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To the Military
and Beyond! Careers After the Military
You might
be considering joining the military. You want to see the world, develop
your potential, serve your country -- all that good stuff. But what if
you know -- or later decide -- that a long-term military career is not
for you? What happens when you decide to doff your uniform and don your
civvies for good? How hard will it be to build a second career after
the military?
Well, when you make the transition from military to civilian life,
you'll find yourself doing a lot of translating -- translating your
military accomplishments into terms that those outside of the military
can understand and appreciate. That's because the military has its own
distinct culture, with lots of customs and rules that can seem overly
formal, rigid and even strange to outsiders. Overcoming stereotypes and
presenting yourself in the right light is vital for those making the
transition.
Daniel Gilbert is making that transition right now. He served in the
U.S. Navy for 20 years and has been retired for one and a half months.
"So far, things are going well with the job searching and I already
have interviews scheduled," says Gilbert, who lives in Nevada.
Gilbert says he has no regrets about his years of military service. The
experience changed him in many positive ways and provided him with
valuable experiences.
"I came into the military at 18 years old with only local experiences
to learn from," Gilbert says. "I have had the chance to visit some of
the most beautiful countries in the world, but also some of the worst.
"I have also been lucky enough to work with some of the best
technicians and people that the world has to offer," he adds. "It's a
special bond that service members have with each other, knowing that
you have to protect each other from all forms of dangers."
While in the Navy, Gilbert conducted a lot of training. This led to
many personal rewards.
"I think the main one would be watching those that you have trained
succeed in situations where they might not have been able to without my
involvement," Gilbert says. "There is no greater feeling than knowing
those that you have taught know their job and are in a position to
teach those that come after them."
So what do former members of the military such as Gilbert offer future
employers?
"On top of being occupationally qualified....the [military] gives them
leadership skills," says Capt. Holly Brown. She's with the Canadian
Forces Recruiting Group. "Whether you're an officer or a
non-commissioned member, you're given responsibility for people and
resources."
This ability to handle responsibility is a real selling point.
Businesses place a high value on people they can rely on. Employers
know they get that by hiring a former member of the military.
"There's not an organization in the world that gives someone the amount
of responsibility that we'll give a soldier on the first day of work,"
says Col. Kevin Shwedo. Shwedo is director of operations, plans and
training for U.S. Army Accessions Command at Fort Monroe, in Virginia.
Each branch of the military offers career transition counseling. For
example, officers in the military are able to get pre-retirement
assistance from The Retired Officers Association (TROA).
There are also programs such as the U.S. Army's Partnership for Youth
Success (PaYS). PaYS matches new recruits with companies that promise
them an interview and priority consideration once they complete their
term of service. More than 160 companies are involved. The recruit is
interviewed by the company near the end of their enlistment term with
the Army.
Many former officers (as well as non-officers) find leadership roles in
business. This seems a natural fit. After all, they have spent years
managing and motivating hundreds or thousands of soldiers. They have
also used their analytical skills to develop and execute plans of
action, often in extremely stressful situations -- valuable assets for
any leader, whether in a military or civilian capacity.
"Someone who has successfully completed a term of enlistment, you know
they've maintained their physical fitness, you know they've been
screened of drug usage, you know they've learned to work as a team,
they are self-starters and have discipline and dedication," says
Douglas Smith with U.S. Army Recruiting.
"The whole list of intangible qualities that you develop -- I think
America's employers know that," says Smith. "American business is
looking for those qualities."
"There's that sense of discipline (and) a strong work ethic," says
Brown. "Also, in the Forces we're very task oriented and performance
oriented. These are all skills that employers look for."
Naval Lt. Chris Parsons echoes Brown's comments. Parsons is with the
Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School. "The first thing the
employer is going to look at, they know the person has
self-discipline," says Parsons. "They know the person has....the
ability to manage time. We teach people leadership, so the employer
knows the person has been given the fundamentals of leadership and
management."
Whether you serve your country for three years or 30 years, a military
career can provide you with skills and experiences that will continue
to serve you for a lifetime.
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Net
Sites
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Switching from a
Military to Civilian Career
Read one person's story about making the transition
http://www.vault.com/nr/newsmain.jsp?nr_page=3&ch_id=268&article_id=5338662&cat_id=3115
Transitioning Out of
the Military
Advice from the experts
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/lifeafterthemilitary/a/transitionout.htm
Partnership for
Youth Success
Information on the PaYS program
http://www.goarmy.com/pays/index.jsp
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