Daniel Allenby thought he'd be excited about returning to civilian life after six years in the Navy. Instead, he was lost with no idea what to do next.
“What that feels like is just absolute terror. It's really scary, the great unknown on the other side,” said Allenby.
A new transition program in San Diego is helping veterans conquer those fears by arming them with tools for success. It’s called REBOOT and begins with re-programming the military mindset.
“You’re not following orders anymore, you have to initiate orders for yourself. Most people who’ve been in that scenario for quite some time have a difficult time getting out of that waiting for the next command habit,” said REBOOT co-founder Maurice Wilson.
The retired Navy Master Chief believes every active duty service member should be trained to handle the transition out of the military the same way they were trained going in.
“Most veterans don't just need information they need application. Just like when you put me in Boot Camp and you showed me how to apply my thoughts from being a civilian to being a service member show me how to reverse that,” Wilson said.
REBOOT helps students tap into their talent to figure out what they want to do next. They're also given practical tools to map out a career path.
Wilson says REBOOT is life changing. “ We’re seeing hope restored. We're seeing family reunifications. We're seeing people blossoming.”
With an estimated 28 thousand people in San Diego transitioning out of the military each yearly, Daniel Allenby says public support for programs like REBOOT is critical.
“Here is a real person that you can change their life by ensuring they get the care that they need to heal the wounds that are deeper than a bullet can inflict.”
For more information on REBOOT click here.
