The 13-Year Transition

I think I could write a book of lessons learned during my transition, but where to start? I’ll just jot down a few thoughts that come to mind.

Lesson 1. Prepare Early

My official retirement date was January 1995. Some would say I am 13 years into the transition but it started much earlier than my separation date.

Like any good operation, preparation is clearly an exercise worth the effort. I took advantage of the Tuition Assistance program, the GIBill, and what little discretionary income I had and invested in an education. Going to night school between deployments meant it took me a while, but it was well worth the effort.

Deciding what to do was not an easy task for me. Some people know what passions they have and how to satisfy them. I needed to do things like “interest inventory” tests. I also read as many books as I could get my hands on. I decided I liked business, but wasn’t sure what industry I wanted to work in, or in what capacity.

The transition is fraught with many false starts. At least I hope I'm not the only one that experienced them. I learned that privately owned businesses, no matter how big, were not consistent with my desired work environment. I learned that I'm more successful in a large publicly held organization. I find that I am able to get more accomplished, probably because I like and understand structure. I believe it was the military training that prepared me for that environment.

I also subscribed to periodicals that I felt would keep me up to date in the latest news and technology in my area of interest. This also provided me with topics of interest that helped me with conversation with persons of interest for my network.

Lesson 2. Learn to network

Getting accepted into your target industry or company is not an easy task. I think the next most important task is networking with others who are already where you want to be -- not an endeavor that most military members are trained to accomplish. That means researching community organizations that will allow you to meet others outside of the military community. Talk about stretching a comfort zone! Online communities can now help you with that effort. Sites like www.Linkedin.com can help. My first two jobs post military, were from a newspaper advertisements. Every other opportunity since has been from networking.

Lesson 3. Learn to be flexible

With more than 20 years military experience and a graduate degree, I had to learn to start over at the bottom of the ladder. A humbling, yet necessary step in where I wanted to go. After gaining a couple year’s experience the rapid rise up the ladder began. Sometimes it meant changing organizations. Sometimes that change was thrust upon me through mergers and restructures. So far, each time I was confronted by organizational change, it has worked out for the best.

Lesson 4. Remember the past, but move forward

Logically, I knew it was time for the transition. I wanted a different lifestyle for me and my family. The emotional separation was a whole other story. I kept second guessing my decision. I was leaving a comfort zone and heading into the unknown. Particularly when confronted with challenges and frustration, the urge to go back to the good ‘ol days is overwhelming. I overcame those urges by reestablishing my goals, continuing my research, re-evaluating results, and taking action. It doesn’t really matter what action as long as it was headed forward towards the goal.

The transition is a journey not a destination. But then, isn’t all of life. Have a great journey! Feel free to visit my military profile on www.Togetherweserved.com

Semper Fi

(Submitted by 1st Sgt. Randy Roffers, Vice President of Finance, Icore Healthcare/Magellan Health Services)

Editor's note: You can also find more than 400,000 veterans to network with in various industries on Military.com's Veterans Career Network.

Comments

[Eric Mouillesseaux]

I have to agree with everything you said. I'm a former Navy sailor turned corporate recruiter. I speak with transitioning military personnel on a weekly basis and tell them exactly what you've said in your post. I want to add that everyone should take advantage of the Transition Assistance programs provided by your branch of service. They provide valuable information and assistance. Their resume writing workshops are very useful for anyone who hasn't had to write a resume before. The official Transitiion Assistance website is www.turbotap.org .

[SeaBeeRick]

I have hit the 10 year mark in my "transition" and agree with everything Randy said. The only difference is that I did not invest in college before retiring, I relied on my experience and abilities which worked for me, however I firmly believe that a degree is a must in today's market. I worked my way up and in 10 years I now earm more than 100k a year but it has been a long road that I would have been able to get to a lot quicker with a degree. It is all in what you want to accomplish and how quickly you want to get there. Proper planning, a necessary military skill will get you on the right path. And I cannot stress how important it is to set goals for your success. Having a measurable objective to follow will allow you to track your progress and adjust as necessary. Today's job market it very fluid and changes rapidly, adjusting to these changes will help ensure your future success.