An exploration of the changes to occupational participation during military‐to‐civilian transition: The experiences of Australian Defence Force members

INTRODUCTION: The transition from military-to-civilian life is associated with challenges including shifts in identity and employment, reestablishment of family and personal relationships, and financial hardship. To better support transition, it is important to explore the perspectives of those who have transitioned from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) into civilian life. Thus, the study aims to explore how occupational participation during military service influences the experience of transitioning to civilian life. METHODS: A narrative inquiry methodology with two phases of interviews was used to collect data from 12 former serving Australian Defence Force members. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. CONSUMER AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: The first author is a former ADF member. The second interview was intended to check and enhance participant participation in the study. There was no further consumer and community involvement. FINDINGS: Two themes were developed. (1) Being in the 'bubble' described how occupational participation is experienced in military service. The military bubble created occupational imbalance and was heavily reliant on work and devoid of leisure. (2) 'The bubble pops and the real-world begins' describes how the loss of the military occupations including peers and the collective culture, challenged their occupational participation in civilian life. Most participants sought to establish occupational balance, to varying degrees of success. CONCLUSION: Imbalanced occupational participation during military service can hinder the transition to civilian life. Supporting this shift requires strategies that promote engagement in community and leisure activities. Future research should focus on how to support occupational participation in civilian roles and activities to facilitate smoother transitions.