Government & Law

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BTU #66 - Sean Barney: Purple Heart recipient to Congressional Candidate

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BTU #66 - Sean Barney: Purple Heart recipient to Congressional Candidate

Sean Barney is a public defender. He started out at Swarthmore College, after which he served for five years as a Machine Gunner in the 25th Marine Regiment, where he was awarded the Purple Heart. Since transitioning from the Marines, Sean has worked at the Think Tank, Third Way. He has also been extremely active in politics - one of the main things we’ll talk about today - his experience here is extensive but a few highlights are serving as both the Campaign Manager and then Policy Director for Governor Jack Markell  and a Candidate for Congress. Sean holds a Master of Arts from Columbia University, a Masters of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of government, and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.

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BTU #58 - Duane France: Army NCO to Thought Leader on Veterans Mental Health

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“There is still maybe a stigma in the community. There's an idea that veterans are viewed in one of three ways. They're either a victim, this broken winged bird that needs to be nursed back to life. Or they're a villain, they're this crazy combat vet who is about to explode at any moment. Or they're seen as some sort of mythic hero. And none of those are true. No veteran I've ever known wants to be treated like a victim. Being labeled a villain could make them more aggressive. and most will resist being called a hero. And so there are these archetypes that the community sees, but in reality we're really a combination of all of them."– Duane France

Duane France serves as the Program Director for the Colorado Veteran Health and Wellness Agency, as well as the Director of Veteran Services for the Family Care Center, and also as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. He started out as a Noncommissioned officer in the Army, where he served for 22 years with five combat and operational deployments. Since leaving the Army he has established himself as a Veteran Mental Health Thought Leader, being listed by LinkedIn as one of the top five most influential veterans on LinkedIn. You can find him online at his website www.veteranmentalhealth.com and on Twitter as ThCounselingVet

The top two reasons to listen to today’s episode

  1. Responsibility - Duane has devoted his career to helping veterans and established himself as a Veteran Mental Health Thought Leader. In this episode he talks about the main problems addressing the veteran community. You may think this doesn’t apply to you, but if not it definitely affects some of the people you served with. Duane has great advice that would be helpful to anyone who served in the military
  2. Counselor - Duane retired in the military and then approached his second career as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. If you’re interested in this industry, he’s a great role model to follow.

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Selected Links

Show Notes

  • 2:00 - Duane's background
  • 2:56 - Duane's decision to leave the Army
  • 5:46 - What drew Duane to the mental health profession
  • 9:05 - The different capacities in which Duane currently serves
  • 10:46 - The day-to-day life of Duane's work in the mental health industry
  • 13:40 - The most helpful way that Duane prepared for his career, and advice to other veterans looking to enter the mental health profession
  • 17:24 - A story from Duane's life of the "paradox of the veteran's story"
  • 22:17 - Advice for veterans in becoming more comfortable talking about their experience in the military
  • 23:50 - What stands in the way of realizing that one single thing poses the majority of problems in the veteran community
  • 26:33 - Some of the biggest challenges facing veterans today
  • 45:13 - Advice on how veterans may uncover a new purpose after their military service
  • 49:50 - Resources that Duane would recommend to any veteran listening
  • 56:25 - Final words of wisdom
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BTU #57 - Alex Pedersen: Air Force to Google to Employee #5 at a Startup

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BTU #57 - Alex Pedersen: Air Force to Google to Employee #5 at a Startup

Alex Pedersen is the COO of POLCO - an early stage startup that is a political participation platform for local governments. He started out at the Air Force Academy, after which he received his Masters of Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He served for seven years as an Air Force Officer, before transitioning directly to Google where he worked on Strategy, Planning & Analysis.

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BTU #48 - Kate Kranz Jordan: Navy to Public Service @ Veterans Campaign

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BTU #48 - Kate Kranz Jordan: Navy to Public Service @ Veterans Campaign

Kate Kranz is the Director of Women's Initiative at Veterans Campaign, a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage, mentor and prepare veterans, transitioning service members, and other members of the military community for a "Second Service" in civic and political leadership. She started out at the Naval Academy, and served as a Naval Flight Officer for 11 years. She is finishing up a Masters of Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University, and a Master’s of Administrative Leadership from Oklahoma University.

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BTU #36: Nicole Schwegman - Navy to Deloitte to Navy & USAA

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“Instead of complaining about what I can't do because I'm in the Navy, I decided what can I do to help the Navy? How can I be the change that I want to see? Because if everyone leaves and decides to get out... I hate to break it to you, it's not that easy. You have all types of irritants. Just like you have irritants in the Navy there are irritants in every industry.  That  doesn't mean you shouldn't get out, but don't expect to not have irritants. And I've learned to deal with those irritants a lot better. – Nicole Schwegman

Nicole Schwegman is an industry Fellow (Tours with Industry)  with USAA and is currently on active duty in the US Navy. She started out at the Naval Academy, after which she served as a Surface Warfare Officer for four years, and then a Public Affairs Officer. She first left the Navy in 2008, where she worked at a small PR firm, as a Contractor for Deloitte, and then as a Communications Partner for Gallup. She returned to Active Duty in 2010 after a deployment to Afghanistan, moved to San Diego, deployed on two different surface ships (USS Essex and USS Peleliu) then got a Master's in Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • An overview of the Tours with Industry program, and Nicole's work with USAA
  • What it's like working at USAA, and what they do to earn their exceptional customer support reputation
  • What Nicole learned from her first transition from the military, and how that affects her view of being on Active Duty now
  • How Nicole's perspective on Active Duty is different than the first time she was on Active Duty
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Show Notes

  • 2:30 - Nicole's background
  • 4:05 - An overview of the Tours with Industry program, and Nicole's work with USAA
  • 10:55 - What it's like working at USAA, and what they do to earn their exceptional customer support reputation
  • 14:33 - What Nicole learned from her first transition from the military, and how that affects her view of being on Active Duty now
  • 24:20 - How Nicole's perspective on Active Duty is different than the first time she was on Active Duty
  • 31:00 - How Nicole will approach her next transition from the military
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BTU #30 - Travis Collier: The US Coast Guard & Using Sprints to Find Your Passion

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“It's so unfortunate that veterans don't practice their new life, until they're in their new life. And really by then, you're behind the eight ball. So really any chance you get to take now while you're in uniform - look at it this way: the military is funding you as the R&D project to find the best life and the best way you can serve others. Finding those condensed opportunities to gain that experience, to gain that data. It's really traingulating - you're taking a fix on geography, income, occupation and fit. If it works it works, if it doesn't then you just keep trying something else." – Travis Collier

Travis Collier is a Journeyman Marine Inspector with the US Coast Guard, where he has served for the last 15 years. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Government and International Affairs from the US Coast Guard Academy, and a Master’s in Instructional & Performance Technology from Boise State University. He is the author of the books "Command Your Transition" & “SCALE”, and works as a coach for military members with 8-10 years of service to implement an intent and strategy to transition out the military and achieve even greater success on the outside .

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • Travis' advice of embracing a transition strategy really early in the transition process
  • How to set aside a budget for your own personal Research & Development and use sprints and "takeover weekends" to find your passion
  • An overview on coaching and how it can help veterans reach their full potential
  • How important sales is to any veteran
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • 1:24 - Travis' background
  • 2:38 - A few curve balls Travis has experienced while in the US Coast Guard
  • 8:15 - Travis' advice of embracing a transition strategy really early in the transition process
  • 12:10 - How to set aside a budget for your own personal Research & Development and use sprints and "takeover weekends" to find your passion
  • 18:42 - Finding the lifestyle to live, serve, and be honored by
  • 26:04 - An overview on coaching and how it can help veterans reach their full potential
  • 32:42 - How important sales is to any veteran
  • 36:16 - Common roadblocks Travis sees for veterans
  • 38:18 - Final words of wisdom
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BTU #28: Graham Plaster - Navy to Public Policy & Startups

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“I think that failure is such a scary word to anyone in a large organization, because generally in a large organization - like the military or government - they train you to not discuss failure openly. But in grappling with what you want to do next in life and coming to gips with who you are you need to develop a lot more candor. And you need to develop resiliency. It helped me to really reflect on how much sacrifice will I be willing to make in order to achieve what I want to achieve; and how will i talk about my failures to other people so I can help them." – Graham Plaster

Graham Plaster a Senior Adviser at the Defense Language and National Security Education Office. He started out at the Naval Academy, where he received his Bachelors degree in English. After that, he served in the Navy for 11 years as: a Surface Warfare Officer, the Assistant Dean of Students at the Naval War College, a United Nations Liaison Officer, a Foreign Area Officer, and a Navy Staff Officer for the OPNAV Staff. Since his transition to his civilian career he has worked as a consultant, author, editor, founder and advisor in a variety of capacities in the Washington D.C. area

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • How to embrace failure as a way to learn about yourself
  • How to find a community where you can add value and potentially start a business
  • The advantages of juggling multiple projects and how you can more effectively do this
  • How to use LinkedIn as a powerful tool for networking and advancing your career
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • 1:38 - Graham's Background
  • 3:21 - How Graham approached the decision to leave the Navy
  • 5:02 - How Graham considered the Reserves and remained involved
  • 6:44 - An overview of American Corporate Partners - a FREE resource every veteran should consider
  • 9:50 - The most surprising aspect of Graham's transition to civilian life
  • 11:21 - Graham's advice on how to approach a job search
  • 13:22  - Some practical tips and tools to help with increasing your self-knowledge
  • 18:10 - Advice for using LinkedIn effectively for networking
  • 25:27 - How Graham started TheIntelligenceCommunity.com
  • 31:30 - What Graham's startup looks like on a day-to-day basis and what it's like juggling this with a fulltime job
  • 38:30 - Advice for veterans considering starting their own company
  • 40:10 - Advice for those seeking to juggle multiple jobs and side projects at the same time
  • 46:80 - What it's like working at the Defense Language and National Security Education Office
  • 49:40 - Final words of advice
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BTU 22: Jason Mangone - Marines to a Think Tank to the Department of Veterans Services

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BTU 22: Jason Mangone - Marines to a Think Tank to the Department of Veterans Services

Jason Mangone works at the New York City Department of Veterans' Services, where he serves as their Director of Public Private Partnerships and Development. He started out studying Political Science at Boston College and then served as a Platoon Commander in the Marine Corps. After leaving the military he was a Research Associate at the Think Tank, The Council on Foreign Relations for one year, prior to going to Yale for his Master’s in International Relations. After that he joined the Aspen Institute and was their director of The Franklin Project - an initiative to start a national discussion around a year of service for all citizens.

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BTU 17: Maggi & Johannes - Career Off-roading

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This episode is a break from my normal format - rather than interview a veteran about their civilian career, I interview TWO veterans about their advice based on their work in helping other veterans. This episode is FULL of helpful hints, resources, and recommendations that would benefit any veteran.

In this interview I meet with Johannes Schonberg and Maggi Melina. Johannes enlisted in the navy as a Nuclear Machinist Mate, before attending the Naval Academy with a degree in English. He served as a Surface Warfare Officer in San Diego for five years before transitioning to civilian life. He has done work in Politics and as a consultant, helping companies like T-Mobile and Facebook hire veterans. Maggi Air Force ground radar systems journeyman, deploying to Kuwait. After her transition, she completed her bachelors degree, went to law school, and worked as a lawyer for seven years. After practicing law, she worked in politics, as an electrician, and then as a founder of a startup.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • Practical tips and tools to use as a veteran to help in your networking
  • Coding academies and other efficient resources to help educate you for a specific job
  • What companies like Facebook and T-Mobile look for in veterans
  • And much, much more...

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • 1:30 Intro and background info Johannes and Maggi
  • 7:12 What people on active duty may not understand about civilian life.
  • 12:30 What is “networking” and advice for veterans about how to get started
  • 17:10 Education - taking a proactive and efficient approach to education, and specific resources to consider
  • 21:00 How a veteran might approach “networking” in a way that is more authentic and natural to them
  • 23:26 A few other resources to consider for education
  • 25:20 Common mistakes that veterans make in their transition to civilian life
  • 29:50 An overview of Code Schools and Coding Academies
  • 34:58 What veterans should know about applying to companies like Facebook and T-Mobile
  • 43:40 Other advice and words of wisdom for veterans
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BTU #15 - Tom Spahn: Law School, Corporate Law, and Management Consulting

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BTU #15 - Tom Spahn: Law School, Corporate Law, and Management Consulting

Tom Spahn has spent time in his civilian career as both a Corporate Lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell, as well as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Co. He has a collection of degrees - he received his JD from Stanford Law School while also obtaining MS in Management Science & Engineering at Stanford at the same time. He also holds a Masters in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. Tom graduated from the Naval Academy, served on submarines with the crew of the USS Chicago (SSN 721).

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BTU #14 - Noel Gonzalez: Starting 3 Companies While on Active Duty

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"I think military people assume that when they get out the military their skills and abilities are going to put them in a job that is paying them more than when they were in the military. I think that's a misconception - once they get out they have to realize they have to prove themselves again. That could take one month or four jobs, but you have to realize that your'e starting fresh."– Noel Gonzalez

Noel Gonzalez - grew up in Cuba, emigrated to the United States, and eventually became the Commanding Officer of the USS Cheyenne (SSN 773), where he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. While on Active Duty, Noel founded three different startups. The most recent - and one we discuss most during the interview - is a company built to help Veterans in their transition to civilian life (SkillMil). In this interview we discuss:

  • The mistakes Noel made and learned from in starting his first two companies
  • Steps that active duty military personnel can do right now to fill in their business knowledge gaps
  • What day-to-day life is like as an entrepreneur
  • The importance of mentors and coaches as part of the transition process
  • How leadership outside of the military differs from leadership within the military
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

  • Stanford Ignite - also there is a Veterans Ignite every summer
  • Sloan MIT Online Courses - all online courses, easy to understand
  • SkillMil - help veterans translate their experience in the military to employers in the civilian world
  • SRI International - helping make lives healthier, better, and more productive
  • Jimmy Sopko interview - I reference this as an example of a veteran who rolled up his sleeves, took a pay cut, and worked his way up in an organization

Show Notes

  • [2:15] - From Cuba to Commanding Officer of the USS Cheyenne, Noel's background
  • [4:13] - The mistakes Noel made and learned from in starting his first two companies
  • [5:42] - Where Noel felt he was most behind his civilian counterparts in starting a company
  • [7:02] - Advice on ways to fill in business knowledge gaps while in the military
  • [10:37] - How Noel started his third company, SkillMil
  • [12:28] - How SkillMil helps veterans
  • [17:48] - What day-to-day life is like as an entrepreneur
  • [20:55] - Common misconceptions about civilian life
  • [25:00] - The importance of mentors and coaches as part of the transition process
  • [27:21] - How leadership outside of the military differs from leadership within the military
  • [28:24] - Final advice to those on active duty

 

 

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BTU #13 - Taylor Justice: Army to Raising $6M in Funding

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“As you start to make this transition, -asking for advice is the smart move. Thinking that you have everything figured out or that you're going to be bothering someone learning about what they're doing that's the fool's road. I would urge people to not be scared of reaching out to people - if you don't, you're hurting yourself." – Taylor Justice

Taylor Justice is the Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer at Unite Us, a start-up that connects citizens with local coordinated services. Based in New York, Unite Us has raised over $6M in venture funding, and over 20 employees. After attending the U.S. Military Academy and serving for over a year as an Infantry Officer in the Army, Taylor was unexpectedly medically discharged from the Army. He faced his transition to civilian life years before he expected it, with no peers or classmates from whom to seek advice. Through a meticulous approach to reaching out to others, Taylor landed his first job in the Medical Devices industry, and then transitioned to the world of tech. While attending Columbia Business School he met his co-founder, and launched Unite Us.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • An unexpected departure from the Army, and navigating a career search before his peers
  • Using a systematic email process to gain information and his first job
  • The advantages of client support functional roles and sales roles
  • What it's like to start and grow a startup
  • Advice for other veterans seeking to start their own business
  • Not being afraid to ask advice from anyone and everyone as a means of learning
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • [1:38] Background
  • [2:40] An unexpected separation from the Army
  • [8:40] The most helpful resources in his initial job search
  • [14:07] Advice for structuring an outreach process as part of a job search
  • [15:48] How the military most prepared and least prepared him for an Account Executive and Sales role
  • [18:50] The starting point of founding Unite Us
  • [22:25] Advice on finding and vetting a potential co-founder
  • [24:15] Whether to gain experience prior to starting a company, or do it straight out of the military
  • [29:12] The day-to-day life of starting a company
  • [33:30] Common misconceptions that military personnel have about starting a company
  • [38:25] How military personnel can benefit from Unite Us
  • [44:05] Biggest advice - don't be afraid to ask for help

 

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BTU #8 - Tim Hsia: Boost Your Acceptance Rate to College & Grad School

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BTU #8 - Tim Hsia: Boost Your Acceptance Rate to College & Grad School

Of every interview I've done so far, this it the one I would most recommend to every single military veteran - enlisted and officer.Tim Hsia received his JD and MBA from Stanford after serving as a Captain in the US Army. While at Stanford, Tim co-founded two companies; one sold to the Stanford Daily, and the second is still in operation. This organization - Service 2 School - is a free resource for all veterans to help them get into the best school (college or grad school) for them.