Strengthening the Foundation of Veteran Wellness For veterans and transitioning service members, the journey to wellness extends far beyond individual health practices. While activity, recovery, mental health, and nutrition form essential pillars of wellbeing, there’s another crucial element that binds these components together: community. Today, we’re proud to introduce community as our fifth pillar of veteran wellness, recognizing the profound impact that social connections and support networks have on the military-to-civilian transition and long-term wellbeing. MilitaryConnected.org is a nonprofit organization improving the military-connected community’s transition experience through employer education, data driven research, and access to a network of job opportunities with military-ready employers. The Vegetus Foundation is dedicated to helping Americans improve their quality of life through education on healthy living and has published the Nutrition Health Review since 1979. Learn more at nutritionhealthreview.com Why Community Matters The transition from military to civilian life represents one of the most significant changes in a service member’s journey. During active duty, service members operate within a clear structure, surrounded by peers who understand their experiences, challenges, and triumphs. In civilian life, maintaining these connections while building new ones becomes essential for: Support During Transition: Fellow veterans who have successfully navigated the civilian

Transitioning from military to civilian life is a comprehensive journey that demands a thoughtful approach to personal well-being. This issue, we’ll discuss an element of holistic health that is familiar to all Veterans – physical activity. With that said, we have as much to unlearn as we have to learn about physical activity. The military’s goals and outcomes for physical activity differ from our personal civilian journey. Our military is and should be creating a lethal fighting force in the present, we are creating routines that enable us both in the present and are sustainable into the future. For example, 10 side straddle hops in preparation for a five-mile run with minimal stretching after is recipe for injury. When we are 20 this isn’t as big of a risk, but as we age the margin for error diminishes. Taking a holistic approach to our physical activity isn’t a recommendation, it’s a requirement if we want to continue an active lifestyle. In the military, physical activity can often be treated as a stand-alone activity, but that only works for 20 and 30 somethings, not 40 somethings. With thoughtful planning we can work to reduce risk and continue performance at the highest

Identity Shift: Finding Yourself in the Civilian Workforce Before we leave the service, we start grappling with a change to a core element of our identity. In a sense, our job search and transition to the civilian world is beginning. Whether we realize it or not, we are shaping our transition experience and choosing who we will be as civilians well before we ETS. MilitaryConnected.org is a nonprofit organization improving the military-connected community’s transition experience through employer education, data driven research, and access to a network of job opportunities with military-ready employers. The Vegetus Foundation is dedicated to helping Americans improve their quality of life through education on healthy living and has published the Nutrition Health Review since 1979. Learn more at nutritionhealthreview.com Resilience: Navigating the Ebbs & Flows of Civilian Life For most of us, finding the right job in the right location is a process. It will likely be an iterative experience. There are certain paths like law enforcement, government, or education that will offer a stable and predictable experience, but for many veterans and spouses, transition is something new. With opportunity, there is also risk. It’s OK to be both excited for the next chapter and recognize

Before we leave the service, we start grappling with a change to a core element of our identity. In a sense, our job search and transition to the civilian world is beginning. Whether we realize it or not, we are shaping our transition experience and choosing who we will be as civilians well before we ETS. It’s scary and overwhelming, but it’s an opportunity that must be engaged thoughtfully and directly. Just think of your own unit; the wide variety of personalities, skill sets, and qualities. We have had to acquiesce for the team our whole careers – this is the time to take control of defining what is best for youand your family. Be Intentional Don’t get swept up in the tide of what everyone else is doing or following established norms. Sure, typical post-military career paths exist for a reason, but this is your chance to forge your own. Take the time to define what is important to you and what gives you purpose before making your next move. Embrace Uncertainty The military trained us to plan for contingencies, but civilian transitions rarely follow a perfect plan. While we’re accustomed to clear career progression paths and knowing our

Holistic Health for Transitioning Veterans: As we transition from military to civilian life, our overallwell-being becomes more important than ever. Holistichealth—an approach that considers the whole person:mind, body, spirit, and emotions—can be a powerfulframework for navigating this significant life change. In this publication, we’ll use these pillars to help usorganize content, prioritize guests, and, most importantly,offer the community of Military Families a diverse set ofACTIVITY information to improve their overall health. MilitaryConnected.org is a nonprofit organization improving the military-connected community’s transition experience through employer education, data driven research, and access to a network of job opportunities with military-ready employers. The Vegetus Foundation is dedicated to helping Americans improve their quality of life through education on healthy living and has published the Nutrition Health Review since 1979. Learn more at nutritionhealthreview.com In the military, physical fitness was likely a structured part of your daily routine. The transition to civilian life can disrupt this structure, potentially leading to a decline in activity levels. Impact of Transition: Loss of mandatory physical training sessions Decrease in job-related physical activities Potential weight gain and loss of muscle mass   Strategies for Maintaining Activity: Create a personal fitness routine to replace military PT Explore civilian sports