Midlife and the Military: Oportunities and Obstacles

Military senior leaders cannot take their health and wellbeing for granted. At the peak of their professional careers, senior leaders must simultaneously negotiate multiple roles, life transitions, and increased responsibilities while perhaps encountering the first signs of physical and cognitive decline. The period of midlife should be a rewarding period of development wherein leaders expand the positive impact of their knowledge and experience in the workplace, renegotiate relationships with friends and families, and increasingly contribute to the wellbeing of successive generations. Yet, the effects of biological aging, the accumulation of stress, and Maximizing Senior Leader Health and Wellbeing challenging life events can derail even the most promising life course. We aim for this chapter and book to be a clarion call for senior leaders entering midlife to increase self-awareness and embark on a journey of health and wellbeing.