MedTechVets’ Post

#throwbackthursday Mar 2018 - Finishing up Flight Chief school, now ready to lead recruiting teams anywhere in the U.S. I was recently asked what started me down the path of #recruiting. It's certainly not a pathway you just "fall into", especially in the United States Air Force. There's a lot of training that goes into learning about people. ✅ Learning about Wants vs. Needs ✅ Finding out the "Why" that motivates us ✅ Remembering all of the benefits that the Air Force has to offer. Put that all into a designated Recruiting School where you're constantly demonstrating your knowledge and abilities to a level that makes you "Field Ready" on Day 1! It's a career field that can be incredibly stressful...but to me, it was so fulfilling to help people achieve their #goals and become better versions of themselves as they came back from Basic Training & Tech School. It was my calling to develop others and put them in a place to succeed. It's been my motivation since 2009, and I'm incredibly blessed to be with The Walt Disney Company in a Recruiting capacity. Helping #veterans, #militaryspouses, #students and #youngprofessionals find success (where I can) continues to be my purpose! #whatsyourcalling

Now that LinkedIn has notified everyone seemingly on my behalf, I want to thank everyone for reaching out to me today. We are over the hill so to speak in regards to time left in service. Despite the usual “x down, y to go” we see year after year, I’m feeling a bit differently. It wasn’t until last year that I decided to “go all in” on this Air Force thing. The first 10 or so I was one foot out. I treated it as my contingency to keep me gainfully employed while I dreamed of outside hiring opportunities that never came to fruition. It wasn’t until I ran into one CMSgt Richard “Caleb” Vaden that it made sense. He contextualized the Airman for me and as a result turned me into one, halfway through my career. My final day as the NCOIC of Student Operations at the International Officer School, Chief passed along to me his coin and told me “You’re the Airman on this coin”. It stays in my left cargo pocket every day. So as I buckle in for the remaining 8 (or more potentially), I find myself wanting to accomplish more things than I think I have time for. Joint tasking. DSD. Maybe one more trip to Korea (will have to sell that one to the fiancé). Leading exceptional Airmen the same as I get to do right now at work. Not a bad problem to have. I’ll end this with a few pieces of advice I’ve gained over the last 10 assignments: • Lean In: you never know what is on the other side of an opportunity if you say no. People, places, experience. • Invest: invest in yourself (retirement, education, career) and in your people (training, development, opportunities) • Have Fun: even when it’s real world like where I’m at currently, you can choose to enjoy the process and have fun with it. Teams that have fun are teams that get the mission done. A happy team is a productive team. Thank you to everyone who has gotten me here from the day I showed up at JBSA-Lackland. It takes a village. Onward!

“Time comes and goes regardless of the momentum we have towards our personal goals. You might as well try and fail towards those goals rather than being successful at doing nothing. ” -Tabitha Ogle 3 Ways MTV Academy helped Tabitha prepare for her transition: ✍️ Networking to dig into the culture and work flows inside other organizations ✍️ My mentor gave me a healthy dose of reality on really pinning down what type of work I would thrive in. ✍️️ Provided me with an abundance of support for the transferable skills I want to bring into my next career. Tabitha's thoughts on how veterans can help assist transitioning veterans? "Reach out and connect. It doesn't cost anything to make an introduction and surround that veteran with the support they need. A lot of transitioning veterans feel like they have been left behind but rather it’s the opposite. The military teaches and gives you so many skills that make you desirable in the workforce." Apply to Be a Part of our Academy: https://ow.ly/sUCc50PItWB #medtech #consulting #veteransupport

My road of transition out of the military has been pretty unique. I will tell you those that have mentored me through this process have been amazing resources. Thank you!!!! But, there is still no clear path or checklist that is easily scripted for what you're about to endure 18 to 2 years out from retirement in the military. Think of retirement as an additional duty and treat it as such. As it is truthfully its own career path for your own individual transition success. Nicholas Hyde is an absolute wealth of knowledge at Fort Stewart, Georgia for the #USO transitions team. They have so many options for you that I never knew of before. Take the time to look them up. Amanda Benfer gave me amazing personalized career coaching and can crush a tailored resume for you with some insightful feedback with #HireHeroesUSA. Of course the investment into #Fourblock. I think I've shown everyone and told everyone that I can how important their Career Readiness program such positive results and truly invest into our veterans. That 11-week program was absolutely what I needed to do some internal self-focus and create my military to civilian Outlook. Again, there are so many people and so many options and opportunities out there that wanted to take a second and just highlight these three that have been influential over the last 18 months. My journey will be different from everybody else's, but I am absolutely here if anybody needs to talk through decisions and/or ask questions about their path. #thankful #thankyou #veterans #resources #support #myheroes #spotlight #transitions #careers

Have you watched New Amsterdam on Hulu? I almost cried at the episode I watched this weekend. Not because of the bloody ER traumas, and emotional moments, but because of their representation of military interviews and how much misunderstanding there can be. Moments like this are why I believe in skills-based hiring, breaking the paper ceiling and focusing on DEI hiring. Was Tod the most qualified based on computer skills? No. Did he have the most industry experience? No Was he a positive, cheerful, personality hire? Definitely not. Could he make the trains run on time? 100% At the end of the day, the trains running on time is what was most important to the employer, and the reason that Max ultimately hired Todd. Even better, Todd wound up getting promoted to the board on his 2nd day because he had already made an impact as a nonpartisan, direct decision maker that had proven he could do more with less. Obviously, veterans can be, and often are, 100% qualified for the role, be a personality hire, and make the trains run on time, but often times, interviews still look or feel like this video portrays. National Hire a Veteran Day is the 25th and I’m proud to be a part of transforming the workforce for the military community and Brooksource with Project Patriot. #VeteranHiring #Brooksource #Interview #military #NewAmsterdam #RepresentationMatters #Brooksource #ProjectPatriot #NationalHireaVeteranDay #hulu

If you are a career transitioning service member, discover who you are without the titles and uniform. I’d like to share some questions Nikki Glanton asked me during my “discover phase”: •Do you know who you really are when you take the uniform off? •What kind of leader are you when you are stripped from your title and day to day management responsibilities? •What does happiness mean to you and will your new career fulfill that? It’s been 5 months post military and I am still discovering who I am without the military uniform. Corporate is competitive and finding a new career that is fulfilling is not easy for most. I recommend that you go through your “discover phase” and establish a roadmap of in-depth knowledge of your goals, limitations, and requirements. All military members have to transition one day. Prepare early.

Military Transition Post: Lots of thoughts about my "Inner Circle." We were dropped into a different body of water 1 year ago, creating ripples, our new circles 🌀 Forbes had an article 3 years ago about the 5 people you want in it, and the 3 to keep out. It was fairly agreeable to and not without valid points. ✔ the cheerleader - biggest fan ✔ devil's advocate - most honest ✔ longest history - been there (always) ✔ the outsider - different life goals ✔ mentor/aspire/inspire - thinks growth/progress ❌ negative nancy - always a downer ❌ complacent buddy - lazy, it will go away attitude ❌ jealous acquaintance, almost friend - not your best interests What I found, coming from 20 years in the military, especially the Special Operations community, there is one of each closely nestled to our village. Thankfully, they show their colors often enough for us all to know, who they are, and more important, when I am being one. Yes me. When we picked up and moved after retirement, we had to find a home, a town, a church, a school, a job, and a new village of folks to try to understand. We are ONE year into this transition, thankfully supported by different #veterans organizations like The Honor Foundation, Wells Fargo Veterans Connection, my VET Program Intern Group, and hopefully more to come. I appreciate all who have welcomed us, most who have helped us, and the ones I haven't identified yet, but will continue to. The inner circle is tight, but growing, and I look forward to this next year. #veterans #militarytransition #mentors #coaches #friends #newbeginnings #nextchapter

If you are transitioning out of the military, FourBlock is the program for you by providing crucial insight, guidance, and tools needed to help you succeed and effectively manage your transition.

Many....and I mean a LOT of folks are missing the 🔑 to a very successful (stress free) transition! It's nothing against what anyone is saying because ALL information is great information! Even bad info gets folks to start asking the right questions! As a career counselor I saw the lack of preparation with almost ALL of our enlisted....and junior officers. You also can't fault someone who has a tough job, always deployed, management instead of leaders at work, etc... This is why it's awesome that so many people are ready to help during and after ones transition from the military! However, time to start preparing is not 1 year...2 years...or 3 years prior to your separation or retirement. It's literally within your first year after your training (once you are in your groove and if your job allows it). No wiggle room here. Yes you can catch up but it's a HELL of a lot harder than just smashing your goals when you're young! It's as simple as this. What do I want to be when I grow up? Answer that....truly...and you're 30 percent there! After that, head to your base education office and create a detailed training plan. Take as many classes (or whatever it is you need) that will get you to your goal. Don't overdo it though! Live your life....have fun! When you're young time is on your side and if you plug away at your goal you will accomplish it! THEN...when you're a couple years from separating or retiring start networking with folks doing the job you want to do! Most important of all...be HUMBLE! Take the 💩 jobs during your time in the military with zero expectation of kudos. These experiences will transform you into a phenomenal leader....one who others will trust to listen to THEIR goals...then to walk them to the education office! This is what we are truly "getting after" within Skillbridge Network. Come hang out with us and be a legend to someone who needs one!