Ronnie Smithwick 3003468 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div> 2017-10-16T11:36:17-04:00 Ronnie Smithwick 3003468

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2017-10-16T11:36:17-04:00 2017-10-16T11:36:17-04:00 SPC Margaret Higgins 3003506

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div><a class="dark-link bold-link" role="profile-hover" data-qtip-container="body" data-id="1333346" data-source-page-controller="question_response_contents" href="/profiles/1333346-ronnie-smithwick">Ronnie Smithwick</a>: I would tell others that transitioning can be difficult or easy; depending on: the assistance you get, the fact that you attend church or not, and, you should become affiliated with your local VA as soon as possible.<br />-Most Sincerely, Margaret C. Higgins U.S. Army Retired

2017-10-16T11:48:56-04:00 2017-10-16T11:48:56-04:00 SSgt John Axtell II 3003561

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>My advice would be spend more time researching different career options that you might be interested in. Military experience has a lot of transferable skills that fit many different positions and Veterans don&#39;t need to feel they are pigeon holed for only certain careers. I also would recommend, practicing interviewing skills, and time to learning to mold your resume to specific positions and not try to use a blanket resume.

2017-10-16T12:00:01-04:00 2017-10-16T12:00:01-04:00 CPT Christopher Coker 3003691

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Start finding books, articles and magazines that focus on the industry you&#39;re interested in transitioning into so you can start learning the language unique to that industry. <br /><br />Veterans being qualified to work in a certain industry is rarely the problem. The issue I think veterans suffer from is their ability to translate military jargon into a new industry&#39;s vernacular. This is vital to being relatable to others in the industry. <br /><br />We as veterans may think that we have left behind the &quot;military talk&quot;, but odds are we haven&#39;t -- the military has left an imprint on who we are and we must be cognizant to the fact that not everyone can relate. <br /><br />We should try our best to be relatable. Start as early as possible.

2017-10-16T12:30:43-04:00 2017-10-16T12:30:43-04:00 CPT Sean McCoy 3003706

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Actually take advantage of ACAP and your separation appointments. So many people blow that stuff off.

2017-10-16T12:34:19-04:00 2017-10-16T12:34:19-04:00 SGT Dave Tracy 3003986

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Start by assessing your personal and employable strengths. With regard to the latter, learn how to translate your military acquired skills into &quot;civilian-speak&quot;, as 90%+ of the people you will come in contact with in the general population only know the military from Hollywood portrayals (and good luck with THAT imbedded mindset BTW!).<br /><br />Work that resume! Read it. Hell, have a text reading app read it back TO you--it&#39;s something I&#39;ve been doing with academic papers I write--and you&#39;ll be surprised at what you may miss until you hear the words yourself! Get others to review your resume.<br /><br />Don&#39;t get short-timer&#39;s syndrome; which is sometimes easier said, than done. Got it. But just because you can see a light at the end of the tunnel, doesn&#39;t mean you&#39;ve reached it yet! End your old life on a high note when beginning your new life!

2017-10-16T14:00:47-04:00 2017-10-16T14:00:47-04:00 CA Delete D. 3004015

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If you need one for your chosen job, fiinish a bachelors degree (if possible) with TA before separation. You can do it online, just shoot for a non-profit, regionally-accredited school. This avoids unnecessary gaps in employment. Try to at least land an intermship or two, or work part-time with an employer you have vetted and respect. Just get your foot in the door. This is especially important for those of you working with a clearance and desiring to go into a lucrative federal or contractor gig, as your PSI will expire after 24 months of inactivity (goes inactive as soon as you separate from your MOS requiring clearance; PSI is the background information that has been adjudicated and recorded in JPAS). <br /><br />For the first 3 years subsequent to your separation date you are a protected veteran - take advantage of this when applying for jobs that are mandated to hire under the protection veteran authority. <br /><br />For free (completely free - no gibill expense) certifications, take advantage of the IVMF O2O program co-sponsored by JP Morgan and Syracuse University. ivmf.syracuse.edu <br /><br />Get lots of practice in resume writing. Create a master resume and reference contact list. Write out your job descriptions in detail with numbers, so you don&#39;t have to negotiate what memory remains down the road. Lot of work, but going to be hell of a lot easier to apply for federal jobs if you go that route. <br /><br />Do not withdraw from courses after the drop/add period if you use post 9-11 benefits to pay tuition - either drop during the period or take the F. The VA will pay for an F, but they will bill you and you will have to pay this back if you withdraw after the drop/add period. If you have trouble paying this back when it comes due, you risk your application for federal jobs being 86&#39;d (federal agencies do background checks on a candidate&#39;s federal debt - surprise). <br /><br />Build your LinkedIn profile up. Read, participate, ask questions, get premium status via LinkedIns veteran initiative page. You will have access to extra features for a year, including self-paced courses learning a ton of useful stuff.

2017-10-16T14:12:47-04:00 2017-10-16T14:12:47-04:00 Cpl Private RallyPoint Member 3004135

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>My advice is remember it will all be okay. My experience is leaving after a four year enlistment. 6 months to go start looking for your next step whether its school, job, or marrying a rich person(probably wouldn&#39;t plan for this one). It is okay to start working and delay the school depending on your situation. Be prepared to start at entry level at your profession, if you don&#39;t even better. Just don&#39;t get lazy and just do it. I got out in 2009 thinking I was going to work construction(probably not the best idea considering the recession) and I did, then work dried up. Keep options open and be flexible you may run into something you haven&#39;t though of. You have to use that GI Bill so start sooner rather than later, if you don&#39;t you are only cheating yourself out of the benefit. Remember if you have to work, brick and mortar schools are not the only option and consider online. Its a lot of work and is worth it. And again it will be okay and it is up to you on how successful you want to be.

2017-10-16T14:58:04-04:00 2017-10-16T14:58:04-04:00 SrA Private RallyPoint Member 3004344

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Have a plan! Know too many troops that got out and just moved back in with their parents. 6 months is more than enough time to apply for school and jobs to figure out your next step. And if after you start looking it doesn&#39;t seem feasible, there&#39;s no harm in extending 6 months to a year.

2017-10-16T16:07:17-04:00 2017-10-16T16:07:17-04:00 SSG Steven Mangus 3004557

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Network and write a resume that highlights your skill set while allowing a civilian to understand it. Everything will be OK and take one day at a time..

2017-10-16T17:27:03-04:00 2017-10-16T17:27:03-04:00 Maj Private RallyPoint Member 3004809

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Find a place to spend 2-3 Days alone, uninterrupted so that can reflect on your life accomplishments, find who you are today and dream a bit about what brings you the most fulfillment and happiness. Detach from the 100 mph life for a few days to think more clearly about what you want to do and be after leaving service. This really helped me get everyone else’s thoughts and pressures out of my mind.

2017-10-16T18:51:54-04:00 2017-10-16T18:51:54-04:00 Cpl Justin Goolsby 3004884

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The biggest thing would be to already start networking before you get out. I cultivated a reputation with my knowledge and skillset so when I did get out, I had other people looking for jobs for me. That&#39;s actually how I landed my current employment through word of mouth from one of my senior leaders.<br /><br />Know your finances and be honest about them. That check twice a month is about to be turned off. Some people get so used to the idea of a regular paycheck that they don&#39;t think of how much they spend. I&#39;ve known service members whose checks were spent literally the day they received it.<br /><br />Make some money goals and strive to achieve them. Before I got out, I wanted to have zero debt. I paid off my car and credit card before I got out, just in case I didn&#39;t find work right away. I didn&#39;t want to have to worry about making a monthly minimum payment.<br /><br />Lastly, don&#39;t give up hope. Transitioning is stressful enough by itself. I was practically applying to every place under the sun looking for a job with no takers. It wasn&#39;t until after I had accepted employment elsewhere that the hits started coming in. So take it all in stride.

2017-10-16T19:21:24-04:00 2017-10-16T19:21:24-04:00 LT Charles Baird 3004886

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Be prepared not to have a lot of the amenities you have on active duty - for instance; you will now have to pay for a gym membership; you will have to pay to use a public pool (unless of course you own your own); you will not get subsistence for housing; you will probably not get a job that gives you 30 days of paid leave a year (most start with 2 weeks for the first 5 years and then 3 weeks for years 5-10 then 4 weeks after at least 10 years); if your company sends you on assignment away from your family for more than 30 days you will not get family separation pay. If you are an hourly worker and work more than 15 hours of overtime per pay period you begin to get diminishing returns on your money; be prepared if you currently only pay federal taxes as depending on where you move you could end up also paying state and city taxes. With the military as long as you did your job you were probably guaranteed to be in it until the end of your contract; not so in the civilian world; depending on the industry you could be out of a job every couple of years; for instance I have worked in the oil fields of west Texas since 2012; in that time I have had four jobs for four different companies; the longest lasting a year and a half (volatility plays a major part in any industry). If you have access to military amenities due to the type of separation you got ie. retired - you may not have a base close enough to use depending on where your company sends you. Here where I am at, the closest military base is 2 hours away. <br /><br />If you are retired then I would suggest if you get another job; you live out of one pay and save the other.

2017-10-16T19:22:33-04:00 2017-10-16T19:22:33-04:00 SSG Alan Pelletier 3005018

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>LEAVE THE MILITARY BEHIND!<br />NOBODY, AND I MEAN NOBODY in the civilian world cares about your &quot;knife hand&quot; skills, how many jumps you have, or what you &quot;did.&quot;<br /><br />The only value you have in the civilian world (until you fully learn to transition your military skills into civilian skills) is what your direct supervisor wants you to do. May sound harsh but rank in the military does not transition well into civilian speak. I&#39;ve seen E7 retiree&#39;s treated the same as kids fresh out of high school and paid to do the same job.<br /><br />Also, FINISH YOUR DEGREE! &quot;Some college&quot; is the equivalent as NO college. Lastly and again maximize your military transition service and hire a civilian transition service professional. Often they are prior service and know what you&#39;re about to face.<br />Good luck and don&#39;t think for one second you&#39;re going to continue getting up at 5am to go running! HA HA HA HA

2017-10-16T20:05:51-04:00 2017-10-16T20:05:51-04:00 SSG Private RallyPoint Member 3005107

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Being in this situation currently I&#39;d definitely recommend preparing for your life after the military. If your goal is to attend school, get enrolled now before you get out. Have everything lined up so you don&#39;t was time in the civilian world and get complacent. If you have a specific career goal like others have mentioned find ways to network and if you have far more than 6 months start doing online school ASAP! There are so many opportunities that we take for granted in the military and we need to continuously inform our subordinates so they take advantage and have not only a successful career but also a successful life after the military.

2017-10-16T20:35:35-04:00 2017-10-16T20:35:35-04:00 1SG John B. Enlow 3005161

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Prepare a resume. Don&#39;t try to &#39;civilianize&#39; it to a point where you&#39;re leaving out valuable skills learned in the military. Stress leadership roles and management skills, but don&#39;t confuse the two. We lead people - We manage things. List assignments and overseas deployments in chronological order. Include service schools and awards. Selection for promotion ahead of peers is a definite positive. Good luck.

2017-10-16T21:01:40-04:00 2017-10-16T21:01:40-04:00 Cpl Albert Peralta 3005378

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Based on my own experience, I jumped into school immediately after getting out. If you wait, 9 times out of 10 you won’t go back to school. GI Bill is a great benefits. If you are unsure about school because t wouldn’t be enough income to cover your monthly household expenses, look into moving to places like New York City where GI Bill BAH is nearly $4,000. If you’re concerned about having a family and living in NYC, keep in mind that just because you attend school in the city, does not mean you have to reside there. Move into the outskirts like Yonkers for example or parts of New Jersey where rent is cheaper and quality of living is better.<br /><br />In regards to being successful at school, treat it like a mission and take it one day at a time. Unsure about what career path to take? I would suggest going on Google and researching which jobs and degrees are the highest paid, and which ones will be most needed in the future. I will tell you right now that areas in automation industry are front and center. Things like IT, Programming, Engineering, FinTech and the traditional ones like accounting and finance. Join a student club, go to events, network, and get an internship which will lead to a full time offer. Employers want to see that you can juggle more than just school.<br /><br />If you have questions about any of the things that I wrote, message me and I Will answer them as best I can.<br /><br />Best of Luck!

2017-10-16T22:39:03-04:00 2017-10-16T22:39:03-04:00 Ronnie Smithwick 3005821

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Thanks for the comments and suggestions! Great points made on here and hopefully some people in this situation can learn a few things. I love the trend of networking that many of yall wrote. Feel free to message me directly if you have any specific questions!

2017-10-17T06:41:15-04:00 2017-10-17T06:41:15-04:00 2017-10-16T11:36:17-04:00