Military left out training to transition to life as veteran

Most veterans return to LA unprepared for civilian life, USC report finds
Few veteran services focus on prevention of chronic conditions, such as unemployment and homelessness
USC News
by Claudia Bustamante
September 30, 2014

Many service members leaving the military and returning to Los Angeles County are not prepared for the transition home and have a range of needs that cannot be easily provided by a single organization, according to a new USC School of Social Work report released today.

“The State of the American Veteran: The Los Angeles County Veterans Study” by the school’s Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families outlines the findings of a survey conducted in fall 2013 of more than 1,350 veterans. The first comprehensive study of a large urban military population, which also included follow-up focus groups with 72 veterans, explored transition challenges, employment and finances, housing, health and access to veteran services, among other areas.

The study found that many veterans leave the military without having lined up some key elements that could complicate their transition home.

Nearly eight in 10 veterans left the military without a job, expecting to quickly find meaningful employment.

About 40 percent of veterans left the military unsure of where they would be living.

Many left active duty with untreated physical and mental health issues, which was higher among post-9/11 veterans.

Among the most recent veteran population, one-third had made a plan to commit suicide but did not seek help, compared to 24 percent of pre-9/11 veterans.
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