A Service Member's Road to Retirement - Lessons Learned

I wrote this article to try and help service members maneuver through the chaos of transitioning out of the military. Additionally, my hope is to provide fellow service members with info, lessons learned, do’s/don’ts, and hopefully some thoughts to ponder as they look to transition out of the service. Leaving the service is not as simple as some may think. This holds true regardless whether the service member is separating or retiring. In my opinion, to have a successful transition the member has to start early and even then he/she may feel as if they didn’t do enough or missed things along the way. Granted, for some the process is smooth and easy, but for most it is not, especially if you don’t do your homework, prepare, and set yourself up for success. 

The info in this article was gathered from talking to many other service members who had already made the transition as well as many hours of research. There’s so much amazing individual-knowledge out there, but not centralized (at least none that I could find and believe me I looked!). Initially, I intended this to be a just a few quick notes, then realized the notes would be confusing or taken out of context without more info. Hence, I needed to explain things <sigh> and this thing grew to over 10 pages, sorry! On the positive side, read it all or just what appeals to you. This article contains what I consider great info and hopefully it flows, makes sense, and brings value. If not, I have failed miserably. 

Full disclosure and disclaimers: 1) I’m not an expert on any of these items. I’m sharing what I have learned in my own transition in hopes it will help others. If there are flaws/gaps in this, I apologize. 2) I don’t intend to update/maintain this article, but feel free to share the correct info and references with others. 3) This is not a timeline, although I make recommendations on times. Everyone’s situation is different and your timeline is relative to you and your situation. 4) Nothing in this article is an endorsement, there’s no pay or kickbacks from anyone. My recommendations (organizations, books, etc.) are just that, recommendations. 5) I’m of the belief that a “good product” that brings value to others is better than a “perfect product” (QC’d, proper citation/references, etc.) that arrives too late. 

General, but important advice I received along the way

- No one else will care as much about your transition as you do.

- Many service members spend more time focusing on their military retirement ceremony than on their next chapter. Prioritize and find a balance.

- Is Service Group Life Insurance (SGLI) or VGLI (Veterans) the right thing for you? I recommend talking to a financial adviser or life insurance professional (if you have USAA, they provide these services for free). In my case, after breaking down the numbers, it was far better to get a high payoff term-life insurance (that would cover my family) than it was to get the retiree SGLI/VGLI.

DOs (do them early if possible):

Rejections should be expected. Mentally prepare and build a thick skin

• DO take charge of your transition. There is help out there, but the success of your transition rests on you.
• DO prepare yourself for rejection. It will happen, you’ll need to have or build up a thick skin.
• DO lots of research! Don't be the guy/gal that wants all answers fed to them. That’s not how it works. You have to put in the time.
• DO remember that you can make it on the other side! Many service members are afraid of making the change. If the timing is right for you to transition out, know that the skills and experience gained in the military will help you and make you marketable.
• DO remember that in the civilian/private-sector you can give 2 weeks’ notice and quit if you are unhappy! That’s a great option not afforded to you previously. As transitioning military members, we tend to think that the first job after the military will be forever and that we “must get it right”. No! You can take a job that lands you on your feet and if things do not work out, you can search for the dream job while still being employed.
• Know your ailments, problems, and seek medical care for them. DO get them documented on your military records.
• Request & review (this will take time) your medical records, you’ll be surprised what’s in them!
• Work on your resume(s) and get a solid version ready (see Resume section for more details)
• VA appointments - DO show up, DO NOT cancel or reschedule if at all possible
• VA appointments - show up prepared, know/understand your medical issues & problems. 
• VA appointments - bring notes and a running list (phone or old-school pen/paper) of your problems, pains, what triggered them, when are they worse, etc. 
• VA appointments - be honest and factual. Don’t try to under- or over-inflate the info, symptoms, etc. Keep in mind that you have probably been dealing with the problems and have altered your lifestyle around it. Take a step back and look at it from a neutral standpoint. 
• VA appointments - DO give the examiner examples. Do you buy special shoes for foot issues? You think you’re OK because you score high on your PT test, but do you have to take pain meds before or after, do you nurse the knee after the test, etc.? You don’t think you have back/shoulder problems but you avoid activities that trigger pain in these areas. Be honest about your bad/worst days! Don’t play it down. 
• Determine what you want to do when you grow up. Easier said than done even if you intend to stay in the same industry as your military profession. For example, my profession has multiple areas: hands-on technical, operations, infrastructure, tool development, malware analysis, reverse engineering, technical lead, project lead, consultant, and many more! I could see myself doing many of those, but to realistically seek employment I needed to narrow it down. 
• DO read this book: Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. Why should you read it? It’s a thought-provoking book that helps you answer what’s important to you, where your passion(s) lies, and what makes you happy. The authors are/were professors at Stanford and created a course to help college freshmen try to understand these fundamental questions before spending 4+ years in college only to find out they (the student) wasted their time pursuing a profession they were not happy in (sound familiar?). The book covers the course they created along with exercises. This may help you answer the question of what you want to do in the next chapter after the military. Even if you think you know what you want to do, I think everyone benefits from this book. Thanks Steve Bichler and Jen Anthony for the book recommendation!
• Join groups (social media, local, etc.) that help and support transitioning vets. They are extremely beneficial and helpful. They can answer questions or point you in the right direction

Don’ts

• DON’T cancel or reschedule your VA appointments if at all possible
• DON’T forget to ask for help!
• DON’T go ROAD (Retired on Active Duty). Your last actions will be remembered. ROAD is not the same as taking care of yourself (medical appointments, attending transition events, etc.).
• DON’T take things personal! There will be plenty of ups/downs and you will encounter rejection. It’s all part of the process.

Final paycheck

The harsh reality of things is that there is no guarantee that your last military paycheck will come when you expect it. This is important to understand because as the service member transitions out of the military, there may be a significant gap in the source of income. Based on the info I received from the military finance folks, the last paycheck stays “in” to ensure the member doesn’t owe any money to the government and to properly calculate leave and pay. This means the last paycheck will likely NOT be available nor paid on the pay cycle following separation/retirement. I’ve spoken to fellow transitioning members who knew this, but did not realize or put together what it actually meant. They thought there would have a source of income from a new job, retirement pay, and/or disability pay rolling in, only to be faced with a different reality. 

Let’s walk through this scenario to help explain the point. During the last month on active duty, assume DOS is 30 September for this example, the paycheck covering the 16-30 September will not arrive on 1 October. Additionally, retirement pay won’t start until the end of October (possibly arriving on 1 November or later assuming there were no issues). A similar situation with disability pay. Assuming the VA even closed out the claim and the member was awarded a disability, the first check won’t arrive until or after 1 November. Lastly, if the member started a job, depending on the frequency of pay and taking into consideration that many employers have a pay lag (where the pay-period is paid at the conclusion of the next pay period), it could be a few weeks to a month before the first paycheck is received.

The intent behind this breakdown is not to scare anyone, but to get people to think through and financially prepare as you transition out. 

Transition Programs (known as TAPs or TGPS): 

Note: There’s confusion/discussion between TAPs and TGPS. For the purpose of this write-up, the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is the overarching program and the Transition Goals, Plans, Success (TGPS) is the mandatory workshop that many associate with what TAPs used to be. 

Significant takeaways I would recommend folks look for or keep in mind:

- Several military installations offer 2 types of TGPS. One is geared towards retirees and a ‘general’ one. I wish I would have known this. The ‘retiree’ one is tailored towards the benefits retirees care most and less on general items that are important to those separating after their first or second term.   

- The waitlist for TGPS at several installations is 3+ months, so plan accordingly. Counselors can typically fit a service member into the course as an emergency or extreme case. However, I highly recommend you plan accordingly and do not put yourself in that situation.

- Many installations have started adding workshops under TAPs that are independent (and optional) from the mandatory TGPS. I highly recommend exploring these. 

• At a minimum, take the 1) Resume Workshop, 2) Know Your Worth class, and 3) Salary Negotiation class. Obviously, take these before you need them. You want to know your worth and how to negotiate salary before you get to that stage.
• The Career Exploration & Planning Track workshop is intended to help the member identify what skills, experience, training, and education they possess and how those can translate to other fields, not just the ones relating to their MOS, AFSC, NEC/Rate. Additionally, it explores the member’s interests and passion to help match them to jobs, training and credentialing tracks. Link: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/tap/career-exploration-planning
• Other workshops are available and being developed. Talk to your installation resource folks.

- Take advantage of the Employer Panel and BRING your resume during TGPS. This is where TGPS attendees (you) bring a lunch and get to ask a panel of employers’ questions. It can be very insightful as to what they are looking for in candidates. Note: Don’t wait for TGPS to start drafting your resume, do it early. More on resumes below, including training sessions and organizations that provide resume services for free!

- Recommend taking TGPS twice. Depending on your timeline and situation, I recommend taking it once 24-12 month out, then again closer to your transition. There’s a lot of info to cover, you will miss things.  

- Many of the sessions offered under the Transitional Programs are also offered to spouses at no cost!

We all know the transition program doesn’t have the best reputation, but it is mandatory and better than nothing. Some think it is a recruiting tool intended to keep people in the military. I can honestly say I never experienced that in the times I took it. What it does is provide you a realistic understanding of benefits you receive as a service member and the challenges everyone (not just service members transitioning out) faces in the private sector (to include GS jobs, contractor, or industry). Some of those realities are things service members had not thought of or considered. When its laid out to them during TAPs, folks sometimes decide that’s in their best interest to stay in. My last thoughts on the Transition Program are: there are several gaps, it leaves much to be desired, and everyone I’ve spoken to that took it says it could be better. It will never be perfect, but hopefully it continues to improve. 

Resume

The important stuff:

1. Do it early, especially if others have to approve it (HR, Security review, etc.).

2. Consider that you may need to create multiple resume versions tailored to the positions you are seeking.

3. Use all resources (many are free; I didn’t pay for any of them):

• Resume Workshops through your military installation.
• Trained experts at your local Airmen & Family Readiness, Army Community Service (ACS), Fleet & Family Support Center, VA, etc.
• Non-profit organizations. I used Hire Heroes USA (https://www.hireheroesusa.org/), but there are many out there, check with your installation reps for a listing or see ‘Resources’ section below for a limited list. These non-profits provide much more than just resume help, they offer guidance, job-placement services, and sometimes training and certifications, all free of charge. Before deciding to use one of the non-profit organizations, I recommend researching them, look at reviews, and a quick check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

In my case, Hire Heroes USA helped me connect with an adviser and fine-tune my resume. It was not an easy or quick process, so expect to put in some work and allocate plenty of time to the process. I recommend doing this process early to give yourself plenty of time to bridge any knowledge or experience gaps as well as time to work on any training and certifications you want to have before making the transition. Having a solid resume and getting it out to mentors, leaders, and employers early on allows you to understand how competitive you are. By doing this early, if it’s identified that you require more training, certifications, qualifications, or experience, there’s time to accomplished it. Remember that a resume is a living document and should be updated. 

Employers will tell you that seeking employment too early is not good and most won’t talk to you until about 3-6 months from a start date. However, if you ask, those employers and recruiters that actually care will take a look at your resume and offer advice. When drafting a resume, one thing you need is advice. 

Understand your worth

I’ve seen many service members accept job offers that pay significantly less than what the member should earn. Why does this happen? Again, I’m not an expert and there are many reasons, but the main one I’ve seen is that the member doesn’t know how to determine their worth. Some military members think they only need to earn a bit more than what their LES shows, not realizing many aspects of their compensation are not taxed (e.g., BAH, BAS) or even itemized there (e.g., medical and dental coverage). As a result, they undervalue what they should earn post-military, in some cases ultimately earning less than what they earned while on Active Duty (when accounting for those other things: taxes and healthcare). Doing some research will help bridge the knowledge gap. 

I’m not sure about the other services, but the Air Force provides each service member a Personal Statement of Military Compensation (PSMC) that itemizes the benefits and estimates. Depending on rank and location, the difference between the LES and PSMC could easily be over $10K. Not to mention that upon exiting the military, you will now have to start paying for medical and dental coverage which is extremely expensive. Lastly, if you were claiming a State or Residence that did not have state tax but will settle in a state that does, you’ll have to calculate that into the equation as well. 

So, yes, do your research, but at least the PSMC is a better starting point than the LES. Additionally, you’ll have to do research to determine what value to place on your training, skills, education, and years of experience in the technical, management, and leadership aspects. There’s no easy way to do this; invest time researching sites like Indeed.com, Glassdoor.com, and Salary.com; it will pay off in the end. 

Your local installation should have a class to help you determine/know your worth. Additionally, use Google’s vet search (https://www.google.com/search?q=jobs+for+veterans) to decipher what a military specialty translates into the private sector. Simply enter an MOS, NEC, or AFSC (including skill level) to see jobs with similar training, skills, and experience. Also, use sites like those I listed above (Indeed, Glassdoor, and Salary.com) to see what the salary range is for those positions and location. There are many more things you can do, but this should at least get you started. 

Base Salary vs Total Compensation

Something you’ll learn at the Salary Negotiation and/or the Understanding Your Worth classes is the very important difference between Base Salary and Total Compensation. To learn more about the specifics of these two, take time to research it, I only cover these at a very basic level.

In simple terms, Base Salary is the wage (amount) the employer agrees to pay the employee. Think salary or hourly wage. Total Compensation refers to the total pay an employer provides to the employee, including base salary and other benefits. Under total compensation, base salary is only one component, but usually also includes things like: paid time off (PTO), bonuses, medical, dental, retirement plan (i.e., 401K), etc. 

Why should you pay attention to this? During salary negotiations and in the written offer letter, make sure to distinguish between the two (base salary and total compensation). Depending on the employer, there could be several thousands of dollars (north of $20K) difference between base salary and total compensation. Thus if you think you are getting a negotiated base salary, but did not pay attention to the written offer letter, it can make for a really bad day when you finally realize it.

Government Jobs

I didn’t do a lot of research on government jobs because I was not interested in pursuing one, so my inputs on this are minimal. However, here are some things to keep in mind. 

• There’s a 180-day (6 months) waiting period for military retirees seeking a DoD job. I’m not sure if this also applies to non-retirees (separating service members vs retirees). Additionally, there are waivers for this, although I could not speak to the process, timeline, or rate of success. Lastly, I read an article that efforts are underway to try to counter this policy (remove the restriction), but I’m not sure of its status.
• The hiring process can be lengthy. Some folks have great success with the process and direct-hires are said to be ‘fairly’ quick. However, I’ve seen folks burn their 2.5 months of terminal leave waiting for the government job and end up taking something else because the process continued to drag. 
• On the plus side, government jobs provide: 1) job stability, 2) military members can “buy back” their service time (I don’t know how this works), and 3) there’s a chance for a second retirement from the government job.

Contractor Jobs

Contractor jobs also have their ‘ups’ and ‘downs’.

• Contractor jobs are typically less stable. A contract can end or not get renewed and you could end up without a job. Something to consider. 
• Be careful of ‘Conditional Offers’. These are job offers that are based on the applicant meeting certain conditions. Often times, these conditions are beyond the member’s control, such as a contract being awarded. There are many scenarios that can play out, but what I’ve seen most often are companies bidding for work and the conditional offers are their way to say they have a skilled workforce to meet the contract. If the company doesn’t win the contract, they can’t hire the individual. Granted, I’ve heard of some companies that will hire/keep the member regardless whether they win the contract or not, but I’ve yet to see it. At the very least, these are questions you should ask (including will you be paid while waiting) and get the answers in writing when considering a contractor job. 
• Conditional Offer Warning:  I saw more than one service member say they didn’t need to take TAPs because they had a job already lined up. Then at the last minute, they learned the contract was not awarded and the job they thought they had was not real. They didn’t understand the terms of a conditional offer.
• Conditional Offer Warning:  Some service members want to ‘play the system’ and sign conditional offers with multiple companies to ‘see’ which one hires them. I don’t know, but have heard from multiple recruiters that they know when people do this because they talk and see the names/resumes going up for bid, thus black-listing that person. Then the offers are pulled from him/her. Not sure if it’s true. Again, I’m just sharing info.
• “Signing bonuses” are a real thing. However, they are taxed at a high rate, anywhere from 25% to almost 50%. I’m not an accountant and did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express, so I won’t attempt to break it down. Just understand it will be taxed, including Social Security, Medicare, and State Tax, so depending on what state you reside, it could be closer to the 50% range. The common guidance on this is to try to have the “bonus” incorporated into your salary over the course of a year. Instead of a lump sum, divide and add it to the paid salary (weekly, monthly, etc.), that way it is taxed at your income tax bracket. 
• Before accepting a contractor position, ask how long the contract (you are being brought onto) is awarded for and get the answer in writing. You don’t want to come onto a job that will be up for re-bid or end 3 months from when you were hired… or maybe you do, to each his/her own.
• On the plus side: Contractor jobs tend to pay more, there could be more flexibility to do what you want to do or learn other things. Also, it’s easier to move on if you are unhappy; you didn’t invest months into landing the government job :).

Private Sector Jobs

Sorry, I don’t have any info to share on this. I have heard that recently (over the past 5+ years), the private sector has been more competitive with salaries and other compensations to attract/retain talent. 

DoD Skillbridge

What is DoD Skillbridge? The quick-n-dirty is it’s a program that allows service members to potentially do an internship, apprenticeship, training, education, or other program during the last 180 days (6 months) of their service commitment. There’s a lot more to it! If interested, you should look into it at the DoD Skillbridge site (link in “Resources” section below) and get more info at your local military installation. I try to provide highlights in this section, but understand that the info may be dated by the time you read it, it will not cover everything, and is highly sided to the AF process (I’m not very familiar with how other services handle it). 

I cannot remember which authoritative source I read this, but the document stated that one of the primary purposes of the DoD Skillbridge program was to reduce veteran unemployment. If you think about it, that’s a powerful statement. Some service members and leaders may look at this program sideways and wonder “what’s the catch” or it’s a selfish request to ask for this. I would disagree with those perspectives. Yes, there are folks that will try to take advantage of the program and/or game it, but no program is perfect. We should all expect that leaders will weigh all factors and be fair in making a decision. 

Quick Notes on Skillbridge:

• The program is much broader than just the internship aspect, but that is the portion that has received most attention and therefore the one folks know. The program also includes options to do education, certification training, and apprenticeship.
• The process will vary by location. I realized the process in MD had a lot less controls than the one in Joint Base San Antonio, TX. Consequently, I also found that the lack of controls also meant the process was easier and quicker in MD than in TX. Good or bad, learn your process and work through it. 
• It is not a guarantee or automatic. The service member’s commander accepts risk for anyone they allow to take part in the program. In the AF, the service member remains in the billet until they officially separate or retire. This means the manpower folks (AFPC in the case of the AF) will not backfill the billet until the member is completely out. If allowed to do the full term, that is 180 days of gaping the billet. A commander weighs this and other factors in making a decision. Thus, it’s important to understand and expect that not everyone will be able to do the program.
• The guidance says it can be up to 180 days, but it could be less. Arm your leadership with these facts. If a commander is not comfortable gaping the billet for 6 months, they may be more inclined to do a shorter term.
• Terminal leaves counts against the 180 days. If you plan to take terminal leave, know that it eats into the time allowed. For example, if you have 60 days of terminal leave, that means you can only do a maximum of 120 days of Skillbridge for a total of 180 days.
• Don't self-limit. It’s easy to talk yourself out of asking, thinking “my section is undermanned”, “I’m going to be denied”, or not given the full time. Understand that if you don’t ask, the answer is already “NO”. Ask for the time you believe is need and scale back as necessary. I only mention these constraints for awareness and education.
• Approval authority. In general, it is the first O-5 in the service member’s chain, the one with UCMJ authority. However, for some folks, that may be a higher ranking officer. Recommend digging into the documentation to understand the specifics for your situation.
• Side note: the DoD Skillbridge site used to suck, it would time-out all the time, the links didn’t work, info was missing, etc. I’ve been told it has greatly improved, but I did not try out the updated site myself.

To start the process, I would recommend:

• First become educated in the program and the process. Go to the website and stop by your Education Office (or respective section to get info). For AF personnel, at the time I wrote this, the process officially began when the service member stopped by the Education Office and informed them he/she was interested in the DoD Skillbridge (AKA Career Skills Program (CSP) in the AF). The Education Office would then send the member info (email attachments). This visit and subsequent email would count as the official Initial Brief which then opened up the application process within Virtual Education. The process may have changed. Again, for other services, I’m not sure how the process is done.
• For AF personnel, I would also highly encourage you to go to myPers and look for the CSP Guide. That's a summary of the applicable sections from the AFI governing the program. 
• Socializing the topic with your chain of command. Getting a verbal from your leadership (hopefully all the way up to the commander with approval authority) will go a long way to know where you stand. This also allows all parties involved to look at options. Maybe the unit cannot support 6 months, but can support 4 months. Maybe the unit/commander is not aware of the program and before truly considering, they need a better understanding. There are many other possible scenarios, but in short, socializing the topic allows people to better prepare for submitting the request. 

Why transitioning members should look at DoD Skillbridge:

• It allows you a little time to focus on you! While in the Skillbridge program, the focus should be on the program and your transition. Believe it or not, taking part in the program helps you mentally detach from the day-to-day of your military duties. For many of us its go-go-go all the time and up to the very end of your career. As a result, you neglect yourself, fail to seek medical attention and document your illnesses/problems, fail to educate yourself on the VA process, forgo training and education for yourself, and put little emphasis on the transition to civilian life (resume skills and writing; records/documentation gathering; attending essential courses on marketing yourself, learning what you are worth on the civilian sector, interview skills, etc.; and much more). I’m sure you can think of other things that fall under this category. The program gives you the time to focus on you. However, you must be strong and resist the temptation to continue engaging on unit duties. 
• It gives you time to seek goals you’ve set post-military for yourself through one of the programs aspects (education, certifications, etc.). Whether it’s making a dent or finishing your degree through the education portion of the program, seeking/obtaining training and certifications that will help make you marketable on the civilian side, learning a new trait through an apprenticeship, or interning with a company to demonstrate what traits and qualities you bring to the workforce. Any of these things are achievable through Skillbridge.  
• Learn how to be a civilian. This holds true especially for service members that have been in the military for a while. As a service member, you’ve been used to wearing the same uniform every day. For some people, it takes time to learn how to dress, what to buy, how to wear it, accessorize, combine shirts with pants/skirts, and can’t forget the very important “matching the right color belt and shoes”. Additionally, it will likely take some time to get comfortable in the new attire. Believe it or not, this is important and something often overlooked by transitioning members. I’m not ashamed to say that my wife has spent many days helping me shop and many evenings helping me lay out my clothes for the next day. 
• De-militarize yourself. Many of the qualities that attract employers to hiring military members can also come across as harsh or too rigid to coworkers or customers. It takes time to re-learn how to behave and handle yourself in a non-military setting. Plus, things are different on the civilian and contractor side. You’ll need to learn a new pay and HR system. Travel arrangements and travel pay will be different (thank god for no more DTS!), unless you took a Gov’t Civilian position. Needless to say, you’ll need to adjust to a new normal!
• There are several other reasons, but I’m sure you get the point. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you decide on the internship aspect of the program, remember that it not just about a company assessing whether you are good fit for them. More importantly, it is an opportunity for you to see if that is a company you want to work for! Many service members forget that they now have a choice and a voice.

VA Disabilities

I honestly don’t know how to start this section and I guarantee I am leaving stuff out (unintentionally). So forgive me for the lack of knowledge, inconsistencies, and scattered thoughts on this, but I’m trying to provide you with what I know on this very important topic. 

“No one will care as much about your records or your claim as you”

A fellow vet once said to me, “No one will care as much about your records or your claim as you”. This was great advice! It’s up to the individual service member to review their records, put in the work to decipher the info, and adequately tie the problems together. There are a lot of folks and organizations out there that help vets, but those people also have lives, they don’t know your medical history, and have multiple people to help. As well-intentioned as those folks may be, they may miss things. Do yourself service and take ownership for your own records and claim. I still highly recommend you have someone help you, but by doing a lot of the work ahead of time yourself, you make it that much easier for them to help you and focus on making a better case rather than trying to do all the work. 

The most important things I would say on this topic are: 1) see the doctor while you’re still on active duty for any issues you have. 2) Research, research, research the VA disability claim process and seek out resources. 3) Don’t be afraid to “Phone a friend” and get help or emotional support.   

Seeing the doctor. Many service members avoid the doctor for a variety of reasons. Career military professionals are especially guilty of this as it affects mobility status, it takes time away from a busy work schedule, they are worried about the stigma, or feel that part of “leading” means you cannot be on a profile when the PT test comes around. Nonetheless, the service member probably needed to see a doctor and likely did not. Whether this is you or not, before leaving active duty it is important to have everything documented. This means going to the doctor. 

Expectation management: the process may be lengthy, so try to start as early as possible! When going to the doctor, they will likely only see the member for one issue/ailment. So if there are multiple things you need to see the doctor about, that means multiple appointments. If specialty care is needed, a referral will be put in, which will not be automatic and takes a few days. Then hopefully the specialty clinic has appointments at a reasonable timeframe. Lastly, the clinic may not be at the member’s military installation and he/she may have to travel to the closest facility for the specialty care. The first appointment with the specialty clinic will be an initial consultation, so additional visits may be necessary. Plus tests, labs, radiology, etc. may need to be ordered which may require additional ones once the doctors starts to narrow down the problem. Bottom line, it most likely will not be something you can knock out quickly, so avoid putting it off.

For those service members that are close to their DOS and are trying to fit all of this into the time you have left in active duty, do what you can with the time you have left. I’ve read (but cannot confirm) that medical issues that occurred while the service member was still on active duty, but diagnosed within the first year of getting out of the military can still be tied back to be service-connected. However, I would avoid this approach if possible; it leaves too much to chance.

VA Disability Claim Process. This is a tough one. My best advice to you would be to take ownership of the process and “phone a friend”, don’t try to do it alone! I understand these may seem like contradictory terms, but they’re not. By taking ownership, I mean that although others will help you, don’t expect that they will do it all for you. There is quite a bit that will be required of the individual to ensure the process flows and accurately reflects your status (medical issues, past and current, impact to your daily life, and quality of life). However, as stated above, you don’t have to do it alone, there is help out there. 

Note/Rant: With regards to your VA Disability Claim, take it seriously, be honest/factual, take ownership of the process, and take advantage of the resources available. As long as you are honest, whatever the VA awards you, those are benefits you’ve earned. The VA assesses and awards claims to the individual, regardless of what others have received (or not). You are not taking anything away from another vet. More importantly, although today the medical issue (disability, pain, etc.) you have may not bother you too much or prevent you from activities, with time that may drastically change. If it is not documented and tied to a service-connected issue, down the road when you really need the care or services, they may not be available to you or it will be significantly more difficult to try and tie it back to your military service time. 

In case you were not aware, there is a VA program known as Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) where a transitioning service member can apply for VA disability benefits between 180 and 90 days before being discharged from the military. Restrictions apply, so do your homework. The intent of the program is to attempt to complete all exams, follow-ups, reviews, etc. by the time the service member is discharged. This way, the VA disability rating decision will be available shortly after the member is out of the military and any benefits awarded will be available much sooner. Please note that as I understand it, if the service member misses the magic window of 180 to 90 days before discharge, they fall under the normal, non-priority/expedited process. I don’t know what that timeline would look like. Talking with some retirees and seeing others battling through the process (from various FB groups I follow), they go years waiting for a decision.

Phone a friend: There are several Facebook pages where vets help other vets understand the process. You can ask questions and get answers from other vets that went through similar issues, as well as get emotional support from others who know and have gone through similar situations. It’s not easy to talk about PTSD, mental health, sexual disorder, or other personal and sensitive issues. But guess what, others have also gone through these things and can offer advice and support. Other great sources are the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) reps, local VA Military Service Coordinator (MSC), and sometimes local VFW Posts have folks that can assist.

Along with the “phone a friend” resources, the VA website has tons of information. Remember, in the end, the responsibility falls on the individual applying for the disability; educate yourself on the claim process, there are actions only you can and should take. I recommend getting familiar with the Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically Book C. https://www.benefits.va.gov/WARMS/bookc.asp. Book C covers the disability ratings and what the VA uses to categorize the ratings. Keep in mind that the VA has their own way of calculating things, often referred to as “VA math”. So just because something is referred to at 100%, it does not mean the individual will get 100% total disability. Yes, one more thing to educate yourself on. 

Additionally, there are many sites that help explain and breakdown 38 CFR and Book C, but please understand that in the end the VA is the only authoritative source for official documentation. One source I found to be extremely beneficial was Military Disability Made Easy: https://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/index.html. Spend plenty of time clicking and reading the info on this site. It has info on VA math, applying, the process, the Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ), C&P Exam, more human-readable info on the disabilities and ratings (similar to Book C) with pictures and examples, and much more!

The Military Disability Made Easy site covers the VA disability process much better than I ever could, so I won’t try. I’ll simply highlight some additional/complementary info. On that note, I would recommend requesting your medical records early; how early is completely up to you. I requested mine 10 months before my DOS. The reasons for requesting them that early are multiple, but these reasons may not apply to you or your circumstance may not afford you that opportunity. My reasons:

1.  After doing research (talking to vets, Facebook Vet Groups, and websites) I realized there was a lot to cover and learn so I wanted to give myself enough time before the 6-month window to apply for BDD. I also knew I could request the remaining records closer to my 6-month window to apply for BDD/VA Disability. Having access to the majority of my records early allowed me to take my time and learn… Goolge was my best friend! I’m not a doctor and many of the terms in the records were foreign to me. I did a lot of research which produce more questions and terms I did not understand, that led to more research, and so on. I quickly realized the task was overwhelming and had I not given myself the buffer (requesting records early), I would have been rushing through, missing things, or failing to connect the dots on my medical issues/conditions. Like I said, not everyone has the opportunity to request their records in advance, but if you do, take advantage… you’ll thank yourself.

2.  Stuff happens. For some vets I know, their medical records request was lost, misplaced, or somehow delayed. I didn’t want this to be me.

3.  Missing items. I ran into vets going through the process at the same time I was where their records were missing things. In one case it was missing some entries, while for the other member it was missing years of records. It took time to identify the mistake/missing info, figure out where the records were, and then request them (plus time for delivery). At least one of the three folks I saw in this scenario almost missed their BDD window. Luckily a DAV rep worked hard to get things in on-time. 

4.  Less stress. The transition will be stressful. Wherever and whenever you can manage and reduce stressors, help yourself out. Much of the transition is getting things ready and waiting for certain dates to hit. That’s a much better transition than frantically working from one deadline to another all the while everything you’ve known is changing. 

I realize that simply reviewing your records and researching “everything” is not a realistic approach to a successful VA claim submission. Again, I recommend getting help and reviewing the websites and support groups; they will be able to provide you with what to look for, where to focus, and so on. On your medical records, a great starting point are the “Diagnosis History” and “Problems” sections. These will have links and pages to related diagnosis or problems, but don’t just go off these. Also look through the rest of the records (yes, this will take time to do); there are likely additional things related to the diagnosis and problems that were not automatically linked by the system. These could be important and significant to prove the issue is service-connected and justify a level of severity. This is especially true for older folks where paper-records were a thing. I found several supporting hardcopy paper-documents that did not link to the electronic “Diagnosis” and “Problems” sections.   

Resources* (in no particular order):

Hire Heroes USA:

• Transition assistance
• Resume assistance
• Corporate Fellowship
• Career matching
• Hiring events
• https://www.hireheroesusa.org/

Hire our Heroes:

• Transition assistance
• Resume assistance
• Corporate Fellowship
• Career matching
• Hiring events
• https://www.hiringourheroes.org/

Onward to Opportunity:

• Transition assistance
• Resume assistance
• CyberVetsUSA Training: Amazon, Cisco, ISC2, and more
• Non-Technical Training/certification: PMP, CISSP, and more
• Career matching
• Hiring events
• https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/onward-to-opportunity/

DoD Skillbridge

• https://dodskillbridge.usalearning.gov/

Google Jobs for Vets:

• https://www.google.com/about/careers/veterans/index.html

Google Job Search for Vets:

• Translate your MOS, AFSC, NEC to industry
• See what jobs, locations, etc. you may qualify utilizing your military training, skills, and experience
• https://www.google.com/search?q=jobs+for+veterans

Grow with Google:

• Free training, tools, events, etc. for vets
• https://grow.google/programs/veterans-commitment/#?modal_active=none

Amazon opportunities (apprenticeships, training, and more):

• Training, job placement, and more
• https://www.amazon.jobs/en/landing_pages/mil-transition

SANS VetSuccess:

• Free: Up to three (3) SANS courses with certification voucher (over $10,000)
• https://www.sans.org/cybertalent/cybersecurity-career/vetsuccess-academy

VA

• 83 CFR, Book C – VA (Official): https://www.benefits.va.gov/WARMS/bookc.asp
• Awesome site (unofficial): https://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/index.html

Facebook Support Groups (there are many, these are just the ones I subscdibed)

• Veteran 2 Veteran Info (https://www.facebook.com/groups/626936820727015)
• VA Comp & Pension Claims (https://www.facebook.com/groups/366973830108123)

* Websites may have changed since time this was written

Final Thoughts

I hope this article helps you. I know the transition journey can be nerve-wracking and uncertain. Please know that service members transition all the time. Putting in the work and prepping for your transition will help you make it more successful. Feel free to share with others if you think it’s helpful.

Happy Transition and see you on the other side!

                                                                  - Fig

                                                              Ernesto Figueroa

                                                              United States Air Force, Retiree

Shout-outs

@My Family – Thank you guys for the support through the entire military career, I know it was not easy. A special shout-out to my wife for sticking through it all. Military life was not for you, but I appreciate the continued support. Also, to my daughter, my partner in crime and someone that always puts it like it is, no filter, no shame, and doesn’t hold back. Sometimes I need the harsh truth! Love you all!

@Jennifer Anthony – thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me, share your experience and advice! Also, thank you for sharing your recommendation to Steve on the book, he later told me about it. As you can see above, I definitely agree that it’s a great book and recommend it to others.

@Jesus Valez – Thanks Jesse for being there with answers to my many questions and making the time to meet during my TDYs to San Antonio.

@Stephen Bichler – Thanks for the help, support, and advice! Your recommendation (via Jen) on the book was spot-on. 

@CJ Fresia – Thank you brother for always being there and providing solid advice. You are a representation of the military family. For 7 years we talked and helped each other out, never having even met; that never stopped us.

@Jorge Laurel – Thanks for the advice and always making time to talk with me. 

@Jaclyn Carter – One of my favorite people. I am humbled to have shared a small part in your career and tremendously grateful for your kind words at my retirement ceremony. You made the event!

@Alex Wang – Thank you for providing unfiltered info and advice. When one is trying to figure out which path to pursue, it’s great to have folks that can lay things out without expecting things in return.

@David Evenden – You are an inspiration. I’m honored to have been a small part of your path and continue to be impressed with your professional grow.