice and Strategies
Successful reintegration requires conscious effort and effective strategies from both service members and families.
Communication is Key
Effective communication forms the foundation of smooth transition:
- Manage Expectations: Discussing hopes, fears, and expectations about homecoming before it happens is crucial.
- Practice Open Dialogue: Create space for sharing feelings, discussing changes, and addressing challenges openly.
- Respect Everyone’s Experience: Acknowledge that the deployment period was stressful for everyone involved – the deployed service member faced unique challenges, while family members at home managed their own set of difficulties and responsibilities.
- Communicate with Children: Tailor conversations to the child’s age and developmental stage.
Patience and Adjustment Time
- Understand that establishing a “new normal” takes time, often several months or more.
- Recognize that everyone involved has likely changed in some ways during the separation – developing new habits, perspectives, or coping mechanisms.
- Focus on creating a comfortable new normal rather than forcing old patterns
Practical Steps for Smoothing Transition
- If possible, postpone significant life decisions like moving, changing jobs or schools, or getting a new pet until the family has had time to settle back into a routine together.
- Ease back into family routines or collaboratively create new ones.
- In the early days and weeks, focus on low-stress, enjoyable family time.
- Deployment often changes the family’s financial picture (e.g., loss of special pays). Revisit the household budget together soon after return.
- Update legal documents and DEERS information
Seeking and Accepting Support
Leveraging available resources is a sign of strength, not weakness.
- Utilize Military OneSource, VA, VSO programs proactively
- Consider professional counseling as needed
- Connect with other military families for peer support
- It is helpful for families to understand that experiencing difficulties, awkwardness, stress, and disagreements during reintegration is common and expected.
Official Guides and Toolkits
Government agencies and support organizations provide comprehensive resources:
- VA TAP Participant Guide: This extensive guide is provided to TAP participants and covers the breadth of VA benefits and services pertinent to transition. Available at VA TAP portal
- DoD Wounded, Ill, and/or Injured Compensation and Benefits Handbook: Published by the DoD, this handbook is specifically designed for service members recovering from significant injuries or illnesses and their families. Available at DoD Warrior Care
- Military OneSource Reunion & Reintegration Portal: This dedicated section on the Military OneSource website acts as an online toolkit. Found at Military OneSource Reunion & Reintegration
- VA Welcome Kit: This resource provides a general overview of VA benefits and services, often tailored to different life stages and needs of veterans. Available through the VA website
- TBICoE Family Caregiver Guide: Developed by the Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, this guide provides specific information and resources for families caring for a service member or veteran with a TBI. Found at TBICoE Patient and Family Resources
- Sesame Street for Military Families: Utilizing familiar characters, Sesame Workshop offers videos, activities, and guides specifically designed to help young children understand and cope with deployment separations, homecomings, and adjustments, including dealing with parental injuries (visible and invisible). Available at Sesame Street for Military Families
The successful transition from military service requires understanding available resources, maintaining open communication, and actively seeking support when needed. While challenges are normal during reintegration, a comprehensive network of government agencies, veteran organizations, and community programs stands ready to assist service members and families through this important life transition. The development and availability of these detailed guides from both DoD and VA reflect an official recognition of the multifaceted nature of military transitions and the need to provide clear, consolidated information to help service members and families successfully navigate this period.
Our articles make government information more accessible. Please consult a qualified professional for financial, legal, or health advice specific to your circumstances.
