University of Health and Performance’s Post

"Rob, you are seriously joining the Navy? You don't seem like the military type." - Nearly everyone I told in the year 2000. My childhood was a scenic tour of learning disabilities and ADHD, which earned me a spectacular failure in 2nd grade, a cocktail of medications by 6th grade, and a prime spot on the sidelines, barred from high school sports due to my less-than-stellar grades. Despite these accolades, I harbored a stubborn desire to join the military to serve my country, see the world, and snag some college funding. So, in a plot twist no one saw coming, I dropped out of college and enlisted in the Navy. The academic struggles clung to me like a bad reputation, nearly booting me from Navy "A" school and rewarding me with a graduation spot second from the bottom of my class. However, I was hell-bent on mastering the art of learning, a skill I apparently missed while daydreaming watching squirrels outside my grade school classroom window. Missing a promotion to Petty Officer 2nd Class by less than a point was a delightful reminder that testing was not just a fleeting high school romance. The day I saw the results posted on the ship's galley bulkhead was the day I got serious. I took a luxurious weekend off and then committed to at least two hours of study a day, six days a week, for four glorious months. This herculean effort paid off when I scored the highest among over 500 peers on the next advancement exam. Riding the high of this triumph, I later breezed through my bachelor's degree with a 3.8 GPA, snagged the second-highest grade in Navy "C" School, and casually knocked out a master's degree with a 3.7 GPA. Not long after, I found out I was selected to become a Navy Reserve Officer. Through this epic saga, I learned to depersonalize failure, continuously reassess my strategies, and reengage with the same enthusiasm as a cat pursuing a laser pointer. The Navy was instrumental in helping me navigate my educational challenges and enabling me to become the first in my family to earn a college degree. #nevergiveup #perseverance #military #learningdisabilities #ADHD #Navy

Goals. Much like navigating in the field, navigating your post military life requires a clearly defined set of objectives, we typically call "goals". However, you may have never taken the time to think about goals in any significant way if you joined the military straight out high school. Your professional development pathway was probably quite structured with promotions and duty positions laid out in a logical sequence on a relatively inflexible timeline. Then you get that DD-214 and... now what? Well you wouldn't step off on that land navigation without plotting course, understanding where you were going and how to get there, right? So when the end of your military service approaches, you MUST set aside some time to set some goals, long term, mid term and short term, or you risk wasting time, and not getting anywhere. So here's a crash course in goal setting... Visualize your life at the age 55. Old enough for success, too young for retirement. At 55, describe your life in terms of personal, professional, and financial conditions. Then start creating SMART goals on 10 year, 5 year and 1 year horizons. What makes a goal SMART? 🔍 Specific: What specifically do you want to accomplish? 🔢Measurable: What quantifiable measure will be used to assess? 🎖Achievable: Are you thinking realistically? 🤔Relevant: Does this goal fit into the big picture for your life? ⌚Timely: When will you achieve this goal? Note: You might want to check azimuth with your battle buddy, if you expect to arrive at the same place together. This is not an exact science. The terrain changes. Tiny streams become swamps. Jutting tree roots turn into rolled ankles. Sometime you need to take a knee. Orders change. But I tell you this, without goals... you are going no where. Charlie Mike, Assassin 6, Out. #transitioningservicemembers; #recruitmilitary; #veteranemployment; #dodskillbridge; #milspouse

‼️ Introducing a student made resource list for Military connected students on campus!‼️ ✨ Cloie spent the fall '23 semester working on a project that fostered a better understanding of the 8 dimensions of health and wellbeing and how each dimensions has personally impacted her! 💙 🧡 ✨ Along with this, she curated a tool aimed towards military connected students on campus for an easier access to important resources for each dimension! 📈 ✨ Visit the website link in our bio or the Health & Wellbeing tab in our LinkTree to check out Cloie's story and each resources for each dimension! 💻 #UIUC #StudentResources

For our military friends(and beyond) looking to earn a great bachelors degree that is prior learning experience eligible, and a great way to leverage your L&D/training knowledge, check out the B.S. in Workforce Learning & Development launching at UNCW this Fall 2024. I advocate recognizing prior learning experience. It not only shortens your time to degree but just makes sense. Why make students repeat what they can demonstrate they already know? https://lnkd.in/enundqEk

Service Academy Appointment Process Starting-Senator Rick Scott. Preparing for a Service Academy Appointment starts years earlier than the formal application to your US Senators, US Representative to the House, and if eligible, other authorized appointment officials. My journey to appointment and graduation started between 6th & 7th grades at our county fair with a question to a senior AF NCO Recruiter ... "How can I become an astronaut?" Much credit to this Recruiter for speaking with me! A medical issue prevented flight status, but I graduated and served in other valuable roles. Do you know someone who might want to get paid to get a highly-regarded degree without debt, and a guaranteed job upon graduation? https://lnkd.in/eX7S558r

From top universities, to careers in the NHS or Royal Navy, day one of What Career Live? & What University Live? is in full swing, with a jam-packed showfloor full of school and college leavers navigating their next steps! ASM Global - Europe #NationalCareerDevelopmentMonth

For more than 30 years, NCEE has been dedicated to identifying and learning from the highest-performing school systems both in the United States and around the world. Our goal? To uncover valuable lessons and insights that can boost the performance and student outcomes of education systems everywhere. Join us in looking at the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which serves children of military families both in the U.S. and overseas. In recent years, DoDEA students have consistently outperformed their peers in other states on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—and by wide margins. DoDEA has made significant progress in closing achievement gaps between White students and their Black and Hispanic classmates. During the #COVID19 pandemic, it was the only school system to see its scores hold steady and even rise. Download the case study to learn more about this unique, high-performing education system–its structure, governance, curriculum standards, assessment methods, and culture of support for students and families. https://lnkd.in/grJrxizH #EdResearch #K12Education #StudentSuccess #EdLeadership #SystemDesign

Exciting new blog alert! 📢 KA is delighted to share a deep dive into the collaboration between WestEd and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). This dynamic partnership is creating ripples of positive change, supporting military personnel in their transition to becoming educators in PK-12 public schools. KA’s newest blog sheds light on Ohio's innovative implementation strategy of the Troops to Teachers (TTT) program. From dedicated coordinators to enhanced financial incentives, Ohio is setting a powerful example for other states to follow in supporting veterans' entry into the classroom. ODE has been playing a pivotal role, offering veterans invaluable support throughout their career transition. By providing guidance on credentialing, placements, and interview preparation, ODE is helping ensure veterans are set up for success in their new roles. One standout aspect of this program is the role TTT has played in increasing educator diversity. The evaluation of TTT has increased understanding of veterans' needs and aspirations, ensuring that the program aligns closely with its mission. By establishing a connection between state-level officials and the classroom, TTT bridges the gap and strengthens the educational system as a whole. Discover more about WestEd and Ohio DOE collaborative partnership and everyone involved in this transformative initiative, and their impactful journey in the full blog post! https://lnkd.in/eUXujjpX #EmpoweringVeterans #EducationCollaboration #InnovationInTeaching #EducationResearch #KA #KnowledgeAlliance

Parents of rising seniors: Are you doing college tours or about to head into application season? If your daughter or son is a leader in high school and they don't want to 'peak in high school,' my advice would be to show them the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. Having Gen Z kids of my own, I know how challenging it can be for them to break free of a digital-world stranglehold and find real-world belonging. They face a different world, but the structure and teamwork they'll get in Corps will give them a huge advantage whether they go into the military or not (most cadets don't, but I wish more did). People will later ask them why they did it, especially those that opt-out of military service and do it for "fun" like I did. The answer is easy. In four years they will have friends they'll consider family. Those friends will always be with them to celebrate life's wins and pick them up when they fall...forever. As a parent, that's the friendship and opportunity I want for my kids. Tagging Sherri LeVan, because she can point you in the right direction. I think they only take 2,600 cadets today, so don't wait too long. Texas parents: If you're going to Ted Cruz or John Cornyn for academy appointments, have them apply to Texas A&M for the Corps, too. Not everyone that gets an appointment gets into an academy and if they change their mind about the military they won't get kicked out of the Corps at A&M. Can't say the same about the academies. #AggieCorps #TAMU  #GigEm (Video: @Starchitect1000 / YouTube)

Honored to deliver the keynote at the Chicago Brigade graduation and share my #militarytransition story with an inspiring group of #studentveterans. My biggest lesson learned: EVERY JOURNEY STARTS WITHIN. Seems simple. But in the service we’re hardwired to serve. [pun intended] - To serve our country. - To serve our families. - To serve a greater mission. We're hardwired to look outside ourselves for answers. No wonder when we're at an inflection point in our lives, it’s only natural to look externally… - What **SHOULD** I be doing? - What are **OTHERS** doing? [Been there, done that.] Instead, we should be looking WITHIN ourselves to find our next mission: ... Our North Star. ...Our Inner Compass. Vets are: - hard working - fearless - determined - resourceful Once we're CLEAR on our next mission, there's nothing stopping us! ❌ Transition jobs ✅ TRANSFORM your life 🔥 Build a next chapter that ignites you! Thanks Josh Jones and Liam Turman for your leadership in building an ecosystem for student veterans and for welcoming me into your community. Keep crushing it! #veterans #professionaldevelopment #veterancoach #lifestyledesign #inspiration #careerdesign ------------------- I help Veterans transition into corporate and accelerate their purpose-fueled careers. Follow for more on #personaldevelopment, #militarytransition Repost ♻️ if you feel inspired to