Transition
Transition
Posted on May 2, 2017
SGM Wilder from Soldier for Life was by on 5/9/17 for a live Q&A.
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From RP Staff: We're honored to be hosting SGM Wilder for a live Q&A on 5/9. Ask your questions below!
About SGM Wilder:
SGM Wilder serves as the senior enlisted advisor of the Soldier for Life Program. He enlisted as an Infantryman in 1989 and has served in every leadership position from Team Leader to Battalion Command Sergeant Major. He served on Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson’s personal staff and was the congressional advisor for both the 14th and 15th Sergeant Major of the Army. He has two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and holds a Master’s Degree from George Washington University.
About Soldier for Life:
Soldier for Life has connected over 1,000 private and public organizations resulting in over 1.2 million jobs filled by Army Family members. Soldier for Life helped establish over 100 primary apprenticeship programs on 24 installations, providing Soldiers and Spouses viable, lifelong skills they can use in both Army and civilian careers. Soldier for Life efforts have assisted in reducing the Veteran unemployment rates to a eight year low, remaining lower than the national average.
About SGM Wilder:
SGM Wilder serves as the senior enlisted advisor of the Soldier for Life Program. He enlisted as an Infantryman in 1989 and has served in every leadership position from Team Leader to Battalion Command Sergeant Major. He served on Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson’s personal staff and was the congressional advisor for both the 14th and 15th Sergeant Major of the Army. He has two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and holds a Master’s Degree from George Washington University.
About Soldier for Life:
Soldier for Life has connected over 1,000 private and public organizations resulting in over 1.2 million jobs filled by Army Family members. Soldier for Life helped establish over 100 primary apprenticeship programs on 24 installations, providing Soldiers and Spouses viable, lifelong skills they can use in both Army and civilian careers. Soldier for Life efforts have assisted in reducing the Veteran unemployment rates to a eight year low, remaining lower than the national average.
Soldier
Transition
ACAP/Soldier for Life (SFL-TAP)
Civilian Career
Q&A
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 20
SGM Wilder . the most telling question I could ask you is...
Where did we go wrong in helping the separating SM know what this program offers them?
What have you found works to get the word out?
"Soldier for Life".. I had to Google it to know what it was... I retired as the 1st CAV G3 SGM Dec 2013, and "Soldier for Life" was a program I knew little about.
If the program was fully implemented then, and the senior NCO in a Div Ops staff was unaware of it, have you considered the awesome program you represent and help provide is not commonly known or understood what it offers the separating SM? Perhaps some marketing is in order?
Where did we go wrong in helping the separating SM know what this program offers them?
What have you found works to get the word out?
"Soldier for Life".. I had to Google it to know what it was... I retired as the 1st CAV G3 SGM Dec 2013, and "Soldier for Life" was a program I knew little about.
If the program was fully implemented then, and the senior NCO in a Div Ops staff was unaware of it, have you considered the awesome program you represent and help provide is not commonly known or understood what it offers the separating SM? Perhaps some marketing is in order?
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1SG (Join to see)
Agreed SGM. We see the pin at Clothing & Sales and that it is authorized for wear on the ASUs, but that's about it.
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SGM (Join to see)
SGM-- great points and good questions. In October 2013, the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) was formerly renamed Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program (SFL-TAP). It has definitely been a challenge getting the force to recognize this name change. Even more challenging has been getting Company and Battalion-level leadership understand how tough the transition process is, especially for first term Soldiers. We are working diligently to change the culture of the Army. We need leaders at all levels to understand the big, strategic picture, which is that the successful transition of a Soldier is directly related to readiness and the health of our force. Over 120,000 Soldiers either ETS or retire each year regardless of whether the Army is expanding or contracting. These Soldiers are going to return to their respective communities and become Army Ambassadors. They are going to share their good and bad experiences. We obviously want each Soldier to have a successful transition and land on their feet upon separation. The better transition they have the more they will speak positively about their Army experience and help us to continue to recruit the next generation of the All-Volunteer force. In terms of getting the word out, we need Retired Soldiers like yourself getting out, telling your Army story and continuing to serve your community and nation.
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SGM Erik Marquez
SGM (Join to see) - Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
Happy to do what I can in spreading the word, trying to research and devour all the info I can now so I can speak intelligently on the subject.. Not to be an SME, but just to understand what the program is and point folks in the right direction to find out more.
Happy to do what I can in spreading the word, trying to research and devour all the info I can now so I can speak intelligently on the subject.. Not to be an SME, but just to understand what the program is and point folks in the right direction to find out more.
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No questions from me, SGM (Join to see). I just wish to thank you for your service to our country.
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SGM Wilder, Hello, Since I have been on Rally Point I have addressed this comment to most senior Enlisted and senior officers its like no one wants to take the time to read my question or answer my question so let me get right to the point, I've notice a lot of Senior NCO and Officer who have been transitioning out of the military can not write a resume or produce a cover letter? I been watching and reading Rally Point and talking with my Senior Enlisted friends who are still severing and seems to me that, NCOES is not teaching anything on resume writing skills or cover letter development because ACAP and TAPS is not a place to teach a soldiers who has done 15 to 20 to 30 years in the military who want to start a real civilian career in a 3 day or week long course. All depends on where your at. The Army spends all this money on equipment why wont it spend money on trying to help the soldiers transition out because our leaders have to go back to their units to face the soldiers leaving the force and a lot of these soldiers look up to these leaders. Some leaders can't write resumes or covers letters for themselves how to we expect them to show the younger soldiers to do the same. NCOES is the same thing over and over, LEADERSHIP, COUNSELING, OPERATIONS and ETC. It needs to change and where you work you can make that change. THANK YOU for you time.
RET SFC WILLIAM STEPHENS
RET SFC WILLIAM STEPHENS
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MSG David Rogers III
One idea.... teach Soldiers how to do a resume in Basic. Save the file in iPerms or somewhere accessible, then update it every year you are in the service, with the help of leaders or career services office. When in the leadership ranks, it can be worked with alongside the Evaluation Reports. When you ETS or Retire.... Its done!
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SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM
MSG David Rogers III - your the man, you could make some money off that brother, input that in the AKO or IPERS system SHIT, you better retire now before somebody seeS that , each NCOES THEY GO TO THEY UP DATE AS WELL. man YOU rock MSG. nice deal.
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SGM (Join to see)
SFC Stephens,
NCOES doesn’t teach you how to write a resume because in the Army your resume is your ERB. NCOES does teach you how to write, how to think analytically, and how to solve problems. As leaders, we need to help our subordinates understand the importance of quality writing. It doesn’t just happen overnight. It is a skill that takes practice and refinement. Are you practicing each month as you counsel your Soldiers? Are you talking to them about what they want to do when they leave the Army? We are will leave either at 3 years, 10, 20, or 25 years. We all will leave the Army at some point. If you don’t know what you want to do when you leave you need to think about it early. As you talk to your peers and other Soldiers have these hard discussions. They Army offers a lot of resources while you serve to help prepare you for civilian employment if you take advantage of them. Many of the additional duties you have are full time jobs in the civilian world. Don’t just throw away that UMO and HAZMAT certificate because it’s a lot of work at the company level. Save it and use that to get your foot in the door. Look at what you are using your TA benefits on. Are you taking the easy classes to get the promotion points or are you using it to get a degree that has employability once you leave the Army? There aren’t many job openings for 16th century English professors, but there are plenty for anything cyber related. Tutor.com offers free services to active duty Soldiers and their families. While not resume professionals, they have staff that can review your resume for grammar, formatting, and general errors. There are also a ton of great resources that will help draft your resume, translate your military skills, and network you into corporate America. Hire Heroes USA (https://www.uso.org/programs/uso-transition-services) , the US Chamber of Commerce Hiring our Heroes Foundation (http://hiringourheroes.org/) , Bridge My Return (http://www.bridgemyreturn.com/) , Guide-On (https://www.guide-on.com/) , and Corporate America Supports You (http://casy.msccn.org/)
NCOES doesn’t teach you how to write a resume because in the Army your resume is your ERB. NCOES does teach you how to write, how to think analytically, and how to solve problems. As leaders, we need to help our subordinates understand the importance of quality writing. It doesn’t just happen overnight. It is a skill that takes practice and refinement. Are you practicing each month as you counsel your Soldiers? Are you talking to them about what they want to do when they leave the Army? We are will leave either at 3 years, 10, 20, or 25 years. We all will leave the Army at some point. If you don’t know what you want to do when you leave you need to think about it early. As you talk to your peers and other Soldiers have these hard discussions. They Army offers a lot of resources while you serve to help prepare you for civilian employment if you take advantage of them. Many of the additional duties you have are full time jobs in the civilian world. Don’t just throw away that UMO and HAZMAT certificate because it’s a lot of work at the company level. Save it and use that to get your foot in the door. Look at what you are using your TA benefits on. Are you taking the easy classes to get the promotion points or are you using it to get a degree that has employability once you leave the Army? There aren’t many job openings for 16th century English professors, but there are plenty for anything cyber related. Tutor.com offers free services to active duty Soldiers and their families. While not resume professionals, they have staff that can review your resume for grammar, formatting, and general errors. There are also a ton of great resources that will help draft your resume, translate your military skills, and network you into corporate America. Hire Heroes USA (https://www.uso.org/programs/uso-transition-services) , the US Chamber of Commerce Hiring our Heroes Foundation (http://hiringourheroes.org/) , Bridge My Return (http://www.bridgemyreturn.com/) , Guide-On (https://www.guide-on.com/) , and Corporate America Supports You (http://casy.msccn.org/)
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SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM
SGM, thank you for taking the time to read what I wrote to you today. Thank you for visiting RP.
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