Are you on active duty and considering whether to reenlist or transition?

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 13:04:36 -0500

Having made the transition from the Army to the private sector years ago, I know all too well the struggles of trying to wade through the information and determine the best course of action.

A recent DoD survey reported that only 43% of the respondents felt that the military transition assistance program (TAP) provided any useful assistance. That is very disconcerting to me. My own experience was the same as those in the majority of this survey.

The interesting fact is that EVERYONE in the military will transition to the private sector. Yet, from my discussions with current military leaders, the emphasis on providing career counseling or career planning by military leaders is nearly extinct. Career planning begins day one in the military. Determining what one's passion is and ways to improve the likelihood of success after the military is the primary responsibility of the individual military member, but it helps when they can be counseled on the best way to improve their chances. Of course, I'm talking about well before they decide to attend these mandatory classes surveys point out fail to deliver desired results. The focus on these classes are typically on the number of attendees, rather than the jobs and value created from those who attend.

I recently wrote an article on "The Military Leader" website that provided a few keys to a successful military transition to the private sector. You can find that here: http://www.themilitaryleader.com/4-keys-military-transition/
I hope you that you find it helpful. You can gain further insights through my book - link information included in my bio at the bottom of the article.

Transitioning from the military is a process and not a mini-project. If you are willing to gamble your future on a few months of information and a transition assistance program overview, you are likely not going to be successful in your transition.

As a former consultant that worked with human resources departments in Fortune 50 companies and also having been a hiring manager at an executive level, I share my experience and knowledge with you. It's a "real talk" discussion.

4 Keys to a Successful Military Transition [Guest Post] - The Military Leader

Making the transition to civilian life deserves research and deliberate planning. Guest author Robert Gowin offers 4 keys to making it a success.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Nov 12 at 2015 1:07 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 13:07:34 -0500

I recommend you tag n active duty group or reserve/national guard group if you you want to get some active duty members responses MSG Private RallyPoint Member

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Nov 12 at 2015 1:43 PM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 13:43:45 -0500

If you are transitioning because of a MEB, it is also very important to find something that you are passionate about AND also being able to do that career based on your disabilities. That is one thing that I didn't think to much about, when I transitioned out in June. Also, TAP is pretty useless in my opinion. Take charge of your own transition, get all the information you can while it is available to you.