Weiss - Operation job search: the complete civilian guide to job hunting for U.S. military veterans

Copyright 2016 by John Henry Weiss

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Rain Saukas

Print ISBN: 978-1-63450-563-5
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-0156-4

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

OPERATION JOB SEARCH is dedicated to the memory of Sergeant Chris Kyle veteran, Navy Seal, Silver Star medal recipient, husband, father, son, patriot, and American sniper.

Sergeant Kyle struggled with his transition from military to civilian life after 1,050 days of active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where his role as a sniper saved countless lives of fellow American combatants. His transition to the civilian world after discharge included volunteering his services to help other veterans making the same journey. In the process, Sergeant Kyle lost his own life.

We urge all veterans and non-veterans to view the story of his life in the movie American Sniper and to read his book American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History .

Thank you for your service to America, Sergeant Kyle. Rest in peace.

FOREWORD

Transitioning to the civilian world of work is a daunting task for military veterans, one that requires preparation and just plain hard work. I can best illustrate what all military veterans experience by telling you my own transition story.

I am a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and due to injury, I was forced to retire in 2010. This was one of the scariest times of my life. Even with all the support that the Military offers separating Service Members, I was reentering a world I did not truly understand, the civilian world of work. After spending ten years learning and applying my skills within the military, how was my time as a Field Artillery Officer supposed to translate to the civilian sector?

The last time I had checked potential employers like IBM and Coca-Cola, they were not calling for employees to fire, or set up fire direction centers, or to jump out of perfectly good airplanes, things that we routinely did in the military. I took survey after survey to determine how my military skills could help me transition to a post-military civilian career, but unfortunately the results of those surveys led me to accept a corporate position that brought me absolutely zero job satisfaction.

I accepted a corporate position but yearned for the military job that I had serving my colleagues and country, and I refused to believe I would never have it again. Searching to find what would bring me the most civilian job satisfaction, I left the corporate world knowing one thing: I wanted to help people and I wanted hands-on interaction.

During my search I spent hours on the computer and in local bookstores, scouring all material that would point me in the right direction. Frustrated that most of the material I found did not apply to me or my military experience, I thought I was going to be stuck just going to work day in and day out unhappy. Is this what all of the long hours, long days, and long years added up to? Fortunately, the answer to that question was a resounding no.

I knew there was a better way and began by assessing my personal strengths and aspirations. I remembered how much I loved physical training with my Soldiers, and the importance of being prepared to fight. With this in mind, I concluded that I could translate this into a civilian career focusing on helping people stay physically fit. This realization led my wife and me to begin our strength & conditioning facility, Kings of Fitness, in 2012. After three years in business, I realized that I had found the job satisfaction I wanted!

Now, I share this information because through hard work and research I was able to figure things out for myself. It took me two years to learn what I wanted to focus on post-separation, and it was worth the effort. Time is our most valuable commodity in the transition process. You cannot retrieve wasted time so you need to use every resource at hand to make a successful transition.

OPERATION JOB SEARCH is the resource I was looking for back in 2010, and I am happy to tell you that this book is available to you now. All military veterans face the inevitable challenge of rejoining the civilian workforce. Take advantage of the information and experience that the author, John Henry Weiss, shares on every page, and let this book be the vehicle that makes your transition to the civilian world easier. Always remember, if I could do it, you can too! Best of luck, veterans!

Kiel King, CPT, U.S. ARMY RET.

PREFACE

It was back-to-school time across America, and this particular September day was proceeding in an orderly and traditional manner for most students, teachers, and parents. However, this was no ordinary school day at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida. The school principal, Gwen Rigell, had been preparing for this day for the past six weeks, ever since she received word from the Secret Service that a dignitary from Washington, DC, would be visiting the school and talking with the second grade students and their teacher, Sandra Kay Daniels.

Students and their parents could not help but notice changes at Booker. Hall and classroom bulletin boards were informative and attractive. Floors glistened, no doubt in response to the frequent applications of cleaning agents and polishes by the maintenance staff. The front office and entrance sported a new coat of paint. Community volunteers had spruced up the landscaping at the outside entrance to the school, and the grass was an eye-catching shade of dark green. Most notable of all was the new and larger American flag that greeted visitors at the entrance to Booker Elementary School. Booker was nothing less than spit-shine perfect.

The special day arrived and administrators, teachers, and children began entering the school at 8:00 a.m. It was a beautiful, cloudless day across the country, one of those late summer days where you are happy to be alive and living in America. At 8:15, Principal Rigell went on the intercom and announced,

Children, this is a special day. President George W. Bush will be visiting our school to tell us about an exciting new education program called The No Child Left Behind Act. It is the most significant piece of education legislation in the history of our country. President Bush and Senator Edward Ted Kennedy wrote this bill. It is a good example of what can happen in America when both Republicans and Democrats put the welfare of the people before partisan politics. Please be on your best behavior. Be courteous to President Bush and his staff. He will be visiting every classroom to say hello and will spend extra time with the second graders. Some of you will have a chance to participate in a reading lesson with the President. Show him how smart you are and all of us will be proud of you. Today, September 11, 2001, is a special day in the life of Booker Elementary School!