10+ Years Post Military Service, My Tips For a Successful Transition

March of 2010 I rendered my final salute in uniform. I won't ever forget it, it was to my squadron commander in the 4th Special Operations Squadron parking lot at Hurlburt Field, Florida, as I loaded the last of my stuff into my car. It wasn't anything special other than I knew it was my last and luckily it was to someone for whom I had much respect.

My leaving the Air Force was sort of a strange move, I had actually intended to re-enlist. I was offered to transfer to a new unit with a lot of exciting possibilities and I was a generally strong performer at my job. But due to a combination of circumstances, including wanting to make more money and explore other parts of the world not open to me as someone in the most deployed unit in the Air Force, I decided to get out. My squadron senior enlisted leader (E-9) at the time told me I was "dumb" for getting out and that I "would never amount to anything." (Thanks for the motivation Chief!) From there I interviewed for several deployed contractor jobs and eventually settled on working for a small company called AirScan, Inc. that supported the collection of imagery in Iraq and other places around the world. I would work for 6 weeks "in country" then get 6 weeks off to go anywhere I wanted in the world. It was really an amazing experience, all things considered, and for the next year I got to see more of the world in those 6 week breaks than many people get to see in a lifetime.

But after a year of that, real-life sucked me back in, and I was in the United States trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Should I go to school? Should I work? Where should I even live? It was at this point that someone close to me gave me the advice that would forge my path forward for the next decade. The advice was simple... prioritize what you want to do based on three factors:

1. Where do you want to live? In a city? In a particular city? On a farm? In the suburbs?
2. What do you want to do? How much does the thing you fill your 9-5 with really matter? Do you just want a good job with people you like and duties you can do upside down and blindfolded? Do you have a passion you just can't ignore?
3. What lifestyle do you want to lead? Do you want to drive a new car every few years? Do you want to have time to fish/hunt? Do you want to live a quiet life? Kids? Really this one is simple... how much money do you need to make?

I'm not trying to oversimplify this for you (yes I am), perhaps my three factors don't work for you, but in my experience, with everyone I've talked to who has successfully transitioned they have adeptly navigated all three of these things. They analyzed their priorities (family, location, education, job opportunities, etc.) and they made choices based on those factors. The people who constantly pursued just one of those goals (usually money) always end up the most unhappy. Lastly, the successful veterans I know continue to check in on those things on a regular basis. My priorities have shifted slightly as I've experienced success, such as having my children or building my business, and they've also changed as I've failed, such as my divorce. I've seen the same with my other successful friends and colleagues. People who fail to really keep those three things in clear view, and communicate them to the people who support them also end up very unhappy.

In my case #1 and #2 were by far the most important. I grew up in a city in California and as much as I genuinely enjoyed every place I had been stationed in the military, I needed some tall buildings, professional sports teams, and an airport whose main destination wasn't just a major hub to everywhere else. From a work perspective my one year as a deployed contractor was a nice reset where I got a break from being in real high stress combat to just being a cog in a wheel. But that was never going to last, I love pressure, I love deadlines, I love taking on tasks that are out of my league. So what did I do? I talked myself into a job supporting the military (USSOCOM) that I was just barely qualified for. I had the right pedigree, said the right things, and luckily the contract was ending and no one else wanted the job (laugh). From there the rest became history... I ended up supporting the SOF Acquisition Center, I watched (and helped) as the government spent millions of dollars on Intelligence Tools, Aircraft, Sensors, Weapons, you name it. It was really interesting to see the inner workings. I had used a lot of these systems but it was like a professional baseball player getting a job at the factory that makes the equipment. Sure I could do the job, but I had no idea what went into it. Finally, I realized that what the government was really looking for in all these acquisitions were people on the other end who really understood their requirement, listened, and delivered what they were asked for. Also, it was hard to manage all the moving pieces, the regulations, the personalities, and the deadlines. I loved it! So that's where the idea of going into business came from. If they will buy from these people, maybe they'll buy from me? I love our country and everything good that it stands for. I hold myself and those around me to high standards, and I never think anything less than what we said we were going to do is acceptable (and well beyond that is always the goal). Now several years later, I'm part of a team that is building one of the fastest growing businesses in Tampa, Florida. And don't get me wrong, luck played a role, and for that I'm always grateful, but really it came down to those three things, making a choice, re-evaluating as necessary, and letting life take it's course. If you're a veteran reading this I really encourage you to stop and think about those three things, but also cut yourself some slack that maybe you'll get them wrong a couple times (I know I did) before you find the right combination. Best of luck and godspeed!

One final note: First, this is just what worked best for me, and your results may vary. Second, and more importantly, I think it's key to consider that any transition away from the military is going to be a significant adjustment and these principles likely aren't the only things you will have to take into account. They serve to highlight a way to "put one foot in front of the other" and make progress towards the larger goal that is your personal self fulfillment post your time in the service. Don't forget that for whatever period of time you served that while you did were in the military you lived a life in service of something else. Once you separate that changes considerably; now your life is in service of your own personal goals. In some ways that is for the better, in some ways that may be painful or shocking. Don't forget to stop to contemplate how all of these changes are affecting you and seek out resources to get a better sense of your bearings. But in those moments where I felt the most lost or insecure about where my post military life would take me, those three factors gave me a rock to steady myself on.