In many ways, a military career is a constant state of transition and transformation. From the moment you raise your hand and pledge service to this nation to boot camp, MOS training and unit assignments, you are continuously adjusting to the new – whatever that new is. Back on the home front, your family is also accustomed to change as they conform to the demands of your military career, while saying goodbye and welcoming you home over and over and over. How can you ensure your transition is a successful one? For starters, manage expectations.
In 2018, my own husband retired from the Marine Corps. It was initially thought that this time period in our life would be unicorns and rainbows. We would finally be in control of our decisions and be whole again. Then, it happened and we quickly learned that military life had shaped us into very different people than we were when we first received those military identification cards.
In 2016, on some random mountain in Norway, my husband reenlisted for the final time, though we didn’t know it would be. Our family is now working through the transition of life after the military.
The greatest challenge sounds like a simple one: how do you co-exist in the same space again after your normal becomes being apart? Somewhere along the way I got comfortable with the routine the military afforded us, even if it was an unpredictable one. And that’s what this issue is all about. Retired Army Col. Rob Campbell urges readers to avoid making concrete decisions during a transition, like buying a beach house. You will also hear from a soldier who offers advice on changing units to advance a career, and a reservist who is fighting to get female veterans to use the programs they are entitled to.
Change is hard, even when you are proficient in the art of change. There is a program for everything, though, and sometimes you have to push aside the “suck it up” mentality to accept advice from peers or support from a program you earned access to.
As you prepare for AT or an upcoming deployment or summer classes, be mindful to manage those expectations. Stay safe.
Yours in writing,
Bianca M. Strzalkowski Managing Editor
Sgt. First Class LeVar Curry engages in his local community using many avenues, including in his role as a Zumba instructor. Cover photo by J Haleem Media Group.
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A new program uses technology to close the distance between deployed personnel and their families.
United Through Reading, also known as UTR, launched the Story Station application to give service members a tool to read to their children from any location. For over 30 years the organization has provided the community with access to the time-honored tradition of story time, even when a work commitment prevents loved ones from being co-located. In an effort to keep up with technology, UTR has transitioned from VHS tapes and DVDs to a cloud-based application.
The Story Station app is available now on the Google Play and Apple stores.
Kurt Schwend, senior director of operations and technology, says the organization started to explore an online delivery option five years ago in order to create a more flexible product for service members.
“… so there’s two parts there that I think are going to be really helpful to the service members: one is it’s now available to service members who aren’t near or can’t make it to one of our recording sites, so it expands our reach and the availability to service members,” he said. “The story once recorded and posted is now available anytime, anywhere instantly. It can’t get lost in the mail or on a device that can be lost or misplaced.”
Families will also be able to share the reading with multiple children, extended family members or whoever else they want to see it.
Schwend adds UTR sees the app as a tool for strengthening today’s military families.
“Families that communicate and that spend time together and read together are more resilient. They just build more effective and cohesive families and of course it promotes literacy,” he said.
1. LOGIN: Register with www.ID.me “Troop ID” to log in.
2. SELECT A BOOK FOR A CHILD YOU LOVE: from UTR’s curated booklist.
3. ADD + TO BEGIN: Take of photo of the book’s cover and enter the title and description.
4. READ: Press record and read the book aloud.
5. SAVE: Finish recording then save your file.
6. SHARE: Select the checkmark to share your recording via email.
7. PREP: Select the checkmark to move your recording to the upload tab.
8. UPLOAD: Navigate to the upload tab, select the upload cloud to upload your recording.
9. VIEW: Go to www.utrapp.org to log in and view your UTR video.
Julie Provost is a freelance writer, blogger, and owner of Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life, a support blog for military spouses. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.
Ryan Guina is the founder of TheMilitaryWallet.com and CashMoneyLife. com. He is a writer, small business owner, and a military veteran. He currently serves in the Air National Guard.
Brian Niswander is the founder of Military-Transition.org, an organization that uses data analytics and visualizations to assist military members with their transition into the civilian workforce. Brian was an Air Force intelligence officer and he now provides ‘transition intelligence’ to educate military families.
Matthew Feehan is a former infantry officer with the Massachusetts Army National Guard. He served as a boatswain’s mate with the United States Coast Guard Reserve, Port Security Unit 301 as an enlisted soldier before he earned his commission from Boston University’s ROTC. Currently, he studies law at Western New England University School of Law, focusing his research and writing on service members’ rights within academia.
Brunella Costagliola is an award-winning author and bestselling editor. She was awarded the silver medal from the Military Writers Society of America for her children’s book, “My Dad Got Hurt. What Can I Do? Helping Military Children Cope with a Brain-Injured Parent.” She is also the owner and founder of The Military Editor™, an editing agency for military authors whose manuscripts need developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, or publishing services. Brunella is also mother of two resilient military children and proud Air Force wife.
Rob Campbell is a retired Army Colonel, husband, father, author and founder of Investing in People Consulting and Coaching LLC. He has over 27 years of experience leading organizations ranging in size from 24 to 5,000 people.
Jessica Evans is a Cincinnati native currently living in a Bavarian forest. She’s the proud spouse of an active duty Army soldier, with whom she’s had amazing adventures all around the world. Jessica is committed to her Army community and ensuring both the soldier’s voice and the spouse’s voice is heard. When she’s not creating worlds with her fingers, she is an avid runner, Olympic lifter, yogi and explorer.
Over the course of my military career, I took off the uniform and returned to civilian life no less than five times. My first experience was after six years of active duty, followed by three post-9/11 mobilizations, after which I reintegrated with both public and private sector organizations. The final transition was my retirement in 2017 after more than 26 years of service.
The transition back into civilian life isn’t always easy and doesn’t happen overnight. Here are three tips to help minimize your stress level while taking off the uniform.
Take some time and decompress following your tour/career. You’re returning from a high stress environment and need time to adjust and reunite with family, friends and society. Don’t rush back into civilian life without allowing yourself time to reflect
on your experiences, revisit your personal and professional goals, and reconnect with the world.
Network and communicate. Some Guardsmen and Reservists have stable civilian positions awaiting their return, while others might not a clear re-employment path. Regardless of which camp you fall into, I suggest keeping the lines of communication open with existing or potential employers.
In the case of existing employers, they need to know you’re alright and when to expect your return. This is the basic level of interaction they deserve and I recommend sharing more as your situation allows.
For those without a career plan following a period of extended duty, network as much as possible while in uniform. Connect with other Guard/Reserve members and learn from their experiences while
listening for potential opportunities. Develop your network and identify mentors – both in and out of uniform – that might provide advice and useful insights for your career. You should also connect or reconnect with individuals working in industries that interest you along with previous employers, if appropriate. Look for current trends and explore if your skills and experience might be of use within these organizations.
Of course, you also need to keep the lines of communication open with friends and family, which helps keep you grounded during your mobilization or deployment. For those in school or planning to attend after ta current tour of duty, I suggest getting applications started and leaning into upcoming coursework. Make use of available time and better prepare yourself for what’s ahead.
Leverage the resources available during the transition process, which can range from VA benefits to medical, employment or family support functions. Take advantage of formal transition assistance materials along with the services offered by many veteran support organizations and community groups. My favorite list of resources can be found at www.militarytransition.org/resources along with interactive databases, advice, commentary and insights from veterans who’ve gone before you.
Over the past decade, I’ve heard countless members describe the transition process as if they were “crossing into the unknown.” This is most often the case when members don’t have a solid transition plan which helps reduce the uncertainty and stress. Take time to evaluate what you want next, prepare a plan early and lean on the programs available to make this next stage go smoothly.
A legacy soldier expanded his family’s longstanding history of military service by climbing to the top of his MOS.
Sgt. First Class LeVar “Big Sarge” Curry, of the South Carolina Army National Guard, was an easy prospect for his recruiter in 1995. Growing up in a military family, he knew from an early age that he would follow in their footsteps.
“My grandfather served in the Korean War, my father served in Vietnam, and then myself currently, so I grew up knowing I wanted to be a GI Joe,” he said.
His career has spanned 24 years across several states, including Texas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and now South Carolina. He initially enlisted into the Army Reserve, but he found his calling as a recruiter for the active duty Army in 2003. In the same way he knew military service was undoubtedly the right fit for him, he passionately
works to teach youth how service to country can improve their lives.
“My first step when I got down here was getting myself known out in the community and now that I’m here, thinking who can I help. Not a worry about filling a mission or looking at people as numbers to go get, but it’s more of looking for folks
And, he’s good at his job. Curry was presented with The Directors 54 Award earlier this year by former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Maj. Gen. Van McCarty, adjutant general for South Carolina. He also received the same award in 2013 when he was with the New Jersey National Guard. Though recruiting is filled with long hours and a demanding schedule, he has mastered the art of succeeding at family, fitness and community building.
Curry started dancing as a child, played sports in high school and later discovered Zumba– an activity that compliments himself and his wife, but one he also decided to become an instructor in in 2012. Through his classes, he has been able to host an annual class in honor of his mother, Fredericka, who he lost to cancer.
“I am a brother of Phi Sigma Fraternity Inc and so the biggest pillars we have is service and the outreach to young men and women – teaching them to be role models in the community. We do an annual turkey drives for 100 too 200 families … we do a big toy drive providing to hundreds of families,” he said.
In addition to his career accomplishments and civic work, Curry is a father of four who values supporting his wife, Kelly, in her own aspirations. In fact, he pursued an interstate transfer from New Jersey to South Carolina to open up greater opportunities for her field. He says it’s important for soldiers to give equal attention to a spouse’s calling as they do for their own.
Kelly Curry has been an educator for the last 13 years, of which seven have included being a National Guard spouse. She says her challenges look a bit different because of the nature of her husband’s job.
“We are able to have a permanent residence and in some ways, choose where we live. For this, I am grateful. This has allowed for me to establish my own career,” she said. “Our challenges come from the demands and inconsistencies of recruiting life, but I feel the benefits by far out way the challenges.”
The couple makes it a priority to engage as a family in local events that ultimately help Curry build relationships.
“As a teacher, it was important to me to support LeVar in seeing the great value in his job. He is not just a recruiter. He is someone who provides a college education to many that would not be able to obtain it without the assistance of the National Guard. Being a recruiter strengthens the military yes, but it also provides opportunities for people to change their lives,” she said.
Kelly Curry greatly appreciates the opportunities afforded to her from the National Guard, but openly shares there are unique hardships impacting recruiting families.
“There are many times when family events are interrupted by phone calls about recruits. There are many
times when we cannot plan weekend events because of recruiting events. There are many times when plans have to be changed last minute because recruits or their families need support from LeVar,” she shared. “I feel fortunate that my husband is home, but inconsistencies in schedule can be taxing on the family and the spouse.”
But she admits they have found a system that works and it centers on communication. They sit down weekly to fill out a calendar to avoid surprises that can detract from family obligations.
“Sometimes, the schedule will change at the last minute. LeVar has grown
greatly in communicating these changes with me that might impact our family and/or children that day. Every healthy relationship needs communication, but I think the recruiting family needs even more to be happy and healthy,” Kelly Curry explained.
They thrive on structure, with Sgt. First Class Curry committing to set responsibilities in the household, like picking up the kids from school and doing bath time. A few times a week he returns to the office to wrap up any lingering work.
“It’s all about balance. Our balance is, she’s the love of my life,” he added.
https://www.instagram.com/scarngbigsarge
Ericka Kelly may have retired from wearing the uniform, but not from the military’s ideals.
After over 30 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, and representing the highest enlisted executive level of leadership, retired Command Chief Master Sgt. Kelly officially hung her dress blues at the beginning of April. Long before the transition, though, she was preparing for her next chapter in life to speak, coach and teach leadership.
Now certified under the John Maxwell Team , Kelly has a demanding schedule of speaking events across the U.S. ranging from 4,000-head adult audiences to a handful of troubled high school students, all looking for a sense of purpose.
“This has given me a great venue for staying connected to the military, staying connected to veterans, staying connected to women, to children, and just talk about selfgrowth, self-value and leadership as a whole,” she said.
The message Kelly is working to spread is highly personal, too. Before she was in the executive ranks of the military, she was a 12-year-old Guatemalan immigrant who was not only told, but expected by her own family, to do nothing more than blue collar work.
“I came to this country with a horrible conditioning of being poor, of not having electricity, no water, dirt floors, food whenever; I did not eat every day,” Kelly said. “I got to this country and then I had to, I
don’t want to say endure, but go through the language barrier. The ‘you look different; you’re too small; your place, Ericka, is to be a maid; your place is to be a field worker; why are you trying to be something else?’”
Kelly did not let the immigrant stereotype stop her from enlisting in the Air Force in 1987, four years before Congress allowed women to fly in combat and 26 years before it lifted the ban on women in combat rules altogether. Not surprisingly, a new set of challenges would emerge.
“As a young civilian, as a young woman looking at the military as something that I wanted to do in my life, looking at the military as a place where I could get a chance, get an opportunity to prove myself and have a career,” Kelly said, “one of my choices, not knowing, was to be a PJ. Very quickly the recruiter said, ‘That job is not for females.’ They did not even give me a chance to try out or see if I could physically do the job.”
Regardless, she enlisted and began her military career. When the draft ended in 1973, women represented only 2% of the enlisted forces. However, in the “ 2016 Population Representation in the Military Services ” report by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness, those numbers increased to 16%. Kelly witnessed much of the change first-hand.
“When all jobs opened up for females it was, for me, more of an internal smile because what I felt was that those layers of a challenge for us … just banging on this invisible wall and we couldn’t get in until someone heard us and they opened the door,” she said.
While Kelly celebrated the achievements of Capt. Kristen Griest, Maj. Lisa Jaster and 1st Lt. Shaye Have who become the first female soldiers to graduate from Ranger school in 2015, she also availed from the changes as she deployed twice under Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, collected multiple awards and decorations, and climbed the military ranks.
She attributes her own successes to the leadership she was exposed to throughout her career, despite gender roles.
“My early years in the Air Force still are full of gratitude because I found pretty solid, amazing people that fed me goodness,” Kelly said. “I think that if my first assignment in the military would have been with poor supervisors and poor leadership, those poor supervisors would have reinforced the negative voice that I had in my head and I would have quit.”
Quit, she did not. Former lieutenants would encourage her to do better and would publicly celebrate any achievements she attained, which ultimately helped her believe in herself.
“That’s what I’m talking about ‘being fed goodness.’ Because no one in my whole life had paid attention to me in that way, right? I was just an extra mouth to feed. I was just someone that was too awkward because of whatever reason, and so I spent my whole
life isolated on purpose. Isolated because I didn’t fit in, and for the first time in my life the Air Force was giving me a person,” Kelly said.
When people think about retirement, many might dream about endless days of gardening or spoiling grandchildren, but not for Kelly, who does not believe her life’s purpose is over. She remains eager to meet people and share her rags to riches story.
“Retirement is amazing not because it’s retirement and poof, I’m out of the military,” Kelly said. “No, no, I love the military, right? But the military is… I wear the uniform — the uniform is inside me. So I’m retired from a title, and I’m retired from a position, but I will never be retired from being an airman.”
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Amy Slinker might have difficulty coming up with only a few words to classify herself. After all, she’s not only a National Guard soldier, mother, veteran spouse and real estate developer, but she’s also a military entrepreneur.
As a Minnesota native who spent her childhood in Indiana and Michigan, Slinker has called Alaska home since 2005 following a PCS with her husband Dustin, a retired Airborne Scout and Purple Heart recipient.
While putting down roots in the northern state, Slinker also brought with her a company that is over 20 years old. She started Wilco Supply as a private in the National Guard when she couldn’t find an all-black bag to carry while in uniform.
In creating her own company that complies with Army, and later, other branches of military regulations, Slinker has set herself apart. She recalls that her experience wasn’t just limited to herself.
“Many of my friends had difficulty finding regulation approved accessories,” she said.
And with that, Wilco launched its first line of products. Its signature black bag meets military standards and regulations. Now, Wilco carries travel bags, backpacks, wallets and uniform compliant religious accessories. Even better is Slinker’s commitment to giving back to the military community.
“We carry brands owned by veterans, made by veterans and made with upcycled military materials.”
Currently, Wilco is working on adding more to its line of accessories and bags. It’s this attention to detail that sets the company – and Slinker’s vision – apart from other uniform supply companies. Perhaps this is because she’s still serving in the National Guard.
“Our goal is to be a one-stop shop for all service members. We encourage service members to check their service’s regulations and remember to defer to their chain of command,” she said.
Serving in the National Guard for over 20 years has taught Slinker a thing or two about readiness and resilience. After several years as an enlisted soldier, she commissioned, giving her the opportunity to meld the experience she’s received in the Army with her civilian career.
“The technical training and leadership experience I’ve gained from the Army National Guard set me up for success in my civilian career,” Slinker said.
Two years ago, she embraced the
role of president for one of the largest real-estate development companies in Alaska, Pfeffer Development. To date, the firm has completed almost $1 billion in development projects. With Slinker at its helm, she hopes to make a concrete and specific impact on the environmental sustainability of Alaska as America’s last frontier.
Her military experience and leadership skills have been directly influential on this current role, and it’s one that Slinker is very excited to explore. In this role, she oversees the daily operations of the company and manages the actions
required to deliver products.
Though the industries are different, her role as president at Pfeffer is similar to her role as CEO at Wilco, and her role as an Army National Guard officer. All of these roles require her to be fluid and flexible, with a forward thinking vision and a clear eye on objectives.
One objective that’s absolutely in her sights is providing her 7-yearold daughter, Annabelle, with as many opportunities as possible to develop leadership skills and confidence.
“Both Dustin and I shape our daughter’s worldview by offering her opportunities and experiences in many different realms. One day she’s helping me organize my handbag display in our showroom, and the next day she’s washing fishing boots at Dustin’s business.”
She believes in the benefit of strong leadership role models, both male and female. She says that Annabelle understands their call to service, yet both Slinker and her husband continuously look for ways to explain their service to the country.
“I recognize it wasn’t too long ago that women weren’t even considered for the roles and opportunities that I’ve had,” Slinker said. “I’m thankful for the women who have paved the path for my generation.”
She routinely encourages Annabelle to be a steward to her community and seeks out instances to highlight the benefits of service. Most recently, Slinker worked with Annabelle’s Girl Scout troop to send care packages to deployment areas.
“I try to take the best leadership traits I’ve seen in my role models and implement them in my own life, to be a positive role model for the next generation,” she said.
Ultimately, no matter the title by which she’s called, her commitment to excellence and her desire to make her community better is apparent. She has routinely faced challenging experiences and has found a way to finesse them into unique learning experiences with grace, finesse and style.
From her fashionable Wilco handbags to sustainability of Alaska’s wilderness, mothering, nurturing, raising a dynamic daughter, and service to her country, she is proof that it’s possible to do many things very, very well.
There is military gear all over the place, your spouse has started stocking up on baby wipes, and you start to get that pain in your stomach. AT season is coming up soon, and you will be saying goodbye to your spouse for a short amount of time.
Being in the National Guard, you know and expect AT to come every year, but sometimes it can sneak right up on you. You might be used to the weekends away but AT is something else. AT stands for “Annual Training” and is the “two weeks” part of the, “one weekend a
month, two weeks a year” phrase I am sure you have heard before.
If you have never been through an AT before, you might be a bit nervous, especially if your spouse hasn’t been away from home in a while. And even if you have done this many times before, you still might have a few concerns.
I can’t tell you AT is easy, any time apart from your spouse rarely is, but knowing more about what to expect can be helpful. Here are a few things to remember as you get ready to send your Guardsman off for AT.
Depending on your spouse’s civilian career, their pay is going to change. Some employers will pay while your spouse is at AT and others won’t. The military is probably not going to pay your spouse for AT on the same days they normally get paid. You will need to be aware of this and plan accordingly. Having savings can help for any unexpected pay delays.
While AT is sometimes two weeks, it can also be as long as almost a month. Your spouse should be able to tell you how long they are gone for, but remember that dates change. One year, my husband was even delayed by a few days because of how many planes they had available to get everyone home. You just never know, so make sure to be flexible and understand that there could be changes.
There could be times during AT when you can’t talk to your spouse at all. This will of course depend on many different factors, including where they are, what the terrain is like, and even what they will be allowed to do. Not talking to your spouse every day when you are used to doing so can be frustrating. Just remember, this won’t last forever and before you know it, they will be home again.
Because your spouse will be gone, and you may or may not be able to even talk with them on a daily basis, you should make sure you know who to call in the case of an emergency. You should know who to call if your AC goes out, who can watch your children if you need to take one to the ER, and how to take care of your car if something were to go wrong. Murphy’s Law can be a thing, especially in military life, and AT is the perfect time for Murphy to show up.
If you are getting ready for AT, know that you can get through this upcoming time apart. Prepare for the time they will be away, find ways to stay busy, and know that this is one part of being a National Guard spouse.
By Bianca M. Strzalkowski
A new partnership between the Departments of Defense and Veteran Affairs focuses on the gender-specific needs of women leaving the service.
Air Force Reserve Maj. Alea Nadeem spearheaded efforts to launch a pilot program addressing challenges attached to transitioning female veterans. Though her primary job is as an intelligence officer with a focus on the Middle East, she says it was a problem she couldn’t walk past as a woman.
“When I transitioned myself – you think it’s going to be the easiest thing in the world – you’re like ‘okay, I got this’ and it was probably one of the most difficult times of my life. You try to figure out your identity, like who am I. It’s was just a really difficult period, and so I started just researching transition difficulties and one thing that kept popping up was the VA research for women – and saying women do have a little bit more difficult time transitioning and sometimes they don’t get the resources they need,” she said.
She researched information related to the transition experience for women and found they were committing suicide at higher rates during that time period in their life. Nadeem decided to cold call the VA in an attempt to address the ongoing issues.
“To be honest it [the call] came out of anger, as terrible as that sounds. As I was doing my research, a friend had committed suicide – a female veteran …,” she said. “I thought, we have got to do better. The VA has resources, the DoD has resources.”
In her initial talks with the department, she recommended hitting women right as they were transitioning – before they were handed off to the VA. The VA agreed to work with the DoD to create Women’s Health Transition Training.
The pilot program focuses on three areas, Nadeem says:
1. That service women know that no matter what happens in life they can go to their VA for resources, whether
that’s suicide, mental health, your mammogram, that the VA is a place for women so that they can see themselves deserving of those resources.
2. Curb all these issues – get a woman to walk into the VA and not become homeless or another statistic.
3. Encourage usage of the VA. The more women that utilize the VA and give feedback, the culture will change and the demand will expand services.
Dr. Nancy Maher, program manager of the VA Women’s Health Transition Training Pilot, stated women veterans underutilize the department’s resources because they do not often identify as veterans.
“VA has found that many women veterans do not see a place for themselves at VA and do not think of VA as a quality place to get women’s health care, often leading to fewer women veterans enrolling in the system. Additionally, women veterans are not using VA services as much as their male counterparts.
VA developed this training to focus on transitioning servicewomen’s health needs, address misperceptions regarding eligibility for VA care, increase their awareness women’s health services offered by VA, and encourage women Veterans to enroll in VA soon after leaving the military. We partnered with the Air Force to use this as an opportunity to help women think not only about their VA healthcare option, but also about their own health during their, often hectic, transition out of the military,” Maher released in a statement.
Nadeem adds, the misconception surrounding military service is a national one, not just in the minds of women.
“I think one of the things we found out was when you ask a woman if she is a veteran, a veteran is sometimes burned into our minds as a male image,” she said. “When we changed the question to ‘have you served’, they said yes. It’s an image, we have to change what a veteran is, what a veteran looks like. That’s not just the VA or DoD, that’s society as well.”
The pilot program team travels to different installations to meet with female service members and discuss health needs and concerns. Nadeem explained it is often the first time many service women feel they can discuss gender-specific health topics in an open forum.
“They [service women] have never felt like they can talk about women’s health in an open environment,” Nadeem said.
The day’s agenda also includes a visit to a VA office, where possible due to scheduling, along with a review of what services are actually offered at that facility.
There are roughly 1.8 million women veterans in the U.S., according to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Gale Bell, women veterans program manager, works as a liaison and advocate for those in the DC-area. She says outreach is the most important component of her position because women need to know what exists for them. Primary care, maternity care and mammography remain the top programs utilized currently.
Bell, who previously served in the Army Corps, has worked in several VA offices over the decades and sees a department that is constantly evolving and improving. She urges female veterans to make themselves a priority by using the programs they earned.
“First and foremost, I would ask them (female veterans) if they have even an inkling of uncertainty then let us be the expert to help you identify whether or not you are eligible for services,” she said. “Come take a tour of the facility, ask those questions, do know there are Women Veteran Program Managers at each and every VA medical center. The services that we offer are comparable –if not better – than civilian services. These are services and entitlements that they have earned and they should certainly take advantage.”
The pilot program visited Travis Air Force Base, Calif., this month to meet with a reserve unit, as well as a session at the Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Center near Warner Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Nadeem, who transitioned from active duty Air Force to the Air Force Reserve, sees an extra layer of confusion when it comes to the reserve component because of continuous transition.
“That is a huge challenge that I don’t think anybody has been able to crack that nut. And I just explained it recently to the VA – do you know how many times the Guard and Reserve are going to come off orders – they’re activated, they’re not activated. They go back to civilian status,” she said.
https://www.va.gov/womenvet/acwv/whtt.asp
Sixty-nine soldiers joined roughly 6,000 personnel attached to Atlantic Resolve. The battalion is supporting ground troops in an area of operation spanning the distance from Maine to Florida, Command Sgt. Maj. Karri Bennett said. She recently marked 30 years with the Maine Army National Guard.
Lt. Col. John Wilmot, commanding officer, says every billet is part of the deployment.
“Really all of our billets are going forward, which include the full complement of battalion-level staff, officers and senior NCOs in those staff positions, as well as the support company which would include some folks running our supply, some mechanics and cooks in the maintenance section,”
The 286th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion prepared for nearly 20 months ahead of the deployment, including joint exercises with the preceding battalion. Atlantic Resolve’s intent is to build readiness, increase interoperability and enhance bonds between ally and partner militaries with multinational training events in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania, according to a press release from the Maine National Guard.
Wilmot said. “As far as what they are going to be doing, this particular battalion staff will have three active duty companies that fall underneath us and two platoon-plus size detachments from the Army Reserve. Our primary job is going to be providing logistics support to all of the ground-based major exercises in Eastern Europe.”
Wilmot, who is prior enlisted, joined the 286th in 2008. Part of the unit’s preparation was to ensure “the right people” were slated for the deployment.
“ … those people that have a great deal of flexibility, high level of intelligence and most importantly, can work in a team environment,” he said.
U.S. Army Europe has led the Department of Defense’s Atlantic Resolve since 2014. Rotations occur every nine months. Leadership teams work on readiness during all stages of the deployment once the next rotational unit is identified. For example, the 286th communicated with its predecessor for close to a year, conducting teleconference calls and information sharing on expectations.
“The unit that’s replacing us has also been identified already, so we’ve already established our relationship with them as well so as we learn things, we’re passing that onto them. We’ve already established timelines where some of our team members will leave and come back to the rear to work with them,” Bennett said.
Interpersonal relationship building is a key part of establishing cohesion between U.S. and European forces, with soldiers learning basic phrases of the Polish language.
“These U.S. troops are making an honest, heartfelt attempt to really
speak their language. The other thing that we’ve done as it relates to that is each one of our locations, the host nation has established a liaison center that really becomes embedded in the office,” Wilmot said.
On a personal note, the CO sees the opportunity of being in Eastern Europe as a “pretty powerful” one. During his high school years, Wilmot’s family hosted a German exchange student who shared with
him a piece of the Berlin wall. He says he is looking forward to the experience on a personal level.
“Seeing a part of the world that was closed off during the Cold War – there is no other profession that provides this opportunity to travel, work around the world. I’m going to learn a lot and get to support these Eastern European countries as they continue to establish themselves,” he added.
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Accommodate me if you will for a little professional theft. I stole “drop anchor” from a Naval officer. He used it to bring pause to the room when he wanted everyone’s attention or to spend time on an important topic.
To drop anchor quite obviously means to slow or stop the movement of a ship for a specific reason. The more anchors you drop, the harder it is to recover them especially over time as they sink further and further into the mud. With respect to transition from military service, anchors can be the purchase of a home, commitment of savings dollars or a big job. These are big, heavy decisions and commitments which are not easy to alter or reverse. Take it from this soldier as I approach three years since retirement, be cautious not to drop too many anchors.
Your military career was quite predictable. Of course, you were going to move from base to base and job to job but you always knew there would be a house, job security and a lifestyle which you could jettison when the next set of orders arrived. My family and I cherished our life in the military moving from place to place, however as children grew and our household belongings amassed, the novelty wore off. With a grateful salute and fond farewell, we were thrust into the ocean of unpredictable. We would
trade predictability and familiar military communities for the abyss, a society we had grown apart from after decades of service.
Transition is a period of wonder, fear and emotions. I confess my wife and I felt entitled. We had served and sacrificed for our Army and our nation and we felt entitled to all the riches of our new world. I’d venture to say we were bitter as if we were held back from something which should have been ours long ago, such as stability and a home we could paint and alter as we wished. We began to script a story of our post-military life, one which fit our preconceived notions and fed our current emotions. It was time to drop anchor, or so we thought.
We bought a beach home and immersed in our new community
and started our own businesses. We felt a new level of peace – and still do – free from the grips of wartime service residing at the beach, a place of temporary respite during our years in the Army. Along with this new freedom, however, came the shock of an isolated, polarized community, one which did not live by the values we had long embraced or have any earthly idea of what we had been through. Now almost three years into the journey,
we are expecting our next set of orders. We often talk about selling the house and moving again. It is the constant change and state of temporary living, the desire for new adventure which is hard to shake.
Looking back, we’ve learned a few things. We may have been better served to rent, take temporary jobs or scale back on financial commitments to allow for the adjustment. Perhaps we could have placed our household goods in storage in order to navigate the transition period and assimilate to new environments. We’ve even discussed buying a motorhome to free ourselves from our financial commitments. The lure of that freedom still tempts us. A friend told me it takes two years to deinstitutionalize, and my wife and I are still in that phase. I’m not sure when it will end.
Here is some advice: beware the anchors. Be cautious of making a permanent decision (house, job, car, community, etc.) to address a temporary problem (emotions, entitlement, a lofty salary, etc.). Indeed, there will be demands such as children in school or an existing mortgage which will steer you but think long-term, remain flexible and know that you will change. You will change.
I wonder about that often. What will I be like 10 years from now, far removed from my service, knowing very few who still wear the uniform? Listen to and understand the data. Sixty-five percent of veterans leave their first job following their service due in part to misalignment with their values, passions and as a result of poor leadership.
After I decided to retire, I started to chase a CEO job but I reeled in that anchor as I feared it would be like jumping from one frying pan to another. You may experience transition stress as Sebastian Junger
describes in his excellent book Tribe, On Homecoming and Belonging.
Talk to your spouse and family often about this transition. Strip away emotions and listen to your inner voice about what brings you and your family fulfillment. Don’t think that you’ll be fine with “sweeping floors.” You are wired differently now and you should understand that. Be true to what brings you fulfillment. I was asked when transitioning, “if you could wake up tomorrow and money was not an issue, what would you do?” My answer is I would write, speak, coach leaders, and pursue a PHD. My wife would create art and expand her artistic expertise. It is these things which bring us the most happiness.
I do not sit with head in hands deeply regretting the decisions my family and I have made. There are many commitments or anchors I’m
quite proud of. We are pleased with our encore life and excited about the future. Indeed, it is ok to drop an anchor or two. That said, I cannot ignore my inner voice and the vagabond spirit the Army installed in me. Hence the spirit of this article. Try not to script the remainder of your story. Let it happen, make informed, unemotional decisions, be authentic to your own true passions as you navigate the rough waters of transition and remain flexible in order to change course. Beware the anchors!
The average American works 12 different jobs before they retire, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Couple this with the fact that fewer companies than ever are offering defined retirement benefits, and it’s more difficult than ever to retire with a pension, healthcare benefits or other retirement perks.
However, military veterans are in a unique position to apply their active duty military service toward retirement benefits that can last a lifetime. Here are four ways to leverage that service toward your retirement.
This is the gold standard for using your military service to earn retirement benefits. However, only about 17% of service members remain on active duty long enough to earn active duty retirement benefits.
But, you don’t need to earn an active duty retirement to leverage your military service for your retirement. Here are some more ways you can apply your active duty service for retirement.
Retirement from the Guard or Reserves.
Retiring from the Guard or Reserves is another obvious way to use your military service to earn retirement benefits. However, many active duty members overlook this opportunity when they leave active duty service. Many veterans underestimate the value their active duty service has when they apply their years of service toward a Guard or reserve retirement.
Each year of active duty service counts toward a year of service in the reserve component, bringing active duty veterans that much closer to earning retirement benefits. Retiring from the reserve component is even more valuable when coupled with either of the two next opportunities – retiring from the federal civil service or another agency that offers military service credits.
Military veterans can buy military service credits to earn credit toward federal civil service retirement benefits . Veterans can buy one year of federal service credit for each year of active duty military service at a fixed rate of 3% of their average military base pay during that period.
This works in the veteran’s benefit, since their military base pay generally represents only a fraction of the total compensation they received while serving on active duty. As an added bonus, buying military service credits also allows the veteran to accrue vacation days more quickly.
How does this tie into retiring from the reserve component?
Most Guard and reserve units are staffed during the week by civil service technicians. Many of these positions are dual-status, meaning the individual is a civil service technician during the week and a military member of the unit on drill weekends or when activated.
Dual-status technicians have the valuable opportunity of using their active duty military service toward a reserve retirement, as well as buying military service credits to apply their service toward a federal civil service retirement. In effect, this allows them to double dip and use their active duty military service to earn two different retirements.
Note: You if you retired from active duty, you must waive your military retirement pay in order to buy back your active duty service to apply to your federal civil service (this is rarely favorable). This restriction does not apply to military members who retire under Title 32 as members of the reserve component.
or working for other public organizations, such as a city or county police force, sheriff’s department, fire department, etc.
Many people who take advantage of this opportunity also choose to serve in the reserve component, again, leveraging their military service toward two separate retirements.
As a member of the Air National Guard, I know many people who
have used their active duty military service in one of the above ways to earn retirement benefits from one or more organizations. In one specific case, a friend of mine was able to use his active duty service to earn retirement benefits from the National Guard, a local police department and the federal civil service. He only served a handful of years in the civil service, but it was enough to qualify him for a small pension, as well as the federal health care benefits.
back military service for state and local jobs.
This is very similar to the previous opportunity. However, it applies to state and local jobs, not federal jobs. The difference is big enough to warrant its own discussion, as each opportunity is unique and details will vary.
Some examples of these opportunities include working for state and county governments,
Over two million businesses in the U.S. are owned by veterans, according to a 2017 report issued by the Small Business Administration, making up 9.1% of entrepreneurs.
Travis Blair, an Army veteran, viewed small business ownership as an opportunity to accomplish something that the military did not leave time for. After leaving active duty, his commitment with the National Guard allowed the option of dual careers. Blair, a writer and game
developer, created Zarfling Platoon with one mission in mind: fun.
His decade-long Army career started in the signal corps and then moved to “human intelligence collector.” Blair then decided to join the Texas National Guard and use the change to pursue several career bucket list items, including writing. He said he “found comfort in writing at coffee shops.”
Blair also polished some of the
stories he wrote over the years and decided to submit a children’s book manuscript to publishers. However, after receiving several rejection letters claiming his book was not suitable for trade given its educational theme, he decided to take matters into his own hands and not take “no” for an answer.
When his son came back home from school with a list of sight words, Blair saw the need to develop a game that would allow his son — and many other children — to
learn and memorize the vocabulary in a much simpler, enjoyable way. So, with a book and a game in the works, Blair decided it was time to start his own business.
What’s in a name?
Zarfling Platoon creates children’s books and educational games for elementary age kids. The name holds significance from Blair’s service in the military.
“Just as a zarf is that sleeve that holds your hot cup of coffee, we zarflings hold onto imagination,” he explained. “I would be nowhere without the others in the platoon and would like to emphasize the importance of teamwork and determination.”
The company’s products are tailored to help children and their families, Blair adds.
“ … Each product is made with the intent to be something families can enjoy together at home as a way for parents to be involved in their kid’s education, as well as something the kid can then put in their backpack and take to school to use in small group activities. We like to make books and games full of imagination, with morals and lessons and that are just fun,” he said.
For example, “ Gnomes on the Farm is a picture book I’ve written about a pig on our fictional farm. Bruce is creative and ambitious, but his lack of success has him feeling down. He decides to instead buckle down and emerges from the barn with an amazing new invention. Something does go wrong, but because of his perseverance to succeed he comes up with a plan that helps the farm.
Gnomes on the Farm teaches kids valuable lessons of learning from mistakes, doing what you love, and problem solving,” Blair said.
He also understands the importance of mastering geography and the benefit of learning to read a map, all valuable lessons and tools he implements in his Map of Mythflict Puzzle – a two-sided puzzle that encourages spatial thinking and geographical awareness. For those who have served in the military, there are several familiar elements included with the puzzle, such as a compass.
Customers will notice several military-inspired creations throughout the company’s website, aiming to spark the imagination of kids while giving parents a fun way to insert learning into the day-today routine.
Transferring between units is not a decision to make lightly, nor will the transfer happen overnight. Like most requests made in the military, it is not guaranteed to be approved. If you are considering a significant career change, such as transferring units, here are a few guidelines from a soldier who has already gone through it to help you through the process.
The first question is whether a request — be it an officer candidate school packet or a unit change — will be executed within the timeframe sought by the requestor. The short answer is no. The rule to apply when approaching the timing issue of a significant request is simple: be proactive and be respectful.
A military unit’s mission does not bend simply because an individual within the unit decides that he or she wants to go a different path. A service member may justifiably feel that his or her request is the top priority in their life; however, that does not necessarily mean the same for the military unit.
Research is everything when it comes to a professional development move. A service member may think, “I want to be an officer” or “I want to progress to the next rank.” Those two thoughts are positive reflections of an individual’s desire to develop professionally, which is a character trait largely supported by all
branches of the U.S. military to an astonishing degree.
Resources for virtually every major career move can be found easily online. For example, the Army provides the Army Career Tracker tool (ACT). Also, unofficial, digital forums like RallyPoint, LinkedIn or even Facebook can provide more candid feedback for a proposed request.
However, with so many professional resources available, a request not supported by research can be justifiably frustrating for those charged with the duty of evaluating its merits. For example, a service member may request a unit change, training school or a promotion and not know that he or she is unqualified prior to making the request. A change of unit may first require a certain amount of time accrued in the original unit. A training school may require a specific physical fitness level. Finally, a promotion may have additional requirements beyond timein-grade.
Using an interstate transfer request as an example, at a minimum, these are the items an Army National Guard soldier can be expected to produce: enlistment contract; medical protection system report (MEDPROS); personal qualification report
(administrative data); enlisted record brief; conditional release (from losing state); DA form 7187 (personnel action); letter of acceptance from gaining state and performance evaluations.
In branch neutral terms, a service member requesting to change their state will require their entire administrative file. It may sound easy, but there is only so much that can be expected of either party — the requesting soldier and the decision maker — during these types of requests. Therefore, it would behoove the service member making the request to be respectful.
If a service member goes into a request for a professional development change with a humble attitude, the process will progress smoother for everyone involved. Conversely, approaching a decision
maker with a request unsupported by research will likely be interpreted as insincere or unprofessional.
The first step of any professional request is to arrive prepared, with a checklist. Next, know and understand that most significant requests, like a change of unit, branch or location, will be routed through the chain of command, which certainly does not happen overnight. Once the request has been fully researched and submitted through the chain of command, the proactivity does not stop.
Leaving a request alone and assuming all is well can sometimes leave a service member in an awkward position because the request may have gotten lost or been ignored. This does not give a service member license to lose his or her military bearing, but it does provide for a unique opportunity to practice being respectfully proactive. Obviously, walking directly up to decision maker on the higher end of the chain of command, may not be a good idea. However, politely asking an immediate supervisor whether the request has reached the decision maker is certainly within the purview of the service member.
Respectful proactivity will generally win the day for a service member wishing to change career paths. I started my military career in the United States Coast Guard Reserve as an enlisted boatswains mate. Years of maritime experience translated seamlessly into maritime military service in the USCGR. However, after completing my college degree, I sought a commission and made many mistakes along the away, one of which was announcing my plan without having completed any research towards it.
I was fortunate enough to have my request for conditional release approved and I subsequently joined Boston University’s Reserve Officer
Training Corps. In 2013, I successfully commissioned as an infantry officer. While I enjoyed serving as an infantry platoon leader in Massachusetts, I felt the need to transfer to California to pursue my law degree and my then-wife. I made another handful of mistakes as I requested to transfer from the Massachusetts ANG to the California ANG, one of which was not being proactive. I later discovered the decision maker changed his career path coincidently and, as a result, my
request had been collecting dust on his desk for months.
If you take anything from this article as you prepare your request to either transfer, apply or promote, it should be this: no one is going to better manage your career and better advocate for your interests than yourself. Do not solely rely on an appointed representative to make your dream become a reality.
Operation Guardian Support was formed in 2018 after a presidential memorandum directed the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense to address national security threats on the southwestern border of the U.S. Part of that mission included mobilization of National Guard units from around the country.
Below is a snapshot detailing activity at the southern border FY2018, according to the CBP Border Security Report by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
2018
The year 2000+ National Guard soldiers and airmen deployed to the border
79.7% interdiction effectiveness rate
35,700 pounds of illegal drugs seized
In 2019, President Trump has called for a personnel increase to 4,000
23,000 the number of arrests made
4,307 illegal migrants were rescued by Border Patrol agents
West Point grad Lt. Col. Anne McClain made her childhood dream come true when she launched into space last year. From combat missions over Iraq to NASA missions, she is in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime assignment. We spoke exclusively with the soldier from her current location at the International Space Station.
