Section 3: Your Self-Identity
Like many things, your self-identity is likely to shift during your transition.
The military makes it easy to connect what you did with your self-identity. Your job, rank, responsibilities, team, and mission can all influence this.
Take the uniform for example. Rank, badges, tabs, cords, and ribbons collectively tell a story about the individual wearing them.
It's an easy identifier of your years of service, accomplishments, place within the rank structure, and so on.
Combine the name tapes with your last name and branch of service and you're connected to a larger team, mission, and purpose.
Wearing the uniform represents meaning, responsibility, belonging, purpose, and connection to a shared mission.
If you're a military spouse, there's still a strong connection. You took on additional responsibilities, moved duty stations, connected with other military families, and may have worked with support groups and the community.
Even with all the change, military life can feel familiar after a while. That can shift suddenly once you leave the military. All of a sudden, you realize the changes taking place and the loss that come with it.