Life Changes Following Military Separation or Retirement

Finances

A military career guarantees a steady salary to its active duty members. It arrives on time and can be generous, depending on the location. In countries and areas that are considered to have a high cost of living, such as Hawaii or some parts of Europe, active duty personnel are compensated with a cost of living allowance, that helps defray some of their household expenses on the local economy. This safety net is removed once the active duty member separates or retires. Retirees will receive a pension for the rest of their lives, but it will be nowhere near the amount of money they were used to receiving. This can come as a shock, but with some careful planning and a sensible budget, it does not have to plunge the family into dire straits. If the active duty member is married, one option is for their spouse to look for work, if they are not already employed. Or the couple can cut back on some of their expenses until they are able to find new employment.

More family time!

Military personnel are bound to their jobs and the purpose that they enlisted or were commissioned for during their time on active duty. That means family life has had to come second. Short absences, training, remote unaccompanied tours and deployments keep families apart. For example, it is not uncommon to hear of a husband and father who has missed the birth of his children and some of his wedding anniversaries because he was away during each occasion. It is a frequent occurrence, which places families under a lot of strain. But once the active duty member leaves the military, they can spend this time with their family and not have to choose a job where spending time apart is expected.

Friendships

The military often fosters very close ties with one another. As such, the military community is often referred to as a “family” unit. Some agree with this notion and happily subscribe to it, forming deep bonds of friendship with others who are in the same position as them and know what the military lifestyle is like. After leaving the military, there is not always that same feeling of camaraderie and closeness that there was during active duty. People who remain on active duty will move and this can also make it harder to sustain friendships with people who have separated or retired. That is why it is important to form friendships with people who do not all have a connection to the military. If these friends are genuine, they will still be there long after the active duty member has left the military.

Medical

Retirees will be entitled to take advantage of the medical facilities at their local military installation. The one difference they will notice is that they will no longer be treated as priority cases, as they once were when they were on active duty. That means active duty personnel and their spouses will have priority over their health needs and will tend to be seen before them. Certain services are not available for free once a person retires. For example, in some branches of the military, laser eye surgery is carried out for free for active duty personnel, but retirees must pay if they want this surgery performed.