Posted on Nov 16, 2013
Do you believe the military prepared you for transitioning into the civilian sector?
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When I separated from the Air Force back in 2003, I had a 30 minute conversation with a separation counselor who provided me with a book to read and told me to collect my unemployment benefits and don't forget to use my GI Bill benefits as well.<br><br>It was so briefed, I really didn't know what resources were all out there to help us transitioning veterans.<br><br><br>
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Transition
Transition
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 20
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I transitioned well becasue I was prepared well. During my last three months of service I pulled in two paychecks. One from the Air Force and one from my current employer.<div> My best advice is seek a civilian certification while you wear the uniform. The majority of companies do not recognize military training certificates. Also every job gets its unique resume. Do not write a "standard resume". Most companies do not care if you can disassmble a machine gun but they do care if you can disassemble a machine and replace components. </div><div> I was prepared well because one year before I was set to leave I started reading want ads and company websites. I learned what a company was looking for and I fit the mold as best as possible. I also spoke with others in the same scenario. We discussed the interview questions and we made sure our friends did not make the same interview mistake we made. We learened from one another and we all got jobs.</div>
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SSgt (Join to see)
TSgt Morse and very correct because as a forecaster, there are so few jobs. But I did finally get a position I liked, in my specialty.
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Well, I see that there is a lot of irritation about past experiences with transitioning. I've read everything from how bad the transition brief was to how poor the training was when they came in. That very well may have been. I know that at some point in time that I'm going to be a civilian again. So instead of sitting on my thumbs and waiting for that day to hit me in the face, I have taken advantage of the tuition assistance and will have my degree when I do get out. I will go online and research jobs that incorporate my military training and experience with my degree. You have to be pro-active in order to square yourself away. From my experience, the people who had a bad transition didn't take the initiative to prepare themselves.
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SPC David Wyckoff
All I can say is I wish I had an NCO like you when I was in to answer questions for me. I didn't even know there was such a thing as tuiton assistance or correspondence courses. I got to my 1st duty station after AIT and I went to work. Train and work was the scope of my life, no one mentioned college courses. I thought that was for after when I could use the G.I. Bill.
The training wasn't poor. In fact it was good training. It just isn't recognized by the private sector as legitimate.
If I had known that I would have made a different decision. I used my experience in the Army to prepare my own three kids for the day when they would go in and get out. Their military experience was much better. So it's a life lesson that worked out.
The training wasn't poor. In fact it was good training. It just isn't recognized by the private sector as legitimate.
If I had known that I would have made a different decision. I used my experience in the Army to prepare my own three kids for the day when they would go in and get out. Their military experience was much better. So it's a life lesson that worked out.
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CPO (Join to see)
I am a Reservist who works as an HR Liaison in my civilian job. I have seen both, those who transition well and those who do not. Among those who transition well, I see a "can do" attitude, professional dressed EVERYDAY, confidence and use of military skills to get the job done. I, however, have seen those who obviously missed TAPS classes. Those who do the bare minimum, are not dressed appropriately and whose attitudes and opinions are better not heard. Civilian life is very different - workers have alot of rights. Quite frankly, things military leaders can get away with may not necessarily be permissable in the civilian world.
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SGM Tere Moore
It all depends on a lot of things. I left AD in 1982 and went on terminal leave for 59 days. The only "transition" is had was a grumpy old lady at the Presidio of Monterey (CA) who didn't even say thank you. When I found I was not receiving the housing & subsistence allowances I was allowed, I called the Personnel Dept at the Presidio & got this: "So what? That's not my problem." Talk about harsh! Luckily I went into the USAR; then was offered a civilian job in HR mostly because the person who interviewed me was a CPT in the CA NG. Anyone in any branch of the U.S. military should take full advantage of All transitioning services allowed. I truly thank the Transition Services Specialists at Ft. Knox, KY who when I retired in 2015 allowed me to use all the services I wanted to further my professional endeavors as a retired soldier w/40 yrs 9 mons military service.
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Is this a serious question. The answer is NO!
The military barely prepared me for the job I was doing, I did not have any type of out brief when I left or any transition assistance. After 6 years active duty, I was given my separation papers and told to go home.
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PO3 John Wesley Ball
Maybe a briefing on services available, job placement assistance information about using GI Bill benefits and converting military experience to civilian licenses. I was an AT - Aviation Electronics Tech working on comm, nav, radar, sonar and crypto gear and could have received my FAA certification if I would have known and continued a career in aviation maintenence. Instead I fought my way through several minimum wage jobs before landing a career position in a completely different field.
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SFC (Join to see)
I think the briefing he's referring to SPC Kumar is the ACAP briefing, or at least that's what it sounds like he should've attended....or something along those lines.
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CMDCM Gene Treants
I can see a lot of Command Career Counselors on ships and stations either are not doing their jobs or are not getting the word out properly. This is a BIG part of the job they should be doing. At least it was when I was no active duty as both a CCC and as a Command Master Chief. I worked with the CCC to make sure our separating Sailors were ready to go back to civilian life and become productive in their new careers.
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SGT (Join to see)
It seems like either the Navy had no type of Transition Assistance Program at that time or they just failed outright.
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