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1055 articles to help with your military transition
Expert guides covering VA disability claims, C&P exam preparation, military-to-civilian career transitions, retirement planning, state veteran benefits, and more. Written for active duty service members, reservists, and retirees navigating life after the military. Browse by category or search for topics specific to your transition.
DoD SkillBridge eligibility for Reserve and Guard members on Title 10 / Title 32 active orders.
What top SkillBridge employers, Microsoft MSSA, Amazon AWS, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen, Hiring Our Heroes, actually look for in a resume.
Convert your SkillBridge internship into a federal civilian GS job. Hiring authorities, VRA, 30% Disabled, Schedule A, Direct Hire, explained with statutory cites. Why the typical timeline is offer-during-internship, EOD day-after-separation. OPM data on time-to-hire, dual-compensation rules, and which agencies run their own SkillBridge.
Three different DoD programs that veterans confuse constantly. SkillBridge gets you a civilian job tryout.
The financing veteran founders actually qualify for: SBA loans, lender programs, and startup options. What each funds, who qualifies, and how to apply.
VR&E eligibility splits at 20%, vets at 20%+ need standard Employment Handicap; vets at 10% need Serious Employment Handicap.
Free for every veteran
18 transition tools. Zero cost.
VA claims tracker, MOS translator, resume builder, career planner, budget tool — all in one place, all free.
VR&E pays full tuition + tools + subsistence for trade schools, no Post-9/11 cap, no $1,000/yr book limit, no MHA step-down on apprenticeships.
VR&E can fund your startup, equipment, training, and capital, if you qualify. Who's eligible, what VA pays for, and the TDIU trap to avoid.
The full VR&E Chapter 31 pay chart for 2026, both fiscal years: $837.23/mo full-time single from 1 October, and how the BAH-equivalent election pays 2 to 4 times more.
VR&E and SkillBridge solve different problems and aren't mutually exclusive. The optimal path for service-connected vets: SkillBridge during final 180 days, then VR&E post-separation. Why doing them in the wrong order costs you BAH, entitlement, or career velocity.
Honest guide to the major defense contractors hiring transitioning cleared veterans.
There are predictable hard days in a veteran's year. Knowing the calendar in advance lets family show up the right way before the wave hits, instead of reacting after.
The exact format civilian recruiters and ATS systems look for. Active vs current vs eligible.
For parents, adult children, siblings, and family members of separating service members.
Veterans preference adds 5 or 10 points to your USAJOBS final score and can put you on top of the certificate list.
Translate your Navy IDC experience into civilian PA, advanced EMT, occupational health, and healthcare leadership roles.
Translate your Coast Guard MSRT (Maritime Security Response Team) experience into civilian roles, federal law enforcement, FBI HRT, maritime tactical security, and private contractor jobs. Salary data + certifications.
Three different things that look similar from the outside and need very different responses.
When patterns matter more than incidents. The three baselines families should watch in a transitioning veteran, why they cluster, and what each one means in isolation vs. together.
Specifically for STG2 Sonar Technicians: civilian career options, defense contractor jobs, salary data, and the ASW-to-civilian translation.