{"id":55969,"date":"2020-10-23T14:39:36","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T14:39:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:02:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:02:17","slug":"operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/","title":{"rendered":"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops’ transition to civilian life easier"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Not much scares special operators. Whether kicking in doors to secure a high-value target, teaching indigenous forces or working to establish complex communications systems in a pinch, the men and women of special operations forces are trained to be undaunted by some of the most high-stakes missions in the military, because in a fight-or-flight situation, fear can mean death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may be surprising, then, to learn that making the transition back to civilian life can be one of the scariest things some SOF personnel ever do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very tribal and team-oriented,\u201d said Matt Stevens, a former SEAL and CEO of The Honor Foundation<\/a>. \u201cA lot of times people are really tied into what they did. It becomes everything about them. And stepping away from that to kind of figure out where you\u2019re going to fit in, what your purpose on the planet is because all of the sudden you have choices, is daunting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps just as daunting what to do is choosing who will help along the way. The wide variety of organizations like THF that offer SOF veterans assistance in the transition process can seem overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
As SOF For Life works to restructure the way it helps transitioning operators and enablers, former members of SOF can help by filling out the 2020 SOF For Life Survey.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

SOF For Life plans to change that. The Florida-based non-profit program sees itself becoming a central hub for connecting transitioning members of SOF to programs and employed tailored to each service member\u2019s unique situation. As part of the Global SOF Foundation, an international network of SOF personnel, SOF For Life is well poised to provide such assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll these organizations that provide assistance to SOF specifically as they transition, we want to have kind of a one-stop shop for that,\u201d said Meghan Keeler-Pettigrew, chief operating officer of GSOF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially inspired by founder and retired Army Special Forces Col. Stu Bradin\u2019s work in establishing the NATO Special Operations Coordination Center and leading SOCOM\u2019s Expanding Global SOF Network Operational Planning Team, GSOF has seen rapid growth since its founding in 2014, currently connecting more than 60 nations and 2,400 members, advocating for SOF in policymaking arenas, and using SOF For Life to provide transition assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A U.S. Army Special Operation Soldier with 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) fires a MK44 minigun during Integrated Training Exercise 3-19 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms (MCAGCC), Calif., May 4, 2019. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. William Chockey)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But to become the central connector for SOF transitions that it hopes to be, SOF For Life needs the help of its community. By filling out the 2020 SOF For Life Survey<\/a>, former members of the special operations community can bring awareness to the issues affecting their separation and retirement from the military and shape the future of SOF For Life\u2019s outreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to see what that data says and what people are struggling with,\u201d Keeler-Pettigrew said of the current survey. \u201cThe steering group wants to look at that and then reorient our programs accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we realized as we started talking to people more is that these operators and SOF support personnel needed more than just resume help and job postings.<\/p>Meghan Keeler-Pettigrew<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Currently, SOF For Life offers a comprehensive guide<\/a> to transitioning, connects transitioning personnel with relevant resources and manages a resume and hiring database. As the program expands its offerings, Keeler-Pettigrew hopes to see the creation of an online aggregator for transition assistance organizations, further evaluation of SOF requirements through additional surveying, and upgraded job and resume postings to better connect service members to relevant opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lingering issues<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previous surveys showed that two of the biggest issues members of SOF face as they transition are financial planning and discovering both their passions and related careers. SOF For Life\u2019s current partnerships reflect these findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group works with The American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association, one of the oldest military non-profits in the nation, to give SOF troops free financial planning assistance as they prepare to transition. Keeler-Pettigrew recommended that troops begin such planning at least two years prior to transitioning out of the military, saying that a year or less is already too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
U.S. special operations service members conduct combat operations in support of Operation Resolute Support in Southeast Afghanistan, April 2019. RS is a NATO-led mission to train, advise, and assist the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and institutions. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jaerett Engeseth)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To address transitioning SOF personnel\u2019s need for purpose and passion in their careers, SOF For Life partners with The Honor Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transitioning operators and support personnel need more than just resume help and job postings, said Keeler-Pettigrew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we were introduced to [The Honor Foundation], we thought, \u2018this is what people need and we don\u2019t need to recreate something this great organization is already doing,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding purpose is central to the mission of THF\u2019s 12-week program. As SOF personnel leave behind the team and purpose they\u2019ve been a part of for years, they are guided to find a new and personal motivation to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe most difficult but also the most rewarding [part of the program] is our phase one, which we call \u2018You\u2019,\u201d said Stevens. \u201cIt\u2019s all about you, the human, as a person and figuring out those things like what your purpose, what your \u2018why,\u2019 and what your passions are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A Green Beret demonstrates how to immediately fix a firing malfunction on an assault rifle to partner force soldiers of the Maghaweir al-Thowra (MaT) at al-Tanf Garrison, Syria, March 3, 2020. Coalition Forces and the MaT remain united in a long-term effort to defeat ISIS and counter violent extremist organizations in southern Syria. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. William Howard)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For SOF veterans, the process can be difficult, but sharing the experience with a group of like-minded veterans eases the load, Stevens said. In addition to these relationships built in their THF cohorts, Stevens said GSOF has been great at establishing community for SOF veterans and giving them options as they transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Help from mentors<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After discovering their why, THF helps SOF personnel get connected to a group of mentors in their field of interest, whether it\u2019s schooling, a tech career, startups, or defense contracting. Their mission, \u201cTo serve others with Honor, for life. So that their next mission is always clear and continues to impact the world,\u201d is exemplified in the focus they place on discovering what THF fellows want for themselves and stopping at nothing to achieve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think we have some societal thought that every special operations person has PTSD and totes a gun.<\/p>Patty Collins<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The organization currently boasts 95 percent fulfillment, which Stevens defines as veterans starting their own business, finding gainful employment in the field they desire, or taking a self-driven sabbatical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stevens went through the program himself in 2016, when he left the SEAL Teams after 26 years of service. Because of the intense deployment and training schedule of the SEALs, he said it\u2019d been a while since he had time to think about family or his purpose outside of the job. He described his mindset as \u201cauditing\u201d the course, attending the program just to see if it was worth recommending to his men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What he got was more than he bargained for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a game-changer,” he said. \u201cIt really forced me to do a lot of thinking about my why, my purpose.\u201d Three years later, after a brief stint in the tech sector and time on THF\u2019s board, Stevens became CEO of the program he\u2019d entered just to audit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than just direct action<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THF\u2019s services, and those of many other SOF-focused organizations, aren\u2019t limited to former door-kickers. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be an operator, as long as you\u2019re serving under the SOF umbrella, to come to our program,\u201d Stevens said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Special Operations Capabilities Specialists assigned to 3rd Marine Raider Support Battalion, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, conduct frontal assault training on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Jan 28. (Sgt. Jonathon Wiederhold\/Marine Corps)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think we have some societal thought that every special operations person has PTSD and totes a gun and is very into aggressive activities or high energy, high adrenaline things,\u201d said Patty Collins, a former signal corps colonel who spent years of her career in support of special operations. \u201cThere is sometimes not a great appreciation that as physical as that group of people are, they\u2019re also incredibly cerebral.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During her time in special operations forces, Collins had the opportunity to attend specialized training like Military Free Fall School that wasn\u2019t available to her specialty anywhere in the conventional Army. Collins also said SOF helped her to develop a more determined mindset, though as a competitive triathlete, she was certainly never lacking in motivation or determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just because you take a job post-military doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re committed for 20 years.<\/p>Patty Collins<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The special operations environment made Collins acutely aware of how vital her success was to the success of the mission, even as a service provider. She recalled never being treated as anything less than an equal and important member of the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her determined and inclusive mindset is something Collins has taken with her in the positions she\u2019s held since leaving the military. But even with the right tools for the job, she struggled at first to find work she loved. Collins, who describes her transition as an example of \u201ca lot of what not to do,\u201d had never heard of SOF For Life or GSOF when she retired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In
In this 2012 photo made available by the U.S. Navy, a squad of Navy SEALs participate in special operations urban combat training at an undisclosed location. (Petty Officer 2nd Class Meranda Keller\/U.S. Navy via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really put forth a lot of time and energy into saying \u2018what kind of work do you want to do after the military?\u2019,\u201d said Collins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond going to the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio with the U.S. triathlon team, Collins didn\u2019t have many plans. She recalled enjoying and learning from her first two jobs after the military, even succeeding at adapting her communication skills to the civilian world, but deep-down Collins knew those weren\u2019t the careers for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost of us are not going to get it right straight out of the gate,\u201d she said. \u201cJust because you take a job post-military doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re committed for 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About three and a half years after retiring from the Army, Collins found herself back in public service in a job she calls a good fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the part of leadership development I really enjoy. It\u2019s the part of strategic planning I enjoy. It just took me a while to get there,\u201d she said of her position as deputy director of the U.S. Government Publishing Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Special Operations Forces need to diversify and to add new skills to help in future conflicts, experts at the Special Operations Low Intensity Conflict annual National Defense Industrial Association conference in October 2020. (Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Casting a wide net<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they look to the future and find new ways to reach transitioning SOF members like Collins while they\u2019re still serving, SOF For Life has consulted the expertise of organizations that have been working in the field for years. Tony Mayne, a former Ranger and director of Gallant Few\u2019s Darby Project, sits on SOF For Life\u2019s steering group, which currently meets monthly to reshape what SOF For Life has to offer. He emphasized the importance of ensuring service members are aware of the resources currently offered by the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the Ranger Regiment, my perception was that there were a lot of folks who wanted to provide assistance, but they were just so busy that they never had the ability to take advantage of some of those opportunities,\u201d said Mayne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
U.S. Army Ranger assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, brief climbers prior to appraching the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, in Cricqueville en Bessin, France June 4, 2019. Rangers scale the cliff to honor the 135 men killed or wounded from the 2d and 5th Ranger Battalions while capturing and holding Pointe du Hoc. (Master Sgt. Andy M. Kim\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Darby Project, which only works with members of the Army\u2019s 75th Ranger Regiment, recommends as part of their support that transitioning Rangers take full advantage of the DoD\u2019s SkillBridge program. DoD SkillBridge gives service members the opportunity to complete specific training, apprenticeships, and internships during their final 180 days of service. It\u2019s the same program Mayne used to start his work with Gallant Few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each branch of service also offers their own version of a transition assistance program designed to help service members plan their separation or retirement. But the quality of such programs varies by installation, and even the best transition assistance programs aren\u2019t very individually tailorable, according to Mayne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s fair to expect the Department of Defense to have a leader with every single member of the service that transitions,\u201d Mayne said of the importance of one-on-one interaction in the transition process. \u201cBut where non-profits can really pay value is when they are able to fill that gap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a former member of SOF and would like to contribute to the way SOF For Life assists transitioning veterans, please consider filling out the <\/i>2020 SOF For Life Survey<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When members of highly motivated and mission-focused teams leave the military, they often struggle to find a new purpose in life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":58541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":7,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[100,7,23,93,25,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3186],"class_list":["post-55969","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-education-transition","category-home","category-middle-column","category-newsletters","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"3PQULSMTDNCH7AR54OFF4NAPTU","arc_canonical_url":"\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\nOperating at home: How to make SOF troops' transition to civilian life easier - Army Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When members of highly motivated and mission-focused teams leave the military, they often struggle to find a new purpose in life.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops' transition to civilian life easier\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When members of highly motivated and mission-focused teams leave the military, they often struggle to find a new purpose in life.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Army Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-10-23T14:39:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T09:02:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Harm Venhuizen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Harm Venhuizen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t \"@graph\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/#article\",\n\t \"isPartOf\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/\"\n\t },\n\t \"author\": {\n\t \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t },\n\t \"headline\": \"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops’ transition to civilian life easier\",\n\t \"datePublished\": \"2020-10-23T14:39:36+00:00\",\n\t \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T09:02:17+00:00\",\n\t \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/\"\n\t },\n\t \"wordCount\": 2276,\n\t \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t \"publisher\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t },\n\t \"image\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t },\n\t \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/4733260.jpg.jpg\",\n\t \"articleSection\": [\n\t \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t \"Education & Transition\",\n\t \"Home\",\n\t \"Middle Column\",\n\t \"Newsletters\",\n\t \"Veterans\"\n\t ],\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"potentialAction\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t \"target\": [\n\t \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/#respond\"\n\t ]\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/\",\n\t \"name\": \"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops' transition to civilian life easier - Army Times\",\n\t \"isPartOf\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#website\"\n\t },\n\t \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t },\n\t \"image\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t },\n\t \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/4733260.jpg.jpg\",\n\t \"datePublished\": \"2020-10-23T14:39:36+00:00\",\n\t \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T09:02:17+00:00\",\n\t \"description\": \"When members of highly motivated and mission-focused teams leave the military, they often struggle to find a new purpose in life.\",\n\t \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t },\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"potentialAction\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t \"target\": [\n\t \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/\"\n\t ]\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/4733260.jpg.jpg\",\n\t \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/4733260.jpg.jpg\"\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/2020\\\/10\\\/23\\\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t \"itemListElement\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t \"position\": 1,\n\t \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/\",\n\t \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t \"position\": 2,\n\t \"name\": \"Education & Transition\",\n\t \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/education-transition\\\/\",\n\t \"ad_zone\": \"education-transition\"\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t \"position\": 3,\n\t \"name\": \"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops’ transition to civilian life easier\"\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#website\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/\",\n\t \"name\": \"Army Times\",\n\t \"description\": \"Independent News For Soldiers | Army Times\",\n\t \"publisher\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t },\n\t \"potentialAction\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t \"target\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t },\n\t \"query-input\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t }\n\t }\n\t ],\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#organization\",\n\t \"name\": \"Army Times\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/\",\n\t \"logo\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/army-logo-white.png\",\n\t \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/army-logo-white.png\",\n\t \"caption\": \"Army Times\"\n\t },\n\t \"image\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t }\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t \"image\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t },\n\t \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/armytimes\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops' transition to civilian life easier - Army Times","description":"When members of highly motivated and mission-focused teams leave the military, they often struggle to find a new purpose in life.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops' transition to civilian life easier","og_description":"When members of highly motivated and mission-focused teams leave the military, they often struggle to find a new purpose in life.","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/","og_site_name":"Army Times","article_published_time":"2020-10-23T14:39:36+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-08T09:02:17+00:00","author":"Harm Venhuizen","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Harm Venhuizen","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops’ transition to civilian life easier","datePublished":"2020-10-23T14:39:36+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T09:02:17+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/"},"wordCount":2276,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4733260.jpg.jpg","articleSection":["Daily News Roundup","Education & Transition","Home","Middle Column","Newsletters","Veterans"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/","name":"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops' transition to civilian life easier - Army Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4733260.jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2020-10-23T14:39:36+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T09:02:17+00:00","description":"When members of highly motivated and mission-focused teams leave the military, they often struggle to find a new purpose in life.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4733260.jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4733260.jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/23\/operating-at-home-how-to-make-sof-troops-transition-to-civilian-life-easier\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Education & Transition","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/","ad_zone":"education-transition"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Operating at home: How to make SOF troops’ transition to civilian life easier"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/","name":"Army Times","description":"Independent News For Soldiers | Army Times","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#organization","name":"Army Times","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/army-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/army-logo-white.png","caption":"Army Times"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Army Times","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes","push-errors":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4733260.jpg.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55969","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55969"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55969\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99116,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55969\/revisions\/99116"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55969"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55969"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55969"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=55969"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}