For many service members, planning for life after the military starts with practical questions.
Where will I live? What comes next for my career? How will I manage my finances? Am I prepared for retirement?
Those are important questions. But they’re only part of the transition.
Leaving military service often means adjusting to a new routine, building a new community, and redefining your sense of purpose. Financial stability can make that transition easier, but lasting well-being also depends on having trusted people, practical resources and the confidence to ask for support when you need it.
Thomas understood the financial side of that transition all too well.
After leaving the military, he reached out to Support the Enlisted Project (STEP) for help covering everyday expenses. Like many veterans, he was focused on making ends meet. What he found was more than financial assistance.
Working with a STEP social worker, Thomas created a Crisis Response Plan that helped him identify trusted sources of support and prepare for difficult moments before they became overwhelming. Thirty days later, he reported meaningful progress and renewed hope for the future. His story is one of many featured in Face the Fight’s 2025 Impact Report.
Thomas’s experience is a reminder that financial challenges and overall well-being are often connected. Addressing one can open the door to the other.
That idea is at the heart of Face the Fight, a national initiative founded by USAA, Reach Resilience and the Humana Foundation. Together with more than 300 coalition members, Face the Fight is uniting organizations across sectors to reduce veteran suicide by expanding access to proven solutions, breaking down barriers to seeking support, and strengthening the communities that surround veterans and their families.
Since 2023, those efforts have impacted more than 1.4 million lives, supported more than 1 million suicide risk screenings, helped more than 110,000 veterans receive suicide-specific care and facilitated more than 250,000 lethal means safety conversations. Those numbers represent veterans, families and communities who are better equipped to recognize challenges early and respond with support.
Financial readiness is about more than balancing a budget or preparing for retirement. It’s about creating the stability that allows veterans and their families to thrive in the next chapter of life and for generations of veterans and service members to come.
Whether you’re preparing to transition, already building your civilian career, or supporting someone who served, remember that asking for help is sometimes the strongest investment you can make in your future.
Learn more about the people, partnerships, and evidence-informed programs featured in the 2025 Face the Fight Impact Report at WeFaceTheFight.org.
