Military Transition News – November/December 2016, Top Forty Under Forty Military issue

ANNOUNCING THE 2016 TOP 40 UNDER 40 MILITARY! CivilianJOBS.com’s

The Essential Military-to-Civilian Transition Resource November - December 2016

militarytransitionnews.com

Introducing the 2016 Top 40 Under 40 Military

by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor

T

enacious grit and a dogged pursuit of dreams define this year’s cadre of Top 40 Under 40 Military winners.

Recognized by CivilianJobs.com and Military Transition News, the Top 40 Under 40 Military is a list of military members and veterans who have shown exceptional resolve and achieved significant career and personal milestones.

“Eaton is very pleased to sponsor the 2016 Top 40 Under 40 Military.

Eaton is grateful to the many veterans who are Eaton employees and offer their outstanding leadership skills, dedication and ethics to further strengthen our core values. We honor the service of all veterans,” said John Spencer, Eaton Vice President and Chief Counsel, and Eaton’s Veteran ERG Executive Sponsor.

The 2016 designees come from five branches of the military, and each individual demonstrates the persistence and selflessness

one consistently finds in those populations.

You could say Marine LCpl Adam Klich had to reach for his dreams with one hand tied behind his back after his original dream for a lengthy military career was dashed. He had just returned to Camp Pendleton from a noncombat deployment in which he spent about eight months between Australia, Japan, Thailand and other Asian countries.

And then his world fell apart.

“I simply woke up one day and did not have center vision in my right eye. It took the military doctors a few months to reach a prognosis, but from the start they told me it was not curable, meaning my vision was gone,” he says.

The Marine Corps decided he was not fit to deploy. “I was placed against a medical board revision.

That was the end of my military career,” Klich says.

But Klich didn’t give up.

He received an associate degree in 2013 from Norwalk Community College in Connecticut. “In order

to do that within two years, I had to take classes at other local community colleges and transfer the credits to Norwalk,” he says. Klich went on to receive his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in 2015, and a master’s in technology commercialization and entrepreneurship in 2016, both from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Today, Klich is working full-time as an Innovation Advisor at RTI International in North Carolina.

Army National Guard CPT Karthik Venkatraj followed his parents’ personal example to give back to the country while reaching for the American dream. Ten years after emigrating from India, both of his parents earned their graduate degrees and reminded him that “their narrative could not have happened anywhere else because of the values that define our nation,” he says. Venkatraj originally planned to pursue a science career like they did. But he changed his mind and decided to serve in the Army National Guard because of the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

Today, he has two careers – one with the Guard, the other in Colorado state politics. His military and political achievements have garnered accolades from supervisors and colleagues, and he is now a full-time law school student at the University of Colorado (Boulder). He holds leadership positions such as President of the Military Law Society, Managing Editor of the University of Colorado Law Review and, most recently, Student Bar Association President of CU Law School.

He has spent months researching Veterans Trauma Courts, which culminated in his paper that won the 2016 National Law Review Law Student Writing Award and the Gamm Justice Award, an award given for a paper that promotes equity in the judicial system.

And he and his fiancée became involved in American Military Family, a nonprofit focused on

stopping veteran suicide through combat veteran counselors.

These are just two examples of the honorees’ back stories. Turn to page 10 to review profiles of each of the Top 40 Under 40 Military and find out how the members of the class of 2016 are impacting their service branches, companies and communities.

Heidi Lynn Russell writes about employment and business issues.

Zac Brown’s Southern Ground: Where Passion and Cause Collide

by Janet Farley Contributing Editor

Y

ou’re getting out of the military and want your post-uniform job to be a meaningful one. It’s understandable. After all, you are an extraordinary individual who has worked in a service-oriented career field for quite some time. It only makes sense to seek out a like-minded and equally extraordinary employer in your civilian life, don’t you think?

If this describes you then your search may be over.

Let me introduce you to the toetapping, taste-bud pleasing, highly creative and truly caring world of Zac Brown’s Southern Ground.

The Big and Even Bigger Picture Zac Brown, as you may already know, is a three-time Grammywinning singer, songwriter and bandleader who also happens to deeply respect military service members and their families, making it his mission to recognize their sacrifices at each of his concerts.

In 2010, Zac launched Zac

Brown’s Southern Ground (SG) (www.southernground.com), a unique family of brands brimming with incredibly passionate artists brought under one roof to work together and create.

Southern Grind is a metal shop that produces unique knife lines and metal works.

ZB Customs designs and builds one-of-a-kind pieces for the home or business.

Southern Hide designs and handcrafts quality leather goods.

Shelly Brown designs and creates

custom jewelry.

SG, with a little help from chef Rusty Hamlin, also cooks up some mean southern food with a south of the border flair at its Southern Ground Music and Food Festival and by way of its gourmet 18 wheeler, kitchen on wheels, Cookie.

And last, but far from least, is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that all the Southern Ground businesses ardently support called Camp Southern Ground (CSG).

Talk to anyone from the Southern Ground family and you get the clear impression that it is this particular effort they feel most proud of.

Camp Southern Ground supports children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), such as Autism and continues page 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Transition Talk: Interview 411 .............. page 3

Feature: Top 40 Under 40 Military profiles

Finance: Holiday Checklist

..........pages 10-11

......... page 17

Job Fairs: Year end Opportunities ................page 18

Career Coach’s Corner: First five commandments ............................page 19

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Nov/Dec 2016

Military Leadership in Action: A Q&A with Senator Johnny Isakson

by MTN Staff

S

enator Johnny Isakson is a successful businessman with 40-plus years in the real estate industry who has built a respected record of public service to Georgia. He is the first Georgian since the 1800s to have served in the state House, state Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.

He also served Georgia as chairman of the Georgia Board of Education. Senator Isakson is serving his second term in the U.S. Senate, and is the only Republican in the Senate chairing two committees: the Senate Ethics Committee and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

To help commemorate the Top 40 Under 40 Military issue and Veterans Day, MTN caught up with Senator Isakson and asked him for his advice for transitioning military and veterans.

Q: You served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966 – 1972. What made you join?

A: I was always interested in the U.S. Air Force, and I felt that serving my country was the right thing to do. My grandfather immigrated here from Sweden during the potato famine there, and while he passed on a love of his native land, he was also very proud when he became an American.

Q: In the 1970s, America was experiencing double-digit unemployment, inflation, the Vietnam War and a stock market crash. At that time, you opened a real estate branch and became a successful entrepreneur.

How did you overcome obstacles such as these? Did your military experience help you meet these challenges?

A: Well the military prepares you for the unexpected. You must rise above circumstances, find the right assets of your team members and continue to press on. I also had a new wife and family to consider and I like to say they gave me “the inspiration of desperation” to do well and ultimately, to succeed!

Q: Do you have any guidance for veterans interested in serving in public office?

A: I think veterans can serve as some of the greatest assets in any position. Our veterans bring a unique skill set and knowledge, as well as discipline and the right attitude.

Their personal experiences in service allow them to bring a different perspective than civilians to a number of important issues, and I encourage any veteran seeking to follow a path of public service to do so.

Speak with local government officials, as well as state and federal. There are many more opportunities for public service than many folks consider.

IF YOU’VE GOT THE COURAGE TO FIGHT FOR YOUR GOALS YOU’RE OUR KIND OF DIFFERENT You’re determined to succeed, and DeVry University can give you the tools to help. DeVry offers degree programs in more than 40 career fields – like Business, Technology and Healthcare – and flexible options to fit your schedule and your life.

DeVry has a long history of educating and supporting America’s military personnel and the veteran community.

A varety of benefits such as military pricing and the Yellow Ribbon program may be available for those who qualify to help prepare you for what’s next.

devry.edu/military 877.433.8792

© 2016 DeVry Educational Development Corp. All rights reserved.

Q: You are the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. What is the most pressing issue for veterans today?

A: The issue I hear most about is timely care from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the appeals backlog, and holding bad actors accountable within the department. That’s why I have pushed for my Veterans First Act, a bipartisan bill to help change the culture at the VA through accountability reform as well as enhanced veterans’ health care and benefits.

The Veterans First Act is designed to demand a higher level of accountability from the 345,000-employee department in the wake of numerous scandals over the past few years at VA facilities across the country involving serious mismanagement, misconduct and mistreatment of veterans.

Q: This issue honors top performing individuals who make up the Top 40 Under 40 Military class of 2016. Do you have any advice regarding what a veteran can do to get the most out of their military and/or civilian career?

A: It’s important as a community to embrace all those who have served in order to help them succeed in civilian life.

Nov/Dec 2016

NEWS

Transition Talk Publisher Jake Hutchings Managing Editor Kathy Scott Art Director Alec Trapheagen Contributing Editors Janet Farley

Heidi Lynn Russell

Tom Wolfe Director of Technology Don Nowak Executive Consultant Brett Comerford Consultant Tucker Harrell Consultant Jillian LeBlanc Consultant Glen Nelson Consultant John Skinner Account Representative Erin Feeley Account Representative Robert Mulvihill Military Transition News is published by: CivilianJobs.com 1825 Barrett Lakes Blvd., Suite 300 Kennesaw, GA 30144 1-866-801-4418 Reproduction or use without permission of any editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. The inclusion of advertising is considered a service to our readers and is not an endorsement of products or advertising claims. Opinions expressed in articles are the opinions of the contributors and do not necessarily express the opinions of Military Transition News or its staff. Subscription rate: $12 per year (6 issues). To subscribe, call 1-866-801-4418. ©2007-2016 Civilian Jobs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Military Transition News and CivilianJobs.com are whollyowned subsidiaries of Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI), the largest military-focused placement firm in the U.S.

Correction

In the most recent Military Transition News (MTN, September/ October 2016), an image was included in the “Freedom in Franchising” article of a male and female couple. The editors intended that photo to be the one above of Waylon and Victoria White, but a different image was printed instead. While the electronic version of that MTN issue has been updated, we would like to call out this correction to our print readers as well.

by Mike Arsenault Vice President of Candidate Services

Bradley-Morris answers questions from transitioning military job seekers.

Q:To say that I am nervous about finding a civilian job

would be an understatement. I’m so used to training for every mission, and it seems the only training for job hunting is actual interviewing – trial and error. So can you guide me through a typical civilian interview from the minute I arrive at the company until I leave so I will have a better idea of what to expect?

A: I’m glad you asked this as I’m sure it will be informative

to many of our readers.

First, it’s key that the day before the interview, you know where you are going and how long it will take to get there.

Do not be late! It’s better to be really early and do some last-minute interviewing prep in the parking lot before you go in. Leave time to navigate a parking garage and get through security after you arrive at the location.

Also, be sure you know what to wear. Sometimes, if you are doing a site visit in a plant or industrial environment, the employer will specify more casual clothing as you may have to put on additional safety gear. But if dress is not specified, wear formal business attire; that is, a black, navy blue or dark gray suit, white or blue shirt and, for men, a conservative burgundy or dark red tie.

Finally, if you know who you are interviewing with, see if you can find them on LinkedIn. Check out their background, how long they have been at the company, etc. This could give you the basis to make conversation with them based on commonalities with their experiences and/or alert you to some good questions when that time comes in the interview. For instance, you may say, “I saw on LinkedIn that you’ve been with the company for nine years. What has led to your longevity here?”

Once you meet the interviewer, remember to smile and project interest and energy. Sit toward the front edge of your chair.

Hopefully, you’ve already practiced some common interview responses. This is the one area in which I disagree a bit with your initial question. You can and should train to respond to interview questions before the interview. It’s the

only way you will feel comfortable and seem at ease when you are actually in the interview and be able to view the time as a conversation, not an interrogation.

There are a number of sites online where you can review lists of common interview questions. Go find them and practice, practice, practice! Here are a few examples: 1. “Tell me about yourself.” Ideally you would include some bits of your background that make you a match for the job opening.

2. “What do you consider your most significant accomplishment?” The key here is what you did.

Service members tend to be “we” people, but in an interview it needs to be about “I”.

3. “Why are you leaving the military?” Those transitioning might get this question.

4. “What do you consider your most significant weakness?”

This one trips up a lot of folks, but it’s your opportunity to show a weakness you improved on and turned into a strength. For example, “I used to believe, if I wanted to get the job done right, do it myself. But as I grew, I learned how to maintain responsibility for the job, but to train and delegate to others to perform at my expectations, improving the effectiveness of my team.”

5. “Why should we hire you?” You need to be able to highlight the elements of your background and training, as well as your career goals, that make you a fit.

After their questions, as mentioned above, it will be time for you to ask questions. You must ask some questions!

This helps you demonstrate your interest in the job. Don’t ask about salary, benefits, vacation, etc. though. The time for those types of inquiries will come later if you receive an offer. Make the questions about the job.

This will probably conclude the interview. Ask for the business card of the interviewer so that when you get home you can email a short thank you note. As you shake their hand to leave, be sure to express your interest in the position.

That’s about it! Hopefully that has given you a good overview as to what to expect in a civilian interview.

Good luck and get to training!

Mike Arsenault is Vice President of Candidate Services at military placement firm Bradley-Morris, Inc. He can be reached at (800) 330-4950 ext. 2105 or by email at marsenault (at) bradley-morris.com.

Need a resume?

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Backed by 20 years of military placement experience - Companies have told us what they want to see on an ex-military resume.

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Nov/Dec 2016

“Zac Brown’s Southern Ground: Where Passion and Cause Collide” continued from page 1 Asperger’s Syndrome, ADD/ADHD, including Dyslexia and combines these children with mainstream children. Within these groups, there is also a focus on serving children from urban areas that might be deprived of the outdoors, and children with family members serving in the military.

Camp Southern Ground is an inclusive camp and the team there works to provide scholarships for kids who are economically disadvantaged and the children of active military and Gold Star Families.

“At Camp Southern Ground, we help each child find their strength and help them to magnify them,” says Michael Dobbs, President and Chief Executive Officer of CSG. “Zac [Brown] is a firm believer in the mission of Camp Southern Ground. He was a camper himself at a young age, and at 14 he made up his mind that he wanted to build his own camp one day - but not just any camp. He wanted to build a world-class camp. We’re in build-out mode for it now,” Michael Dobbs Dobbs says. “That’s why we get up and work every day. Everything we do is to advance and support Camp Southern Ground.”

According to Dobbs, CSG offers a fall camping session now, but has plans to expand its offerings to nine weeks of camp sessions in the summer as soon as the facilities are fully built.

When CSG isn’t in session for children, it will be used as a host facility for other organizations, including military veterans seeking support with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“We’ve worked with architects to specially design our facilities so that the sounds, shapes, form and colors used in it are as calming as possible for those experiencing severe PTSD,” Dobbs says. “In the right kind of environment, veterans can focus on getting the help they need from clinicians.”

Others will also benefit from using the CSG facilities. “We aren’t all things to all people, but we can partner with other organizations and they can in turn use our state-of-the-art facility as a host. It’s a win-win,” Dobbs says.

CSG has already partnered with the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation (www. chriskylefrogfoundation.org) to serve as a host facility for its revitalization (marriage) retreats, and with the Boot Campaign (www. bootcampaign.org), which has helped to raise scholarship money to send children to the camp.

“I think that we are building a legacy that will endure for generations to come,” Dobbs says.

To learn more about Camp Southern Ground or to make a donation, visit www. campsouthernground.org.

A Tale of Two Veterans Southern Ground doesn’t just selflessly support veterans and their families through CSG or pay homage to them at each and every one of their concerts, either.

They hire them, too.

That’s what they did with Jeff Beatty, General Manager of Southern Grind and Johnny Joey Jones, a company spokesperson for Southern Ground.

“I knew from the time I enlisted that I wasn’t going to be a Sergeant Major in the Army,” Beatty says.

Jeff Beatty

Beatty, who served in the U.S. Army from 1999-2002 at Fort Benning, GA, joined the Southern Grind family in March 2016.

“When I joined the military, my primary goal was to attend college. I knew I wouldn’t be a lifer, but I also knew I didn’t want to be average and I wanted to serve my country,” he says. “Being a Ranger ensured that on all accounts,” he adds.

And how did his transition from the Army work out for him?

“My transition to civilian life was fairly seamless. I went back to work at my old high school retail job. I used the paycheck from that, along my GI Bill and the HOPE scholarship, to earn my degree at Kennesaw State University,” Beatty says.

Southern Ground also hired another veteran recently. Johnny “Joey” Jones, a former Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, was hired in September 2016 and works as an SG spokesperson.

Previously, Jones worked as the Chief Operating Officer for the Boot Campaign. His military to civilian career transition, however, had its share of significant challenges.

Jones spent eight years in Joey Jones the Marines where he worked in a number of different jobs. “I fixed radios.

I coached others on a rifle range. I worked in ship’s galley and I worked with mounted machine guns. In 2007, I deployed to Iraq and eventually figured out that I wanted to be an EOD technician,” he says. “Those guys were the cool guys in the Marine Corps. They got to wear their own uniforms.”

Once his tour in Iraq was over, Jones began his personal search for that cool uniform and successfully completed training to be an EOD technician. He eventually returned to harm’s way working in his new trade.

Bad days on the job of an EOD tech are not just bad days, however. They are life-changing events.

“On August 6, 2010, I lost both of my legs and broke my arm. I was like Humpty Dumpty and had to be put back together again,” Jones says.

Jones went on a tour of his own to different hospitals. First, he was sent to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and then on to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. He ultimately found himself at the Walter Reed National Medical Center where he underwent numerous surgeries and was eventually fitted with prosthetic legs.

“I knew early on that I wouldn’t be taking anymore bombs apart and that I had to find something to do with my life,” he says. “While I was at Walter Reed, I met a lot of service members who were recovering. It occurred to me that they weren’t taking advantage of the

right kind of support and I saw a need to do something about it.”

Jones did do something about it, too. He enrolled at Georgetown University and earned his degree in Liberal Arts. He then became a spokesperson on behalf of veterans, working tirelessly with a variety of entities on behalf of veterans including NASCAR, Congress and nonprofit organizations.

Through his tenure at the Boot Campaign, Jones connected with Zac Brown, which eventually led to his new job with Southern Ground.

Both veterans are clearly committed to their post-uniform careers and believe their employer is a good fit for fellow veterans.

A Good Fit for Veterans “It makes sense from Zac’s standpoint that we respect and honor active duty and retired [service members] by hiring them. It not only makes sense, but it fits for us from a cultural standpoint,” says Harold Earls, President and Chief Operating Officer of Southern Ground. “The way our military goes about training our men and women from a work ethic and loyalty perspective fits Harold Earls with our culture. We’re all American. We work hard. We play hard.”

Beatty agrees. “Working at Southern Grind gives you the unique opportunity to work freely with others in an autonomous environment, with great flexibility. You have the opportunity to strategize with other team members to get a job done,” Beatty says.

“In the military, we are taught to follow processes and procedures. When you get out of the military, adapting that mentality to a smaller organization can be challenging.

There can be a lot of multi-tasking going on, so focus itself can be the challenge,” Beatty says. “It can also take some time to get used to an unstructured environment after having lived with such a structured one.”

And then there’s the whole perspective change to contend with as well.

“As a civilian, perspective is key. What we do on the job today is just what we do. At the end of the day, no one is dying, losing a limb or a brother. We come back tomorrow and continue working,” Beatty says.

“Being in the military helped to instill within me a sense of urgency to get the job done correctly,” he continues. “I learned how to prioritize and put things in perspective to the situation.

Those traits continue to help me today.”

Despite the differences between a day on the job in and out of uniform, Beatty thinks that Southern Grind is a good fit for veterans.

“Veterans have an excellent work ethic and a solid foundation of core values that are often lacking in others. They show up on time and they are disciplined. They add a real strength to any workforce,” Beatty says.

He says teamwork is another important concept within the SG family. “[In the military] it’s like a family and family is protected at all costs,” Earls says. “That’s how we feel here at SG, so it makes sense for us to invite folks into our growing family who think that way and believe the same things we do.”

Southern Grind, not surprisingly, seeks employees who are motivated, excited about doing a good job and who possess a solid work ethic.

“Our biggest growing areas are within manufacturing. We are constantly hiring folks for Southern Grind who can run CNC machinery or who can assemble and/or sharpen knives,” Earls says. “We can train the right people to do those jobs, but it does take someone who is able to live a fairly rigid and disciplined lifestyle.

“We also look to hire individuals for woodworking, too,” he adds. “We need people who have worked around machinery before and who can use CNC machinery to fabricate metal and cut wood.”

It definitely helps if you are a highly skilled and experienced machinist with specific experience as a CNC operator, a G code programmer and/or a 7-access lathe operator.

Job Search Advice Both Jones and Beatty offer up numerous and valuable job search suggestions to jobseeking veterans.

“Start your transition early, be it at eight months out or one or two years out. Explore other career fields. Don’t be afraid to lean into a field that is different from what you were doing in the military,” Jones says.

“If you are targeting a job as a skilled laborer, then investigate apprenticeships. If you are leaning towards a white collar job, then start going to school,” he adds.

“Prepare financially for your life after the military. I’m not talking about balancing your checkbook here but really having a grasp on your financial situation,” he continues.

“Have confidence. Push those strengths you obtained in the military such as leadership,” he advises.

Beatty agrees.

“Start the job search process early, definitely while you are still wearing the uniform itself,” Beatty says, adding that there are a lot of resources available to you as you transition out.

“Reach out to companies like Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI) to help you find a job. They don’t continues page 5

Nov/Dec 2016 “Zac Brown’s Southern Ground: Where Passion and Cause Collide” continued from page 4 charge you for their services and they know where the jobs are located and they are out there,” he advises. Beatty landed an earlier post-uniform job through BMI before coming to Southern Grind.

“Consider going on to college,” Beatty says. “I made that decision for myself and it has served me well.”

“Don’t lose your sense of discipline. It is something that employers will want to hire,” he adds.

Beatty advises veteran job seekers to familiarize themselves with and learn industryappropriate skills. “For example, if you want to work in accounts management, know how to create and manipulate an Excel spreadsheet,” he says.

“Be aware of the cultural workplace differences between life in uniform and life out of it. For example, learn how to communicate as a civilian in the work place,” he adds.

“You cannot swear at people and talk to them as though you were a drill sergeant.

That type of communication may work in the [military], but it doesn’t translate well at all in the civilian workplace,” he cautions, admitting he learned that lesson the hard way.

“It might help you to think faster than you talk,” he continues. “Count down a few seconds before you speak and really think about what you’re going to say. Focus on the message you are trying to communicate. It might also help you to train yourself to talk to others as though you were talking to your mother or your sister.

I know I would never swear in front of mine.”

Beatty also suggests veterans go a step

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NEWS further once they are employed in a civilian job. “I’m not the smartest guy out there, but I try harder,” he says. “If everyone is leaving work at 5 p.m. and the work isn’t done, I’ll stay until 7 p.m. to make sure it is completed.”

Jones has a message for employers in general, too.

“Hire veterans. You may be tempted to hire a dozen 26-year-olds who have college degrees, but hit the pause button for a minute. You can also hire a few 26-year-old veterans who may or may not have a college degree, but they can bring a considerable skill set plus experience to your organization,” Jones says. “Veterans are just as or even better suited to such opportunities, but you have to give them that chance.”

In addition to positions in manufacturing, positions in leadership may also be available with Southern Ground in the near term.

“I’ve been working here with Southern Ground now for eight months. When I started, most of the leadership was here, and we began to build out from under that. I’m sure in the future, there will be other management opportunities available,” Earls says.

“For example, we are currently in research and development of a new company called Alexander Brown. It is in essence the flip side of our Shelly Brown line of women’s jewelry and leather products, only it is for men. In about six to eight months, it will move out of R&D and into an official business unit. At that time, we will need someone to lead that business unit,” he says. “We will definitely need to hire more leadership in the future.”

Where America’s military Connects With Civilian Careers

EmployErs

Janet Farley is a career consultant and author of “Military Life 101: Basic Training for New Military Families,” (Rowman & Littlefield, July 2016).

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Nov/Dec 2016

NEWS

Spouse Series: Out of the Shadows

by Janet Farley Contributing Editor

F

or some time now, you may have lived in the shadow of all things military.

Like it or not, the career of your ever so dynamic and overachieving spouse may have taken precedent over yours and, indeed, over your whole life in general.

While his or her career has steadily progressed through the years and the ranks, yours may not have experienced the same upward spiral. Say it isn’t so, right?

This may not be true for every military spouse (we are, after all, quite a diverse demographic) but it certainly is not an uncommon occurrence in this camouflaged world for many.

All too often, we dilute our own career goals or shelve them altogether for that some day when mission doesn’t take precedence over everything else.

We look forward to some day when it’s our turn to take the professional lead in the family or at least to have more of an open opportunity to do so.

Some day has arrived, my friend. How exactly will you manage?

Don’t expect your overachiever to stop overachieving.

Your spouse is used to being in the professional spotlight. Don’t expect that to change too much when the uniform is hung up in the closet. A leopard doesn’t just change his spots.

Unless your other half has committed to a full retirement in the very real sense of the word, he or she will most likely still seek a challenging job that will benefit from your continued emotional, logistical and moral support.

Be clear with your spouse about your own evolving career ambitions.

If you want your own professional future to look different than it has in the past, clearly communicate that fact to your spouse now. By being open with each other early in the transition process, you allow yourselves more flexibility in the big picture when those life-changing decisions need to be made.

Rely on your superpower.

Call it a transferrable skill if you’d like to, but really your ability to manage change is more than that. Change management is your superpower. You eat it for breakfast and you will continue to use it, particularly

as you and your family transition into this new chapter of your life.

Make a realistic plan.

Making a successful military-to-civilian life transition takes more than just the desire to do so. It takes developing an exit plan that clearly addresses your unique goals in the afterlife.

Such plans also build in the necessary steps to reach those goals, and they establish backup strategies for when things don’t go as planned. And rest assured, things won’t go as planned. Murphy’s Law doesn’t just exist in the military. It’s everywhere.

Face the upcoming transition with the right tools.

You have to have the right tools to do the job right. It’s a given.

Start with a healthy bank account. In theory, you have seen this transition coming from a long way off and have been diligently saving for it. You may need to rely on those funds as you both search for new jobs - bills still need to be paid whether you have a paycheck coming in or not.

Don’t forget about a professional wardrobe. Your spouse can’t wear dress blues or camouflage to civilian job interviews!

Depending on what you’ve been up to pro-

fessionally and where you want to go in the future, you may also have to add to your own clothing inventory as well.

Have an adaptable resume ready to roll.

Adaptable, because you don’t want to make the mistake of using the same exact resume for every job you apply for. You want to tweak it each and every time to the specific job opportunity in question. If you have a basic foundation at the ready, that task of targeting is easier as you go along.

Make sure your online presence communicates an appropriate message to would-be employers on all your social media sites. If you haven’t created a professional profile on a site such as LinkedIn, do so and engage with others online in thoughtful dialogue. As you ramp up your online networking, ramp it up offline as well. Think big picture here.

Take advantage of the military’s transition assistance programs to learn everything you can about transitioning out and about your potential post-uniform benefits as well. Just don’t expect those programs and the people who administer them to do everything for you.

That task would fall to you and yours.

Janet Farley is a career consultant and author of “Military Life 101: Basic Training for New Military Families,” (Rowman & Littlefield, July 2016).

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Top 40 Under 40 Military: What Makes Them Successful?

by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor

W

hat do the Top 40 Under 40 Military do that makes them successful? Here are the habits of these highly effective people: Jeremiah B. Carlson “Making your bed each morning is the first accomplishment of a task for the day, and its completion encourages you to do another, and then another, until the day is filled with successful tasks completed. But if, by chance, you aren’t successful that day, then at least you come home to a well-made bed and are encouraged for tomorrow. If you want to change the world, start by making your bed.”

Gia DeHart “I started running long distances after suffering two open fractures to my dominant arm during training at the United States Naval Academy in 2008. Running regularly quickly became a positive habit that allowed me to de-stress and be alone with my own thoughts. I often go on runs when I need to think about an important decision alone, but running has also connected me with other runners in my professional organization.”

Kaisha S. Gurtner “My habit that has helped me achieve success would be never letting my emotions overpower my intelligence. Negative situations or events happen, but being able to keep a cool head and triumph through any situation is key. I started doing this about six years ago and immediately noticed a big change.”

Ryan Henderson “The two habits that have made me successful are, one, keeping God first in my life through prayer, quiet time, worshiping and giving Him the glory. The second is running and lifting weights every day. Since putting God first, my life has never been the same. I started running long distance and working out at 19. Rigorous and consistent exercise increased my confidence, stamina and strength.”

Matthew S. Juntz “Both my foundational routines are ultimately intertwined: First, adopting the mentality of a noexcuse attitude, in which you never accept failure as final outcome but instead empower yourself to reach beyond inconceivable goals. Second, implementing

the mindset of perseverance and understanding that worthy goals are meant to be difficult; thus, pushing yourself further than anyone thought you could, including yourself.”

James M. Landreth “Since 2010, I have listened to podcasts and various lecture series during my commutes to work instead of music. I immediately noticed how this practice enhanced my education and perspective on a variety of issues, from current events to technical subjects. Podcasting is a habit anyone can adopt, because it is typically free, scalable based on education level and covers a wide variety of interests.”

Greg Lozeau “One daily habit I have maintained since college that has consistently led to positive results in school, the military and civilian work has been to visualize my day. I spend a quick 10 to 15 minutes and mentally walk through my day – what does my schedule look like, what is required of me at each occasion, where will my time be crunched and when do I have time to finish tasks? Through this process, I map out my day prior to any unforeseen issues arising.

This allows me to be more equipped to handle unforeseen situations. At the end of each day, I devote another 10 to 15 minutes to regard the day and what went well and what could have been improved upon. Also, always carry a book. You never know when you will be stuck somewhere with some time to kill.”

Karthik Venkatraj “From Day 1 - regardless of officer, NCO or enlisted - we are instructed to get to know your Soldiers. The importance of this habit cannot be overstated. Knowing people, their skills and attributes, as well as their passions, and connecting them to meaningful opportunities/missions that match them, has been crucial to success. Building others’ capabilities and assets is both incredibly rewarding and has led to success.”

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Laymond “Lay” Wilburn “My method for success is the Triangle Theory of Life, at the top acknowledging God in everything, followed by a base leg of family and the other being mental/ psychical wellness. When one is lacking, this approach allows for the triangle to still be balanced by the other sides.”

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Brandon K. Alexander Army, SGT US Operations Manager, Penspen In the 11 years since Brandon Alexander exited the Army, he has progressively moved through the ranks of the oil and gas industry. He started as a field technician, doing hands-on work. Today, Alexander is a U.S. Operations Manager at Penspen, an industry provider of engineering and management services. Alexander was a SGT, serving as an Avionics Mechanic from 1999 to 2005. He was awarded two Army Achievement Medals and an Army Commendation Medal. He served in both Iraq and Bosnia.

Colleen S. Balik-Meisner Air Force, SSgt Information Systems Security Officer, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC In late 2014, Air Force SSgt Colleen Susan BalikMeisner was handpicked to take over her squadron’s Unit Training Manager position. She received a Commendation Medal for managing the training program for 72 active duty Airmen. Balik-Meisner also created the 4th Communications Squadron’s Junior Enlisted Counsel at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC. The Counsel provides “a route for young Airmen (ranks E-1 to E-4) to get their voice to the Commander and other squadron leaders without repercussions,” she says. She also volunteers off base with local schools.

Michael E. Boardman Navy, PO1 Law school student and Senior Test Engineer, General Dynamics Electric Boat At age 25, Navy PO1 Michael Boardman was Leading Petty Officer for the Submarine Sonar A School. Currently, Boardman is a senior test engineer for General Dynamics Electric Boat. He is returning to the Navy in fall 2017 as an LTJG JAG officer, after graduating from Quinnipiac University School of Law. Boardman has two Master’s degrees from University of Phoenix and Liberty University.

He has a Bachelor’s in Society and Justice from the University of Connecticut and an AAS in Electronics from Thomas Edison State University.

Zachary Branum Navy, PO1 Inventory Manager, WIS International Navy PO1 Zachary Branum deployed to Antarctica twice and received the Antarctic Service medal. He also deployed to Afghanistan with Task Group Trident, where he was a gunner for the Quick Reaction Force.

Branum received the NATO forces medal, Army Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two stars. Currently, he’s at WIS International as an Inventory Manager. Previously, he was Director of the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program Key West, FL. Branum has a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Colorado Technical University.

Daniel J. Cain Air Force, MSgt Munitions Section Chief Air Force MSgt Daniel Cain “has had an impeccable track record,” says his Flight Chief, Jacqueline Villanueva. “As a young airman, he was selected for the coveted position of Munitions Inspector, a position routinely held by a staff sergeant,” Villanueva says. He received a Bachelor’s from Ashford University in Business Administration in January 2015 and is expected to graduate from Columbia Southern University in December 2017 with a Master’s in Organizational Management. His military exit date is July 2021.

Ryan Callaway Army, SSG Nurse Georgia Army National Guard SSG Ryan Callaway has participated in countless humanitarian missions. From 2000 to 2005, he worked monthly with the homeless in Atlanta through Straight Street Ministries.

In 2007, Callaway spent six months in Beirut, Lebanon, as a paraprofessional at Beirut Baptist School. In 2012, Callaway graduated from Geor-

gia State University with a B.S. in Nursing. He is currently the Recruiting and Retention NCO for the Georgia Army National Guard in Athens, GA, and is working on an MBA at Brenau University.

Jeremiah B. Carlson Air Force, Maj Fighter Pilot, 4-Ship Flight Lead and Flight Commander in the F-15E Strike Eagle After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2005, Maj Jeremiah Carlson trained as a Weapons Systems Officer in the F-15E Strike Eagle. He deployed to Afghanistan and to locations around the world several times. He attended pilot training in 2012, and returned to the F-15E. He’s a 4-ship flight lead in the F-15E at Mountain Home AFB, ID, and Flight Commander.

“His professionalism and talent led directly to saving the lives of many U.S. and coalition troops on the ground,” says former Maj Jake Anderson.

Ryan I. Carlson Marines, Capt Tactical Mishap Investigator, office of Commandant of the Marine Corps Safety Division Capt Ryan Carlson is a tactical mishap investigator for Headquarters Marine Corps Safety Division. He exits service in May 2017. He analyzes significant accidents to determine causing factors. His recommendations for corrective action often impact policy, techniques, tactics and procedures across the Marine Corps, says Jon Natividad, Director, Investigations Division. “There is no doubt that Capt Carlson’s efforts have preserved valuable Marine Corps’ resources and saved Marine’s lives,” Natividad says. Carlson has an M.S. in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

David Closson Army, SGT Consultant for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration David Closson’s book, “Motivational Interviewing for Campus Police,” published in 2015, is changing how officers interact with students. He was an officer at Eastern Illinois University. The book “elicits and builds students’ own internal motivation to change their high-risk behavior,” he says. Closson is a former Army SGT who deployed to Iraq in 2005. Today, he is a consultant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. He is also a professional speaker with “ForCollegeForLife,” where he focuses on serving student veterans.

Rabindra M. David Air Force, Capt Lawyer, Orrick law firm, Sacramento After serving as a navigator maintenance officer and then becoming a civilian litigator, Capt Rabindra David came full circle and became an Air Force Judge Advocate General. David legally advised over 100 commanders and supervisors from 2014 to 2016, says Lt Col Patrick Schwomeyer, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate. He became Chief of Military Justice, managing over 50 cases and investigations. This September, he started at the Orrick law firm in Sacramento, CA. He received his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University in May 2010.

Gia DeHart Navy, LTJG First Lieutenant Division Officer, Naval Base Coronado Coming from a family of ice cream cone makers, nurses and musicians, Navy LTJG Gia DeHart says she “had zero exposure to the military” but was influenced by the events of 9/11. She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2012. As a public affairs officer, DeHart once coordinated with entertainment professionals to enhance public awareness of the U.S. Navy in support of TNT’s hit-show “The Last Ship” and FOX’s “Grease Live.” She is a First Lieutenant Division Officer, Naval Base Coronado.

Doug Delpha Air Force, SSgt Assistant Distribution Manager at Dealer Tire in Houston Doug Delpha finished his Master’s degree in June at the International University in Geneva.

Nov/Dec 2016

His thesis was on Artificial Intelligence/ Automation and their Effects on International Trade. In winter 2017, he is scheduled to start a graduate certificate program at Harvard University in either Organizational Behavior or Strategic Management. He currently is working as Assistant Distribution Manager at Dealer Tire in Houston, TX. From November 2015 to May 2016, he was an analyst at the Geneva Institute of Geopolitics in Switzerland.

David R. Dixon Marines, Maj Published author and Reservist, stationed in New Orleans with Marine Forces Reserve headquarters Maj David Dixon is a Marine Corps AH-1W Cobra attack helicopter pilot and Reservist. He completed two combat deployments to Iraq, one deployment to Japan and two flying tours aboard Navy ships. His book, “Call in the Air,” won the 2014 Robert A. Gannon award for distinguished poetry from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. A second book, “Goodnight Marines,” was released in hardcover in January 2016. Dixon has two Master’s degrees from Harvard Graduate School of Education and Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Kaisha S. Gurtner Air Force, TSgt Air Force Reservist, currently deployed to Afghanistan Air Force TSgt Kaisha Gurtner is a Reservist who has been in Afghanistan since April.

Before her deployment, she was Guest Services Manager with Embassy Suites in Grapevine, TX, and worked there since March 2012. “She built a strong and dedicated staff, trained them and improved results in areas such as cost containment, service to guests and employee morale,” says General Manager Todd Raburn.

Gurtner has also volunteered for the Grapevine Battered Women’s Shelter and YMCA. She was named Non-Commissioned Officer of the YearMaintenance Group in 2015.

Shaye L. Haver Army, CPT First female graduate of Army Ranger School The rigorous Army Ranger School has not been an option for women soldiers historically. But in 2015, CPT Shaye Haver (along with CPT Kristen Griest) received this elite designation. At the time, Haver was a 1LT and was one of 19 women to start the school and one of 400 total students. At the end, she and Griest completed the full course, plus 94 men. Ranger school includes a five-mile run in 40 minutes, a 12-mile march in three hours and an air assault in Florida swamps.

Ryan Henderson Army, MAJ U.S. Regional Sales Director for Houston and Northeastern regions at Peak Completions Army MAJ Ryan Henderson is U.S. Regional Sales Director at oil-and-gas company Peak Completion Technologies Inc. in Midland, TX. “One of his greatest accomplishments is managing the highest grossing sales team in our company every year he has been in the sales management role,” says company VP Bryan Fitzhugh. Henderson serves in the Army Reserve in Texas. In 2004-2005, he deployed to Iraq with the Louisiana National Guard where his infantry platoon conducted over 330 combat patrols. After deployment, Henderson became a U.S. Army Ranger.

Aaron J. Holler Coast Guard, LT Project Manager, Cognizant Technology Solutions Search and Rescue is the Coast Guard’s primary mission. Former LT Aaron Holler carried out that mission as a Rescue Helicopter Pilot. In four-and-a-half years, Holler saved 12 lives and assisted 102 others during life threatening situations in adverse weather conditions. He also was a Tactical Drug Interdiction Helicopter Pilot who accomplished the first-ever U.S. helicopter “Airborne Use of Force” drug interdiction while partnering with the Royal Netherlands. He separated in June 2015 and is a project manager at Cognizant Technology Solutions.

CivilianJobs.com C 2016 Top 40 Un Steven Jaworski Navy, LT USN Naval Aviator Naval Aviator Steven Jaworski is a Plans and Policy Action Officer in Arlington, VA. He is most proud of becoming a Helicopter Aircraft Commander/ Mission Commander, in which he led young pilots and aircrewmen. Jaworski developed an aviation preparation program at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). He was a naval ambassador to CEOs of major corporations, participating in Boston College Center for Work and Family roundtables. He will graduate in May 2018 with an MBA from the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Matthew S. Juntz Army, 1LT Security Specialist, U.S. Department of Justice Matthew Juntz is a member of a Classified Information Security Officer team at the U.S. Department of Justice. He is a neutral party that assists federal courts in litigation involving classified information. In July, Juntz, also an Army Reservist 1LT, was appointed as an Aide de Camp Officer for a two-star general with the 412th Theater Engineer Command in Vicksburg, MS. In addition, he is a parttime student at Henley-Putnam University in San Jose, CA, working towards a Doctorate in Strategic Studies.

Pete Kelley Army, CPT Project Manager, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Former Army CPT Peter Kelley is a project manager at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.

He oversees projects having a direct impact on addressing the psychological health issues for service members. “Serving as support and overseeing projects in this space reconnected me to the military community,” Kelley says. A West Point graduate, Kelley commissioned into the Air Defense Artillery branch. He later graduated from Air Defense Artillery Fire Control Officer School and the rigorous Patriot Top Gun course.

Nov/Dec 2016

Joshua J. Larson Navy, LT Director of Manufacturing with Twin City Fan Companies, Brookings, SD and Navy Reservist Navy Reservist LT Joshua Larson works full-time as Director of Manufacturing with Twin City Fan Companies in Brookings, SD. He oversees nine manufacturing sites in North America.

Larson exited active duty in 2011 but is still in the Reserves and is the Commanding Officer of a unit in Kansas City. In 2010, he graduated from the Army’s Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. In 2012, Larson and his friends launched a new church. Larson was Treasurer and CFO. He has an MBA from Liberty University.

Michael Lewis Air Force, 1st Lt Account Executive, VMWare in Austin, TX As an Account Executive at VMWare in Austin, TX, former Air Force 1st Lt Michael Lewis is managing a four-state territory while consulting with companies on their virtualization, cloud and security strategies. In the Air Force, Lewis was a Range Control Officer at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. He led nine to 15 airmen on day of launch operations during nine different launches including the Space Shuttle and the Curiosity Mars Rover.

Greg Lozeau Navy, LCDR Senior Project Manager, Apple Inc.

Congratulates the nder 40 Military Adam Klich Marines, LCpl Innovation Advisor with RTI International, NC Adam Klich is a “serious, devoted student with a breadth of interests ranging from engineering and science to entrepreneurship to the impact of technology on society and the environment,” says Lois Peters, associate professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Klich graduated from RPI in 2015 with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. He received a Master’s in Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship in 2016. Today, he is an Innovation Advisor with RTI International.

Kyle Kremser Navy, PO1 System Supervisor, DTE Energy During his last three years in the Navy, PO1 Kyle Kremser handled courses for over 125 first accession Sailors and also mentored 15 staff. He was a Master Training Specialist at the Naval Submarine School in Groton, CT. Kremser’s Naval career offered him extensive experience in the operation, maintenance and repair of nuclear submarine communications, electronic support measures and information technology systems. He exited in July and started a new job in August as a System Supervisor at DTE Energy in Detroit, MI. James M. Landreth Navy, LT Nuclear Engineer, Nuclear Power Training Unit of Charleston, SC Active duty Navy LT James Landreth has been a nuclear engineer since January 2013 at the Navy’s Nuclear Power Training Unit of Charleston, SC. He has a Master’s in Nuclear Engineering from the University of South Carolina and also an S.C. Professional Engineer license.

He served on the USS Alaska as Officer of the Deck at sea and Ship’s Duty Officer in port. As senior qualified Strategic Weapons Duty Officer onboard, he provided “invaluable” leadership during sensitive operations, says CAPT Robert Wirth, under whom Landreth served.

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As a mobilized Reserve officer, Navy LCDR Gregory Lozeau was called to active duty to the Joint Special Operations Command.

Lozeau served as an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Battle Captain in Djibouti, Africa, from March 2015 to January 2016. As Deputy Director for Operations at a forward deployed Joint Air Operations Center, Lozeau executed 20 daily combat mission flights and conducted air strikes in support of special operation forces on the ground. In the civilian world, Lozeau is a Senior Project Manager at Apple Inc. Alexander McCoy Marines, Sgt Political Science Student, Columbia University, and Co-Founder of High Ground Veterans Advocacy Marine Sgt Alexander McCoy was an embassy guard in Saudi Arabia, Honduras and Germany.

As a Squad Leader at the embassy in Berlin, McCoy protected President Obama during his public address in the central square. After exiting in 2013, McCoy pursued political science studies at Columbia University. He co-founded High Ground Veterans Advocacy, which trains veterans to influence their political representatives. McCoy is also the Marine cochair of the Council of Former Enlisted.

Zach Mierva Army, CPT Test Officer, Operational Test Command Since April, Army CPT Zach Mierva has been a Test Officer at Operational Test Command in Copperas Cove, TX. He develops scenarios for soldiers to test equipment under simulated combat conditions. Mierva was also recipient of the 2014 Draper Armor Leadership Award for Best Armor Company in the 1st Cavalry Division. He will start graduate school at Columbia in June 2017, followed by an assignment at West Point as a Tactical Officer.

Miles Nelson Marines, Sgt Student Veterans of America Liaison for Department of Texas VFW Miles Nelson, a Marine veteran, ensures “student veterans in the state of Texas are as successful as they can possibly be.” He is the Student Veterans of America Liaison for Department of Texas VFW. He also is Assistant Veteran Service Officer for Hays County Veterans Services in Texas, helping the military community navigate benefits. Nelson served from 2001 to 2009 as an Infantry Assaultman.

Stefan Ramos Marines, Cpl Quality Insurance Inspector Active duty Marine Cpl Stefan Ramos is a quality assurance inspector in Beaufort, SC. He ensures the quality of components that are installed into aircraft. As a day shift and production supervisor, he also instructs colleagues on proper maintenance procedures.

“My other leadership positions include representing my work center through Lean Six Sigma, attending production control meetings, implementing correct repair capability on components and equipment, as well as ensuring proper tool management,” he says. Ramos also volunteers with his church.

James Ramsay Navy, PO2 Systems Engineer, Caterpillar Inc. James Ramsay is a systems engineer at the Caterpillar CoGen facility in Mossville, IL. “A great work ethic and determination to succeed has enabled him to take the lead and address several electrical and control issues that factory or OEM technicians could not correct,” says Plant Superintendent Ron Markle. Ramsay is pursuing an electrical engineering degree at Bradley University. He has three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. In the Navy, Ramsay was supervisor of a main engine room and a gas turbine electrical shop.

Anthony D. Ripley Marines, Capt Currently Active Duty Marine Capt Anthony Ripley “is the most innovative and inventive leader I have worked with in years,” says Col James Caley. Ripley, who is still on active duty, developed an award-winning, power-and-water harvesting system for dismounted warfighters on multi-day missions in austere environments. In addition, Ripley drove the development of technologies that reduced the logistics burden on warfighters. “His work in leading energy harvesting and water scavenging technology identification will enable Marines of the future to carry less while going farther and longer,” Caley says.

Jacob Robinson Marines, Sgt Advanced Aviation Electronics Technician Marine Sgt Jacob Robinson is a work center supervisor of 25 fellow service members at an advanced test equipment work center, specializing in electronic warfare. Since December 2012, he has been an Advanced Aviation Electronics Technician in the Marines, calibrating and troubleshooting Avionic and similar electronic systems. Robinson has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electronic Systems Technologies and a Bachelor’s in Electronic Systems Technology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Riley Robinson Navy, LT Assistant Professor of Naval Science, Maine Maritime Academy, NROTC Unit As an Assistant Professor of Naval Science at the Maine Maritime Academy NROTC, Riley Robinson prepares and trains future officers. His efforts “have directly contributed to the creation of a command climate that fosters respect and creativity,” says Robinson’s Commanding officer, Tim Cooper. He devoted “countless” hours preparing midshipmen for Naval Nuclear Propulsion technical interviews.

He is also a Volunteer Cross Country Ski Instructor for 25 children with Blue Hill Peninsula Nordic Ski Club. Robinson has a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Rochester.

Tyrone Rowe Army, SSG Operations Manager, Shaw Air Force Base Army SSG Tyrone Rowe’s Army career has focused on logistics, and he is currently an Automated Logistics Specialist and Operational Manager. He coordinates the work of various departments involved in production, warehousing and distribution of goods at Shaw Air Force Base. “He never complains and always gives 120 percent, which is the reason he is always placed in jobs that are very demanding,” says

SFC Shaun McMillan. Rowe is working towards a Doctor in Philosophy at Northcentral University.

He has an MBA from Phoenix University.

Lindsey Gillick Spahr Coast Guard, LT Health Safety & Environment Program Leader, Procter & Gamble Lindsey Spahr has become a widely respected leader at Procter & Gamble, developing manufacturing capability to bring household brand names such as Febreze and Cascade to market, says Dave Nicholson, Operations Leader. Since April, Spahr has been a Site Health Safety & Environment Program Leader in St. Louis, MO. Previously, she was Cascade Operational Department Manager, responsible for three businesses, 60+ technicians, four managers and four production lines. Spahr served in the Coast Guard from 1999 to 2004 and has an MBA from Capella University.

Nathan Terrazone Air Force, Maj Advanced Space Systems Program Manager, Los Angeles Air Force Base As an Advanced Space Systems Program Manager at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Maj Nathan Terrazone handles cutting edge technology. A recent project involved launching four satellites into geosynchronous orbit for the future of American space habitation. His team won the Space and Missile Systems Center annual award. Terrazone also won the Program Manager of the Year award while working for the Missile Defense Agency.

Terrazone has an MBA from the University of Florida. He has competed with and captained the USAF Rugby team.

Andrew Torres Air Force, TSgt Executive Assistant to the Superintendent/55 Ops Group and Language Analyst In 2010, Air Force TSgt Andrew Torres (then SrA) became the lead operator in his deployed squadron. “We were a brand new unit in OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom), so the pressure to succeed was magnified,” he recalls.

He established an in-theater training and certification program. After he returned home, Torres revamped it to ensure it stayed relevant to overseas operations. Today, Torres is Executive Assistant to the Superintendent/55 Ops Group and Language Analyst. He has an Associate Degree in Intermediate Chinese-Mandarin from the Defense Language Institute.

Karthik Venkatraj Army National Guard, Colorado, CPT Law school student, University of Colorado (Boulder) Recently, Army National Guard CPT Karthik Venkatraj deployed to Jordan, followed by a combat tour in Iraq. In Jordan, he trained senior Jordanian officers. Then in Iraq, Venkatraj worked with a multi-national coalition and engaged with Iraqi Army Aviation generals.

After returning home, he and his fiancée became involved in American Military Family, a non-profit focused on stopping veteran suicide through combat veteran counselors.

Venkatraj is the primary staff officer for one of two brigades in the Colorado Army National Guard and a law school student.

Laymond “Lay” Wilburn Air Force, Capt Law student at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University Air Force Capt Laymond Wilburn is a third-year law student at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University. He separated from the Air Force in 2014, but he is scheduled to meet the October 2016 board for Air Force JAG. After starting law school, Wilburn interned with two Federal judges, the Department of State, the United States Attorney’s office and several other agencies. In 2014, Wilburn served as the Deputy CJ6 at the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Camp Vance, Afghanistan.

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NEWS

How Do You Handle a Negative Mark on Your Military Record?

by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor

“I

nterviewers at the San Diego Zoo are trained to spot liars.

“All interviews are structured. We ask the same questions with some fluctuations,” says Tim Mulligan, Chief Human Resources (HR) Officer. “The training helps interviewers know when someone is not giving an honest example of what they’ve done. Our managers do a good job of sniffing out who is not honest.”

Although the zoo is actively recruiting veterans because of their reputation for high moral character, Mulligan notes some may have incidents in their military records that they would like to hide. Other service members embellish the truth of their military job or certifications (easy to do, given the differences with military terms vs. those in the civilian world).

Here are some examples of “black marks” in your record and what to do about them.

Unplanned Discharge from Service Understand that to the civilian world, there is a big difference between “criminal” discharges versus “performance” discharges, says Ret. Army Lt. Col. Whitney Paul Allen Jr. He is Senior Regional Veteran Connector for Where Opportunity Knox, an organization that connects Whitney Allen veterans with jobs in the

Kentucky-Indiana-Ohio region.

“We let people out of the Army because of weight. In any other job in the civilian world, weight isn’t held against you anymore. We release people for not passing a physical fitness test,” Allen says.

However, when it comes to jobs involving integrity or trust (law enforcement, first responders and government jobs), be honest and straightforward about the reason for your discharge, even if you run the risk of not being hired, Allen says.

“You need to put what happened down,” he adds. “If you’re discharged for failing a PT test or medically for asthma, that’s okay. Most times, it’s honorable.”

A Criminal Charge When it comes to being discharged for a criminal reason, such as shoplifting or a DUI, discuss it. “Explain in detail what happened.

(For example) ‘I was young. It was early in my career. I overcame it,’” Allen says.

Don’t put the criminal matter in a cover letter or resume, but if you know it will be uncovered in a background check, bring it up to the recruiter.

“Most people will appreciate you being honest and straightforward. It will come up as a flag. If you don’t bring it up, they will wonder,” he says. “Some minor things are just minor and we get it. If it’s major, we need to know and you go from there. You walk out the door with a clear conscience and leave it up to the HR person.”

He adds that It’s probably best to bring these things up in a face-to-face interview versus a phone-screening interview. “The phone screen is just preliminary,” Allen says.

Gross Negligence Suppose you were cleaning a rifle in your tent and it accidentally discharged. The bullet ricocheted and hit a comrade.

Or you used the wrong lubricating oil in your equipment, the transmission melted and it was out of commission for five weeks.

Or even worse, you went off the plan on a convoy in Iraq and someone died.

“If anything bad has happened, take ownership, but do not talk about it without discussing the lesson learned and what you did to course correct,” says Tim Mossholder, Navy veteran and Project Manager for Candidate Services at recruiting firm Bradley-Morris, Inc., the parent company of CivilianJobs.com and Tim Mossholder Military Transition News.

You should be able to demonstrate that since the time of the incident, you focused on specific things you did to improve yourself and prove that you had matured. You should be able to outline steps you took to mitigate any future problems, Mossholder says.

An Embellishment of Service Sometimes veterans aren’t worried about a black mark on their records, but instead, what

isn’t on their records, such as a certification or education degree. Or they add a commendation or honor to their resume that never happened.

CSM Benny Kinsey, Ret., is a senior recruiter for GM. During a phone screen, a candidate claimed he’d been awarded the Medal of Honor due to 1993 service in Mogadishu, Somalia.

“I told him that I did not remember his name as one of the Medal of Honor Recipients from that year or that conflict. He immediately told me it was a mistake and that he did not prepare his resume; he paid a service to put his resume together for him,” Kinsey says.

“During the discussion, I told him that may be true, but we are still responsible for the information contained in our resumes. He promised he would take it off of his resume and I thanked him for offering to do that,” Kinsey continues. “He was quite embarrassed about the entire ordeal.”

To that point, Mulligan at the San Diego Zoo notes that before committing to a falsehood, be aware that interviewers are not operating in a vacuum.

“We have a rating system. We have two interviewers. They have to agree on each question. Those who do the best get the job,” Mulligan says. “I would say the people who are not as honest or forthright, they don’t score as highly. My advice is that if you’re coming from the military, if I’m the interviewer, I want to see complete honesty.”

Heidi Lynn Russell writes about employment and business issues.

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Nov/Dec 2016

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Nov/Dec 2016

NEWS

Your Rights as a Service-Disabled Veteran in Job Interviews

S

ervice-disabled veterans may feel daunted about discussing their ability to perform a job with employers. But there is one simple guideline: “A job interview is a twoway street,” says Kate Jones, partner at law firm Kutak Rock LLP in Omaha, NE. “This is for the company to interview you and get to know your background and Kate Jones experience, but it’s also an opportunity for the applicant to learn about the corporate culture and the mission,” says Jones, who concentrates her litigation and appellate practice on employment law. As such, you can decide whether a company fits the bill for supporting veterans and your future career.

Here are specific guidelines for navigating the job interviewing process, from Jones and Tim Mossholder, Project Manager for Candidate Services at recruiting firm Bradley-Morris, Inc., parent company of CivilianJobs.com and Military Transition News.

1. Review the job posting carefully to understand the requirements.

Think about the accommodations you may need to perform all the essential functions of the job.

“I would want to draw a thick bold line in between disabilities that prevent me from doing what is required to earn a paycheck and those that allow me to do the work required, but with just a few added steps,” says Mossholder, who is also a Navy veteran.

For example, if you’re visually impaired and need a special computer screen to do the job, that’s one thing. But if the job requires you to lift 50 pounds over your head every day and you have no physical way to do that, find another job, he says.

“It’s just the same way I’d treat a job that requires high-level calculus and you’re not good at math,” he says.

2. During an interview, an employer is not allowed to ask about how, when or where you were injured, Jones says.

Other questions they cannot ask include: “Do you have PTSD?” “Do you have any brain injuries?”

“Do you see a psychiatrist?”

“Did you get hurt in combat?”

“Have you killed anybody?”

3. If you feel a question is inappropriate, ask the interviewer to clarify how it relates to the job.

You could also tell the interviewer you’re not comfortable answering a certain question, Jones says.

“I would try to avoid being confrontational. When you’re deciding how to respond to a question you believe is illegal or inappropriate, take into account the intent of the question, how much you want the job and how your response might hurt your prospects,” she adds.

Also ask yourself how much you want that job. Sometimes it’s worth it to let an inappropriate question go if you know the interviewer didn’t maliciously ask it or did so with innocent ignorance of the military culture, Mossholder says.

“Answer it politely and go to the next topic: ‘Yep, I was in an attack that cost me a few fingers on the right hand. I am fully recovered and able to do the work required,’” he says.

Never become adversarial or end the interview and walk out, he adds. On the other hand, do ask yourself whether the question is “a show-stopper” for you. “It’s the same principle for someone who encounters any potential inappropriate question in an interview,” he says.

4. If you have an obvious injury (or voluntarily disclose that you have an injury), the employer is allowed to ask about needed accommodations to perform the essential job functions, Jones says.

Be prepared to be the first person to discuss your injury.

“If it’s something like a missing limb, it makes sense to be proactive and address it at the beginning of the interview. It may appear to be the elephant in the room, but do everything you can to put a positive spin on things. Do not be afraid to address what appears to be a physical disability,” she says.

Practice telling your story before the interview. In a paragraph or two, describe why you joined the military, the skills you learned and why you would be the best person for the job. Then rehearse it in front of a mirror.

Don’t be intimidated by the discussion about your injury. It’s a normal part of the interactive process between the company and the applicant, Jones says. Also, be open to hearing suggestions about alternative accommodations. “Don’t just dictate the accommodations you would want. It should be a back-and-forth discussion,” she says.

And know that you have legal rights.

“Injured veterans are protected by the ADA

CIVILIANJOBS.COM

(Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) and USERRA (The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994) and Human Resources (HR) will certainly be open to a request for an accommodation,” Jones says.

5. If your injury is not visible to the naked eye, “my advice is to never bring it up,” Mossholder says.

“If you know it won’t prevent you from working, but it’s the reason you can’t serve in military, don’t discuss it,” he says.

Many veterans wrongly assume that the requirements in a civilian job match physical requirements in the military. They don’t.

In fact, requirements for remaining in the Armed Forces are much more stringent than in the civilian world, Mossholder says. For example, there is no comparison between

working in a hot warehouse versus being suited up in full battle armor in 140-degree desert heat. You may be able to do the warehouse job with no problem but have put unrealistic limitations on yourself, due to what you know you couldn’t do in a military environment, he says.

“One critical thing to remember is that the interviewing process is almost always about taking a big stack of resumes and eliminating applicants until only one is left.

The goal of companies is to make an offer to the last person standing. As you practice your interview answers, try to recognize and avoid any type of potential ‘elimination’ response,” Mossholder says.

Heidi Lynn Russell writes about employment and business issues.

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Nov/Dec 2016

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NEWS

Checklist for a Holiday Season with No Money Stress about giving gifts? Why do you want to take a vacation? Why did you choose that specific destination? Get really clear on what you expect to get out of your holiday plan and why it’s important to you. What value is each of these items or experiences honoring? Is it important because you value your family, giving, friends, faith, laughter, joy, etc.? I’ll explain more on why this step is important later.

by Ashley Feinstein Gerstley Contributing Writer

T

he holidays are a wonderful time of year but can also be really stressful.

One of the biggest culprits of that stress is money. Every year, without fail, we hear those around us (often ourselves), complaining and worrying about money.

We either don’t have enough of it to do what we want or we spent too much of it and are now worrying about how to pay off our credit card bills. While there are financial surprises we can’t plan for, the holidays should not come as a surprise: They happen every single year. If you follow this checklist, you can minimize the stress you will experience during the holidays and eliminate money stress going forward.

Start with your vision.

If we don’t know where we want to go, any road will get us there. When you think of your ideal holiday season, what does it look like? Does it involve a couple of trips, gifts for certain people, decorations, parties and/or hosting dinners? Start with the big picture and work your way down to the details. If money were no object, what would your holidays look like?

Ask yourself why.

Then it’s important to understand why we want what we want. What do you enjoy

Give it a price.

One of the missing pieces to a lot of our goals and dreams is knowing how much they will cost. Some of the things we want may be right within reach but we wouldn’t know if we didn’t price it out. This might take some research. Do a little searching around. What can you reasonably expect to pay for something? For example, you might figure out how much your holiday travel getaway would cost or put together an estimate of the gifts you’d like to buy for your family. This doesn’t have to be perfect. You can always adjust as you have more information.

Make it fabulously frugal.

Fabulously frugal means that you increase the fabulousness of something while decreasing the cost. How we can do this most effectively is by making sure to maximize and spend money on the things that are most important to us while letting go of the rest. By letting go of the things that don’t matter and focusing on those that do, we’ll be spending a lot less while living better and more meaningfully.

Here’s an example: You are excited to host a holiday party this year but have estimated that the cost would be prohibitive. What’s most important to you about the holiday party? You decide it’s the quality time spent with friends and family and the holiday-themed food and cocktails. To make your holiday party fabulously frugal,

you would want to honor the time spent with loved ones as well as the holidaythemed treats. Maybe you decide to have everyone bring their favorite seasonal dish or host a cocktail party rather than a full dinner. When we are clear on what’s most important, we can create win-win creative solutions!

Revisit the price.

Now that your holiday season is going to be fabulously frugal, you’ll want to revisit the price. Make it a game. How little can you spend while still having and experiencing everything that’s most important to you?

Always build in a bit of a buffer in case your plans or prices change.

Decide on a timeline.

When would you need to have the money available in order to execute your vision?

For example, you might plan to take a trip in December. When would you need to have the money available in order to pay for the flights? You might plan to buy plane tickets many weeks in advance. Create a timeline that includes when you will want to pay for each part of your holiday vision.

Break it down by week or paycheck.

How many weeks or paychecks do you have remaining, according to your timeline? Let’s say your holiday party will cost $300 and you have two paychecks left until you will need to have access to the money to prepare. You’d decide to put aside $150 per paycheck for the next two paychecks so that you have $300 for the party by the time you need it. Voila!

Separate and automate.

After the careful planning, it’s time to separate and automate. Where will you keep your holiday savings? Set up that per paycheck amount to transfer automatically to your holiday savings fund. This way

you can rest assured that it’s going to be there when you need it and it will make your life easy because you don’t have to remember to do it!

Plan for next year.

While the holidays are quickly approaching and you might not have enough time to prepare this year, plan in advance for next year. If you start setting aside money in January, you will have to put aside much less per paycheck to reach your goal than if you start a couple of months in advance.

The earlier you start, the less you’ll feel the impact in each of our paychecks. For example, if you plan to spend $1,000 per year during the holidays and you only have two paychecks to save up, you will want to put aside $500 per paycheck. If you start in January and have 22 paychecks until you start spending on the holidays, you’ll only have to put aside $45 per paycheck to reach your $1,000 goal. Why not make it easier on yourself?

The holidays can be an expensive and stressful time of year when it comes to our wallets. Create and execute a plan so that you can spend this special time and your energy on what’s most important!

Ashley Feinstein Gerstley is a money coach demystifying the world of money and personal finance. Get her exclusive how-to guide “30 Days to Financial Bliss” (http:// unbouncepages.com/30-days-to-financialbliss-military-transition/), free for Military Transition News readers.

Read this issue online now at Online.MilitaryTransitionNews.com

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Nov/Dec 2016

Job Fair Calendar

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

November 8, 2016 Ft. Bragg, NC - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Ft. Bragg Conference & Catering Center, Building 5-5348, 2658 Reilly Rd. POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

January 25, 2017 Columbus, GA 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Columbus Convention and Trade Center, 801 Front Ave. POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

November 9, 2016 Ft. Bragg, NC - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Ft. Bragg Conference & Catering Center, Building 5-5348, 2658 Reilly Rd. POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

February 7, 2017 Fort Stewart, GA 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Stewart Club, 1020 Hero Rd., Bldg. 405 POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

February 8, 2017 Hunter Army Airfield, GA 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Hunter Club, 135 Duncan Dr. #6015 POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: November 15, 2016 Location: Patuxent River NAS, MD 3 p.m. - 7 p.m./ Bay District Vol Fire Dept. Social Hall, 46900 S. Shangri-La Dr., Lexington Park, MD Sponsor: POC: Janet Giles, www.JobZoneOnline.com, Janet.Giles@JobZoneOnline.com (434) 263-5102 or (540) 226-1473

Date: February 16, 2017 Location: Belvoir-Springfield VA 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

American Legion Post 176 6520 Amherst Ave. Sponsor: POC: Janet Giles, www.JobZoneOnline.com, Janet.Giles@JobZoneOnline.com (434) 263-5102 or (540) 226-1473

Date: December 1, 2016 Location: Fredericksburg, VA 3 p.m. - 7 p.m./ Fredericksburg Expo Center and Conference Center, 2371 Carl D. Silver Pkwy.

Sponsor: POC: Janet Giles, www.JobZoneOnline.com,

Date: March 1, 2017 Janet.Giles@JobZoneOnline.com - Location: Fort Bragg, NC - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

(434) 263-5102 or (540) 226-1473 Fort Bragg Conference and Catering Center,

Date: December 6, 2016 Bldg. 5-5348, 2658 Reilly Rd. Location: Lawton, OK - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com Hilton Garden Inn, (866) 801-4418 135 Northwest 2nd St. Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com Date: March 2, 2017 (866) 801-4418 Location: Fort Bragg, NC - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Fort Bragg Conference and

Date: December 7, 2016 Catering Center, Location: Ft. Hood, TX - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Bldg. 5-5348, 2658 Reilly Rd. Phantom Warrior Center, Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com 37th St., Building 194 (866) 801-4418 Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: March 8, 2017 Location: Norfolk, VA - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Date: December 7, 2016 Ted Constant Convocation Location: Ft. Campbell, KY Center at ODU, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m./ Cole Park 4320 Hampton Blvd.

Commons, 101st Airborne Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com Division Rd. (866) 801-4418 Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: March 9, 2017 Location: Fort Lee, VA - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Date: December 8, 2016 The Regimental Club, Location: Fort Hood, TX 2609 C Ave. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m./ Club Hood, Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com Bldg. 5764, 24th St. (866) 801-4418 Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: March 15, 2017 Location: Colorado Springs, CO

Date: December 14, 2016 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Location: Fort Knox, KY - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Doubletree by Hilton, Saber & Quill, 1118 Chaffee Ave. 1775 East Cheyenne Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com Mountain Blvd.

(866) 801-4418 Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: January 18, 2017 Location: Joint Base Lewis-McChord,

Date: March 29, 2017 WA - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Location: Huntsville, AL - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

American Lake Club, Holiday Inn Research Park, 8085 NCO Beach Rd. 5903 University Dr. Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418 (866) 801-4418

For more job fair dates and locations, go to CivilianJobs.com

Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI) is the largest military-focused recruiting firm in the U.S. that for over 20 years has specialized in placing prior military job seekers with Fortune 1000 companies.

CivilianJobs.com helps military-friendly companies who actively recruit candidates from the military by offering cost-effective and customized solutions to meet their hiring needs.

NEWS Military Transition News is a bi-monthly publication providing military job seekers with relevant career and transition advice. It is distributed in print and online to over 500 military bases.

MilitaryResumes.com provides professional resume writing and consulting services for transitioning military, veterans, and their spouses seeking a civilian or federal career.

Essential Events and Travel, Inc. provides expert event planning services for corporate events and meetings. We excel in managing specialized events.

HireMilitaryBlog.com is a blog dedicated to educating and assisting employers (HR Recruiters) with sourcing and hiring candidates with prior-military experience.

MilitaryTransition.com is a blog devoted to providing transition assistance information and tools to service members transitioning from the military to a civilian career.

LARGEST MILITARY FOOTPRINT

Nov/Dec 2016

19

NEWS career coach’s corner

by Tom Wolfe Career Coach and Contributing Editor

F

ollowing these Commandments will lead you to a promised land called Interview Success. In part one of this two-part series, we will focus on the First through Fifth Commandments.

1. The First Commandment: Thou shalt not be late.

There is no excuse for being late to an interview. Even a legitimate excuse will do you no good, unless you have contacted the interviewer well in advance and explained a cause that was unforeseen and beyond your control. That seems unfair and a bit harsh, doesn’t it? Well, maybe so, but think about this: Assuming that everyone else interviewing for that job managed to show up on time, what does that say about you? Show up late and there will be a gray cloud hovering above your head. What’s in that cloud? Lack of preparation? Inability to problem solve? Failure to plan and anticipate? Lack of courtesy? Questionable reliability? Even if none of that is true, it will not matter. Perception is reality. This commandment applies equally to both faceto-face and telephone interviews.

2. The Second Commandment: Thou shalt not ask too few or inappropriate questions.

At the most basic level an interview is nothing more than a Q&A session. Both parties check each other out and find out what they need to know by asking and answering questions. For you, the job seeker, your questions are the most powerful tool in your military-to-civilian career transition toolbox. There are two reasons for this power, one fairly obvious and one frequently overlooked. The overt reason for asking questions is to get answers. This is how you learn about the organization, the job, the opportunity, the culture, the environment and the people. The second reason? Asking the right questions will contribute greatly to your ability to express interest in the company. This gets tricky.

Your questions must be about them, not you. Save the self-serving questions (salary, benefits, vacation, holidays, etc.) until after the job offer is on the table.

3. The Third Commandment: Thou shalt not exhibit improper body language.

Interviewing is a combination of listening and talking. It all comes down to communication and language, and there are two components to language - verbal and non-verbal. Although solid verbal communication skills are critical to interview success, the non-verbal component - i.e., body language - is equally important. Body language comes in many forms and presents itself from the second you walk into the interview until you walk back out that door. It starts and ends with a unique form of body language, the only one that involves touching - the handshake. A handshake says much about a person’s style

CHANGE A and self-confidence. It needs to be firm, but not too firm. Duration is also important.

No more than a second in length. Either party can initiate it, but do not wait too long before you stick out your hand and introduce yourself. Do not vary your approach based on the gender of the interviewer. Many men, especially military men, will shake a woman’s hand differently - bad idea. Limp handshakes and sweaty palms are notorious for killing interviews. Accompanying that handshake is another form of body language - eye contact. Solid eye contact sends a signal of self-confidence, interest and situational comfort. Bad eye contact sends the opposite signal. Many people do fine with eye contact when they are speaking but not so well when the other person in speaking. Think about the signal that sends. Additional expressions of body language include the way you sit in the chair, placement of your hands, crossing your legs, facial expressions, hand gestures, fidgeting and nervous habits. Do yourself a favor and ask a friend or colleague to observe and evaluate your body language, then adjust or modify as needed.

4. The Fourth Commandment: Thou shalt not dress inappropriately.

Many military-to-civilian job seekers relish the thought of never again having to wear a uniform and/or concern themselves with being in the appropriate uniform of the day. Being out-of-uniform will no longer be a bad thing. Not so fast. Although you may choose to avoid the many civilian jobs where uniforms are required and the organizations with strict dress codes, there is one more uniform of the day that you have no choice but to wear - appropriate interviewing attire. One key to interview success is being memorable. You and your competition are alike in so many ways, and the interviewer meets so many candidates, it can be hard for that interviewer to remember who is who. It is obvious your goal is to be remembered for positive reasons, but it would be a mistake to think that your interviewing wardrobe will contribute to that goal. The premise here is that you and your competition will all dress appropriately and interviewing attire becomes a common denominator among all the candidates. If, however, you are remembered for what you wore to the interview, I guarantee it was because of how inappropriate it was. Do yourself a favor and find out in advance what you should wear. Sometimes it will be the traditional interview suit. Other times it could be coveralls and work boots. Sometimes you will need more than one outfit. Regardless, do your best to be memorable for the right

CHILD’S

reasons rather than what you wore that day.

L I F E T O D AY.

5. The Fifth Commandment: Thou shalt not lack self-knowledge.

Here’s a quick and foolproof way to determine whether or not your interview was successful. As soon as you leave the room, pull out your IMVGs (Interviewer Mind Vision Goggles) and take a look at the picture you created in the mind of the interviewer. What do you see? Maybe nothing - that is as bad as it gets. Perhaps there is a vision, but it is fuzzy or indistinct - again, not good. There is a chance you will see a picture of you doing a job, but not the one for which you were being considered.

That too is problematic. How about this one: The interviewer sees you in the job, being productive, but with a frown on your face.

Or, maybe you are smiling but doing the job poorly. One last shot: There you are, in the job, doing it well with a high level of job satisfaction. Congratulations! How do you create that vision? With a well-developed level of self-knowledge it’s not hard. Without it, it’s impossible. What are your strengths?

Talents? Attributes? Skills? Motivators?

Wants? Needs? What really matters to you?

By arming yourself with the answers to those questions and by knowing the particulars of the job, you can present yourself in such a way that the interviewer has no choice but to see you in the job, successful and happy.

Remember this: You most certainly have competition for that job. There are almost always more good candidates than there are good jobs. The interviewer needs to narrow down the field, and he or she can afford to be picky. You have a choice here: disobey one or more of those Commandments and make it easy for him or her to cross you off the list.

Or, make the interviewer work hard to find a reason to reject you. As the interviewer digs deeper and deeper and gets to know you better and better, things will start to change. Unable to find reasons to say NO, he or she will start to focus on reasons to say YES, and that leads to interview success.

Please join us in the next edition (January/ February 2017) of Military Transition News where we will take a look at Commandments Six through Ten.

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Tom Wolfe is a Career Coach, Columnist, Author and Veteran and can be found at www.out-of-uniform.com.

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