Resettlement and Employment of Discharged Military Personnel

The article sheds light on issues that ensure a better understanding of the way discharged members of the military cope with resettlement and job-seeking, as well as of the challenges they face and the way they handle them. The study is based on the RLMS-HSE monitoring of the Russian population’s economic status and health, which is a longitudinal study carried out among Russian households over the course of several years. Data analysis shows that the “young old” members of the military personnel that are discharged from active duty still possess high potential as a labor force, and should be regarded as valuable human assets, due to their level of education, professional skill, and qualification. However, this potential is not always put to full use. An uncertain future that comes with changing a job, and quite often, a place of residence and circle of friends as well, makes the task of getting employed increasingly more difficult. Thus, the vast majority of the military begin job-hunting before they are discharged from service, which facilitates their transition to the civilian labor system. However, the preferences of such military personnel often do not match the demands of the labor market and prospective employers. And even though the discharged members of the military are the main focus of the military social policy, they are forced to bear the burden of resettlement on their own. Most of them face great difficulties when looking for a job, and fail to properly re-train to pursue a civilian career. The majority of discharged personnel get employed without the aid of state agencies: through their relatives, friends, or acquaintances. At the same time, the overall level of job satisfaction (both in general, and concerning particular features) is higher among the military than among civilian retirees, whereas ten years ago, the situation was the polar opposite of today. A staggeringly large share of the currently employed former military personnel is satisfied with their workplace relations, and trusts both their colleagues and supervisors. In general, the discharged military display a more confident behavior in the labor market than other types of retirees.

discharged military, human assets, re-training, resettlement, employment, job satisfaction.