Transition...it's the first day of high school all over again

Yesterday I called my youngest son to wish him luck on his 1st day of high school. Finally, it was here, the day he had been looking for all summer. This is the 2nd event on his road to adulthood (the first was becoming a teenager). He is nervous, excited, and full of hope. He is also scared, scared of the unknown, scared of what the future holds. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Transitioning out of the military is very much the same thing. We are excited about the future. We are full of hopes, dreams, and the world is our oyster. We are also scared. We worry about what is going to happen. How am I going to provide for my family? What if I don't get the job that I want? How am I going to get along with my family? So many questions that are out there, so many unknowns. However, just like high school, we have support, love, and most of all, the knowledge that others have been there before and made it through to the other side. There are people out there ready to help you. People who have been there, done that, and survived it all. Don't be scared to reach out and ask for that help. Remember, you got this transition thing. Trust me.