05/01/2026

Beyond the Battlefield: Using Super’s Developmental Approach to Veteran Career Counseling

By Amber LoPresti and Lisa Cardello

Understanding Veteran Career Barriers Developmentally

Transitioning to civilian employment after military service can present complex barriers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), there are roughly 17.6 million veterans in the United States, representing 7% of the adult population. Veterans’ experiences in the military often shape their worldview, sense of purpose, and approach to work. Furthermore, veterans encounter employment barriers that are often developmental in nature. These include limited civilian job experience, physical or psychological health concerns, and challenges with workplace adjustment (Hagy, 2025).

Some employers may also be unfamiliar with the value of military experience, overlooking key transferable skills like leadership, teamwork, and adaptability. Access to career and mental health resources is often limited. Psychological stress from combat can impede reintegration into the workplace. Veterans may not know how to effectively use GI Bill benefits (Swords to Plowshares, 2025), and campus staff may be unequipped to support students coping with Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder or readjustment challenges. Underfunded Veteran Resource Centers further complicate access to support (Hester, 2017).

Additionally, veterans may find the post-service shift in culture, language, and expectations to be a significant adjustment (Swenson, 2025). Military communication is built on high stakes hierarchy, rigid communication, and job tasks that do not allow for flexibility. In the civilian workforce, communication is often more informal and conversational, prioritizes social rapport, and emphasizes professional flexibility. These differences reflect not only external obstacles but also internal developmental tasks, such as adjusting identity, redefining purpose, and integrating past experiences into a new professional trajectory.

Applying Super’s Theory to the Veteran Experience

Unemployment remains a concerning issue for veterans transitioning to civilian life. For instance, the unemployment rate for veterans increased from 2.8% to 4.2% between December 2024 and January 2025 (Sisk, 2026). This increase reflects more than market trends; it highlights the difficulty many veterans face in redefining their career identities post-service (Sisk, 2026).

With this in mind, career practitioners can better support veterans by identifying the stage of development their clients are in based on Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Theory of career development and tailoring interventions accordingly (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2021). This theory provides insight into how veterans’ experiences may align with various stages of career development as they navigate the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life. Career practitioners may want to note the following stage descriptions for veterans: 

• Growth Stage: Military service can form attitudes and shape an individual’s self-concept. Values, beliefs, and identity are adjusted and formed. 
• Exploration Stage: Veterans assess skills, interests, and values as they might apply to future civilian jobs. They determine whether skills acquired in the military translate to specific fields and align with their self-concept.
• Establishment Stage: Veterans pursue education, job hunting, or professional networking, while redefining their identity outside the military.
• Maintenance Stage: Veterans work to stay current in their career or consider changing fields if the new role no longer aligns with their self-concept.
• Disengagement Stage: Some veterans move toward retirement or seek purpose through part-time or volunteer roles.

Using a developmental lens, career practitioners can normalize the need for re-exploration, affirming it as a natural stage in post-military career growth. Super’s theory helps practitioners tailor interventions by recognizing a veteran’s stage and the support needs appropriate to that phase. For example, here are suggested inventions based on different stages:

• Growth Stage: Practitioners may build trust through cultural humility, learning about military culture, and avoiding assumptions.
• Exploration Stage: Strategies include actively listening to veterans’ stories, helping them identify transferable skills, linking skills to civilian career paths aligned with their values, and exploring educational opportunities or GI Bill resources.
• Establishment Stage: Practitioners consider the impact of disabilities or mental health concerns on career choices and provide appropriate referrals.

Regardless of the developmental stage, validating a veteran’s unique career challenges and the difficulty of adjusting to civilian life is critical to promoting a healthy self-concept.

Online Resources That Support the Career Development of Veterans

Several online resources can facilitate a smooth transition into the civilian workforce. Career practitioners may leverage these online tools and resources, which align with Super’s emphasis on self-directed career management:

• SkillUp: Skillup provides free career coaching and resources for mental health, career, and educational opportunities (Skillup Coalition, 2025)
• My Next Move for Veterans: Sponsored by the U.S Department of Labor explores civilian careers and translates military skills to transferable work-related skills (My Next Move, 2025).
• Military One Source: This website affiliated with the Defense Department provides a wide range of resources including retirement calculators, free tax services (MilTax), “benefits finder”, and career readiness resources (Military One Source, 2025).
• VA.gov: The official government website provides a variety of resources and programs to support the Military to Civilian transition.

The Path Forward

Courage defines every veteran’s unique story. Career development does not end with military discharge; rather, it evolves across the life span. By applying Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Theory, practitioners can better navigate the internal and external factors shaping a veteran’s transition. Further, career practitioners can empower veterans to reclaim purpose and confidence as they author the next chapter of their professional journey.

References

Hagy, S. (2024). Obstacles veterans face with employment. Veterans Place of Washington Blvd. https://www.veteransplaceusa.org/obstacles-veterans-face-with-employment/ 

Hester, R. D. (2017). Lack of access to mental health services contributing to the high suicide rates among veterans. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 11(47). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-017-0154-2 

Institute for Veterans and Military Families. (2021). The employment situation of veterans: March 2021 (Data brief). https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IVMF-Employment-Situation-of-Veterans-March-2021-Released-April-2-2021.pdf 

Military OneSource. (2025). Transitioning veterans consultation. https://www.militaryonesource.mil/benefits/transitioning-veterans/ 

My Next Move for Veterans. (n.d.). My next move for veterans. https://www.mynextmove.org/vets/ 

Niles, S. G., & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. E. (2021). Career development interventions (6th ed.). Pearson. https://doi.org/10.1036/9780135842638 

Sisk, R. (2026). Unemployment rates for veterans worsen amid civilian job market gains. https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2026/02/13/unemployment-rates-for-veterans-worsen-amid-civilian-job-market-gains/ 

SkillUp Coalition. (n.d.). Resources for veterans. https://skillup.org/resources/veterans-resources 

Swenson, B. (2025). Crossing cultures: What military veterans need to know about civilian life. University of Arkansas Grantham. https://www.uagrantham.edu/blog/crossing-cultures-what-military-veterans-need-to-know-about-civilian-life/#:~:text=In%20the%20military%2C%20your%20unit,and%20the%20ability%20to%20lead 

Swords to Plowshares. (2021). Unique challenges student veterans face. https://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/toolbox-article/unique-challenges-student-veterans-face 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Employment situation of veterans — March 2025. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.htmBureau of Labor Statistics+3Bureau of Labor Statistics+3Bureau of Labor Statistics+3 

Amber LoPresti, is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling Student at the College of New Jersey and U.S Army Reserves Veteran. She is a Volunteer Crisis Counselor for Crisis Text Line. Amber is pursuing LPC licensure and is a strong advocate for accessible mental health support for all communities. Amber can be reached at amber.lopresti16@gmail.com 

Lisa Cardello, PhD, LPC, NCC, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Online Counselor Education at The College of New Jersey. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (NJ), National Certified Counselor, Board Certified Coach, and MBTI Certified Professional. Dr. Cardello is also a past participant of NCDA's Counselor Educator Academy, North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) Emerging Leaders Program participant, and past president of the New Jersey Career Development Association. She also has a small private practice focused on career counseling. Lisa can be reached at lisamcardello@gmail.com