Chapter 31: Career Counseling and Developmental Pathways Across the Lifespan in the Military

Being in the military is not just looked at as a job, but more accurately viewed as a career pathway chosen by those who have a core value of service before self. Perhaps you are a member of a military family, a veteran, or you know someone who is a member of a military family. “When we consider there are 30 million veterans and 2.2 million service members and their families in the United States, the chances are that whatever you do or will do, and wherever you do it, you will end up serving members of military families. That means each day you have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those whom sacrifice so much for the rest of us” (Blaisure, Saathoff-Wells, Pereira, Wadsworth, & Dombro, 2012, p. xiii). Recruiters have published a wealth of information about the military in pamphlets/brochures, as well as on the Internet. It can be an overwhelming challenge for professional school, career, and mental health counselors to help clients from military families without having some elementary knowledge of the military culture and the career development pathways that occur during a lifespan in the military. Because it is important for professional counselors to develop selfawareness, knowledge, and skills to best help clients and family members serving in the military, this article is intended to provide some of the basic knowledge.