Today’s guest post was written by 3L Joshua Little.

When people sign up for the military, they’re signing up for two major life changes. The first one is obvious: you’re joining the military and leaving everything behind. The second one is a later realization: you are leaving the military and leaving everything behind… again. Most advice you receive focuses on practical considerations, like finding a job or going back to school. Those matter, but they miss something deeper. Leaving the military is not just a career change. It is the loss of a community that shaped every part of your life.