Moving from the ADF to civilian life can involve many organisations and services. 

The Veteran Transition Strategy and Action Plan helps Commonwealth agencies work together so that support is more connected for veterans and families. 

Transition is not only about work or paperwork. It can also affect health, well-being, family life, identity, housing, finances and community connection. 

Better coordination can make it easier to get the right support at the right time. It can also reduce the stress of dealing with different systems on your own. 

How this helps veterans and families 

By working together across government, the Veteran Transition Strategy and Action Plan aim to make it easier for veterans and families to: 

• find the right support at the right time 
• tell their story fewer times 
• move between Defence and civilian systems with clearer pathways 
• have more confidence that agencies are working together on their behalf. 

Why joined-up support helps 

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide highlighted that transition can be a higher-risk time. 

This is especially true when people face loss of identity, trouble finding civilian work, social disconnection, or complex mental health and wellbeing needs. 

It also highlighted the value of early, coordinated support after separation. Joined-up services can reduce fragmentation and make it easier to respond to different needs together. 

Read the full Veteran Transition Strategy and Action Plan for more information