Female Veterans Already Have What it Takes Part 4

Loyal

As one of the many women veterans, you truly understand the meaning of loyalty: to your family, to your unit, to your country. As a veteran, you are among a band of sisters -- there are approximately 1.8 million veteran women today.¹⁴

To assist in this shared journey as a women veteran, Women Joining Forces (WJF), was created by Business and Professional Women/ USA to assist women veterans as they transition from the military into the civilian workforce and life. The strength of the program draws on BPW/USA’s national network of business and working women willing to mentor and guide women during this transition. It provides access to online resources such as a Connect-A-Vet listing of online veterans’ services and programs, the BPW/USA Career Center which helps identify women and veteran friendly employers and a series of webinars and in-person training that support the individual professional development of women veterans. For more information, visit http://www.womenjoiningforces.org.¹⁵

Strong

Just as there are physical requirements upon entering the military, there is a certain set of emotional and psychological strengths needed for a women veteran reentering civilian life. These strengths have the potential to be an extraordinary asset to any company looking to hire someone willing to stay the course, even if the going becomes difficult. There is a program designed to help with this transition back to civilian life even before the transition happens, called TAP.

The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) was established to meet the needs of separating service members during their period of transition into civilian life by offering job-search assistance and related services. TAP consists of comprehensive three-day workshops at selected military installations nationwide. Workshop attendees learn about job searches, career decision-making, current occupational and labor market conditions, and resume and cover letter preparation and interviewing techniques. Participants also are provided with an evaluation of their employability relative to the job market and receive information on the most current veterans’ benefits.¹⁶

Plan your Transition, the Earlier, the Better

As you contemplate your transition from the military, it’s important to remember, the sooner you start planning, the better. Developing a transition plan, in order to pursue a higher education or find a desirable job outside of the military is important, acting on it early in the process is critical.¹⁷ Take the time now to know what resources are specifically available to military members and begin using them. And remember, you are committed, capable, motivated, loyal and strong. As a veteran, your core strengths already are your greatest assets.