Joshua Galyon
Few transitions are as complex as the move from military service back to civilian life. Norbert Vergez is a retired U.S. Army colonel who began his military career in 1987 and served for more than 25 years, rising to lieutenant colonel, commanding a brigade, and completing combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans. After retiring, Norbert Vergez transitioned to a civilian career in commercial construction in Plano, Texas, serving as director of capital projects with P3 Builds, where he led new construction and remodeling projects and worked directly with architects and engineers. His path reflects the challenges and possibilities that define the military-to-civilian transition for veterans across the country.
Joining the military requires abandoning many aspects of civilian life, and after several years of service, it can be challenging to readjust. Military life is characterized by higher standards of responsibility than civilian life, since service members are trained and required to follow orders and directives from superiors. Civilians, on the other hand, have a high level of freedom over what they want to do, what they wear, and how they manage their time.
In the military, service members learn to exist as part of a large fraternity, meaning they are often in the company of other members every day of the week. They actively engage in teamwork, striving to achieve a shared objective. In civilian life there is often a high level of individuality, and teamwork is rarely experienced outside certain work environments.
There are financial stressors in both civilian and military life. Service members can always count on uninterrupted pay and reasonable subsistence allowances. Notably, most of their basic needs are met usually met, including, housing, meals, and uniforms. Their housing is also often temporary, and if married, they receive free family healthcare coverage through the TRICARE program. On the flip side, civilians must budget their money, avoid overspending, secure and pay for housing, and pay for medical coverage. Regardless, service members still have to exercise sound budget management practices.
These differences in civilian and military lives can create social and mental health challenges when readjusting. In addition, some experiences while serving in the military complicate successful transitioning, including serious injuries, being involved in combat, or witnessing a close friend losing their life or succumbing to serious injuries.
Socially, veterans may struggle to relate to people with no military experience. The language they learn in military camps is unfamiliar to civilians, and veterans also may not keep up with the slang and jargon currently used by civilians. They may have difficulty connecting with neighbors, doctors, store attendants, and others, and this can complicate their well-being and access to basic needs.
Veterans also often struggle to reconnect with their families, since their absence may have forced family members to assume new roles. For instance, transitioning wives may have learned to provide for the family and make important family decisions in the absence of their military husbands. Transitioning service members may want to re-establish their previous roles, creating anxiety and conflicts.
Veterans also may struggle to create new structure and routine on their own. On military bases, they are used to someone creating schedules for the whole day, including when to wake up, what to eat, what to do, and when to sleep. This is not the case in civilian life, and many have trouble dealing with this newfound freedom and the myriad of choices it presents.
Additionally, alcohol and drug use are rampant issues among veterans. Notably, over 65 percent of veterans in addiction treatment confess to using alcohol as a coping mechanism. This situation complicates their physical health, personal and professional relationships, and adherence to the law, specifically rules against driving while intoxicated.
Transitioning service members are susceptible to mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal thoughts. Those who experienced physical injuries to the head can develop traumatic brain injury (TBI), and often experience memory issues, rapid mood changes, fatigue, and headaches.
Veterans can address these challenges by participating in a transition assistance program (TAP). This platform offers guidelines to ex-military service members on securing civilian jobs, empowering them financially, and helping them avoid idleness that can lead to social vices. TAP also helps veterans adjust to the different pace of civilian life, establish relationships in the workplace, and adapt their communication styles.
To ensure a successful return to civilian life, it’s recommended veterans find a support system to help them reconnect with the community. Other veterans, churches, neighborhood associations, and community-based groups can be important for sharing experiences, receiving social support, and building beneficial networks. Here, veterans can be directed to service providers, including doctors and therapists, who understand what they are going through and can assist them with the challenges of readjustment.
About Norbert Vergez
Norbert Vergez is a retired U.S. Army colonel who served for more than 25 years, rising to lieutenant colonel and commanding a brigade. He completed combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans before retiring from service. Following his military career, Norbert Vergez became a commercial construction executive in Plano, Texas, where he served as director of capital projects with P3 Builds, overseeing new construction and remodeling projects and collaborating with architects and engineers.
