Expand, don’t replicate, the solution to military-to-veteran transition

The road traveled by military families transitioning between military service and civilian life is often a challenging and bumpy ride. The move from the familiar military culture and community to the unfamiliar environs and social mores of civilian communities affect the wellness of the entire family.

During my time at DoD and VA, I saw a lot of important, innovative and often difficult work being done in the federal government to assist post-9/11 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in their transition to Veteran status. Evidence-based federal programs were developed to ease the burden of transition for service members, whether it’s about education (Post 9/11 GI Bill) or employment (Transition Assistance Program or TAP).

{mosads}Everyone knows that policy development takes time (up to two years at DoD), usually because of the arduous concurrence process; everyone wants to get it right. Meanwhile, the drivers for that policy change or research informs a necessary shift. And so, the policy cycle begins again to be updated. Transition policies are no different.

Shortly after returning to civilian life, most post-9/11 Veterans and their families discover a few grim realities that have little to do with what the new Veteran learned at TAP. Unsubsidized civilian-provided child care is woefully expensive and is often not nationally accredited (98 percent DoD provided child care is nationally accredited vs. 8-10 percent at non-DoD). Or moving to a beautiful place like San Diego really doesn’t fit a family budget that no longer receives Basic Allowance for Housing.

It could also be that the non-military spouse must get a higher-paying job. Perhaps moving closer to the in-laws was a great idea in thought but not in practice. Many Veterans discover that their first job out of uniform is not their last. This may seem like a Nothing Burger for someone who hasn’t served in the military — civilians change jobs and careers all the time. But to a Veteran, a peripatetic career path is counter intuitive to their military ethos; you stay with the mission, you learn, grow, improve and get promoted, step-by-step.

The basic truth is that military families transitioning to Veteran families lose access to many important support services provided by DoD when they were in the military. The Veteran may move along the continuum to gain resources at VA, but the family is cast somewhat adrift, even if their issues are related to their service. I call this limbo between DoD and VA, the “unsupported space.” Once the Veteran and/or the family hits a rough spot — and they usually do, they then face the struggle of navigating the myriad local resources and programs to get help.

Here’s what we know now that we didn’t know in 2011 when DoD, VA and Department of Labor developed the new-and-improved and mandatory Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for exiting service members; transition is just as much about the family as it is about the Veteran’s employment or education. In fact, the Bush Center’s Military Service Initiative reminds us that it is all interdependent. A new Veteran isn’t going to do well in school or at a new job if they or their family are experiencing adjustment issues.

The core issues military families struggle with while in service are many of the same challenges Veteran families face in the first year. Things like financial readiness, relationship issues, spouse employment, moving recommendations and information, navigating local resources, resume writing. These practical issues are compounded by what we now know is a loss of identity, loss of mission and loss of community, as Veterans and their families reinvent their lives in the civilian world.

For military families still serving, the issues I listed and many more are deftly handled by specialists at Military OneSource, DoD’s program that is both a 24/7 call center and a website. Military OneSource is the gold standard for behavioral health and other resources for wellness and success in military life. Anyone who is eligible gets 12 visits with a Masters of Social Work-level (or above) counselor at no cost for whatever is bothering them. Twelve confidential visits per person, per issue — all at no cost. The most important part of Military OneSource is its power of prevention — a small issue becoming a crisis can be a short trip if it is not handled in time.

True examples of help sought from Military OneSource: An Army mom whose daughter won’t come in at curfew; a grieving survivor at 3am; caregiver parents stressed and anxious from caring for their special needs children; a military spouse with extensive qualifications unable to find a job because of all the military moves — you get the idea.

Whatever it is, Military OneSource has a resource — for each of the over 800,000 calls a year and more than 1.5 unique website users per year. There is also free document translation and simultaneous translation and one popular feature, Military OneSource counselors will even track down your military medical records for you to submit in a VA claim. Oh, and all calls are answered within three seconds and there are never any prompts to get help. This program is exceptionally well-run by people who are highly-skilled, superbly and constantly trained, and who really do care. The good news is that every military family is eligible for this service for up to 6 months after they leave the military.

But that’s the problem.

There is anecdotal evidence that it takes about six months for issues after separation from the military to begin to manifest into the family dynamic. Think of it as the end of a honeymoon period.

While at DoD I posed the simple question; What if DoD expanded eligibility for Military OneSource from 6 months after leaving military service to one year? It is a relatively inexpensive proposition and there is lots of available capacity thanks to the program designers, a couple genius GS employees in family programs at DoD. There is some hand-wringing inside the Pentagon from those who say expansion will break precedent, that it illegally expands eligibility and must be further studied. There is no law, however, that prohibits the expansion.

I submit, the data will prove that by continuing to provide Military OneSource for one year after separation to the 200,000 transitioning service members and their families, a wide range of behavioral and family issues will be treated before they become crises. Truly preventative medicine.

The unsupported space is starting to get some attention, including the good work between DoD and VA in their Joint Executive Council, programs at the state and community level, and the collective impact from the more than three thousand unique non-profits that support Veterans and Military Families. Even without my persistent nagging, the unsupported space between DoD and VA is now a topic of conversation at the highest levels inside DoD and VA.

But as we look for new ways to support transitioning families in DoD and VA, or commit to any more studies of the issues, let’s look at what we already have in place that is working and is affordable.

Rosemary Freitas Williams served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Military and Community Policy from 2013 – 2016 and as assistant secretary of Intergovernmental and Public Affairs at VA from 2016 – 2017.