[jester]

I have always figured the following options:

Some seeing how messed up things were would work with MilGov knowing that at least they would have some kind of food and shelter.

Others tired of the military would drift off in groups of freinds or men who had served together. Some to return home <epsecialy for units from other parts of the country> trying to make it home. Some would make it, other would not. Some would turn marauder, some would strike out and try to establish their own communities or enterprises, opening up a mine, repairing and operating a factory, farm/ranch etc.

I have been working on a scenario of the returning troops. The PCs are inelligible for retention, realisticaly MilGov can't keep tens of thousands of troops on the payrole, nor can they afford to cut them loose so you have tens of thousands of battle hardened men roaming the countryside with no means to provide for themselves. They would most likely turn to maruading or begging which would be more than the existing forces could handle as well as destroy what production was going on. Thus!

MilGov following the US history, and wanting to satisfy these people and wants to benefit from them as well issues them land grants in areas that have been depopulated. They are given a basic amount of supplies and a yearly allotment of goods/supplies for the next five years as compensation for the back pay owed them. And then it is up to the PCs to make it to the location, and set up their settlement and get things going.

Of course the PCs have to deal with raiders, local war lords, refugees, marauders and whatever else comes along when there. And of course, they have to get there as well, which would be in the mid west, thus proving the old adage "getting there is half the fun."