Military Transition Overseas

Introduction

I was stationed in Germany for roughly six years of my Army career. It comes as no surprise that I would meet my wife here and decide to settle down in Germany.

With that decision came the unique challenge of transitioning out of the military overseas and into a foreign country.

The process, with all its nuances, could fill a book. We will not get to everything in this post, but hopefully this pushes you in the right direction.

TLDR

Here’s a list for those that don’t want to read or re-read the whole article.

• Figure out your remaining time obligation and tentative ETS date
• Talk with your command about your tentative SkillBridge timeline
• Decide how much terminal leave you want to take and set that aside
• Research the immigration requirements and cultural nuances for your target country
• Start learning the local language now
• Consider any certifications you want to get before applying to jobs
• If you are going back to school, research how to use your GI Bill overseas
• Have a system to keep track of all this information.

Overseas Time Obligation and ETS Date

There are some differences in timeline when deciding to leave the military while stationed overseas, but here’s the main one:

You probably need to complete your overseas tour commitment.

Serving overseas usually comes with a time requirement to complete the tour in its entirety. This can be waived by the higher military powers, but usually not for ETS reasons.

I remember my friends leaving the military within 3-6 months of them making their decision. It was closer to a 2-3 year plan for me.

I recommend diving into the regulation (AR 614-30 for the Army folks) and talking with your human resources people early on.

Afterwards, you should have a good idea of a potential ETS date and whether you want to keep it or extend for a longer runway.

SkillBridge Opportunities Abroad

SkillBridge is tough to do while overseas, there is no getting around that.

There are likely country regulations that limit what you are allowed to do on the economy.

For example, Germany allows US military personnel to be live in-country for military employment purposes only, through the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

Since that was the primary reason, I was in Germany, I could not do a SkillBridge opportunity with a local company.

To add to the confusion, a lot of folks that should have known this information answers were just as lost as I was.

All that being said…

It is 100% still possible to do SkillBridge overseas.

Remote opportunities with US-based companies are great options, as well as DoD sponsored opportunities on local military bases.

Heck, I know people that opted to fly to the US to complete their SkillBridge, then fly back to Germany to finish clearing the Army.

Point is, there is plenty of opportunity.

I cannot emphasize enough how essential taking 3-4 months to focus on my own future was to my transition.

I was able to apply for roles, plan out my family’s final move, and just have the space to think about the future.

As a result, I started terminal leave with a job offer in hand and already moved into our new home.

Engage your command early, do your research, and take full advantage of DoD SkillBridge.

Plan Your Remaining Leave

This step is simple but important.

As soon as you have your tentative ETS date, total up your remaining leave through that date.

If you’re in the US Army, you get 2.5 days per month, INCLUDING terminal leave. Don’t forget that part.

Decide how many days you want to take (I took a glorious 59 days) and set them aside. The remaining leave can be used as you’d like and you’ll be set for transition time.

It’s pretty wonderful to be “out of the military” for two months while still getting paid.

Research Immigration Requirements and Cultural Nuances

If you are looking to live overseas as a “normal person,” the military transition is only one piece of the pie.

In addition to that, you have the wonderful task of figuring out immigration processes in your target country along with any important cultural differences.

There are too many differences to list specifics by country, but here is a general list of things to consider:

• Do you need a visa to enter the country?
• What residency permit are you applying for?
• Are there any official language requirements for residency?
• How does health insurance work?
• How do you get a driver’s license?
• What are the potential tax implications?
• What does a resume look like in your target country?
• What are the cultural differences in the job search?
• Is there a different etiquette in job interviews?

Learn the Local Language

You CAN get a job in a foreign country without knowing the local language, BUT you will be very limited on what opportunities you can apply to.

Additionally, English jobs attract more competition as other foreign workers will be competing for the same limited number of roles.

Set yourself up for success by getting to an intermediate level in your target country’s language.

Referring to the Central European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), you want to aim for a B1 level.

With regular practice, you can get to that level in a year or less.

This will set you apart in the sea of qualified candidates.

Consider Certifications

This topic brings out strong opinions, but I believe that the right certifications can get your foot in the door.

Coming out of the military, our resumes will look extremely similar. On top of that, you will likely be a pivoting into a career that is not a 1:1 transfer from your day job. Then you are also competing with a job market full of qualified candidates with direct experience.

Our military experience gives us intangible soft skills that can make a big impact in any job we take. But we need to get that job first.

Certifications can do just that.

Whatever your opinions are, things like the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) and the Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification can put you over the edge and land an interview.

GI Bill at Foreign Schools

Your GI Bill works abroad!

You will have to do your research and ensure your target school accepts the GI Bill.

Foreign schools that do accept the GI Bill will have a designated representative in the administration that will be your primary point of contact, just like in the US.

You can search for foreign schools using WEAMS or the GI Bill Comparison Tool. Both websites are maintained by the VA.

There are a few things to keep in mind for foreign schools:

1. They will not have Yellow Ribbon Programs like some US schools
2. Your tuition rate is set at the “foreign school rate,” and doesn’t scale by location
3. Outside of the GI Bill point of contact at your school, other school officials will be generally uninformed of what the GI Bill is, causing potential confusion

In any case, more and more foreign schools are accepting the GI Bill and it remains a great opportunity to further your education overseas.

Master Timeline

My final tip is organization.

Have some sort of planning system where you can house your timeline, important deadlines, prospective schools or companies, etc…

I went the simple route and made a Google Sheets document where I tracked the big rocks of my “Army Life,” “Civilian Job Preparation” and “Personal Life.”

This let me see all the different events that would take place at the same time and keep track of when I needed to do what.

I also kept a list of potential companies to apply to, SkillBridge opportunities, and country residency deadlines, etc…

I’ve posted a sample of my original Transition Timeline Template to give you a starting point.

Parting Shots

No one will care more about your military transition than yourself.

As I made the transition out of the Army, I felt like all my safety guards were falling away.

All of a sudden, I was on my own to figure out where we were moving next, what I wanted to do, and how to convince someone that they should give me money for something I could do.

It can be incredibly intimidating.

But it also gives you the freedom to take charge of your life in empowering ways.

Put yourself in the best position by giving yourself time to make the right plan and choices.

Everything else will follow.

Cheers,
Pat