FOREIGN EXPERIENCE OF MILITARY PERSONNEL TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE AFTER THE COMPLETION OF MILITARY CAREER

Abstract

This article examines foreign experience in the functioning of systems for the transition of military personnel to civilian life after the completion of their military careers as an integral component of state veteran policy. The relevance of the topic is driven by the growing number of veterans in Ukraine under conditions of large-scale armed aggression and the need to improve legal and institutional mechanisms for the social, professional, medical, and psychological reintegration of military personnel. The study finds that in the United States and Canada, the transition of military personnel to civilian life is regarded as a complex and multi-layered process that begins well before discharge from military service. In the United States, the key instrument is the Transition Assistance Program, while in Canada, the Veterans Well-being model is applied. It is demonstrated that the effectiveness of foreign transition systems is ensured by institutional coherence, well-developed interagency coordination, early planning of service termination, and individualized approaches to each service member. Based on the analysis, the study substantiates the expediency of adapting positive foreign experience to the functioning of Ukraine's veteran policy system.