Young adult veterans' readjustment patterns following military discharge: predictors and implications for early intervention.

The transition from military to civilian life can be challenging for many veterans. Few studies have examined veterans’ readjustment patterns during this time, and even less is known about background characteristics that influence transition success. Knowledge is also limited regarding young adult veterans’ experiences, an important oversight given that they have the highest rate of suicide among all veterans. This study sought to address these gaps by identifying demographic and military characteristics associated with young adult veterans’ reintegration experiences. Drawing from a large, national sample of 5293 young adult U.S. veterans (aged 18–34), latent growth modeling was applied to identify veterans’ health, vocational, financial, and social readjustment trajectories throughout the first three years after military discharge. Multinomial logistic models were then used to examine demographic and military predictors of veterans’ readjustment trajectories. Four trajectories (i.e., consistently high, consistently low, increasing, decreasing) were identified for each well-being domain. The proportion of veterans in each trajectory subgroup varied by domain. Across all domains, racial/ethnic minority veterans, enlisted personnel, and those who received an “other” type of discharge (e.g., medical, dishonorable) had higher odds of poor readjustment. Shorter duration in service was associated with poorer health and financial readjustment. Having experienced a combat deployment was associated with worse health and social well-being. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve transition outcomes for key subgroups of young adult veterans, including racial/ethnic minority veterans, enlisted personnel, and those with “other” types of military discharges.