The transition of military veterans from active service to civilian life: impact of transition on families and the role of the family, support, and recognition

Abstract: In this chapter, we briefly review the literature that exists in the area of transition for families in a military context and also consider the definitions of military families, using the United Kingdom and Estonia for comparative purposes, as well as drawing examples from across NATO. The authors introduce a Military Family Systems Model that explores the varying dynamics of the military family within different societies and consider which corresponding changes in policy and practice militaries/governments may need to consider or make. The authors then use a variation of their Model of Transition in Veterans, an applied approach based on Bourdieusian theory, to explore military-to-civilian transition from a familial perspective. This chapter will draw on the responses elicited from the NATO transition survey. The focus will be on the specific area of transition from the military to civilian life and will aim to review the current pan-NATO policies for practice in this area. The authors conclude with a number of succinct recommendations focusing on how families should be integrated into transition policy.