 |
Building Strong Programs and Policies to Support Women Veterans |
Understanding the Complexity of Women Veterans’ Career Transitions
The transition from the military into the civilian workforce for women veterans may be a longer and more complex process than previously thought by those working with women veterans. Women veterans responding to the Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation survey Women Veterans in Transition tell a compelling story about their triumphs and challenges as they transition.
Separation from the military and entry into the civilian workforce is often viewed as a time-limited event by those providing transition supports. While the official physical separation occurs within a limited time frame, results from the survey of women veterans indicates that the psychological transition can take place over an extended period of time even for those who have successfully secured post-military employment. Standardized transition activities may not be taking into account the full breadth and range of the needs of women veterans. Similarly, employers seeking to engage women veterans in the workplace may not know everything necessary to take full advantage of this growing source of intellectual capital.
An initial look at the results of data from the 2007 survey of women veterans undertaken by BPW Foundation as part of its pilot study on the career transition experiences of women veterans, indicates that the transition from the military into the civilian workforce is a multi-dimensional process for women veterans, and decision-makers may need to look at a number of factors in order to craft programs and services that more fully support women veterans moving into the civilian workforce. This reality has implications not only for the types of resources needed by women veterans as they transition but also the timing and duration of those resources.
A one-size fits all approach to programs and policies that support women veterans transitioning from the military into the civilian workforce does not reflect the full diversity of their experiences, responsibilities and resources. Education levels, marital status and responsibility for dependents are all factors that play varying roles in determining the success of a woman veteran’s transition. Decisionmakers should look at numerous factors to help craft programs and services that more fully support women veterans in transition. Women Veterans in Transition Survey results can be viewed online at http://www.bpwusa.org/files/public/FINAL10.19LaunchReportWomenVeteransinTransition.pdf.
