Did you know what you wanted to do once you got out? Or, did you just say sink or swim? What did you do?

I didn't actually decide what I wanted to do until about a year before I got out, and fortunately, with a lot of preparation and networking, everything fell right into place!

I took a position as a "management intern" which turned out to be selling life insurance. You can make a helluva good living selling life insurance IF you can sell life insurance. Most can't. That's when I shipped my car to the West Coast (from Hawaii) and began driving across the country looking for work. No, I didn't have a clear idea of what I was looking for. I got as far as Denver when someone suggested that I visit a small ad agency in Fort Collins that had been looking for someone. That led to one of the most unusual opportunities ever. A group of very talented and experienced marketing/advertising/PR people came together as though just for the explicit purpose of mentoring me. They arranged for me to receive a VA OJT educational stipend to supplement my salary. That launched a ten year career during which I rose to own my own agency in Southern California. Sadly, the combination of a major recession and a partner who embezzled the business brought that to an end and I was off on a new career...

I had a plan in place before I separated. I was going to find a job, and go to school to earn a degree. Once I had my degree, I was going to work on the Space Program. My plan was a good one, because I worked 33 years on the Space Shuttle program. Have a plan before you get out. Know the skills and education needed for your dream job, and then go for it.