Read the full brief here

Whilst we know that most Service personnel and their families make a successful transition to civilian life, some do not.  The Understanding the Transition from Military to Civilian Life Report from QinetiQ and RAND Europe published in 2025 highlighted that progress made to better support Service leavers and their families but more still needs to be done to ensure that every member of the Armed Forces community can transition to civilian life successfully.

Forces in Mind Trust is publishing a series of policy briefs covering four key policy areas from the 2025 report.

Why reframing the narrative is needed

Ministry of Defence policy makes clear that transition preparation should begin during service, supported by the chain of command and driven by personal responsibility from the serving person.

The vision of ‘Serve well, Leave well’ recognises the contribution of Service personnel, improves their critical skills of and bolsters future operational readiness.

However, in practice, transition is too often approached as a resettlement activity undertaken only at the end of service, resulting in the vision set out in policy not consistently realised.

There is therefore a need to shift the narrative around transition. It must be understood as a process throughout service, with personnel actively encouraged to engage early and continuously.  Transition should be embedded as a core part of the career and life path for those within the Armed Forces community.

Policy Brief

This policy brief outlines how we can reframe the narrative around transition to better support the Armed Forces community in achieving a successful transition to civilian life.  Read the full brief for more information.