8 tips for a successful military transition (from those who should know)
Serving in the Army wreaked havoc on Johnny Vargas’ body.
In the past couple of years, doctors fused vertebrae in Vargas’ neck and spine in separate operations. He also has undergone other procedures, including one to fix a torn biceps. Vargas speaks with a youthful exuberance, but he feels the aches and pains of military service.
He is going through another one now. Vargas is in the midst of transitioning out of the military. He did not enter the process unprepared, and speaking recently at the 2026 Military Influencer Conference (MIC) in Tampa, Florida, he thanked his mother for that.
“She constantly told me, ‘Johnny, you have to have Plans A through Z, then A-1 through Z-1, just prepped and ready to go, no matter what,” Vargas said. “When the first idea of maybe getting out of the military crossed my mind, I started thinking about, ‘What does life look like after the uniform? What am I going to do? My kids need to eat.’”
That’s a concern for many approaching or in the midst of this life-shifting event. With input from audience members, Vargas and military spouse Kyler Olejnik, vice president of housing for the military nonprofit Operation Homefront, offered tips about how to navigate this often-tumultuous period for military families.
1. Plan Way Ahead
Listen to Vargas’ mother. You wouldn’t go into a test without studying or a job interview without reviewing talking points. (Or at least you shouldn’t.) It’s the same thing with military transition. The word transition doesn’t really encompass all that is involved.
Where are you going to live? Where are your kids going to attend school? What will you (and possibly your spouse) do to support the family financially? Should I go to school, get a job, or both? Those are just some aspects involved with leaving the military, and just thinking about it can bring on a migraine. Imagine going through it without enough time to do everything and prepare yourself emotionally for what lies ahead.
“You know you are going to transition eventually one day, so let’s start thinking about that now,” said Olejnik, whose husband started in the Marine Corps and is now in the Navy. “Unexpected things can happen. Life can happen.”
From a financial perspective, service members ideally should begin thinking about their transition the day they enter service, Olejnik said. Barring that, she advised giving yourself at least a year to make your transition hopefully as smooth as possible.
2. Figure Out Where You’re Going to Live
Military families know all about permanent changes of station (PCS). After all that moving around, is having a little stability too much to ask? Of course not. You have earned it, as well as your family.
A home is not simply a physical structure. It provides shelter, a sense of security, and so much more. The to-do list during military transition is very long, but few are as important as where you want to begin your new, post-military life.
3. Build Your New Community
Vargas said he grew up in a rough part of Los Angeles County. The safe play probably would have been for his mother to keep her children inside. Uh, no. She insisted they get out in the community and volunteer. That made an impression on Vargas, who has two younger brothers.
“She wanted us to know how it felt to help other people,” Vargas said. “It’s cool to help yourself; there’s nothing wrong with that. But when you get into the realm of helping others with what little or a lot you have, it makes a huge impact.”
If you can, start building that community when you are still in the military. Look into potential volunteer opportunities. Find a church if you or your family attends services. Pick a gym and-or school. It probably won’t be the same as the bonds you created in the military, but having a support system is essential.
4. You’re Never Alone
Although it might feel like it at times, both Vargas and Olejnik stressed that support from countless veterans service organizations (VSO) are available to answer questions. That includes Operation Homefront. Use military leadership as a resource. Ask questions. Don’t stop looking for answers until you find them.
“There’s a lot of service members and family members who will be hit with ‘no,’ and they’ll just stop,” said Vargas, a digital media consultant who said he reaches up to 40 million on various platforms. “I can’t fault them for that, but sometimes you have to piss off the right people to get what you need.”
5. Take Care of Yourself
During her appearance at MIC, Olejnik referenced an Operation Homefront survey that said 66.9% of respondents claimed their transition had a “moderate or severe impact” on their mental health and stress. That was more than the adverse effect that the transition had on their financial stability (62%) and relationships and family (55.3%).
An audience member related that she neglected taking care of her body after leaving the service. She gained weight as a result. It’s not only one’s physical well-being. A difficult military transition can whittle away at your mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Stress tends to do that, so alleviating whatever causes those pressures to accumulate will only help.
6. Don’t Fear Freedom
The military told you where to be and when to be there. You didn’t have a lot of choice. That changes once you leave the military. Now you have the responsibility and accountability for major decisions in your life. You have to own them.
That can be liberating. It also can be scary. Here’s the thing, though: The military taught you how to be a leader. You’ve got this. There is no decision that is too big or you don’t have the wherewithal to handle maturely and competently.
7. Everyone’s Transition Is Different
We have all heard the horror stories about transition, and no doubt, they tend to intimidate. As you prepare to exit the military, try to go into it with an open mind. Seeking advice from others who already have transitioned is a smart move. The more information, the better. That way, you hopefully can benefit from their mistakes and not commit the same ones on your transition journey.
“I always say that if you’ve met one person in the military, you’ve met one person in the military,” Olejnik said. “It’s a unique population, just like the civilian population.”
8. Your Transition Doesn’t Have to Be Unpleasant
It is perhaps human nature to focus on the negative. You should enter your transition process—again, preferably way ahead of your separation date—with an open mind. The aforementioned tips should help, thanks to Olejnik and Vargas. And never forget: There is help out there. Take advantage of it.
“There’s some really cool stories that I am hearing from audience members and buddies of mine who are now in C-Suite positions,” Vargas said. “[Military transition experiences are] all over the place now.”
And if it makes you feel any better with your transition, just consider this. Vargas is going through his with his wife expecting their fifth child. He is doing well so far.
“The pregnancy is going great for me,” Vargas joked with the audience. “I haven’t felt any sickness or anything.”
He added that his wife is doing fine.
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