Understanding the experience of military retirement transition and U.S. female Veterans’ sense of identity

Abstract: Occupation constitutes a central component of a person’s identity. Retirement from the workforce is a significant life event, impacting one’s sense of self and identity. Military retirement is a difficult period of transition, forcing veterans to separate from the military and reintegrate back into civilian society, facing challenges related to identity and role confusion. Female veterans face additional difficulties, such as negotiating their female traits and role in society. Reintegrating into civilian life requires a renegotiation of these traits and identification with their preservice identity and roles. Female veterans may experience unwelcoming behaviors from their civilian counterparts, leading to disconnection and social discomfort. This phenomenological study aimed to examine the experience of female veterans after retirement from a career in the military. The study participants included ten female veterans who had a minimum of eight years of service and who separated at least one year before the time of conducting the study. Identity theory was used as a theoretical framework. Data collected through semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis to develop themes for each research question. The findings indicated that female veterans experience difficulties navigating the military-civilian transition and redefining their identity, which contribute to adverse mental health outcomes. Themes identified concerning identity include feeling lost, dissatisfaction with opportunities in the civilian world, and dissatisfaction with traditional gender roles. Themes were also identified related to concerns for mental health and gender-based disparities in navigating the civilian world. The results of this study have clinical and practical implications, including normalizing transition stress and developing more programs directed at female-specific concerns. This study’s findings could benefit clinicians' conceptualization of female veterans’ difficulties following transition, leading to better patient care and connection to services. In addition, this study may provide more detail about perceived limitations in current transition programs and resources meant to benefit individuals approaching transition.

Read the full article
Report a problem with this article

Related articles

  • More for Researchers

    The impact of exposure to morally injurious events on posttraumatic stress symptoms among Israeli combat Veterans: a longitudinal moderated mediation model of moral injury outcomes and dispositional forgiveness

    Abstract: Background: Exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) during military service can lead to moral injury (MI) outcomes and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). This longitudinal study examined the relationships between PMIE exposure, MI outcomes, and PTSS among Israeli combat veterans, and the potential protective role of dispositional forgiveness in these associations. Method: Participants were 169 Israeli combat veterans who participated in a six-year longitudinal study with four measurement points (T1: 12 months before enlistment, T2: Six months following enlistment- pre-deployment, T3: 18 months following enlistment- post-deployment, and T4: 28 months following discharge). Participants’ characteristics were assessed via semi-structured interviews (T1) and validated self-report measures (T2-T4) between 2019-2024. Results: Approximately 36% of participants reported exposure to PMIEs during service, with 13% exceeding the clinical threshold for probable PTSD at T4. PMIE-Betrayal at T3 was positively associated with MI outcomes of shame and trust violation at T4. The indirect effect of PMIEs on PTSS through MI outcome-Shame depended on forgiveness levels. Among veterans with low forgiveness, higher exposure to PMIE-Betrayal was associated with increased MI shame, which was linked to more severe PTSS. Conversely, for those with high forgiveness, exposure to PMIE-Self and Other was associated with decreased MI shame and subsequently reduced PTSS. Conclusion: Dispositional forgiveness moderates the relationship between PMIE exposure and MI outcomes, particularly shame, which mediates the development of PTSS. These findings highlight forgiveness as a potential target for intervention in treating moral injury and preventing PTSS among combat veterans.

    Mental Health Peer reviewed