What is the worst part, personally, about transitioning into civilian life?

Hey, it can be Dicey at first, but a lot of companies like ex-military. I Retired from the USNavy in 1992,then went to work for the State of Md in their Division of Corrections. I Retired from there this past May 1st. So, it's really whatever you want to do.

Honestly its hard. People have a different experience every time. I had a boss once that hired several military only to find out that they dont work. So some employers have issues. Finding work is difficult. Cause unless you are law enforcement or a gorvernment worker its a completely work force.

Honestly its hard. People have a different experience every time. I had a boss once that hired several military only to find out that they dont work. So some employers have issues. Finding work is difficult. Cause unless you are law enforcement or a gorvernment worker its a completely work force.

Being able to quickly evaluate the professional level of those working around you. In the military you could look at rank, rating (MOS), awards and how quickly they had advanced. This gave you a quick and fairly accurate assessment of the professional ability of a military worker. It is not so obvious with civilian workers. It took longer and you had to use different clues to evaluate them. This is important because lots of well meaning civilians will be giving you advice and suggestions. How much weight do you give to them is harder to evaluate.

I had to redefine things. Teamwork, commitment, loyalty all have a much different meaning.

It was not easy for me, I too,was medically retired from Army , however due to my disabilities I do not have to deal with civilians accept my mental health providers and go to my medical appointments. Get ready for a rude awakening brother unless you have your ducks in a row, you will be left behind the pack, these civilians do not operate like we do, they are for them selves no one else. There is no comeradery among them.

Two things: the sense of camaraderie is many times lost (or greatly diminished) when you transition to civilian life. The other is that there are many people in civilian leadership positions, that just have no sense of ethics or doing what is right. Its all about what the "reports" or metrics will say about them if they don't manipulate the numbers to make themselves look good. This is especially true in corporate environments.

However, you can join various veterans organizations or just regularly meet-up with former military members for some adult beverages to maintain that connection. As for the corporate integrity issues you will be faced with (or lack thereof), I would usually openly challenge those company decisions that were just wrong. Sometimes they would see my point, other times they would pay lip service and blindly continue on. Eventually, with my last corporate job (rhymes with horizon), we just had to part ways.

I think the worst part for me has been that things move slower in the civilian sector. I am always ready to bust out of the gate at a sprint to get A, B, and C done. But that is not always the case with others from what I can see. I also find that access to medical care where I am at has been less than what I had in the military.
That being said, my transition has been a positive. My boss, who is retired from the military, appreciates the fact that I can accomplish last minute taskers without drama, and done to standard. I have found my co-workers to be supportive for the most part, and professional. Unlike others on this board, I have not experienced the back-biting that many have experienced. I think attitude is everything. If you show up ready to work, with a smile, and a helping hand, you will be accepted. Ask questions and try to understand and assimilate into your new culture and you can really flourish.
The best things? Facial Hair, comfortable clothing, and the knowledge that 2 months from now you will not be sitting on some mountain or in some desert waiting to get shot at.

The lack of respect! Do I feel that we should have presidence above everyone and special attention? HELL YES I DO!!!! When we are in the military, we are in charge not only I iur troops, but of hundreds of thousands of military equipment. When we get out, they wanna offer us minimum wage and then act like "We" are the ones that are suppose to be greatfull. Go figure!

For me, I never missed the daily BS, but I miss my brothers daily. The camaraderie is not easily replaced. The biggest learning curve for me was the idea that the majority of civilian have a very different work ethic. As a manager I would tell someone to do something (not barking orders but in a calm rational and professional manner). They would say, "I'll take care of it" but when it came time for it to be completed, I'd find out they either half-assed it, of did not bother. Now I have to micro manage folks to insure things get done and seniors see that as normal and not something to discourage.