Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS
Have you thought about what you are going to do after you leave the military? Whether you’re in for one tour of duty or you stay in until retirement, you will one day leave the military. And the steps you take today can go a long way toward determining your post-military future.
On this podcast, we interview Mark Deal, a former nuclear technician in the Navy. He shares his story of self-development and planning for the future. He did this even when he didn’t know what that future would be. In many ways, my story is similar to his. It might be similar for many of you.
The big takeaway is this: Develop a long-term path, and take short-term actions to get you there.
Or, in military terms: Determine your strategic goals, and take tactical measures to achieve them.
There are many ways you can do this. We’re going to go into more detail in the podcast.
The tips we discuss regarding preparatory education, professional training and personal development apply to everyone at every stage of life — whether you are still in the military and contemplating your next move or whether that ship has sailed and your military days are long over.
Plan With the Exit in Mind
A successful mission isn’t successful if someone is left behind. That is why every special-ops mission is planned with the exit in mind. How do we get in so we can accomplish our mission? Then, how do we exfiltrate?
Your military career should be treated with the same care. Keep the end goal in mind. Whether you serve two years or 35 years on active duty, there are many steps you can take to prepare yourself for your next course of action, whether that is another career or military retirement.
With this in mind, Deal and I discuss the steps he took during his six-year enlistment that helped prepare him for his successful transition into the civilian world. After listening to his story, you won’t be surprised to learn he has been successful in the business world as well.
Let’s look at Deal’s journey. Here is some of his advice.
Do a Self-Assessment of Your Skills and Long-Term Goals
Give Yourself Options – in Both Your Personal and Professional Life
Can you take steps in your career that will align with your long-term personal and professional goals? In Deal’s case, he quickly qualified in his career field so he could use his off-duty time to pursue his long-term career aspirations. He didn’t have a career lined up while he was in the military, so he pursued the classes that were in line with his military job. Deal took classes related to mechanical and electrical engineering.
There are similar courses of action you can take, depending on your career field. For example, I was an aircraft mechanic. I knew many people who used their military training to get certified as airframe and powerplant technicians. (An A&P license is required by many commercial airline companies to work in aviation maintenance.)
There are similar certifications for many other career fields — computer certifications, auto maintenance, mass communication and much more. Many career fields also have associated two- or four-year degree plans.
This is a great way to cover your bases and give yourself options. Had Deal chosen to remain in the Navy, he would have had a degree that was well-aligned with his career, making it easier for him to achieve an advanced enlisted rank. He could also have pursued a commission if that had been his desired career path.
Be Productive With Your Time
Instead of using all his downtime to play games or poker, he used ite to achieve his goals. For Deal, this meant taking classes while he was out to sea, studying while his ship was in dry dock and testing out of classes.
I took a similar path to Deal. I achieved my bachelor’s degree while I was on active duty. It was a lot of work — I volunteered to work the midnight shift for almost two years so I could attend night classes. I went to work right after class, went home to sleep and then studied for an hour or so before repeating the process. I also tested out of classes and took online classes while I was deployed.
Don’t Limit Your Self-Improvement to Formal Education
Deal also recommends loading an e-reader with books for your deployment time. You can always find a few minutes here and there to read. An e-reader is a convenient way to carry a load of books in a compact unit. This can include textbooks, nonfiction, self-improvement and entertainment. Personally, I like to read a nonfiction book and then follow it up with a good thriller — just to keep things interesting and give my mind a break.
Be Intentional With Your Actions
We all have 24 hours in a day, and hopefully, we have a lot of years in front of us. Deal said, “Determine your long-term goals and look at what short-term actions you need to take to get down that path.”
Use Your Benefits and Available Resources to Achieve Your Goals
Being in the military gives you access to many excellent resources. Deal said he used tuition assistance and the GI Bill to help fund his degree both while he was in the military and after he separated from it. He also used a Department of Veterans Affairs Loan to buy his first home, which saved him a lot of money on private mortgage insurance. Here is a little more information about these benefits:
- Air Force Tuition Assistance
- Army Tuition Assistance
- Marine Corps Tuition Assistance
- Navy Tuition Assistance
- Coast Guard Tuition Assistance
- Montgomery GI Bill
- Post-9/11 GI Bill
- VA Loan
Start Taking Action Today
I hope you find this podcast and information beneficial. The biggest takeaway is that you should take action. The sooner, the better. The earlier you begin working on your self-improvement projects, the longer you will have to reap the benefits.
About Mark Deal: Mark is a former Navy nuke. He spent six years enlisted in the Navy, with most time spent below the waterline on an aircraft carrier. He now holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration but considers himself a reformed engineer. He co-founded Foreign Investor Resource Group and is the host of the US Immigration Podcast. Although he has enjoyed a diverse career track since he left the service, today we are going to focus on the early steps he took to help position himself for future opportunities.
You can find Mark on LinkedIn and Twitter @MarkDealMBA.
About Post Author
About the comments on this site:
These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.