Recently we had the opportunity to ask Eric Engquist, USAA Military Transition VP, about how USAA's military separation tools work and how they help to answer common military transition location questions. Eric explained that, typically, they find that transitioning sevice members tend to stay in the location from which they exited the military, where they grew up, or where the spouse grew up. With the significant uptick in exiting service members, and nearly 53% of service members reporting difficulty in the military transition according to one study, USAA felt compelled to provide information to veterans to help them identify areas to look for employment and education. The information provided is to help veterans "Make a decision based on opportunity rather than geography" Engquist explained. Even though a familiar area might provide a network, it might not have the right employment or educational opportunities for your skills. When you start to build your plan to exit the military, consider adding locations based on educational and professional opportuities. Go to USAA to build a personalized plan today!
Maybe your family is leaving the military; maybe you are a veteran and not tied to a duty station; or maybe you are lucky enough to choose your next duty station (it does occasionally happen). Someday, you might find yourself in a position to move to a new place on your own volition. After having little to no say in your location, this freedom can feel a bit overwhelming. Luckily, USAA has your interests in mind.
USAA has just published their “2014 Best Places for Veterans” resources for military Veterans, including Veterans who are starting out and may be looking to attend school, mid-career Veterans who want to find work that aligns with their military skills, and recently-retired Veterans who, after a long military career, want to find a new career and use veteran benefits. These resources provide lists of the best cities for various types of Veterans and explain the resources and benefits of those cities for Veterans.
Armed with this information, you may have some additional questions and concerns to consider. Here are a few that come to mind when I imagine the day when my family’s move isn’t a PCS:
Can I do what I want to there? What’s in it for my family? What kind of support will I have there? Can we afford to live there? Am I sure I want to live there?
2014 best places for veterans:
Business Case Study: Why Hire a VET?
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Featuring Information for Starting out, Midcareer, and Military Retirement
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By Amy Rossi