Military & Veterans InTransition News

Since 2009, a group of more than 100 nonprofit organizations in San Diego has helped personnel separating from military service start their lives as civilians.

The San Diego Veterans Coalition helps ensure that veterans can obtain needed health care, education, legal assistance and job counseling. About 15,000 service members leave the military each year in San Diego, reports NBC News.

“It takes the community to do it,” said Maurice Wilson, a board member of the coalition. “The government can’t do it alone.

Wilson also is president of Reboot, which offers active-duty personnel and veterans comprehensive three-week workshops designed to build upon their training, experience and skills to prepare them for life after the military. The classes don’t just help veterans learn to compete in the civilian job market, they also emphasize the importance of finding a purpose in life after serving in the military, according to the story.

After completing the program, graduates receive job matching assistance and ongoing support from community partners.

“We don’t want another lost generation of veterans like we had with Vietnam,” said Gary Rossio, co-founder of the coalition.