I’m Erin Silver and I want to welcome you to my Podcast, Life After the Uniform. I grew up as a military brat with a mom in the Navy so I did what any reasonable child would do – I enlisted in the Air Force. I was Active Duty, then a traditional reservist, and now I’m an IMA. I’ve lived in 7 different states and attended more schools than I can remember. Who’s with me there? While we may not know each other personally, I already know we have something in common. We are part of the 1% who raised our right hand, took an oath, and put on our uniform every day.
When we put on our uniform, we put on an identity. We became a soldier, a marine, a sailor, a Coastie, or an Airmen! We know who we are. We know what we do. We know that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. But what happens when that ends? What happens when we put the uniform away?
I’m here to tell you that there is Life After the Uniform. It doesn’t end after retirement or discharge. Your identity isn’t lost. I’ll be here every week to help you as you successfully transition from military life into the civilian world. I’ll have experts give their advice on everything from Veteran’s benefits, to the best states to live in to maximize your retirement. There will also be information on disability claims, resume writing, and navigating the world of higher education. There will also be people just like you and me sharing their experiences.
I want to help ease your fears about entering the next phase in your life. I want you to know that there is Life After the Uniform.