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A study released last week surveying veterans in Los Angeles County showed service members separating from the military are struggling to transition smoothly to civilian life. The survey of 1,300 veterans, which was conducted by the University of Southern California School of Social Work, found that 80% of participants didn’t have a job lined up when they left the military, and 40% did not have a permanent place to live.

“I believe these findings are applicable across the U.S., and apply equally to all separating service members,” said retired Army Col. Carl Castro, research director of USC's Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families.

The study reflects a systemic problem with the Department of Defense’s poor efforts to better prepare service members for civilian life, leaving them with unrealistic expectations about their future outside the military.