Help for Disabled Veterans Adjusting to Life After the Military

Many people may have heard distressing stories about how Vietnam veterans were treated when they returned home, but fewer are familiar with the current problems veterans face as they make the often difficult transition from military to civilian life. Veterans with medical conditions may have additional challenges with housing, employment, and reacclimatizing to a non-military environment.

If you're struggling to adapt to civilian life after becoming used to the discipline and camaraderie of the military, consider taking advantage of some programs offered by the VA meant to assist veterans who've recently separated from service. You may also benefit from the legal protections afforded to veterans seeking to transition back into civilian employment.

Common Problems You May Face Returning to Civilian Life

Adjusting to life after service may involve a certain degree of culture shock. Many veterans may feel disoriented when lacking the structure of military life or alienated without the social bonds inherent in serving with others. The VA has highlighted some of the following challenges facing veterans as they transition to civilian life:

• Relationship issues. Veterans may find it difficult to reconnect with friends and family members who don't know what it's like to be enlisted.
• Meeting basic needs. Veterans used to having their food, shelter, and clothing provided by the military may face "decision paralysis" in an environment with more options.
• Getting back into the workforce. Some veterans may be in the position of having to search, apply, or interview for civilian jobs for the first time.

Reintegrating into civilian life can pose particular difficulties for veterans with disabilities such as depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or amputation. Getting treatment and establishing a support system is crucial for easing the journey out of military service and into civilian work (when possible). Veterans who are experiencing mental and physical difficulties that interfere with their ability to work should be aware of their rights related to employment, disability benefits, and health care.

How Veterans' Medical Conditions Can Cause Issues at Work

Many service-related physical or mental conditions can affect veterans' abilities to hold down gainful employment. For example, vets with PTSD could experience flashbacks at work when they encounter a trigger such as loud sounds from dropped objects. Veterans who have a traumatic brain injury may have seizures keeping them from operating heavy machinery, while those with physical impairments (like a missing limb) might not be able to stand long enough to complete basic job duties. Even veterans who are otherwise fit may wrestle with finding meaning in civilian life or experience feelings of survivors' guilt over buddies who aren't home yet and remain at risk, leading to depression that can interfere with focusing at work.

Your Right to Accommodations at Work

Many veterans prefer to continue working despite the obstacles posed by their disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives you the right to receive certain accommodations to help you perform your job. Under the ADA, you're legally entitled to any reasonable modifications or changes to your work environment as long as they don't create an "undue hardship" for your employer.

Your request for special accommodations can include extra rest breaks, a quieter area to work in with less distractions or triggers, modified work hours, or special training. Work with your employer to arrange your job so you can better perform it and continue to work. You can suggest any reasonable change that will help you do your job, so be creative— even taking time off or working remotely can be considered a reasonable accommodation.

Your Right to Return to Your Job After Service

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protects your right to return to a civilian job that you left in order to serve in the military if:

• you gave your employer notice, written or verbal, that you were going into the service
• you don't have more than five years of military service total while with that particular employer
• you return to work promptly after your service has concluded, and
• you haven't been discharged under other than honorable conditions.

Veterans who meet the above criteria have the right to be restored to the job they had when they left (or a comparable equivalent). They're also entitled to have their employment benefits, including health insurance, reinstated. Additionally, USERRA prohibits employers from discriminating against former service members when making hiring or promotion decisions or allotting benefits. You can learn more about USERRA—including information specific to your state of residence—in our article about state laws on military leave.

Your Right to Take a Leave of Absence

The federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives you the right to take time off from your job to get needed medical attention for any serious mental or physical problems you may be having. Under the FMLA, all employers with 50 or more employees must provide up to 12 weeks of medical leave a year, including continued health care coverage. While you aren't entitled to receive pay during this time—unless you're in one of the few states that offer paid sick leave— it does protect your right to return to your job.

Generally, you must have worked at least 25 hours a week for your employer during the year immediately preceding your time off in order to qualify for FMLA leave. However, most types of honorable active duty service will be counted towards this requirement. Members of your family can also take up to 12 weeks per year in military caregiver leave to help care for you (26 weeks if you have a serious illness or injury that makes you "unfit for duty").

Help Finding a New Job

Resources are available for veterans who aren't able to return to their old employer because of a medical condition or because they were in the service for longer than five years. For example, the Department of Labor coordinates training and job placement services for veterans on the Career OneStop Veterans Reemployment website. The federal government itself gives hiring preferences to veterans when filling open positions.

Your military training can qualify you for a civilian job. An organization called the Disabled Veterans National Foundation offers a "Military to Civilian Occupation Translator" where you can compare your occupational specialty (MOS) or code (MOC) with related civilian jobs that are the best fit for your skills and find out what you need to do to satisfy any required civilian credentials. Many veteran-friendly private employers offer remote work, which can be a boon to disabled vets with mobility issues or agoraphobia.

Your Entitlement to VA Benefits

You're likely entitled to certain benefits from the VA even if you're able to work. You may not care about these benefits when you have an income and get health insurance through your job, but it's important that you know what's available if you do end up needing them in the future.

Service-Connected Disability Compensation

Veterans who have a disability that was caused by or worsened as a result of their military service may be eligible to receive service-connected disability compensation—even if they're able to work. That's because the VA assigns disability ratings based on how severe the veteran's condition limits their ability to function, which can range from "barely at all" to "very significantly." Compensable ratings (meaning the VA will pay you a monthly cash benefit) can be as low as 10%, so you might be leaving money on the table if you have an ongoing impairment from your time on active duty and you don't apply for disability benefits.

Health Care

One of the most important benefits available to veterans is the ability to access the VA health care system. Through the VA, you can get regular checkups, mental health treatment, and medication management. Even if you currently have excellent private health insurance through your employer, it's smart to apply for VA health care so you'll have it in case you need it later on.

Veterans' Pension

Certain veterans with limited resources who are "totally and permanently disabled" may qualify for a VA pension. Like disability compensation, VA pension is a monthly cash payment available to eligible veterans, but unlike disability compensation, pension is a needs-based benefit that you can only get if your household income and assets are below a threshold set by Congress.

Social Security Disability Benefits for Veterans

Many veterans who are eligible for VA disability compensation or pension can also qualify for Social Security disability benefits. The rules to qualify for Social Security disability are different than those for VA disability, however. For example, you don't need to establish that your disability is service-connected to get Social Security benefits, but you do have to show that you can't engage in substantial gainful activity for at least one year.

You'll also need to meet some preliminary eligibility requirements depending on which type of disability benefit (SSDI or SSI) you're applying for. Veterans can receive VA disability compensation and Social Security disability benefits at the same time, so it is a good idea to apply for both as soon as you return from service unable to work or after you've made an unsuccessful work attempt.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The exact needs of servicemembers returning home will be specific to each veteran. You might also find an answer in one of the frequently asked questions addressed below.

FAQ: What Resources Are Available for Gulf War Veterans?

The VA has made it easier for veterans with Gulf War syndrome to qualify for disability compensation by expanding the list of presumptive service-connected conditions. Presumptive service connection means that the VA will automatically link your current medical issue to your time on active duty due to the nature of the disorder (such as respiratory illnesses arising from exposure to toxic chemicals).

FAQ: I Received an Other Than Honorable Discharge, Can I Get VA Benefits?

It depends. Veterans who've received other than honorable discharge papers may sometimes be eligible for benefits such as health care, employment training, and disability compensation, but they're ineligible for educational assistance such as the GI Bill. When you apply for benefits, the VA may review your records and determine that your service was "honorable for VA purposes," allowing you to receive the requested benefit.

FAQ: Where Can I Get Help for Military Sexual Trauma?

Many veterans have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) stemming from assault or harassment that occurred during active duty. The VA is taking steps to provide better care for veterans with MST, such as offering mobile apps that help you manage your symptoms and online resources that can connect with other veterans who may be dealing with the same things you are.

Additional Resources for Veterans Making the Transition to Civilian Life

Because making the switch from military to civilian life can be so difficult—especially for the many veterans who struggle with PTSD—veterans as a whole are at a higher risk of homelessness than the general population. The VA has a number of programs aimed at helping unhoused veterans get the supportive services they need to get back on their feet, including mental health treatment and dental care. You can learn more at the VA's website for transition assistance programs.

The Department of the Interior has compiled a useful overview of veteran resources from government agencies that may contain a program relevant to your needs, such as the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (DoDTAP) and the Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces (EPO). You can also check out the Military OneSource website for help with a variety of issues such as money management, relocation, and childcare.

Lastly, if you're having trouble getting benefits through the VA, consider hiring a veterans' attorney. There are many organizations that offer free or reduced-cost legal aid for veterans who may need to appeal a disability denial or get a discharge upgrade.