N om inees
SERGEANT
Major
LE ANNE W H E E L E R Veteran | 6 years in the Air Force Why did you join the Military? I come from a long line of service members. My Dad and his brothers served in the United States Air Force, and 4 of my Mom’s brothers served in the Army, one of whom served in Viet Nam; her oldest brother served in the Navy. I graduated from a Math and Science High School but hadn’t identified how I’d pay for college. The new GI Bill had just come online. Given the military history of service in my family, it made sense to join. What do you do now? I spent nearly 25 years in the military and working in the Defense Industry. For the last 11+ years, I’ve been Principal of Wheeler Advisory Group LLC, my own small business endeavor. I consult on a number of subject matters. Most recently, I advocate for, and educate on, legislative matters. I’m also a recent candidate for public office and a published contributing author, with my first individual book project in work.
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DVeteran r. |Louis Fle t ch e r 20 years in the Air Force .
Why did you join the Military? I was raised in a low socioeconomic environment, but the military gave me the opportunity to transcend the trajectory dictated by my circumstances. I earned a PhD funded by the Air Force while I was on active duty, so my prospects for success were multiplied when I retired and entered the civilian workforce. What advice would you give to those leaving the Military? I routinely talk to transitioning veterans during the Air Force Academy’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP). I tell them to follow their passion if they want to have a productive transition, which means even if every opportunity is not perfect they will be more resilient if they are truly passionate about their journey. Furthermore, they must be flexible and understand that they worked to achieve their success in the military and they will need to do the same in the civilian world; e.g., “they may thank you for your service, but they are not going to give you a free pass.
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