The New R&R - Resilience and Renewal: Celebrating Veteran Career Transformations

Transitioning from military service to civilian life can be a challenging journey, but with the right mindset, resources, and mentorship, veterans can thrive in new careers. In this Q&A with Chris Brasel , a US Navy veteran, he shares candid reflections on his path—from joining the military with deep family ties, to his deployment in Afghanistan, to eventually finding purpose in civilian employment. Chris highlights key strategies for a successful transition, including translating military skills for civilian employers, the power of networking, and the importance of mentorship.

1. Why did you join the military? I have a deep family history with the US military on my father’s side. Many veterans of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam so military service was always one of the many paths I dreamed of pursuing. I was in high school when 9/11 took place and watched it happen on TV which increased my desire to join the military but my family convinced me to finish college first before joining. I gave that a try but dropped out my senior year of college and joined the Navy in 2010.
2. What did you do in the military? I was an 8404, Field Medical Technician, aka a Greenside Corpsman. I was attached to 8th Engineer Support Battalion in 2011 as a Line Corpsman and then spent my last year in the military serving as a clinic supervisor at Naval Hospital Portsmouth.
3. What were some of the bases you work on? Camp Lejeune and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. When I taught Tactical Combat Casualty Care for deploying service members, we trained people all around the Virginia Beach area as well.?
4. Deployments/activations? One deployment to Afghanistan in 2011, my unit was sent to break down FOBs around Camp Leatherneck but the mission changed upon arrival. We spent most of our time building rather than de-milling.
5. What led to your decision to leave the military? During my time as a supervisor at the naval hospital, I felt a disconnect in what I was doing in my day to day vs. what I joined the military to do. Around that time I also had my first child and realized the 0400 - 2000 schedule was detrimental to my family. I decided to put in an early out package to go to school during my last year in service.
6. How did you translate your military skills and experience for civilian job applications, and how did you address any potential employer concerns about your military background? I had a mentor that told me to translate my military experience to civilian terminology when writing my resume early on. It wasn’t until I did an employment stint at Hire Heroes USA that I received training on how to do this, and then taught others how to translate that experience to layman’s terms. Civilian employers don’t want to see “Squad Leader” but if you can translate that to “Line Supervisor, Shift Lead, etc.” you can tell them what you did in the military without having to launch into a detailed explanation.?
7. What strategies and resources were most effective in your job search, including any veteran-specific services or programs you utilized?? I utilized Hire Heroes USA ’s resume writing services, and engaged with Veterans Bridge Home and other veteran service organizations for mentorship. Networking and learning from your seniors is definitely an important part of the job search. Blindly applying for employment is a valid strategy but is not the optimal efficient way to find a career.
8. How important was networking in your job search, and how did networking and mentorship influence your journey?? Breaking out of your shell and talking to people. It’s easy to feel intimidated or lost when you go to these networking events. I remember one of the first Veterans Bridge Home events I went to was a Charlotte Hornets game. Veterans Bridge Home had a whole suite that was filled with military employers, military recruiters, and veterans from around Charlotte. I was completely out of my element but buckled down and started talking to people and handing out cards. It’s also important to understand that a very small percentage of these contacts will pan out into something and to not get discouraged. If 1 person in 100 reaches back out to you, that is still a win.?
9. Considering the role of mentorship, how did you find a mentor, and what impact did they have on your transition? I sought the military communities and looked for people that paved the path that I was on. Working in higher education, there is not a huge military population, so sometimes you also have to find people that don’t fit the “veteran” category. Non-traditional students, people that came from the private sector, these are all people you can rely on for mentorship.
10. Do you mentor veterans now?? Yes, the Military and Veteran Services office here at University of North Carolina at Charlotte runs a peer mentoring program for incoming students because all of the staff here believe firmly in the power of mentorship. My office is always open for students to come in and talk about their life’s circumstances. I don’t believe in telling people what they should do, but I will try and educate and encourage them on what their options are.
11. What were the biggest challenges you faced during your transition to civilian employment?? In the very beginning it was the lack of a degree for me. I had a lot of college credit under my belt from my first try at college, but finishing that degree was a challenge. I was juggling a young family, trying to survive off VA educational benefits, and being a full time student at the same time. Once I graduated with my bachelors degree, lots of doors opened for me.
12. Reflecting on your transition, what is one thing you wish you had known or done differently? I wish I had taken more advantage of educational opportunities while I was in service. If I had been able to finish my bachelors degree while still in the military, I would have had more opportunities for employment out the gate.
13. Since leaving the service, how many jobs have you had, and what influenced your decision to choose your current employer? I’ve had five different roles with two employers since leaving the military. All of these roles have been in the realm of veteran services because I want to help my community. I had a rough transition out of the military (the above mentioned early out package was approved without warning) and I try every day to help provide a smooth transition from military to civilian life for those around me. Education may not be right for every transitioning service member but maybe their family can take advantage of it. I’m extremely blessed to be where I am now.??
14. What advice would you give transitioning service members, veterans, and their families as they consider new employment opportunities? Take advantage of every last opportunity out there. Do the research. Reach out to service organizations like Veteran Bridge Homes. Finding the information is difficult, even for people like me that have been working in this field. Every time I go to an event, I learn about a new scholarship, or a new program offered by the state. I rely on the subject matter experts like VBH to learn about these new offerings.
15. Any additional thoughts are appreciated. The military is a lot of things, a defender of this great country, seekers of justice, a way for upward mobility, a place to learn discipline. I encourage transitioning military members to not let this bleed into their whole personality but to augment it, to let it be a building block of your character. I think we get wrapped up in our own identity sometimes and forget that it’s bigger than just us, we have families, we have friends, and we have communities that rely on us. Lean on your service experience and help those around you, even if it’s just a phone call to check on a friend. Our oaths didn’t end the day we turned in our papers.