MOAA
brought to you by
Transition
Guide
64
Military Made,
Business Approved
Care and Feeding of
Your References
Finance and Benefits
Transition Checklist
Military-Friendly
Employers
10 Reasons You Didn’t
Get the Job
Assessing Your Digital
Persona
74
On the Move
Salary and Benefits
Negotiation Basics
Military Spouse Stats
Spotting a Bad Boss
Spouse Career
Portability
Spouse Unemployment
Compensation
MOAA Career
Transition Services
Ready, Set,
Any big change in your career requires careful planning.
MOAA’s advice and insights can help you lead the pack.
ILLUSTRATION: ROY SCOTT
M AY 2 0 1 5
MILITARY OFFICER
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PHOTOS/IMAGES: TKTK
Military Made,
Business Approved
F
Veterans serving as top executives at
some of the nation’s biggest companies
offer their tips on using military values
to drive civilian business success.
By Deborah Huso
FRED SMITH WA S ONLY 22 YE AR S OLD
WHEN HE BEC AME A PL ATOON LE ADER
with the 1st Marine Division in Chu Lai, South
Vietnam, in 1966. Because of a shortage of officers, he found himself quickly thrown into
positions of responsibility, commanding Kilo
Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines at the battle for Hue City. He ultimately served two tours
in Vietnam.
ILLUSTRATION: FACING PAGE, ROY SCOTT
In 1971, before he was 30, Smith
started the express-delivery company FedEx Corp. “Everything
that went into FedEx that made [it]
the business that it is today related
to what I learned in the Marine
Corps,” he says. From his experience in Vietnam as a forward air
controller, he learned how to integrate air and ground operations,
ensuring their coordination under
tense circumstances.
Smith says he also borrowed from
his Marine Corps experience the
concept of having FedEx’s operating
companies managed collaboratively
and independently. He had seen
military services work together from
the standpoint of a small-unit leader
who exercised independent authority. Today, FedEx is a Fortune 100
company that some say operates with
military precision.
Smith’s experience is not unique.
Plenty of company founders and CEOs
have taken their experience on the
battlefield right into the boardroom.
Former Air Force Capt.
Stuart Parker, USAA CEO
The new CEO of financial services
group United Services Automobile
Association (USAA), former Air
Force Capt. Stuart Parker, served 10
years in the Air Force flying combat
missions during operations Desert
Shield and Desert Storm. He also
was an instructor pilot for the C-141
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Care and Feeding
of Your References
Résumé inflation and a strong desire to avoid the pain of a bad hire
motivate employers to check references. Accordingly, job seekers need to
have a reference list ready to present on request — probably after the initial round of interviewing but before the final negotiations begin.
Providing good references requires maintaining connections with
former managers, colleagues, and even professors who have observed your people skills and have seen your work. Moreover, it’s increasingly acceptable to draw references from vendors, subordinates,
and subcontractors.
Ask for a reference in person or over the phone because tone of voice
and body language often can reveal reluctance. Any initial hesitation, poor
eye contact, or a flat tone of voice are good indications it’s best to find another reference. Remember, damning with faint praise during a reference
check always trumps a sparkling résumé and impeccable interview skills.
Offer to provide your references with a list of your major projects and
achievements when you worked together. It’s also helpful to provide a
description of the position you are seeking, so the reference can highlight
your most relevant work experience.
Finally, before you exit your current position, attempt to negotiate
agreement from your current boss to serve as a professional reference
for your next employer. In cases of involuntary departure, strive to agree
with your former boss on an exit statement that will describe the nature
of your departure in terms that are acceptable to both of you.
— Capt. Jim Carman, USN (Ret), director, MOAA Transition Center
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and T-38 and worked as a wing
flight examiner.
Parker holds a degree in business
administration from Valdosta State
University in Georgia, where he graduated through the Air Force ROTC
program, and an MBA in finance
from St. Mary’s University in Texas.
He joined USAA in 1998, eventually rising to the role of chief operating officer in 2014. Now, as the
recently elected CEO, Parker says
his years in the Air Force really solidified his belief in the strength of
teamwork. “The military is a brotherhood and sisterhood that takes everybody’s efforts,” he explains. “It’s
one of those formative times when
you realize that the team is far more
important than the individual, that
you have to work together and at the
same time share the sacrifices.”
The Air Force also taught him the
importance of core values. “In the
military, it’s all about integrity and
doing what you say,” he says. “Your
word is your bond. Those values continue to define who I am today.
“The military teaches you to focus
on the details, like when you’re a
pilot and you do a walk-around of an
airplane. You’re checking everything
because it could cost you your life or
the lives of others if you don’t catch a
potential problem. That attention to
detail is also critical in the business
world because people are counting
on you there, too.”
The Air Force gave Parker endurance as well. He was accustomed to
23-hour missions, which prepared
him to embrace the long hours often
required to make projects happen in
the business world.
Parker’s dedication to the team
has been reflected in his work at
USAA, where he was instrumental
in opening USAA eligibility to everyone who had honorably served
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
Dell recommends Windows.
Serving those who
serve our nation.
All U.S. military members, past and present,
are eligible to receive exclusive savings and ofers.
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Save up to 30% on select Windows PCs and tablets
Enjoy 5% savings on Dell-branded electronics and accessories
Access exclusive ofers and presale events
Request an additional 10% of coupon* for military members on select Windows PCs and tablets
Shop today at Dell.com/moaa or
email Federal_EPP_Programs@Dell.com.
*All orders are subject to approval and acceptance by Dell. Ofers subject to change, not combinable with all other ofers. Taxes, shipping, handling and other fees apply. Valid for U.S. Dell Member
Purchase Program new purchases only. Dell reserves right to cancel orders arising from pricing or other errors. *Best Price for Members Guarantee: Best Price Guarantee does not apply to retail or reseller
ofers, Dell Outlet, afliate websites, coupons, auctions or quotes from Dell sales representatives. You must present a valid E-value code or saved cart image with lower price to a Dell Member Purchase
Program sales specialist on day of purchase prior to your transaction. *Electronics and Accessories: Ofer does not apply to the following products categories: All Non-Dell Electronics and Accessories.
Additional savings apply to select other ofers. *10% Military Coupon Ofer: Visit Dell.com/military for valid ofer dates. Coupon is good with select other ofers, and other coupons. Coupon is valid on
select order codes. Ofer does not apply to, and is not available with, systems or items purchased through refurbished items or spare parts. Purchase limit of 3 items per order. Not valid for resellers and/
or online auctions. Dell reserves the right to cancel orders arising from pricing or other errors.
Finance and Benefits
Transition Checklist
If you think you might be about five years from transitioning out
of the military, here are some key finance and benefits decisions
on which you should start doing your homework:
Transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits
Emergency transition savings account
Thrift Savings Plan decision
Insurance (life, SGLI, VGLI, health, dental,
and vision) options
Moving expenses and the cost of living in
areas you might want to call home
Tax planning
Employer benefit plan costs
Survivor Benefit Plan and VA disability claim
(Dependency and Indemnity Compensation)
possibilities
Separation pay and the payback, if applicable
There are many moving parts to these issues. MOAA
provides transition, financial, and benefits counseling to help
you understand the issues so you can exercise your options
with confidence.
To help get your thoughts and game plan together, download DD Form 2648, Preseparation Counseling Checklist, at
http://1.usa.gov/1CczZU1.
— Lt. Col. Shane Ostrom, USAF (Ret), CFP®,
deputy director, MOAA Transition Center
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in the armed forces, which more
than doubled the company’s membership. He also helped promote
veteran hiring and says 30 percent
of new hires are either veterans or
military spouses.
Parker transferred many skills
from his years in the service. He recommends that other veterans:
1. Stay mission-focused. Give
clear direction to your team, and
have high expectations.
2. Remember it’s about the
team, not you. Take care of your
employees, and they’ll take care of
your business. Give them the tools
they need, bring them together, and
inspire them to fulfill the mission.
3. Look over the horizon. Scan
for potential threats and opportunities, and stay informed and innovative
about addressing them. Be vigilant,
agile, flexible, and responsive.
4. Keep your integrity above
all else. The business world is full
of stories about executives who cut
corners. Don’t. Ever.
5. Be passionate. One of the
best things anyone can be known for
is making a positive impact. That’s
much harder to do if you’re not engaged and excited about your role. If
you lose the passion, find a way to get
it back — or find something else to do.
Former Marine Corps Cpl.
Robert J. Stevens, former
Lockheed Martin Corp. CEO
Former Lockheed Martin CEO
Robert J. Stevens enlisted in the
Marine Corps as soon as he graduated from high school in 1969. He received advanced infantry training as
well as training as a forward observer for naval gunfire, artillery, and
close-air support. He served tours in
Vietnam and the Philippines, having
assumed the rank of corporal when
he was honorably discharged in 1975.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
The military taught him the integral tenets of leadership. “Your
experiences of achieving demanding
objectives under difficult circumstances while taking care of those
with whom you serve is the essence
of leadership and character and will
always serve you well,” Stevens says.
As the former head of Lockheed
Martin, Stevens has pulled directly
from his Marine Corps experience in
creating an environment of teamwork
and accountability. “It’s not enough to
be a leader who delivers the product
or the numbers,” he says. “You must
also be a leader who treats people
with respect and dignity, energizes
the team, models the company’s values, and actively shapes the future of
the business.”
“It’s all about good teamwork,” he
adds, “and that’s a lesson in leadership that came directly from the Marine Corps playbook.”
Stevens advises:
1. Recognize your military experience is valuable. Every business is
a team sport where discipline, dedication, and respect matter.
2. Find a business or industry
that gives you a sense of purpose.
Those who were in the military tend
to have “mission first” orientation.
We are used to giving all we have,
sometimes at great personal sacrifice.
Find a mission worthy of your effort.
3. Learn the vocabulary. When
first applying for a job, I realized there
was no demand whatsoever for “forward observers,” but every business
needs “team leaders,” which, as an
NCO, I understood. Learn to translate
your strategic and operational skills
into the vocabulary of business.
4. Leadership matters. You
have stepped forward many times in
uncertain environments. Business
is no different. Seize the initiative,
and don’t fear failure. Your military
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Military-Friendly Employers*
7-Eleven Franchising
Advanced Concepts and Technologies
International LLC
Alion Science and Technology Corp.
Amazon
AREVA Inc.
Army and Air Force Exchange Service
Bank of America
CACI International Inc.
CALIBRE
Capital Portfolio Management Inc.
CH2M Hill
ClearanceJobs
Cruise Planners
Dell
Department of Veterans Affairs/VA
forVets
Department of Homeland Security
Transportation Security Administration
Edward D. Jones and Co. L.P.
EMCOR Government Services
Emporia State University
Exfederal.com
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
FINRA
First Command Financial Services
GEICO
Hagerstown (Md.) Community College
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for
the Advancement of Military Medicine
HomeTeam Inspection Service
Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc.
Humana
Institute for Defense Analyses
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Koch Industries
LADO International Institute
La Quinta Inns & Suites
Leidos
LMI
Lockheed Martin Corp.
ManTech International Corp.
Marriott
Marsh & McLennan Cos.
Marstel-Day LLC
Michael Baker International
National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Language Service Corps
National Security Agency
NES Associates LLC
NORMA Group
Northrop Grumman Corp.
Peace Corps
Pentagon Federal Credit Union
Postal Connections
Prince George’s One-Stop Career Center
Prince William County Police Department
Professional Solutions LLC
Prudential PenFed Realty
Public Service Enterprise Group
Quantech Services Inc.
Schafer Corp.
State Farm
Texas Tech University
Trident Group
U.S. Agency for International
Development
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
University of Phoenix
USAA
USC Marshall School of Business
Veterans Crisis Line
Volt Information Sciences Inc.
Welkin Associates Ltd.
Westat
Western Michigan University
WIN Home Inspection
Zeiders Enterprises
*This list is based on employers that regularly participate in MOAA career fairs and
professional development events; employers in bold have advertised in this issue.
Veteran Unemployment Rate
4.9%
As of March, the unemployment rate for veterans was 4.9 percent,
a decrease of 1.1 percentage points from March 2014.
For more information, visit www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t05.htm.
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experience has taught you to engage,
respond, adapt, and move forward.
Capt. Ken Barrett, USN
(Ret), General Motors Co.
global chief diversity officer
For General Motors Co. (GM) Chief
Diversity Officer Capt. Ken Barrett,
USN (Ret), making the transition from
the Navy to the boardroom was almost
seamless to a large degree because of
his military experience. Barrett, who
spent 28 years in the military, began as
a surface warfare officer and served on
seven different ships. He moved into
human resources recruiting, ultimately becoming diversity director for the
Navy. He helped steer a pilot program
allowing for career intermission. Targeted toward retaining female servicemembers, the program allowed three
years off active duty while retaining
medical benefits with a commitment
to return to service.
Barrett joined GM in 2012 and
was the company’s first diversity officer. “In the military, you get leadership responsibility right away,” he
says. “I had 17 people working for me
at age 22.” With his recruiting experience, he learned to sell and found
diversity enhanced that ability. “The
Navy taught me to create a force that
looked like the people we served,”
he explains. “[At GM,] we want to be
reflective of the customers to whom
we sell our vehicles.”
Here are Barrett’s tips for making
the most of your career transition:
1. Think outside your comfort
level. Be open to other types of opportunities outside what you do in
the military.
2. Don’t sell yourself short.
Evaluate what your skills really
are, and be able to account for what
you’ve done throughout your career.
Think about how those skills translate into the civilian world.
Reasons You
Didn’t Get the Job
1.
Your cover letter and résumé were not tailored to connect your skills and experience, passion, and education to the requirements of the job.
2.
The economy steadily was adding jobs
in late 2014 and saw its best streak since
1995. Despite losses in early 2015, economists
have remained hopeful. Regardless, 8.6 million
Americans, including 535,000 veterans, still are
looking for employment. If you’ve been unsuccessful in your quest for employment, consider
these 10 reasons why you didn’t get the job.
You did not build internal support for your
candidacy by connecting with people who are currently working for this employer.
3.
Your LinkedIn profile did not reflect your personal brand, did not include a professional photo,
or did not complement the material contained in
your résumé and application.
4.
You failed to follow up to ensure your application was received.
5.
You took the phone interview on a cellphone
in a parking lot.
6.
You showed up for your interview more than
five minutes early or more than one minute late.
7. You were surly with the receptionist and the
intern you met in the hallway. The best judge of
character is how we treat the powerless compared
to the powerful.
8. You assumed the sale and didn’t dress up
for a third-round interview.
Always remember: Half of acing
an interview is knowing as much as
possible about the company before
the interview; anticipating what the
interviewer wants to know about
you is the other half.
9. You missed the little things, like not re-
sponding promptly to requests for writing samples and reference lists.
10.
You wanted to discuss compensation and
benefits before you were the preferred candidate.
— Capt. Jim Carman, USN (Ret), director, MOAA Transition Center
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Assessing Your
Digital
Persona
If all someone knew about
you was what he or she found
online, what kind of person
would you appear to be?
Your digital persona is what
prospective employers will find
if they Google your name or
search for you on social media
(and they will). It matters
little whether the information
was something you posted or
was supplied by a third party
without your knowledge. It’s
in your best interest to know
in advance what’s out there
so you’ll be prepared to either
defend it or remove it.
You can control your digital
persona by not posting anything online you wouldn’t want
others to know and regularly
checking posts associated with
you. Questionable content
includes political or religious
rants, accounts of personal
misconduct or unlawful activity, or anything else that might
be deemed objectionable.
Conversely, you can take
control and shape a positive
online image for yourself by
having a profile on LinkedIn. A
complete and well-constructed
profile presents a professional
version of you that will attract
target employers.
— Capt. Patricia Cole, USN
(Ret), deputy director,
MOAA Transition Center
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3. Take transition assistance
programs early. “I started three
years before I transitioned,” he says.
“It’s important to start transitionthinking before you’re out.”
4. Refine your résumé. It’s a living, breathing document. Update it
every single month. Get input from
others. Make sure it’s focused outside
the military. Define the roles you’ve
filled in “corporate speak.”
5. Join a professional organization in the field you’re interested
in pursuing. It puts you in touch
with the right circles of people.
Maj. James R. Schenck,
USA (Ret), Pentagon
Federal Credit Union CEO James Schenck entered the Army
straight out of high school through
the U.S. Military Academy at West
Point, N.Y., in 1984. After attending
flight school, serving as an Army
aviator, and taking two tours to
Korea, he ultimately found himself
working as special assistant to the
secretary of the Army, spending 13
years of his career at the Pentagon.
He resigned his commission in
2001 to move into the private sector,
where he has modeled his leadership
on lessons from the Army. “Good
leaders can lay out a vision and let
juniors execute it,” Schenck says.
“They give junior commanders the
operating room to exercise their
leader’s intent.”
He says he relied on strategy,
focus, and execution. “When I became CEO a year ago, I laid out a
very bold vision,” he explains. His
goal has been to increase PenFed’s
membership from 18 billion to 75
billion. In his efforts to meet that
goal, Schenck has provided a precise vision, making individual leaders responsible for “sub-objectives”
of that vision.
“The military taught me about
building winning teams,” he adds.
“My entire professional career was
spent with people from all different
backgrounds and places. I’ve always
worked in a diverse culture.”
What tips does Schenck offer for
translating military skills?
1. Take absolute perfect care
of your employees. A commander
is only as good as his people. If you
take care of your employees, they
will, in turn, take care of your customers. Make sure they have the resources they need to succeed.
2. Operate with honor and
integrity. Make your handshake
your bond.
3. Promote working across divisions and across silos. Have an
open mind about what’s important
to the people around you.
4. Understand the strategic as
well as the tactical view. Where is
your industry going in the future? Be
ready to solve the long-term as well
as the short-term issues.
5. Training is critical. The military is a great model of this. It encourages higher education and training at
every level of command. Leaders set
future conditions for success. MO
— Deborah Huso is a freelance writer
based in Virginia. Her last feature article
for Military Officer was “5 Overlooked
Military Benefits,” March 2015.
JOIN THE
CONVERSATION
What’s your best advice for
a transitioning military officer? Share your thoughts
and tips with other MOAA
members via MOAA Connect
(connect.moaa.org). Search for
the “Military Made, Business
Approved” discussion.
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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PHOTOS/IMAGES: TKTK
On the Move
Military life means little certainty and
lots of career reinvention. Three spouses
share their stories of trials and triumphs.
By Latayne C. Scott
ALTHOUGH HIGH SCHO OL AND COLLEGE
what
recent graduate would say the dream is to try to
juggle a career with the constant moves of military life — and where’s the job training for that?
PREPARE STUDENT S FOR C AREER S,
Any military spouse who is employed can identify the great challenges inherent in such a scenario
(see page 77 or visit www.moaa.org/
milspousesurvey). And yet many
spouses have made it work — and
found satisfaction in the results.
New to the military
Though Amie Huebner and her
husband, William, a lieutenant
commander in the Navy, have been
married for five years, she remembers vividly her transition to the
military spouse lifestyle.
“Within two weeks of leaving my
network,” she says, “I woke up with
a ring on my finger, in a city on the
opposite side of the country, with
ILLUSTRATION: FACING PAGE, ROY SCOTT
my only identity being a military ID
card and a job unpacking boxes.”
Huebner took stock of her talents
and vocational assets to reinvent
herself. She’s taught and coached
sailing since her teenage years and
now continues that profession as she
skippers her own high-performance
505 sailboat in Norfolk, Va. She
also had to figure out how to make
her entrepreneurial young freelance graphic and Web design firm,
Teahouse Creatives, compatible with
her new military lifestyle.
“The one myth I debunked was
that a freelance business has to be
locally based to survive,” Huebner
says. “All you have to do is make
it easy for your clients and be reliable.” Though she can provide services through phone, email, video
calls, and other Internet tools, she
acknowledges Teahouse Creatives
has required substantial personal
travel and “being strategic on where
I base myself” — including some
hard decisions not to move every
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$
time with her husband, instead
staying within weekend commuting
distance wherever possible.
Huebner learned early on not to
overcommit herself, and she relies on
assets such as the local InGear Career
chapter and satisfying involvement
in community activities. Another
resource is her business partner, her
brother, who provides consistency
when she is in transitions. In addition,
her husband is very supportive.
“He knows that I am happy when
I am fulfilled by my work,” she says.
Reentering the workforce
Salary and Benefits
Negotiation Basics
In the realm of negotiating salary and benefits, knowledge is
power. Do your homework! You should have a general idea of the salary
range for a position before starting to negotiate. This will prevent you
from asking for too much or too little.
For starters, assume almost everything is negotiable and, if possible,
try to have a written job offer in hand before talking salary specifics.
Where do you find salary information? Start with the installation transition office. Talk to friends, and leverage your network. Additionally, a wealth of information is available online. Websites such
as Salary.com, Glassdoor.com, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
provide a wide range of salary information.
Don’t focus solely on salary when negotiating. Benefits are
an important component of the overall compensation package. Among
them are medical benefits, amount of 401(k) match, and life insurance.
Some negotiable items that might not be included in the offer are education, parking, hiring bonuses, etcetera. It’s up to you to determine one
or two areas most important for you and effectively convey them to the
employer during the negotiation.
When you receive an offer, take time to evaluate it. Never accept an offer the same day it is presented. You want to consider the
offer with your family or spouse to ensure your needs will be met. The
salary-negotiation process is not an adversarial one. Unlike other formal
negotiating you might have done (buying a car or a home), this relationship will continue over the course of your time with the company. So
keep the negotiations positive and always do your homework.
— Col. Terri Coles, USA (Ret), deputy director, MOAA Transition Center
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In 2006, Kate Costa Leming found
herself at Fort Benning, Ga., “staring down a 15-month deployment”
for her husband, Johnathan, an Air
Force major. Trying to balance a job
and solo parenting with no family
nearby felt “untenable,” she says,
and she resigned from her position
teleworking for a firm in New York.
During the following six years, the
Lemings had two more children,
moved five times, and were separated 21 months due to training,
deployments, and TDYs.
Leming kept in touch with her
classmates from Cornell University in
Ithaca, N.Y., with bittersweet interest. “Watching their career trajectories unfold through social media was
hard while the highlight of my day
may have been getting all three kids
to nap at the same time,” she says.
By 2012, her two oldest children
were in school and she had access
to DoD child care for the third, so
Leming reentered the job market. She
now works as site lead for Wittenberg Weiner Consulting, supervising
a team of consultants supporting a
major federal agency and serving as
special assistant to a senior executive
on the contract side of her work. Wittenberg Weiner, in fact, was founded
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
The average military spouse is FEMALE, 33 YEARS OLD,
HAS SOME COLLEGE or bachelor’s degree, and is more
likely to HAVE CHILDREN IN THE HOME. She is less
likely to be employed and MAKES ABOUT 38% LESS
than her civilian counterpart. Her servicemember has been
deployed on average a total of 24 MONTHS.
INFOGRAPHIC: SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY’S INSTITUTE FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
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Spotting a
Bad Boss
The interview process is an opportunity for you to explore workplace
compatibility, including your relationship with your boss.
Warning signs of a problematic boss include someone who is distracted easily or multitasking during the interview. Other cautionary
behaviors include poor eye contact, providing terse or shallow answers
to your questions, excessive emphasis on themselves and their achievements, and negative comments about other people in the organization. An interviewer who comes out from behind his desk to greet
a candidate, makes a special effort to introduce you to others in the
organization, and eliminates all distractions during the interview is demonstrating a commendable degree of character.
However, there may be virtues in nastiness. Exhibit one is the late
Steve Jobs, known for his tirades and tantrums while leading Apple Inc.
Dr. Robert Sutton, a professor of management science and engineering
at Stanford University in California, has noted Jobs was “among the
most imaginative, decisive, and persuasive people” in American business. “He inspired astounding effort and creativity. Although his tantrums and nasty critiques have driven many away — they were a crucial
part of his success, especially his pursuit of perfection and relentless
desire to make beautiful things,” Sutton says.
It might be useful to recall the qualities of past bosses who have
inspired your best work. Other relevant questions include: How would
you describe your least-liked boss? What impact did these qualities have on your performance? And what did you do to manage this
problematic relationship?
Workplaces are more diverse than ever, and tensions often run high
between companies’ drive for increased productivity and workers’ desire
for some boundaries. All of this due diligence is essential to identify
situations where you can do your best work and achieve the greatest
long-term rewards.
— Capt. Jim Carman, USN (Ret), director, MOAA Transition Center
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by people who couldn’t find jobs when
their spouses were stationed overseas.
“The company understands the
military life and understands the
value military spouses bring to the
workforce,” says Leming. “I was up
for a promotion when my husband
got out-of-the-blue deployment orders. The company did not bat an eye
and still gave me the promotion.”
Leming credits MOAA’s Military Spouse Symposia and InGear
Career for helping her and other
career-minded military spouses. But
the rewards aren’t only vocational.
Recently, her oldest daughter read
about a particularly difficult project
her mom had completed and exclaimed, “Wow, Mom! You did that?”
“That was one of those moments
I was glad I had chosen to go back
to work,” Leming says.
Transitioning out
Transition is an integral part of the
military lifestyle. New duty stations, new friends, new experiences
— including new employment opportunities — are part of the journey. Whether transitioning between
career stages or settling down into
civilian life, “Preparation is essential to ensure a successful transition
in all facets of life,” says Christine
C. Gallagher, MOAA deputy director for Spouse and Currently Serving Programs. “Take advantage
of resources available including
Military OneSource, installation
employment-support services, educational benefits, and the transition
assistance program. Oftentimes,
spouses will overlook state and
federal policies, including issues
that affect licensure portability or
unemployment compensation, that
support their transient lifestyle.”
Exiting the military can bring
family goals to the forefront. MiliIMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
Western Michigan University is proud to have earned a “military-friendly”
designation. We take pride in helping those who have served pick up their
education where they left off.
WMU’s University Studies program offers those who have already
taken some college classes a clear pathway to graduation. Our advisors
help you lay out a custom degree program using credits you already
have and applying them toward a bachelor’s degree from WMU.
Finish what you started. Learn more at
wmich.edu/extended/universitystudies
or by calling (269) 387-4200.
Serving those who have served
Spouse Career Portability
Career portability can be a challenge for a professional
military spouse. Complicated state licensing requirements and
lack of license portability impose significant administrative and
financial burdens on military spouse professionals who move
across state lines. With the help of the DoD-State Liaison Office
and support from the Joining Forces Initiative, states are taking
action to ease this problem.
Nearly all 50 states have passed legislation or an executive
order to better support military spouses serving in professions
with state license and certification requirements. Many states
are now expediting licensure for certain professions through endorsement and temporary or provisional licensing. (Professions
covered by such legislation vary from state to state.)
Here are some tips for a smooth professional transition:
•
• Research to see whether your state has legislation for military spouse license portability.
•
• Contact your state licensing board, and ask about the process to become licensed.
•
• Visit the Military OneSource Spouse Education & Career Opportunities website, www.militaryonesource
.mil/seco/job-search, which lists popular occupations and contact information for licensing boards.
— Karen Golden, deputy director, Government Relations
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Spouse Unemployment Compensation
Will you leave a job to move with your servicemember? DoD
studies show working military spouses lose approximately six to nine
months of salary per relocation. Forty-six states and the District of Columbia sympathize with that loss and provide military spouses eligibility
for unemployment compensation.
Military spouses who quit their jobs because of a PCS move do so
as the result of their active duty spouses receiving orders. Recognizing the issue, the National Conference of State Legislatures states,
“Spouses of military service personnel who quit their jobs due to a
military transfer may not be quitting ‘voluntarily,’ and state legislators have amended unemployment compensation laws to help military families who are relocating between states.”
All military spouses should check whether they are eligible to
receive the benefit. Each state has the right to set its own rules, so
check with the state where you were employed.
Even though you might not always be deemed eligible for unemployment compensation, it is worth checking into. Unemployment
compensation helps bridge the financial gap families face when they
shift from dual-income to single-income.
For additional information, visit www.usa4militaryfamilies.dod.mil.
— Karen Golden, deputy director, Government Relations
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tary spouse Noreen O’Neil says
school and college influenced her
and her husband, Dennis, a lieutenant colonel in the Army, to settle in
the Washington, D.C., area as she
retires from 21 years of being an
employed military spouse and her
husband transitions to civilian life.
O’Neil develops long-term strategy as director of the military spouse
program for Hiring Our Heroes,
housed in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This keeps transitioning in
the forefront of her attention as each
day she helps servicemembers and
their spouses network for jobs. She
applauds the great networks within
the military but says the lack of networking outside the military continues to be a huge obstacle.
“I was a volunteer. I have moved 12
times. I did networking once moving
here to D.C.,” O’Neil says, “and that
is how I got this opportunity. … You
have to define goals and figure out
real life steps to getting to your goal.”
O’Neil emphasizes involving one’s
spouse in career transitions. “Go
to [transition assistance program]
classes, discuss benefits, talk about
finances,” she advises. “Reach out
to organizations like MOAA Spouse
[Programs] or Hiring Our Heroes.
Transition is a family event.”
O’Neil and her husband look forward to this new phase and have encouraging words for military couples
at the opposite end of the journey.
“This life has been a crazy wonderful whirlwind of a life, but I wouldn’t
trade it for the world,” O’Neil says. “I
never saw becoming a military spouse
as ‘giving up my career’ or ‘putting
my career second.’ I see it as replacing
one dream for another.” MO
— Latayne C. Scott is a freelance writer
based in New Mexico. Her last article for
Military Officer was “Supporting Role,”
August 2012.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
MOAA
Digitally signed by MOAA
DN: cn=MOAA, o=Military Officers
Association of America, ou,
email=webmaster@moaa.org,
c=US
Date: 2015.05.20 09:02:16 -04'00'
MOAA Career Transition Services
www.moaa.org/career
Military Executive Transition Workshop/
Follow-on Career Transition Consulting: This
one-day at-cost workshop for MOAA Premium
members (Life members receive a discount) covers
a range of topics including: separating from military
life and culture; developing a deliberate job-search
strategy; evaluating job offers; negotiating pay and
benefits; and achieving early wins in a new job. It
also includes the opportunity to network with an
experienced retained recruiter and a panel of military
officers now working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Follow-on benefits include: five hours of personalized career-transition consulting; financial planning with
a MOAA consultant; and video interview critiques.
Résumé Critiques: While your résumé might not be
what lands you your next job, a poorly constructed résumé might take you out of the competition at the start.
MOAA’s Transition Center team provides résumé guidance to Premium and Life members and their spouses.
Interview Practice: Conduct a practice interview
— or several — with a webcam at your desk, using
MOAA’s InterviewStream technology. Premium and
Life members and their spouses can choose from a
variety of industries and questions, conduct the interview and have it critiqued, and incorporate tips to
help strengthen their performance.
In-Person and Virtual Career Fairs: MOAA career
fairs provide opportunities for servicemembers and
veterans and their spouses to try on their “civilian
skin” and meet prospective employers, network with
others, and build a base of professional contacts.
Drop by MOAA’s next career fair May 12 in Washington, D.C., or attend our virtual career fairs May 27
and Aug. 26.
Networking Resources and Events: Join MOAA’s
LinkedIn Career Networking Group to get weekly tips
and advice from MOAA’s transition experts and learn
from other experts with insights to share. If you’re on
a base or an installation, visit www.moaa.org/careerlec
tures to find a free, MOAA-sponsored Marketing
Yourself for a Second Career class near you.
MOAA pre-career fair networking events give you
the chance to hear from and mingle with recruiters,
employers, and career counselors who work with servicemembers in transition. The next event is May 5 in
Arlington, Va.
Keys to Success: Career Development Workshop for Aspiring Young Professionals: Recent
college graduates whose parents or grandparents
are MOAA Life members can learn all the job-search
best practices to improve everything from résumés
to interview skills.
MOAA Spouse Symposium “Keeping a Career on
the Move®”: Every year, MOAA hosts spouse symposia around the country to inform, empower, and inspire
military spouses in career entry and reentry and professional life. Visit www.moaa.org/spousesymposium for
more information. To learn more about MOAA Spouse
Programs, visit www.moaa.org/spouse.
Career Transition Publications: MOAA offers
various publications, including Marketing Yourself for
a Second Career, to help veterans and spouses make
a successful career transition. Visit www.moaa.org/
publications. MOAA Premium and Life members can
download the publications for free.
CAREER VIDEOS
Watch videos on career-transition
topics, including preparing for a career
fair and making your résumé stand
out, at www.moaa.org/topsvideos.