From Combat to Code: How Palantir Technologies Builds Elite Defense Teams

The military creates a deep sense of belonging and purpose that civilian life rarely matches. Research shows 44% of post-9/11 veterans struggle to readjust to civilian life.

“Overnight, you’re taking away my identity, my purpose, and my community,” notes retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel J.C. Glick about this jarring transition. The change hits hard because many people join before turning 20, which means their adult brains develop completely within military culture.

Veterans often can’t separate who they are from what they do. One veteran puts it this way: “I had more years as a soldier than I did as a husband, father, or civilian”. The military gives them what many call a “realm of certainty”—a well-laid-out environment with clear expectations and purpose—which vanishes after discharge.