A friend of mine called the other day and told me that her husband decided that he was just going to finish out his enlistment and then get out. She is currently with child and a one year old. She did not sound happy about her husband's decision and I guess called me to see what thought of it. I asked her if this was something they have sat down and talked over. I asked a lot of questions, hoping that they do not make hasty decisions.
We all go through this feeling I guess. The Marine has a bad day at work and next thing you know he wants to just get out without considering the consequences. Understandably, anyone could feel that way. There are also times when the Marine Corps is going through a sizing down and some people are able to be released from enlistment with some compensation. Then you have your retirement time. That is something you really can not do anything about when the time comes. Regardless of the reasons, transition is not an easy avenue to take. It takes planning and a great deal of considerations.
As military families, we are experts on transition. We move every couple of years to places we have never been, and cultures we never thought we would live in. But we always manage to make everything work out. My Tips on Moving Page suggests different ways to make moving easier they will all work in this aspect too. Unfortunately, this time you will have to move out of military lifestyle and that could be traumatic without proper planning. This is what I hope to cover in this section. You maybe wondering whether I actually know what I am talking about, well I do. I did serve 10 years in the Navy and had to make the transisition when I got out. The military has classes specifically for people transitioning out. They don't just kick you out of the house, so to speak. I will tell you that I was very nervous and it is a very uncomfortable situation to be in. I took the classes that the Navy offered to prepare me to live as a civilian and they help quiet a bit. I guess what I am trying to say is, do not make hasty decisions. It is a lifetime decision to make and especially more difficult when there is a family involved.
Consider for a moment the easy stuff we all take for granted: no tax at the Exchanges, Commissary shopping, paycheck every two weeks, guaranteed, a roof over your head, medical benefits, dental benefits, the availabiltiy of various programs offered to make living easy. Have you thought about all these? Maybe you should, because I know for a fact that a job like this with all the goodies does not exist in the civilian world without having worked years for it and require a college degreee to boot.
Consider these suggestions I have and hopefully they will help you make the decision that you are comfortable with.
If you are contemplating getting out now, sit down with your spouse and talk it over. Will you have a job ready to go to as soon as you get out?
Will you have a place to stay?
Will you have the money to pay for all the bills you will incur? Will you live better than you have been? Pretty scary huh? If you answered yes to all the questions then, Congratulations! If not, Good Luck!
If you are retiring, start planning 1 year ahead of retirement. Start looking around for a job and visit these job sites. Notify them that you will be getting out of the military in a year and will they have or hold the position for you.
Start saving money regardless of a guarantee of a job. It never hurts to save.
Attend the TAP ( Transitional Assistance Program)workshop offered through the military. The TAP link below is a Coast Guard site, but it is the same for all military. I just couldn't find the link for USMC.
Network. Call friends and families and let them know your plans and they just maybe able to help or know someone who can help.
If you are not retiring and just plain tired and just want to get out, go to the Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society and sit down with the financial advisor. This is a good idea no matter what, because they will be able to show you actual figures of your financial standing. It is an eye-opener when you actually see it on paper.
I personally feel that preparations for life outside the military can never be too early. Your husband can
take advantage of the Tuition Assistance to get a college degree. In California we have a program called ROP (Regional Occupational Program). It is a government funded program available to anyone over 18 that allows you to get a certification without paying tuition. Or you can convert the credits to college credits towards a degree. I am sure that other states have programs similar to this, just ask your local community colleges. There are also scholarships available. Go to your local library and do a scholarship search and you will be amazed at the availability of money out there for people who want it.
I have witnessed people I personally worked with, in the Navy, plan for their new life, heck I'm related to some of them. They planned ahead and the outcome can be very sweet. In some cases they are actually working at the same place when they were active duty but now as civilians.
Like the Boy Scouts say "Be Prepared." The point to all this is, think ahead. I have seen too many people get out of the military without a plan. My husband gets phone calls all the time from guys that got out and they all say that it is not easy. They thought they would get out and then land a good job, comparable to the Corps, but that hasn't been the case.
The links below will to further assist you. GOOD LUCK AND BEST WISHES!
"Semper Gumby" is an e-mail discussion group I have created to further assist you. It is exclusively for information and support for Marine spouses, and mothers of Marines. It will answer your military related issues and concerns. Please click on the image to find out more.
