If you can, try and stay in contact with them, I went really insular and lost that outlet and spent several years being kicked from navy psych to psych and hearing various forms of “shape up or get out.” When I met my now wife I had someone to talk to that was unconditionally supportive and they pointed out to me how being in the Navy was exactly like being in an abusive relationship, which help me reframe my issues as not really about myself, but about how I don’t fit into the system. The Navy wants you to internalize why you don’t fit in so that you’ll homogenize, and so that they don’t have to make structural changes. It’s really hard to feel like the odd one out in those places without an unconditional support system, the Navy certainly doesn’t provide that.
My kid is still in great lakes. Just went thru boot. I’m scared shitless for them, thank you for the ray of hope. :)
If you can, try and stay in contact with them, I went really insular and lost that outlet and spent several years being kicked from navy psych to psych and hearing various forms of “shape up or get out.” When I met my now wife I had someone to talk to that was unconditionally supportive and they pointed out to me how being in the Navy was exactly like being in an abusive relationship, which help me reframe my issues as not really about myself, but about how I don’t fit into the system. The Navy wants you to internalize why you don’t fit in so that you’ll homogenize, and so that they don’t have to make structural changes. It’s really hard to feel like the odd one out in those places without an unconditional support system, the Navy certainly doesn’t provide that.