resources

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BTU #454 - Veterans & Franchises (John W. Francis, aka "Johnny Franchise")

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BTU #454 - Veterans & Franchises (John W. Francis, aka "Johnny Franchise")

John W Francis runs Next Level Franchis, Inc in Minnesot, where he helps franchisors, franchisees and supplier companies with their business issues by offering perspective, experience, advice and connections to help move them forward. He started back in 1' helping in his family business, The Barber’s Inc, which a the franchir of Cost Cutters, City Looks, and We Care Hair Salon. Over the next 5+ years he elped to grow he business internationally, eventually selling to the Regis Corporation in 1999. Since then he has directly worked with franchises, as well as served as an advisor, board member, consultant, and speaker to any people and companies in the franchise world. He is known as “Johnny Franchise” and is a Franchise Expert.

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BTU #448 - Helping veterans of both parties run for office (Emily Cherniack)

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BTU #448 - Helping veterans of both parties run for office (Emily Cherniack)

New Politics identifies top talent, helps them build a winning campaign infrastructure, and provides mentorship and support throughout their campaigns. In their pilot year in 2014, New Politics supported 5 national service candidates in key state and federal races across the country. They won three of those five races, including Congressman Seth Moulton’s unprecedented win in Massachusetts’ Sixth Congressional District. In 2016, New Politics supported 23 candidates in local, state, and federal races across the country. They won 17 primaries and 13 general elections.

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BTU #388 - Coast Guard COOL (Mike Reynolds & Cristy Minshew)

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BTU #388 - Coast Guard COOL (Mike Reynolds & Cristy Minshew)

Why Listen:

This is the third installment in our series where we are taking a deep dive into each branch’s credentialing assistance program.
Today we talk with Mike and Cristy from Coast Guard COOL. This is a relatively new program that was stood up in January 2020, but it already has over 1,500 credentials available for Coast Guardsmen.

Here's the program in a nutshell:
•CG COOL funds enlisted members only (active and selected reservists) and can help pay for exam, application, state licensing, membership and renewal fees.
•The exam has to be related to service member’s rating, out-of-rate assignment, collateral duty, or academic degree.
•There is no dollar amount cap on the cost of credential.
•CG COOL only funds one exam attempt per credential and service members can only have one approved funding request per FY.
•There is no additional duty service requirement for utilizing this resource and there is no recoupment if the service member fails exam.

Mike and Cristy rattle off a plethora of resources, so be sure to check out our show notes where I’ve linked to everything mentioned.

If you’re in the Army, you can find your deep dive in Episode #383 and if you’re in the Navy, you can find yours in episode #387.

About Mike:
Mike Reynolds served in the Navy Reserves for 4 years as a Seabee and then 11 years in the Army in telecommunications. Notably, he served in the Pentagon and the White House during the Clinton and Bush administrations, separating in 2002. Mike has been with the federal government since 2008, working for both the Air Force and Army in educational roles. He has been with the Coast Guard since 2019 and serves as the Coast Guard's COOL Project Manager. He holds a Masters in Education in Teaching and Learning from Liberty University.

About Cristy:
Since January 2020, Cristy Minshew has been a Team Lead for the Coast Guard credentialing program, managing daily operations, metrics, funding and execution. Prior to working for the Coast Guard, Cristy spent 12 years serving in a variety of roles with the Navy's Voluntary Education Program. Additionally, she's a former Army MilSpouse and holds a BS in Education from Old Dominion University.

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BTU #387 - Navy and DoD Civilian COOL (Michael Talley)

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BTU #387 - Navy and DoD Civilian COOL (Michael Talley)

Why Listen:
Today’s interview is the 2nd installment in a series where we take a deep dive into each branch’s respective credentialing service.

Credentialing Assistance is a great way to leverage the transition tools and resources available to service members to accelerate their post-military careers. Certifications add professional capability and credibility and help you stand out to a hiring manager.

In this conversation, we talk with Mike Talley – the Director of Navy COOL, and he breaks down all the nuances of the program. Additionally, Mike offers insight into the DoD Civilian COOL program.

In short, Navy COOL covers credentialing exam fees for all Sailors, regardless of rank or compo for anywhere between 1,400 and 1,600 credentials. Navy COOL has its yearly budget and its first come, first serve. Sailors can utilize funding for as many credentialing exams as they want, but can only pursue one exam at a time on the Navy’s dime. Navy COOL will only fund one exam attempt per credential. Furthermore, Navy COOL will help pay for continuing education units to help Sailors maintain their credential once obtained.

If you’re in the Army, you can find your deep dive in Episode #383. Interviews for the Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard are in the works.

About Mike:
Mike served as a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy, retiring after 20 years of service. After transition, Mike held various customer support and managerial positions with AT&T, Gap, and Old Navy before returning to the U.S. Navy as a civilian employee. Today, Mike is the Director of Navy COOL for the Navy’s Credentialing Programs Office. He holds a Bachelor’s in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University.

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BTU #385 - The Strongest Person I've Interviewed (Jessica Swanson)

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BTU #385 - The Strongest Person I've Interviewed (Jessica Swanson)

Why Listen:

In 380 episodes, my guest today - Jess Swanson - is the strongest person I've met. I say that amidst a backdrop of Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, NFL players, UFC Champions and more. At 6 months old, Jess oldest daughter experienced epileptic seizures - usually 8 a day - and shortly after was diagnosed with autism. Rather than letting this derail her life, Jess used it to pave a new path that has helped not only her family, but countless others as well.

She pursued a graduate degree to better understand how to help others like her daughter, became an activist who influenced legislation in congress that helped others like her daughter, and started a company to help other families in her situation.

Jess' story of (1) lessons versus losses, (2) her advice about finding something to appreciate even in areas you might initially deem them a tragedy, and (3) her perspective on controlling what you can and letting go of the rest, these are all incredible lessons borne from enduring unbelievable hardships but choosing to press on for those she loves and to benefit the world around her.

About Jess:

Jessica Swanson is the Executive Director and Owner of Summit Health Services, an Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) company serving the Monterey Bay and San Diego areas in California. They are an in network Tricare-West provider proudly serving active duty families. She is a military spouse, her husband having served in the Army for nearly 17 years. Jess holds the following certifications: BCBA (Board certified behavior analyst), QBA (Qualified Behavior analyst), and CAS (Certified Autism specialist)

Our Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by PassLife. Serving in the military is inherently dangerous - are your affairs in order? The grief a service member's family feels upon learning of their passing is difficult enough, but the days, weeks, and months that follow are filled with stressful decisions. PassLife is a single solution, secure cloud-based platform where Funeral Preparations, Last Wishes, Will Information, Financial Assets, Business Continuation Information, Social Media Account info, etc., can be uploaded to recipients of the user's choosing. PassLife allows you to alleviate the stress and lift the fog for your loved ones, preeminently, by giving them a vital trove of information in multiple areas.

Listeners can save 10% by using the code "BTU” at checkout.

Learn more at Pass-Life.com.

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BTU #383 - Army Credentialing Assistance (Sophia Sweeney)

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BTU #383 - Army Credentialing Assistance (Sophia Sweeney)

Why Listen:

Well, normally Beyond the Uniform is hosted by Justin, but I came to him with an idea. I talk to a lot of transitioning service members, and its eye opening how many of them – regardless of branch – have never heard of the various credentialing programs that are offered.

Today is part 1 in a series where I’ll be interviewing each branch’s credentialing program manager to get the facts on that respective branch’s credentialing assistance in an effort to spread awareness to the service members who can use them.

Credentialing Assistance is a great way to leverage the transition tools and resources available to service members to accelerate their post-military careers. Certifications add professional capability and credibility and help you stand out to a hiring manager.

We’ll start with the Army and talk with Sophia Sweeney, the Program Manager for Army Credentialing Assistance (CA) and Credentialing Opportunities On Line (COOL).

About Sophia:

Sophia served for 20+ years as a member of the Army's Military Police (MP) corps, retiring as a First Sergeant. After retiring, Sophia held multiple government contracting roles in various Soldier support positions. In her current role, she serves as an Army Civilian working as the Program Manager for the Army Credentialing Assistance Program and the Army Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL). She holds a BA in Criminal Justice from Columbia College and a MA in Organizational Leadership from Brandman University.

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BTU #319 - The Commit Foundation (Rebroadcast)

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BTU #319 - The Commit Foundation (Rebroadcast)

Anne Meree Craig is the Executive Director and Co-Founder, The COMMIT Foundation, which is changing the way highly talented veterans think about transition and creating serendipity for them by fostering mentorship, networking, and inspiration. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for Bunker Labs.

Why to Listen: 

The Commit Foundation is a fantastic and free resource to help veterans get where they want to go… just a whole lot faster. They take a very individual approach with each veteran with whom the work, and tailor their approach to help instill veterans with information, confidence, and imagination. Having worked with so many veterans over the years, Anne Meree has some fantastic advice for listeners about interviews - it’s some of the best advice this subject I’ve had on the show.

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BTU #284 - American Corporate Partners (Colleen Deere)

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BTU #284 - American Corporate Partners (Colleen Deere)

Why Listen:

American Corporate Partners is one of the most cited resources on Beyond the Uniform. Colleen is ACP’s Executive Director, and in this interview we talk about what she and her team have learned from helping over 14,500 Veterans in their civilian career. We talk about mentorship, networking, and more.

About Colleen:

Colleen Deere is the Executive Director of American Corporate Partners, where she has served for over nine years. She graduated from the University of Mary Washington, Cum Laude, and holds a Master’s in English Composition and Rhetoric from Kansas State University. She is married to an Army Veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2008-2009, and is the mother of two toddlers, and is an avid long-distance runner.

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BTU #270 - Dr. Nick Armstrong (IVMF)

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BTU #270 - Dr. Nick Armstrong (IVMF)

Why Listen:
Nick’s decision to go back to education led to him working in national security policy and ultimately his role leading the research and analytics efforts at the IVMF. Nick never thought he would pursue a Ph.D., but his positive experiences with professors and mentors led him to dive in. In this episode, we talk about the guilt Veterans face when they leave the military while their colleagues continue to serve. We talk about the 25k people that the IVMF helps each year, and how important it is for Veterans to be a better-informed consumers. We also talk about how the biggest challenge Veterans face - beyond employment - is navigating benefits and services.

About Nick
Nick Armstrong is the senior director for research and evaluation at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University. He started out at West Point, after which he served in the U.S. Army for 8 years as a field artillery officer, with time in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. After his military service, he worked as a Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism, prior to joining Syracuse University. Nick earned a Ph.D. and M.P.A. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, both focused on public management and international security.

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BTU #267 - Hiring our Heroes (Anna Christen)

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BTU #267 - Hiring our Heroes (Anna Christen)

About Anna
Anna Christen is the Deputy Director-Military Spouse Program, Hiring Our Heroes. Hiring our Heroes is a nationwide initiative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to help veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment. Anna started out at West Point, after which she served in the Army for over five years as a Human Resources Officer, and is currently serving in the Reserves. She is in the process of obtaining her MBA at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

Why Listen
Anna helps run the Military Spouse Program at Hiring our Heroes. In this interview we talk about the 1,00 career summits Hiring our Heroes has conducted, and lessons for Veterans and their spouses. We talk about a Corporate Fellowship program that every Veteran and their family members should know about. We talk about a whole host of resources relevant to any military Veteran.

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BTU #264 - Retired Army to LinkedIn Top Voice (Michael Quinn)

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BTU #264 - Retired Army to LinkedIn Top Voice (Michael Quinn)

Why Listen:
Michael Quinn has been named on of LinkedIn’s Top Voices - in this interview he shares easy to apply tactics to expressing yourself on LInkedIn, growing an audience, and building your network. He is also the Founder of HireMilitary, which allows Veterans to get their foot in the door of a company, demonstrate value, test them out for a while and potentially earn a full-time offer, all while getting pad to do so. Michael is a wealth of knowledge - I fast tracked this episode to get it out early, and hope to have him back on the show soon.

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BTU #254 - Lessons learned from GI Jobs & VIQTORY (Darryl Williams)

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BTU #254 - Lessons learned from GI Jobs & VIQTORY (Darryl Williams)

Why Listen:
Darryl is a kindred spirit, and has an exceptional depth of knowledge about the Military Veteran transition process based on his work with VIQTORY. In this interview we talk about entitlement, which is the most dangerous challenge facing Veterans as they approach their transition to a civilian career. We talk about branding - why it’s so important, how to do it effectively, and why this may be a challenge to Veterans. We talk about expanding your job search, taking time to aim before firing on your first job search, how to network effectively and more.

About Darryl:
Darryl Williams is the Manager of Strategic Partnerships at VIQTORY, which since 2001 has been connecting the military community to civilian opportunities. VIQTORY includes G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, and Military Friendly. Darryl served for over 20 years in the US Army, most recently as a Regional Director of Recruiting Operations in Fort Worth, TX. He holds an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and a BBA from the Columbia Southern University.

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Behind Beyond the Uniform - important updates

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Behind Beyond the Uniform - important updates

In this episode, I share two important career decisions I’ve made in the last 18 months, and how I approached each. My intention in doing so is to give you a real world sense of how - even 10 years after my service in the military - I continue to evaluate what the right career move is for me and my family. I also share a few upcoming changes at Beyond the Uniform.

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BTU #251 - Navy Veteran to Helping Military Spouses at The Paradigm Switch (Lauren Grimshaw)

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BTU #251 - Navy Veteran to Helping Military Spouses at The Paradigm Switch (Lauren Grimshaw)

Why Listen:
All the way back in BTU #92, I interviewed Justine Evirs about her incredible work helping military Veterans in their transition to a civilian career. Well, since that time, Justine started a new company, called The Paradigm Switch, which is committed to unleashing the potential of military spouses by leveraging the power of technology and in-demand skills that resonate in our technology-driven economy. I am a BIG fan of Justine, and after interviewing today’s guest - who is the Chief Operations Officer at The Paradigm Shift - I am even more excited about this new company. Laurent is a Veteran herself, and goes into the reason why The Paradigm Shift is SO crucial - because, of the 45k organizations that help Veterans, less than 35 of those help spouses! We delve into this problem, and also go through an overview of both Program and Project Management.

About Lauren:
Lauren Grimshaw is the COO of The Paradigm Switch: an organization committed to unleashing the potential of military spouses by leveraging the power of technology and in-demand skills that resonate in our technology-driven economy.  There are over 45,000 organizations serving veterans and transitioning service members - and fewer than 35 serving spouses - yet military spouse unemployment is 3 to 5 times higher than veteran unemployment.  Lauren started out at the University of Virginia, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer for over four years with time on the USS Anzio and the USS Momsen. She herself is a Navy Spouse, and also holds an MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology. 

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BTU #248 - 18 Years Supporting Military Spouses & Families (Babette Maxwell)

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BTU #248 - 18 Years Supporting Military Spouses & Families (Babette Maxwell)

Why Listen:
Babette has spent over 18 years supporting military spouses and military families. This includes MilSpouseFest - the premiere military spouse networking and support conference - as well as her work founding Military  Spouse Magazine back in 2001. In this interview, we talk about planning for downtime after one’s transition from the military. We talk about the biggest challenges facing the military spouse community, and more.

About Babette:
Babetteis the Vice President of Partnerships at MilSpouseFest, a property of Grid North. MilSpouseFest is a highly interactive, engaging and resource-driven event that includes meals, drinks, raffle items, giveaways and tons of community bonding opportunities. They are held all over the US every year, with curriculum changes every year. Babette previously founded Military Spouse magazine in 2001 shortly after 9/11, and she has spent over 18 years in the military spouse and family affinity space. She is also a fifth generation military dependent, and as you’ll see in this interview, is deeply passionate about military spouse and family issues.

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BTU #232 - Lessons Learned from the IVMF (Maureen Casey)

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BTU #232 - Lessons Learned from the IVMF (Maureen Casey)

Why Listen:
Maureen and the IVMF are incredible resources for the military Veteran community. In this interview, we talk about the #1 challenge facing the military Veteran community today. We talk about the best way for members of the military (and their spouses) to identify a fulfilling career after their military service. We talk about the BIGGEST mistake that people in the Armed Forces make when they transition to a civilian career. We talk about military Veterans in entrepreneurship, and specific data about how they stack up against their civilian counterparts. 

About Maureen:
Maureen Casey is the Chief Operating Officer for the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University. She brings more than 25 years of public and private sector experience to her current leadership role at the IVMF, including work as a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase, the New York City Police Department, the New York State’s criminal justice system, and more. She received her J.D. from SUNY Buffalo’s School of Law and a Bachelor of Science, Magna Cum Laude, from the State University of New York’s College at Brockport.

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BTU #229 - Student Veterans of America (Jared Lyon)

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BTU #229 - Student Veterans of America (Jared Lyon)

Why Listen:
Jared (and the SVA) have a wealth of knowledge about Veterans in higher education. This interview is chalked full with data, insight, and advice for Veterans considering pursuing education after their military service. We talk about factors to consider when choosing a school, how importance self-knowledge is in finding a program, how to best maximize the use of one’s GI bill, how to avoid the “imposter syndrome” that prevents Verterans from succeeding, not selling yourself short, and more.

About Jared:
Jared Lyon is the President and CEO of Student Veterans of America (SVA). The SVA is a Veteran Success Organization, and works on behalf of student veterans at the local, state, and national level. They represent a coalition of over 1,500 student veteran groups from college campuses across the United States and in four countries. Jared started out in the Navy onboard submarines, and has worked at Northrup Gruman, the Washington Nationals Baseball Club, the IVMF and more.

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BTU #219 - Quadruple Amputee to Recalibrated Warrior, NYT Best-Selling Author, and Non-Profit President (Travis Mills)

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BTU #219 - Quadruple Amputee to Recalibrated Warrior, NYT Best-Selling Author, and Non-Profit President (Travis Mills)

Why Listen:
Travis is one of only five veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his quadruple amputee injuries. His life and story since then are inspiring, including becoming a NYT Best Selling author, starting the Travis Mills Foundation to help other “re-calibrated warriors”, to being the subject of an upcoming major motion picture release. He lives his motto: never give up, never quit.

About Travis:
Travis Mills is the President of the Travis Mills Group, President of the Travis Mills Foundation, and a NYT Best Selling Author of the book, Tough as They Come. On April 10, 2012, while a Staff Sergeant in the Army, Travis was on a mission during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan. He set his backpack down – and a buried IED exploded on impact. When he woke up four days later on his 25th birthday, he had lost all four limbs. Travis is one of only five veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his quadruple amputee injuries. His journey since then has been one of hard work, inspiration, and helping other combat-injured vets. Last summer, SSG Mills and the Travis Mills Foundation opened a fully accessible facility for recalibrated warriors and their families. For the second year, the retreat offers – at no cost – adaptive sports, recreation, spa services, chef-prepared meals, and whatever else the families need to rest, relax, and reconnect. Travis is also an in-demand motivational speaker and the co-owner of a lodge and marina. His story is set to be the subject of a major motion picture which is expected to be directed by Sylvester Stallone, who will also co-star with Adam Driver. He is also the subject of the award-winning documentary, Travis: A Soldier’s Story.

Our Sponsor: 

  • This episode is sponsored by Lockheed Martin. At Lockheed Martin, veterans are at the center of everything they do — in fact, one in five of their employees has served in uniform. Lockheed Martin is proud to help men and women like you successfully transition into civilian careers. Join Lockheed Martin and you will find opportunities to take on the same kind of long-term challenging assignments you tackled while in the military.  Whether you’re on active duty, transitioning or already embarking on your civilian career, Lockheed Martin’s Military Connect is your online community for professional support. You can find out more at https://lockheedmartin.bravenew.com

  • StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.

  • Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books

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BTU #211 - Running the Bulls, Creating a Documentary, and Team Rubicon (Dennis Clancey)

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BTU #211 - Running the Bulls, Creating a Documentary, and Team Rubicon (Dennis Clancey)

Why Listen:
Dennis is a renaissance man. He started his career at Amazon, before transitioning to one of the nation’s pre-eminent nonprofits, Team Rubicon. Along with that, he has done the running of the bulls over 80 times over the last 12 years, and directed a documentary about his experience. Team Rubicon is an organization that should be on every Veterans radar. They unite the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams. This meets a need for purpose, connection, contribution and excitement that many guests on my show have expressed they missed after their military service.

About Dennis:
Dennis Clancey is the Deputy Director of Field Operations for Team Rubicon, a non-profit organization that unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams. He started out at West Point, after which he served in the Army for over six years earning a Bronze Star for combat leadership. Since his military service, he has worked at Amazon as an Operations Manager, and as the Director of the documentary, Chasing Red.

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BTU #206 - Tech Qualled: Helping Veterans Enter the High Tech Industry (Nick Breedlove)

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BTU #206 - Tech Qualled: Helping Veterans Enter the High Tech Industry (Nick Breedlove)

Why Listen:
If you’re aspiring to enter the High Tech Industry, Tech Qualled is designed to help you get there… for free. They offer a 7-week program that teaches you the skills you need to succeed in your first job, and they pair you with employers at the end of your training. Nick talks about his experience starting Tech Qualled, which is also a great perspective for listeners who aspire to start their own company. We talk about training, about the scars of entrepreneurship, about sales and how important this is to entrepreneurship, about education and the tradeoffs a degree entails, and much more.

About Nick:
Nick Breedlove is a co-founder and the CEO of Tech Qualled, the nation's first enterprise dedicated exclusively to training Veterans and Early in Career individuals for customer-facing roles in the High Tech sector. Through a competitive, immersive and intense training program, Tech Qualled helps motivated Veterans achieve new levels professional potential in the Tech sector. He started out at the Naval Academy, after which he served as a helicopter pilot in the Navy for ten years, achieving the rank of Commander while serving as an Instructor Pilot for a Navy Boeing 737 squadron. After his military service he got his Masters in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, prior to starting Tech Qualled.