Lizann’s Top Transition Tip:

Everyone’s experience is a little bit different, but there will be some commonalities and some of that is that it’s going to be a time of change for the whole family. And I would definitely emphasize that it’s not just the service member going through this transition, but really the children, the spouse, everyone, to some extent. Even if you’ve already lived off base, even if you already have a non military affiliated job, and you’re thinking, oh, this is no big deal, we’re just changing our geographic location, it really is an identity change for the whole family. So I definitely encourage people to have those discussions. Be open with your spouse, with your children, let them voice things to you as well, and give them permission to feel a little bit lost or confused or frustrated during this time period. It’s okay to feel that.