There's no question that joining the military at 18-years-old can have a big impact on your self-perception. But when the time comes to leave the military and embark on your journey into civilian life, many veterans are left with nothing more than a DD-214, a GI Bill, and a quest to find out who they really are outside of the military.
Thankfully, if you're having trouble finding your identity after getting your DD-214, there are some tried-and-true veteran personalities to fall back on. If at first they seem like they just don't fit, don't worry... you may eventually grow into it.
Without further adieu, here are three post-service personalities many veterans find themselves embracing...
The T-Shirt Bro
We've all seen them blasting their cliche moto t-shirts across social media. You may even know some of them yourself. Well, you can be one too. If you decide to embrace this personality, just make sure you memorize a wide array of catch phrases like "You're welcome for my service." And give it your all, as some T-Shirt Bros have managed to turn their small shirt slinging businesses into very large national brands (eg. Nine Line Apparel).
The Survivalist
Did you make it through SERE school? Well now that you're out of the military, perhaps you should consider making an entire lifestyle of it. One thing I can assure you is that if you embrace this personality, your life will be anything but boring. Kiss the lame post-retirement lifestyle goodbye, venture into the woods and live off the grid. Build a weapons cache, bury your cash in the ground, load up on survival food, and grow that beard longer than the military would ever allow you to.
The Lifer
This personality is not for the faint of heart. Just because you're no longer active-duty, it doesn't mean you have to give up your title. When you encounter anybody in your life, make them address you as "sir." Don't even tell people your first name, instead introduce yourself as colonel or top. If an acquaintance drives by and waves at you, salute them so they know damn well who is in charge.
That's it folks. If you have any other veteran personalities you think should have made the list, drop a comment below and let us know what they are.
And it goes without saying, but if you're having trouble finding your new identity after leaving service, feel free to adopt any or all of these proven post-service personalities. You can thank us later.
h/t Military Times