Resources

Transitioning from military to civilian life can seem like a daunting task. Here are some tips for a successful military transition from two experts on the employment front. From Lewis Lin, CEO of Impact Interview (https://www.impactinterview.com/) and formerly Microsoft’s director of product management and marketing: Think about transferrable skillsHow can you describe your military experiences for a corporate role? Take for example: * If you trained more than 200 people on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, think how your training preparation, delivery, and results could apply in a corporate classroom setting. * If you helped the Navy save $3 million dollars by administering 37 government travel accounts, think how this experience could apply to a financial controller position. * If you were in charge of an aircraft repair department, think how the Six Sigma principles you learned could apply to a manufacturing or operations job. Adjust from military to corporate speakA key to getting the job is fitting in — not only do you have to demonstrate the right skills, but you also need to adopt the right body language and speech. Here are a few examples: * Be wary of military jargon. Rather than say you were the “black swan” expert, explain that you developed contingency plans for rare events. * Rather than use military time, use civilian time. That is, instead of confirming an interview for 15-hundred hours, use 3 pm. * No need to address your professional contacts as Sir or Ma’am. You can typically address them by their first name. Play up your strengths as an ex-military candidate Military veterans are known for precise communication, individual accountability, impeccable execution and natural leadership. Don’t forget to showcase this during the interview. All four skills are in high demand, regardless of position. Give yourself credit for strengths that many non-military job candidates lack. Other key skills to play up: poise, ingenuity, and ability to handle stressful situations well. For more tips from Lewis, visit https://www.military.com/military-transition/employment-and-career-planning/secrets-for-successful-military-career-transition.html?comp=7000024628453&rank=22001   Stephen Cleare, of tap2-O.com, is a blogger and the author of “The Little Green Guide for Veterans.” He advises on https://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/career-advice/job-hunting/3-job-tips-for-veterans.html: Look the part. When one of my clients is hiring a veteran, he/she has a vision in their head about what...

Service members who are leaving the military now face another type of adventure: finding a job. According to Robert Half, many employers are honored to offer civilian jobs to veterans, as the skills you learned while serving translate smoothly into a number of civilian careers. While finding a job after the military that suits you can take time and effort, this employment firm offers some tips and resources to help you start your search: HOW TO FIND MILITARY-FRIENDLY EMPLOYERS All companies and organizations hire veterans, but some offer specific programs to attract former military personnel. Victory Media publishes an annual list of its top 100 military-friendly employers (https://employers.militaryfriendly.com/), which can be a useful research tool. VetCentral also publishes a list of federal contractors and other vet-friendly employers. These lists can be a good starting point for narrowing down your job search. OTHER RESOURCES FOR VETERANS For more ideas on finding military-friendly employers, consider visiting veteran-specific job boards such as Military Friendly (https://militaryfriendly.com/) and Robert Half’s own Career Opportunities for Veterans website (https://roberthalf-veterans.jobs/). Another great place to find employment is at military job fairs. There are several online resources available for researching job fairs based on location, such as Stars and Stripes Veteran Job Center (https://veteranjobs.stripes.com/military-events) and VR, or Veteran Recruiting (https://www.veteranrecruiting.com). Additionally, the U.S. government offers veterans many services geared toward helping them job search, obtain education and training, and sign up for benefits. The GI Bill (https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/) is one of the best-known programs. HOW TO MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION Landing a job as a veteran requires standing out from the pack, just as it does for nonveterans. Here are a few ways to find and connect with companies that hire veterans: 1. Do Your Research To make sure you target the right companies, first study the occupational specialty codes used by the military and correlate them to skills being sought in the job market. Feds Hire Vets (https://mst.vaforvets.va.gov/mst/va/) is a free, handy tool that can help you make these correlations. 2. Showcase Strengths In the military, you cultivated powerful qualities that can and will set you apart, especially if the companies you target tend to hire veterans. In your resume, be sure to highlight qualities such as:...

Transitioning from the military to civilian life can be exciting. But it can also be challenging and overwhelming at times, given the complex process that’s involved. With that in mind, the U.S. Military established the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to meet the needs of separating service members during their transition period by offering job-search assistance and related services. Below are the names of each service’s TAP, and three key steps for getting the most out of their offerings, based on guidance from Military.com (https://www.military.com/military-transition/3-steps-to-getting-ready.html): Army: Soldier For Life — formerly known as the Army Career and Alumni Program, or ACAP (https://www.soldierforlife.army.mil/). Air Force: Airman and Family Readiness Center . Navy: Fleet and Family Support Center. Marines: Career Resource Management Center (CRMC)/Transition & Employment Assistance Program Center. Coast Guard: Worklife Division – Transition Assistance (https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Human-Resources-CG-1/Health-Safety-and-Work-Life-CG-11/Office-of-Work-Life-CG-111/).   Step 1. Schedule Your Pre-Separation Counseling One of the first things you must do is to make an appointment to meet with your Transition/ACAP Office or Command Career Counselor. In most cases, these professionals can be found in the Family Center of your military installation’s Transition Assistance Office. They can assist you with special transition benefits information, employment workshops, automated employment job-hunting tools and job banks, veteran benefits information, and other particulars. Best of all, their assistance is free of charge! Step 2. Review the Pre-Separation Counseling Checklist Your Transition Counselor or Command Career Counselor will walk you through the Pre-Separation Counseling Checklist. At this meeting, he or she will: Assist you in developing an individual needs assessment. Identify helpful relocation resources. Offer immediate and long-range career guidance. Provide benefits counseling. Refer you to other service providers for any additional assistance you may require. Step 3. Draft Your Individual Transition Plan Information on developing your individual transition plan (ITP) is available through the Transition Assistance Office. You may want to use your Transition Counseling Checklist as a guide for developing your own unique ITP. Three key decision points to be considered when creating your ITP are money, benefits and employment. Once you’ve created your ITP, review it with your spouse or another adult family member and get their feedback. It is recommended you also review your ITP with a Department of Veterans...

Should an emergency situation arise, members of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard and their families may qualify to receive financial or other types of assistance to tide them over. While eligibility factors vary, here are some resources to keep in mind, along with a brief description of their offerings and contact information: AIR FORCE AID SOCIETY (AFAS) Financial assistance from the Air Force Aid Society is available to Airmen and their eligible family members to meet their immediate needs in an emergency situation. The AFAS provides interest-free Standard Emergency Assistance Loans and Grants, for which there is a standard application and requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. It also provides Falcon Loans of up to $750, for which there is a streamlined application process that requires no budget information, backup documentation or First Sergeant/Commander approval. In addition, Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve personnel on extended active duty 15 days or more under Title 10 USC are eligible for emergency assistance when the emergency is incident to, or resulting from, an applicant’s active-duty tour. For more information, contact the AFAS at (703) 972-2650, or https://www.afas.org/. ARMY EMERGENCY RELIEF (AER) Army Emergency Relief serves as the U.S. Army’s emergency financial assistance organization and is dedicated to “Helping the Army Take Care of Its Own.” AER funds are made available to commanders to provide emergency financial assistance to soldiers — active and retired — and their dependents when there is a valid need. AER funds made available to commanders are not limited, and are constrained only by the requirement of valid need. For these reasons, the AER assistance program is conducted within the Army by major commanders and their installation/organization commanders through AER sections and other related organizations. For more information, contact AER at (703) 428-0000, toll free (866) 878-6378, or https://www.aerhq.org. NAVY-MARINE CORPS RELIEF SOCIETY (NMCRS) The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society provides financial assistance and education, as well as other programs and services, to members of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, their eligible family members, widows, and survivors. Its main goal is to help each person who comes to it get support for their immediate needs. Programs and services include: Financial Assistance and...

Your service in the U.S. Armed Forces may help you reduce the cost of getting an education. Eligibility and benefits vary, but here are a number of programs that are available to help you plan and achieve your educational goals. Visit their links for more detailed information. The Montgomery GI Bill The MGIB Active Duty provides up to 36 months of educational benefits to active-duty veterans. Reservists may be eligible for the MGIB-Selected Reserve. Post 9/11 GI Bill The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides up to 36 months of support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after 9/11/01, or individuals discharged with a service-oriented disability after at least 30 days. https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp VEAP/REAP The Veterans Educational Assistance Program and the Reserve Educational Assistance Program are each contribution-based platforms that provide service members with educational funding. https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/veap.asp and https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/reap.asp Loans and Grants There are three kinds of federal aid: grants, work-study, and student loans. Federal student aid is need-based. To find out if you are eligible, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. https://fafsa.ed.gov/ Some states offer additional educational benefits to members of the military or their family members. https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal?_nfpb=true&_nfxr=false&_pageLabel=BenefitsByState There are also private loans, which are usually at a higher interest rate than the government loans. These loans do not have the same terms as federal student loans and the repayment terms may be significantly different. Scholarships Scholarships for military personnel and family members are available from a variety of sources, such as military professional organizations and veterans service organizations. Some are need-based; others are awarded on merit. The National Resource Directory lists a wide variety of scholarships available. https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/nrd The American Legion’s Need A Lift publication also lists a wealth of other resources to help further your education. LEARN MORE: This content was developed using advice from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. For further information, visit the U.S. government agency’s website at https://www.consumerfinance.gov/servicemembers/planning/...

Military families have a lot of financial options available to them. But did you know some extend to kids too? Military Saves is a part of the non-profit America Saves and partner in the Department of Defense’s Financial Readiness Campaign. A prong of that campaign is Military Youth Saves, which is a social marketing program designed to encourage kids to create good saving habits that will carry through to their adult financial lives. Military Youth Saves also serves as a one-stop shop for financial information for across all branches of the military, specific to military families and their children. They can be found online here. They’re also participating in Military Saves Week, which runs from Feb. 24 through March 1, and children and teens are considered an integral part of the program. Your teen – and you! – can sign up here for updates on what will happen during Military Saves Week. You can also download materials, like posters, here. Many financial institutions participating in the week will also be offering incentives for things like opening up savings and IRA accounts. You can also get updates and information by following Military Saves on Twitter at www.twitter.com/militarysaves. (And while you’re at it, you can follow us on twitter too:...