How Military Communities Like Fort Johnson Can Find Support with the USO Transition Program

By Porsha Auzenne

The life of anyone in the military community consists of being able to consistently adapt, sometimes even at a moment’s notice, as military families on average have to move 8 to 12 times in the span of a 20-year career. That adaptability reigns true even when they begin transitioning back to everyday civilian life.

Since 1941, the USO has led the nation in supporting its service members in the military and their families. That includes assisting service members and their spouses on new paths in education, employment, financial readiness and more, from the moment they join the military to their transition back to the civilian community.

The USO Transition Program extends the USO experience to active duty, Reserve, National Guard and military spouses by offering professional development services throughout the duration of military service as well as in preparation for life post-military. This can include everything from training on financial readiness, assisting with educational opportunities, networking, career advice and so much more.

USO Transition Specialists develop personalized action plans for active-duty, Reserve, National Guard and military spouses and help them take full advantage of services and resources, as well as offering professional development services throughout the duration of military service and as they prepare for life post-military.

Yuri Grijalva-Perry is a USO transition specialist who leads the USO Transition Program at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. She believes that having a personalized action plan for employment, education (including leading online learning platforms like Skillsoft and Coursera), financial readiness, mentorship and Veterans Affairs benefits, is a great benefit to the Fort Johnson community. By offering these resources to the people who serve throughout their time in uniform, they are better set up for success.

However, the USO Transition Program is just the beginning of what the USO wants to offer the service members and military spouses of the Fort Johnson community, Yuri explained.

“We’re definitely aiming to have a USO Center here at Fort Johnson in the future. We’re excited about those plans because we want to bring additional resources, services and training to the community,” she said.

Yuri expressed how much it means to her to be able to help the service members and spouses of Fort Johnson.

“I’m happy to support the military community because I understand the challenges of transitioning as a military spouse myself. My family must move every two or three years to a new duty station,” Yuri said. “We just want to bring you as much peace of mind as we can and support you with resources to help you successfully move to the next chapter of your life.”

And during that next step of their life, the USO is by their side, as our USO Transition Program is here for them every step of the way. From a free in-house resume writer, to assistance with LinkedIn, networking, mentoring and access to over 20 free certification opportunities, the USO Transition Program is an incredible resource to help spouses and service members navigate every chapter of their lives.

-This story was originally published on DVIDShub.net. It has been edited for USO.org.