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Honor who you are
in service of 

who you will become

who you will become

Beneath the Service is on a mission to support military veterans in finding new meaning, purpose, and direction in all aspects of life after their service ends.

What we do

World-class leadership development and research focused on identity, purpose, and connection.

1

k

service-members leave the military each year

1

%

of military veterans report experiencing substantial difficulties reintegrating

of veterans report at least one significant readjustment stressor

1

%

How to take action

There are lots of great ways to support our mission. Take action today, and leave a lasting impression.

Connection

The loss of culture and community after hanging up the uniform can be abrupt. Developing new group memberships and connections is key to reduce any negative consequences of this loss and provide a basis for self-redefinition. Join a new community & expand your connections.

Identity

Leaving the military is a significant life change that disrupts multiple social dimensions of existence. Building awareness about the identity disruption that arises during reintegration is key to successfully integrating as a civilian. Often times, this happens once you’re completely out of the service. We’re here to help you make sense of who you are.

Older woman smiling at camera

Purpose

Serving in the military provides you with a sense of purpose, or feeling that you were part of something bigger. Upon reintegration into civilian life, it can feel that you’re no longer contributing to something as important. We support you in mapping the direction you’re going in life so that you live your purpose.

Young man smiling at camera

Connection

The loss of culture and community after hanging up the uniform can be abrupt. Developing new group memberships and connections is key to reduce any negative consequences of this loss and provide a basis for self-redefinition. Join a new community & expand your connections.

Man smiling at camera
Multi-colour compass tool that points to the information

Bob Woodruff Foundation

To ensure that our nation’s veterans, service members, and their families - those who stood for us - have stable and successful futures.

Gary Sinise Foundation

To honor our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. We do this by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.

Military One Source

To provide resources and support to active-duty, National Guard and Reserve service members and their families anywhere in the world.

The Compass

Navigating the vastness of resources can be disorienting.

Our compass tool is here to help organize these resources based on your area of need or interest. One of the calls to action from of our programs is to explore the opportunities provided by great organizations.

Part of our mission is to be complementary to other nonprofit organizations that support the veteran community. We see ourselves as a recommendation engine to find candidates that are ready to take advantage of the benefits they offer.

Identity

Leaving the military is a significant life change that disrupts multiple social dimensions of existence. Building awareness about the identity disruption that arises during reintegration is key to successfully integrating as a civilian. Often times, this happens once you’re completely out of the service. We’re here to help you make sense of who you are.

The Compass

Navigating the vastness of resources can be disorienting.

Our compass tool is here to help organize these resources based on your area of need or interest. One of the calls to action from of our programs is to explore the opportunities provided by great organizations.

Part of our mission is to be complementary to other nonprofit organizations that support the veteran community. We see ourselves as a recommendation engine to find candidates that are ready to take advantage of the benefits they offer.

Purpose

Serving in the military provides you with a sense of purpose, or feeling that you were part of something bigger. Upon reintegration into civilian life, it can feel that you’re no longer contributing to something as important. We support you in mapping the direction you’re going in life so that you live your purpose.

domains of military adjustment and reintegration struggles

  • of loss of their military culture and community

  • Overall, military culture was described as a collectivist social institution that emphasizes hierarchy, structure, conformity and comaradery

  • the military was described as an organization that cares for its member, providing them with ‘safety’ and ‘comfort’.

  • ‘bridging these two worlds’ where veterans must learn to navigate ‘different psychological and social rules’.

  • where participants were ‘unprepared’ to handle requirements of civilian life.

  • Participants frequently commented that civilians cannot truly understand their military experience or the consequences of their service

Connection

  • During their service, participants felt they were part of something bigger than themselves.They held ‘responsibility’,and felt accomplished, successful, and empowered, and by serving, participants had ‘made a meaningful contribution to a worthy and noble cause

  • It became apparent that after discharge, many felt that they were no longer contributing to something as important as the collective effort of military service

Purpose

  • ‘fractured sense of self’ where during the reintegration process, they had ‘lost everything that epitomized and reinforced this identity’

  • participants appeared to face the dynamic process of reconstructing their civilian identity following discharge: ‘In the civilian world, it’s like, who am I? What do I dress like? How do I talk? Where do I go? What do I do?’

  • Others reported difficulty letting go of their military identity: ‘No longer being able to say that … that’s who I was, was probably the hardest part.

Identity

Get
in Touch

What are you interested in?

Multiple ways to get involved & have impact

There are lots of great ways to support our mission. What matters most is that we choose to do something. Take action today, and leave a lasting impression.

Attend

One year out or 10 years out, we’re here for when you’re ready to invest in yourself.

Attend

Sponsor

Leave a lasting impact and advance your philanthropic or corporate responsibility goals with our sponsorship opportunities

Sponsor

Partner

Whether your company products or services, we’d love to work with you to develop a mutually beneficial collaboration that has a lasting impact.

Partner

Volunteer

From facilitating sessions to coaching to program support, we have a place for your talents to make impact.

Volunteer

Where we fit in the ecosystem

While some veterans adjust to civilian society with little difficulty, a significant proportion of veterans experience reintegration challenges. We are invested in the importance of understanding reintegration difficulties beyond the transition period.

Man smiling into camera. Image faded out 50%

Self Before Service

Woman smiling into camera. Image faded out 50%

Time in Service

Man smiling into camera. Image faded out 50%

Transition

Beneath the Service logo
Vibrant woman smiling into camera

Reintergration

Civilian reintegration is a continuum of subjective experiences after military service without a designated timeline or end point. This experience is impacted by the loss of identity, loss of purpose, and loss of connection.

Honor who you are
in service of 

who you will become

who you will become

Beneath the Service is on a mission to support military veterans in finding new meaning, purpose, and direction in all aspects of life after their service ends.

What we do

World-class leadership development and research focused on identity, purpose, and connection.

How to take action

There are lots of great ways to support our mission. Take action today, and leave a lasting impression.

200

k

service-members leave the military each year

56

%

of military veterans report experiencing substantial difficulties reintegrating

of veterans report at least one significant readjustment stressor

73

%

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