A veteran once said to me: “I spent six months being trained to join. I got two days to leave.” It stuck with me. We put enormous effort into preparing people to enter the Armed Forces — physically, mentally, culturally. The identity of ‘serviceperson’ is forged through structure, repetition, and meaning. But when it comes time to leave, at it's best the resettlement process helps people find a good job and a stable start to come out to, but too many get a debrief, a few form

“I knew how to be a soldier. I don’t know how to be… this.”​ This sentiment echoes the experiences of many veterans as they navigate the shift from military service to civilian life because transition isn't just about changing jobs; it's about redefining identity, purpose, and belonging. ​ Research highlights several challenges faced by veterans:​ - Identity Reconstruction: Veterans often grapple with redefining their sense of self after leaving the structured environment of

Understanding Veteran Transition For many military veterans, the shift to civilian life is not simply a logistical change but a profound psychological transition. This process—referred to as transition in the U.K. and reintegration in the U.S.—involves adapting to new roles in society, relationships, and employment. Some veterans navigate this transition smoothly, but for others, difficulties arise when their military identity and civilian roles appear incompatible. Liles (20

Nick Fothergill's seminal lectures on the impact of training and culture on service people/veteran's mental health have been around for more than twenty years but remain just as relevant today. They are very much worth a watch by anyone with an interest in veterans' mental health and fortunately are now freely available on YouTube. Below you will find the links collected together for easy access.

Increasing attention amongst clinicians is rightly being paid to tailoring interventions in a way that takes in to account the cultural and historical context of their clients, in particular those of minority communities. In the same way it is important for clinicians to understand the context of military training and culture when thinking about PTSD with military and veteran clients. Much is made of the military 'breaking down' recruits before 'building' them back up again

It is positive that awareness, and to a large degree acceptance, of Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (PTSD) has grown within the military community over the last two decades. There has been a lot of work by service people and veterans themselves to promote awareness and they deserve genuine credit for their work which will have saved lives as a result. Unfortunately, along with greater awareness has come an unhelpful narrative of PTSD as a heroic injury. At first glance, it mig