If you have been following the Master Your Military Transition series of blogs, I really hope you’ve been able to gain some helpful tips and insights. Now that I have officially retired, I have learned a few more things that I wanted to share. So, here are my final thoughts:

Understand Your Pay

Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) processing may vary but here are the timelines that applied to me. I received my final pay within 4 days of my official separation date. My VA claim was completed, and I received my rating within 6 days of my official retirement date. Lastly, I received my Retiree Account Statement (eRAS) within 12 days. You will still have access to the MyPay system, and your statements appear online just as they did while you are on Active Duty. I had questions about how the pay system worked prior to getting out but now that everything is completed, I can plan better and secure my family’s financial future.

Enroll in TRICARE

Don’t forget to take care of the medical, dental and vision benefits for your family. While on Active Duty these needs are taken care of, however after you get out the military you will need to manually enroll your family in a plan. You will need to contact TRICARE & BENEFEDS to get enrolled. The plans have different rates so be sure to do your research. You will also want to see what providers in your area actually take your selected coverage.

Prepare for the Adjustment

After serving in the military for more than 20 years and spending the second half of my career in a leadership position it was a big adjustment. I have started working and have a job that doesn’t require me to make decisions or be in charge; while I enjoy the days of “less stress” it’s an adjustment that I found some people often struggle with.

The Next Chapter

I want to say that your first job post-military may not be your forever job and that’s ok. I think a lot of people put pressure on themselves to find that perfect job but that’s not necessary. It takes time to find what’s best for you. One of the most important questions I had to ask myself during my transition is “what’s more important…money or happiness?”. There may be jobs that pay very well that don’t bring you long-term happiness while on the other hand, there are jobs that bring you happiness but don’t pay a lot of money. If you find something that brings both, then you are very lucky, you may find yourself having to really think about what you really want.

Find Your Village

In the military, you automatically have friends and a network of peers that surround you every day. Some people struggle with the fact that the comradery is very different in the civilian sector, so I think it’s important to stay connected and find a village of mentors and friends that you can turn to on your good and bad days. I connected with quite a few people on LinkedIn and I’m so glad I did. Even after the military, my network is still sharing lessons learned and great advice.

I hope this series of blogs brought some comfort and answered some questions. I’ve mastered my military transition and hopefully you will too.

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