Is your military spouse preparing to leave the rank behind and join the civilian job force? My husband only has a handful of years left until that transition to retirement and I am dreading it. I’m unsure of how our benefits might change, namely medical coverage. I fear losing that steady paycheck. And let’s be honest, tax free combat pay covered a lot of bills.

If your husband is anything like mine, he probably hasn’t brought much information home from his pre-retirement briefings, or even began looking seriously at some of the issues. I, on the other hand, need info!  

The Department of Defense launched a web site specifically to help your family make the transition: www.turbotap.org. The website is billed as a resource for military members entering the civilian job force. However, as a spouse without a military record of my own, I found the site just as helpful.

Sure there’s military-geared career advice but there’s also a treasure trove of information regarding benefits, disability compensation, insurance and VA home loans. There are checklists of items that need done before retirement day and after.

And just as my husband’s last day in uniform is approaching, I’m certain I will probably be bringing most of these important items to his attention, rather than the opposite. This is going to be a good site to keep handy.