This book explores the process through which service members transition from military to civilian life, and the implications of that transition on their mental and physical well-being and functioning. The authors present a theoretical framework that helps conceptualize the process of military transition. The theory is broken into three overlapping components: approaching military transition, which outlines the personal, cultural and transitional factors that create the base of the transition trajectory; managing the transition, which explores the factors impacting the transition's trajectory; and assessing the transition, which describes the outcome of the transition in the realms of work, family, health, and general well-being. The authors then demonstrate how this framework can be applied to practice, providing an opportunity to redefine how we help veterans.

This document records oral and written testimony from witnesses at a congressional hearing on the implementation of the Transition Assistance Program, designed to help veterans make the transition to civilian life. Witnesses included the assistant secretary of labor for veterans' affairs, assistant secretaries of various branches of the armed services, three congressional representatives, and several officers of veterans' organizations. During the testimony, witnesses stated that about 330,000 military service veterans passed through the Transition Assistance Program. They also outlined employment and job placement services that have been set up through the program. A list of training programs and their purposes is included. Also included is a large quantity of material submitted for the record consisting of written committee questions and their responses from the various government departments and other organizations involved. (KC)

Distributed to some depository libraries in microfiche.