How I went from an Aviation Boatswain Mate Handler in the Navy to a Mission Assurance Analyst for USAFRICOM

Sept. 12, 1990, is a date I’ll always remember.

I was heading to college on a basketball scholarship with Northwestern University. One day, my friend asked me to join him on an appointment with a Navy recruiter. I didn’t need to go. I already had a plan that excited me. But I went anyway, and I’m glad I did.

The recruiter opened my eyes to the possibilities of a military career. I signed up right away. One minute, I was a college basketball player. The next, I was enrolled in boot camp as the Navy’s newest Aviation Boatswain’s Mate handler. My friend joined as operations specialist.

The camaraderie. The mentorship. It changed my life. I quickly advanced through the ranks and began mentoring others. I always told my sailors: “Mentorship is free.”

Throughout my career, I was stationed on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Kitty Hawk. I traveled through many countries — Iceland, Japan, Korea, Bahrain and Germany, to name a few.

I thought my amazing adventure meant I had to postpone college indefinitely. But then I found out about American Military University.

It’s well known for flexible class schedules, but it offers so much more. AMU helped me choose the right classes for the career I wanted, and the professors are second to none. Plus, the tuition assistance from the Navy meant I could give my GI Bill benefits to my son.

In 2020, I graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice: https://rly.pt/AMUCriminalJustice
And with that, after 31 years, I knew the sun was setting on my military career.

Making the decision to step away was hard. Transitioning out of the Navy was even more difficult because of the unknowns.

When you’re in the military, you have the comfort of knowing you get paid on the first and 15th day of every month. In retirement, that ends. That’s just one of many things you have to learn, which can make transitioning feel overwhelming.

How did I get through it? Primarily, I did a lot of networking.

Just like mentors who helped me transition into the Navy, I found mentors to help me navigate civilian life. They guided me daily and made the process easier. They pointed me in some new directions. That led me to apply for jobs through the federal system. I was soon hired to serve as a security specialist for the United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM).

Working for USAFRICOM means I still get to interact with and mentor sailors. I’m serving and protecting the United States as an Antiterrorism and Force Protection officer. I’m blessed to continue the mission I carried out for three-plus decades in the Navy.

You can learn more about where I work at https://rly.pt/3h86jDp
And if you’re interested in a career there, check out https://rly.pt/USAFRICOMjobs
If you apply, message me on RallyPoint. I’d be honored to help out in any way I can, even if all I can do is provide advice.

Here are a few tips as you consider transitioning to civilian life: First, remember to network. It’s very important. Second, attend your Transition Assistance Program (TAP) class multiple times if you can and take a lot of notes. There is so much helpful information, and you don’t want to miss anything.

After all, you have big plans. Be prepared for all the exciting things on the horizon.

Until I see you in your post-military career, thank you for reading about my journey. I hope my story helps you achieve success in your education and in life after service.

Learn more
 Search job openings at USAFRICOM: https://rly.pt/USAFRICOMjobs
 Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program: https://rly.pt/3uAS1Ox
 GI Bill info: https://rly.pt/33XCwCM
 My bachelor’s program: https://rly.pt/AMUCriminalJustice

The views and opinions expressed here are solely from the author and do not reflect the opinions of any organization in this piece.