{"id":353858,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:11","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/military\/family-employment-housing\/civilian-employment-after-the-military-what-you-should-know.html"},"modified":"2023-08-21T09:37:25","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T14:37:25","slug":"civilian-employment-after-the-military-what-you-should-know","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/military\/family-employment-housing\/civilian-employment-after-the-military-what-you-should-know.html","title":{"rendered":"Civilian Employment After the Military: What You Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Civilian Employment After the Military: What You Should Know<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/caoilte-kurtzman-esq\/\">Caoilte Kurtzman, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/caoilte-kurtzman-esq\/\">Caoilte Kurtzman, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            August 21, 2023\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"fl-key-takeaways fl-mb30\" data-testid=\"fl-key-takeaways\">\n    <div class=\"fl-card-content\">\n        <div class=\"fl-card-body fl-card-bg-teal fl-flex fl-flex-column\">\n                            <h2 class=\"fl-card-title fl-h2 fl-no-margin\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n                        <p>Some members of the armed forces receive&nbsp;preference for federal jobs. This is called the Veteran&#8217;s Preference Program. Under this program, two classes of vets can be hired before non-veterans. One is disabled vets, and the other is those who served during specific military campaigns or in times of war.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Leaving Military Service? What Now?<\/h2>\r\n<p>Transitioning from active duty military service to civilian life and employment is exciting. You may need help building a full-time&nbsp;career in the civilian workforce&nbsp;if you&#8217;re leaving military service. Luckily, the Department&nbsp;of Defense and the Department of&nbsp;Labor have many resources. One is the&nbsp;DoD&#8217;s mandatory transition assistance program (TAP).<\/p>\r\n<h2>Transition Assistance Program (TAP)<\/h2>\r\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dodtap.mil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Transition Assistance Program (TAP)<\/a>&nbsp;provides training on transitioning into civilian employment. TAP is a program mandated by public law. The Department&nbsp;of Labor, Department of&nbsp;Defense, Department of&nbsp;Homeland Security, and Department of&nbsp;Veterans Affairs developed TAP.<\/p>\r\n<h3>How Does TAP Help Service Members?<\/h3>\r\n<p>TAP helps with financial planning, resume writing, employment applications, and job hunting. It also helps military members who want to start a small business or get higher education.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Military Branch-Specific Employment Programs<\/h3>\r\n<p>There are also branch-specific armed forces resources:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The U.S. Army has&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.goarmy.com\/benefits\/after-the-army.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">many resources<\/a>.&nbsp;They include the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/myarmybenefits.us.army.mil\/Benefit-Library\/Federal-Benefits\/Army-Transition-Assistance-Program-(TAP)-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Army Transition Assistance Program (ATAP)<\/a>.&nbsp;There is also a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.armypays.com\/INDEX.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">program that guarantees interviews<\/a>&nbsp;with private civilian partner companies.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The U.S. Marine Corps has a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/campfuji.usmc-mccs.org\/marine-family-support\/transition-readiness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Transition Readiness Program (TRP)<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The Air Force runs its TAP curriculum through its&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.afpc.af.mil\/Airman-and-Family\/Transition-Assistance-Program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Airman and Family Readiness Center<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The Navy offers&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnic.navy.mil\/ffr\/family_readiness\/fleet_and_family_support_program\/transition_assistance.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Transition GPS programs<\/a>&nbsp;through its Fleet and Family Support Program.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The Coast Guard offers its services&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dcms.uscg.mil\/Our-Organization\/Assistant-Commandant-for-Human-Resources-CG-1\/Health-Safety-and-Work-Life-CG-11\/Office-of-Work-Life-CG-111\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">through the Office of Work-Life Program<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>What About Other Federal Agency Programs?<\/h2>\r\n<p>Besides TAP, there are many other government programs for veterans seeking civilian&nbsp;employment. The federal government promotes many programs to hire vets and military service members. The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fedshirevets.gov\/job-seekers\/veteran-employment-program-offices-directory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FedHiresVets<\/a>&nbsp;program lists all federal agencies with a Veteran Employment Program Office.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Veterans Hiring Preference for Federal Government Jobs<\/h3>\r\n<p>&nbsp;There are several levels of employment preference, depending on military service experience. A helpful guideline is at DOL&#8217;s Veterans&#8217; Employment and Training Service (VETS) website, and more&nbsp;help can be found on the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/careers-employment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VA&#8217;s website<\/a>. The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.worker.gov\/veterans-preference\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Veterans&#8217; Preference Advisor<\/a>&nbsp;explains eligibility and level preference for military personnel.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Other Veteran Hiring Incentives<\/h3>\r\n<p>State and local governments have similar programs. The federal government also encourages private-sector businesses to hire veterans. One example&nbsp;is the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/businesses\/small-businesses-self-employed\/work-opportunity-tax-credit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Work Opportunity Tax Credit<\/a>. When hiring former&nbsp;military, civilian employers get more than just tax incentives. Military members are team players with a strong work ethic and leadership skills.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Job Hunting Military Ethics Issues<\/h2>\r\n<p>The Joint Ethics Regulation applies to all DoD employees. The DoD&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dodsoco.ogc.osd.mil\/ETHICS-TOPICS\/Post-Government-Employment-and-Procurement-Integrity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Standards of Conduct Office (SOCO)<\/a>&nbsp;guides federal employees on post-government employment. It&#8217;s a helpful place to start research before job hunting. Specifically, it outlines ethics rules for using&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/News\/Feature-Stories\/story\/Article\/3052396\/service-members-find-civilian-career-opportunities-through-skillbridge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Skillbridge<\/a>, which allows military personnel to begin a civilian job search while still serving.&nbsp;It also tells how to ask a JAG office or a military attorney for a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dodsoco.ogc.osd.mil\/Portals\/102\/Documents\/PGE%20and%20PI\/Toolbox%20-%20PGE-PI\/DD%20Form%202945%20August%202022%20until%202025.PDF?ver=xxUosZA9n5XMBjnyexjtkA%3d%3d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Post Government Employment Review<\/a>. These referrals can be extremely helpful.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Job Hunting<\/h3>\r\n<p>Service members can begin their civilian job hunt while still on active duty. But they must follow some ethical guidelines:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Conflict of interest rules (5 C.F.R. \u00a7 2635.604)<\/li>\r\n<li>How and when civilian careers may start<\/li>\r\n<li>Issues like accepting interview expenses from a potential civilian employer<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Who Can Service Members Work for After Military Service?<\/h3>\r\n<p>Generally, a service member can get a job with anyone they choose after leaving active duty. Some exceptions exist, like \u201ccooling off&quot; or waiting periods to take specific jobs. These issues come up for vets seeking civilian employment with government contractors. Ethics issues might also come up for vets who worked in the military procurement process.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Working During Terminal Military Leave<\/h3>\r\n<p>Terminal leave is the time military members can take immediately before leaving service. Terminal leave can start as early as 60 days before your last work day. Generally speaking, service members can create their civilian job during this period. There are some exceptions, though.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Terminal Leave and Civilian Job Restrictions<\/h3>\r\n<p>Military officers cannot represent a civilian employer to the Government during terminal leave. This is primarily an issue for military officers working for government contractors. You can&#8217;t work as a contractor in a government building. You also can&#8217;t meet with government employees during terminal leave. This rule applies only to officers and not enlisted service members.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Continued Service in the National Guard or Reserves<\/h2>\r\n<p>You might want to serve in the National Guard or Reserves after leaving active duty. This can mean:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>An extra paycheck,<\/li>\r\n<li>Affordable health insurance,<\/li>\r\n<li>Life insurance,<\/li>\r\n<li>Education benefits, and<\/li>\r\n<li>A retirement plan.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act<\/h3>\r\n<p>Being a Reservist or part of the National Guard can mean occasional time away from your civilian job. Federal law bans discrimination based on military service or commitment. This law is the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/agencies\/vets\/programs\/userra\/aboutuserra\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA)<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<h3>USERRA and Right to Reemployment<\/h3>\r\n<p>National Guard and Reservists sometimes face issues with their civilian jobs, but USERRA is designed to help. Not all civilian employers of military personnel know about the right to reemployment.&nbsp;USERRA lets service members return to their civilian jobs after mobilization on active duty.&nbsp;These rights are not automatic,&nbsp;though. Service members must meet the following USERRA&nbsp;requirements to protect their civilian positions:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Provide the employer with advance notice of military service obligation;<\/li>\r\n<li>Active military service cannot exceed five cumulative years with one employer;<\/li>\r\n<li>Return to work for reemployment promptly after military duty; and<\/li>\r\n<li>Not be&nbsp;discharged for certain reasons.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve<\/h3>\r\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esgr.mil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve<\/a>&nbsp;(ESGR) is another resource for National Guard and Reservists. It is a DoD office that provides support in civilian work environments. ESGR provides civilian employers with a better understanding of the military experience. ESGR also provides information about federal protections for National Guard and Reservist employees. They also help resolve conflicts between the Service members and their private employers.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Servicemembers&#8217; Civil Relief Act<\/h2>\r\n<p>The Servicemembers&#8217;&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?path=\/prelim@title50\/chapter50&amp;edition=prelim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Civil Relief Act<\/a>&nbsp;applies to National Guard and Reservists. It covers them during mobilization and deployment.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Looking for More Information?<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/military\/family-employment-housing\/what-is-military-employment-discrimination.html\">How do I Get Military Employment Protection?<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/military\/family-employment-housing\/what-is-the-servicemembers-civil-relief-act-scra.html\">What is the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)?<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>If after your period of military service&nbsp;you feel that&nbsp;a civilian employer is not dealing lawfully with you despite your reasonable efforts,&nbsp;and you aren&#8217;t having any luck through government channels, consider speaking with an attorney well-versed in either&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/military-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">military law<\/a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/employment-law-employee\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">employment law<\/a>. They will understand USERRA,&nbsp;They may be able to assist you with your work-related issues.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3418)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M6 21H3C2.46957 21 1.96086 20.7893 1.58579 20.4142C1.21071 20.0391 1 19.5304 1 19V12C1 11.4696 1.21071 10.9609 1.58579 10.5858C1.96086 10.2107 2.46957 10 3 10H6M13 8V4C13 3.20435 12.6839 2.44129 12.1213 1.87868C11.5587 1.31607 10.7956 1 10 1L6 10V21H17.28C17.7623 21.0055 18.2304 20.8364 18.5979 20.524C18.9654 20.2116 19.2077 19.7769 19.28 19.3L20.66 10.3C20.7035 10.0134 20.6842 9.72068 20.6033 9.44225C20.5225 9.16382 20.3821 8.90629 20.1919 8.68751C20.0016 8.46873 19.7661 8.29393 19.5016 8.17522C19.2371 8.0565 18.9499 7.99672 18.66 8H13Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\n                              stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3418\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"No\"\n                value=\"no\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">No<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 19.5587 9.87871 20.1213C10.4413 20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3423\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    <span class=\"was-this-helpful__taken-action fl-text-sm-bold\"><\/span>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-container\">\n        <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n            <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form\">\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--positive\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Easy to understand\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                        >Easy to understand<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Solved my problem\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                        >Solved my problem<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--negative\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Out of date\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                        >Out of date<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\">\n        <div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Crimes involving military personnel need an attorney\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Family law issues are handled differently for military families\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Lawyers can help with military benefits or administrative issues\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>The military tries cases through the court martial process. A military law lawyer can help protect your rights during this process.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/military-law\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL35\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                src=\"https://www.findlaw.com/static/c/images\/images\/w_1200,c_limit,dpr_auto\/f_auto,q_auto:eco\/v1745902396\/ability-law\/wp-prod\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1.png?_i=AA\"\n                alt=\"\"\n                loading=\"lazy\"\n            \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-content fl-flex fl-flex-wrap\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-text fl-mb25\">\n            <h4 class=\"fl-no-margin\">Enter your email address to subscribe<\/h4>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <form class=\"email-subscription-content-form\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distributionList\" value=\"latl\" \/>\n            <label for=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" class=\"fl-text-sm-bold\">Email (Required)<\/label>\n            <div class=\"email-subscription-content-form-group\">\n                <input id=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" name=\"email\" autocomplete=\"email\"\/>\n                <button type=\"submit\" aria-label=\"Submit\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-success subscribe-success-message fl-text-sm-bold\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"status\">Thank you for subscribing!<\/p>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-error subscribe-error-message fl-text-sm-bold\" role=\"alert\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/p>\n\n            <div id=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha\" class=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha subscribe-recaptcha\"\n                data-sitekey=\"0x4AAAAAAABGBEkK9kEeKxO-\"><\/div>\n        <\/form>\n\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-footer fl-text-sm\">\n            <p><a href=\"https:\/\/newsletters.findlaw.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more about FindLaw\u2019s newsletters<\/a>, including our terms of use and privacy policy.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"general-list\">\n    <h3>Helpful Links<\/h3>\n    <ul class=\"fl-list fl-no-margin\">\n                                    <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/military\/criminal-law\/military-criminal-law.html\">\n                        Military Criminal Law\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/military\/family-employment-housing\/military-family-law-issues.html\">\n                        Military Family Law Issues\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/military\/administrative-issues-benefits\/military-administrative-issues.html\">\n                        Military Administrative Issues\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"popularDirectory\">\n        <div class=\"general-popular-directory \">\n            <div class=\"general-popular-directory-title\">\n                <h3>Attorney Directory<\/h3>\n            <\/div>\n            <ul>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/military-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General Military Law Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/military-divorce\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Military Divorce Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are numerous options available for aid in employment for military members transitioning into civilian life. Learn about USERRA, the Transition Assistance Program, and much more at FindLaw.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":353857,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2745],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-353858","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-military"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/353858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353858"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/353858\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":398426,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/353858\/revisions\/398426"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/353857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=353858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=353858"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=353858"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=353858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}