Objective To investigate the personality characteristics and coping style of soldiers to beretived confronting special events and their effects on mental health. Method 365 soldiers to be retired after retired 3 months were recruited at for evaluation using symptom checklist ( Symptom Checklist 90, SCL-90), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Eysenck Personality Questionaire, EPQ ) and Coping Style Questionnaire ( Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire ) evaluation. Results (1) Early mental health status of soldiers to be retired and extraversion-introversion were very significantly negatively correlated (P<0.01), and neuroticism and psychoticism had very significant positive correlation (P<0.01); and immature and mixed coping style had very significant positive correlation (P<0.01). (2) Personality trait of neuroticism on mental health scores had very positive effects (P<0.001). (3) Self-reproach and rationalization in neuroticism predicting mental health scores played a partial mediating effect. Conclusions Individual personality plays a role in predicting mental health and also has impact, on mental health by coping style.