Life after Service: A systematic review of the challenges of transition for ex-Servicewomen

Women have a long and proud tradition of serving in the UK Armed Forces (AF). Over the years, opportunities for women in the UK AF have expanded, with all combat roles open to them since 2018. The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) aims for 30% of the AF (reserve and regular) to be women by 2030. With efforts focused on recruiting and retaining women, and to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, to ensure fair treatment for those who serve, have served, and their families, it is increasingly important to understand the unique experiences of Servicewomen during Service and as they transition to civilian life, or 'civvy street'.

To address this, the King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) conducted a systematic review [1] examining transition experiences across the "Five Eye" nations (US, UK, New Zealand, Australia and Canada). The research team searched seven major research databases using keywords related to women, military Service, and the transition to civilian life. The search resulted in over 10,000 potential articles being identified which were narrowed by the team to focus on qualitative studies that captured firsthand accounts from women leaving the AF. After a rigorous screening process, 19 high-quality studies were identified, and included in the review, that provide deep insight into the experiences of ex-Servicewomen navigating life after Service. This research spotlight provides a summary of the findings of the systematic review.  

Overall, the reviewed research provided evidence that all Service members faced major challenges when leaving the military, like losing a sense of purpose, identity, and community. However, women specifically reported a tougher time because gender biases from their military Service carried over into civilian life, making it harder to adjust and succeed following transition.

The Military Mold: Navigating a Military Identity

Joining the AF involves a profound shift in identity. For Servicewomen, this presented a conflict. Many women reported the need to downplay their gender, adopting behaviours that allowed them to 'blend in'. Women talked about minimising feminine mannerisms, changing speech patterns, and tolerating disrespectful comments.

This was not just about feeling out of place. Many women also described discrimination which limited their careers, such as being assigned lower skilled tasks, being overlooked for promotion, and constantly needing to put in additional effort to be perceived “as good as” their male peers.

The Recognition Gap: Ex-Servicewomen in Civilian Society

For many women, leaving the military often brought an unexpected identity crisis. However, women talked about additional layers of alienation. In civilian life, the same traits that allowed women to succeed in the military (e.g., assertiveness, direct communication, and physical toughness), were often misinterpreted as overly aggressive or unfeminine. Many ex-Servicewomen were unable to use their leadership skills and adaptability in civilian jobs because employers didn’t recognise or understand their military experience.

Many ex-Servicewomen reported feeling invisible within male-dominated ex-Service communities, with their military Service being minimised or misunderstood. This lack of understanding also extended to healthcare and support services which often failed to address women’s specific health needs or to consider the impact of military Service on their well-being.

The Silent Cost of Military Service: Personal Toll of Service for Women

Women discussed joining the military with the intention of having a long military career but having to exit the military before they wanted to. Most did not leave by choice but instead due to gender-based discrimination, harassment, or the inflexibility of military careers for those with family responsibilities.

One of the findings from the systematic review was the persistent and long-term impact of military sexual trauma (MST) including sexual harassment and assault.  The ripple effects of experiencing MST extended far beyond women’s military Service. Women who experienced MST often experienced serious mental health consequences, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Many women described feeling betrayed by an institution to which they gave their loyalty and Service, with the military placing unit cohesion above individual safety.

Towards True Inclusion

There has been movement within the UK AF to address gender inequalities. However, whilst zero tolerance policies and harsher consequences for perpetrators of sexual harassment and assault are welcomed, policy and regulations alone cannot erase deep-rooted biases that have been built up over many decades. Addressing these issues requires cultural change. The image of a male “warrior” no longer represents today’s military or society, and we need to rethink what it means to be an ex-Servicemember. Programs which support ex-Servicemembers need to acknowledge the variety of experiences, from navigating workplaces to juggling family responsibilities, to providing gender appropriate care. The military experience is not universal, and neither should be the approach to supporting those who have served.

Supporting Ex-Servicewomen: Priorities for Action

While this systematic review identified numerous areas for research and policy development, these key areas are recommended by the authors, based on their findings:

• Recognize diversity among ex-Servicewomen with varying experiences and challenges both during and after Service.
• Create support systems and programs acknowledging ex-Servicewomen’s multiple roles as Service members, partners, caregivers, professionals, and community members.
• Challenge stereotypes and increase visibility of women's military Service contributions.
• Ensure that support services are trauma-informed to address military sexual trauma and gender-based discrimination.
• Ensure healthcare services address women-specific needs often overlooked among ex-Servicewomen.

Improving the transition experiences of ex-Servicewomen requires not just policy change but a fundamental cultural shift in how we understand, recognize, and support the unique experiences of women who have served.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of the SUSTAIN Ex-Servicewomen Advisory Group, whose insights and lived experience were invaluable to this research. This work was funding by the Forces in Mind Trust.

This systematic review forms part of a larger body of work titled SUSTAIN: Identifying and Examining the Barriers and Facilitators to Ex-Servicewomen Making a Successful and Sustainable Transition to Civilian Life in the UK, published in March 2025. The full report is available at: https://kcmhr.org/pdf/Sustain_ExServiceWomen_Transition_Report.pdf

Thank you to Dr Alexandria Smith and Bethany Croak for writing this Research Spotlight.

You can access the full article here.

References:

[1] Smith, A., Rafferty, L., Croak, B., Greenberg, N., Khan, R., Langston, V., Sharp, M. L., Stagg, A., Fear, N., & Stevelink, S. (2025). A systematic review of military-to-civilian transition, The role of gender. PloS one, 20(2), e0316448. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316448

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