Loss of pride and purpose

You may have joined the RCMP or CAF out of a sense of honor, duty, and service to country. You may have wanted to make a difference in the world. Your service provided purpose, connectedness with the broader world, and pride in serving Canada and her people, both at home and abroad.

As you transition into civilian life, you may wonder how to rediscover a sense of purpose, pride and meaning that the military or RCMP had fulfilled.

I was terrified of getting out and not finding people that I wanted to work with, or jobs that I would love and believe in, or workplaces that I would fit into. The RCMP becomes more than just a job, it’s a piece of your personal fabric. I felt that I would never find the sense of purpose, connection, and excellence that I had in the force, that I’d lose it all. - RCMP Veteran

The military is GREAT at convincing you that there is no life like it, and there’s nowhere else you wanna be, this is the best organization in the world. I mean, in order for people to be convinced that, "Okay, I’m gonna run to the battlefield, and I’m potentially gonna die," you do need to have that kind of loyalty and believe in what the military is doing and the purpose that you’re serving. But in developing that sense of loyalty and purpose, the military also damages our chances of trying to really, truly reintegrate when we leave and are no longer serving. You have to work really, really hard at finding your new purpose. - Military Veteran