Lessons Learned for Vets

Send us Fan Mail We are excited to host Marine Corps veteran, Eric Infanti. By all accounts, Eric had a smooth transition into the corporate world, where he worked for 5 years. When his health began declining, Eric began a healing journey that included 2000 hours of yoga teacher and meditation training. He earned a dual master’s degree in Buddhist psychology and Ayurvedic medicine and is now a PhD...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we get back to the basics with best practices for crafting a resume. Certified resume writer and career coach, Lori Norris, shares 5 elements that a resume must contain as well as the role that AI can play during the job search process. 1. Focus. Every resume, from the very first line, must clearly present a focus. There is...

Send us Fan Mail If you are a transitioning service member, it’s always helpful to hear the role that time has in the transition process. The transition process doesn’t end when you land your first job as a civilian. There is so much wisdom to gain from listening to other veterans’ journeys as they progress through various jobs and companies. On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast...

Send us Fan Mail We are excited to welcome back Chris Dreisbach for his fifth appearance on the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast. Chris retired in 2020 as a Senior Master Sergeant for the United States Air Force. Now in his sixth role since his retirement, Chris continues to share the lessons he’s learned along his path.  Chris reflects on his previous roles and discusses the challenges he experie...

Send us Fan Mail We welcome Ethan Shipp. Ethan began his career in the United States Air Force as an EMT but has since retrained as an information systems technician. Although he is still serving, he used his tech skills to create a resource designed to empower and inform service members about the many different SkillBridge programs. Ethan started Rate My SkillBridge after doing research for his o...

Send us Fan Mail On this solo episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, Lori shares the challenges that she and her family have been going through over the past few months. During this time, Lori has struggled with burnout, a feeling that most everyone has experienced at one time or another. Feelings of burnout are especially prevalent among job seekers. Lori shares her thoughts on when and...

Send us Fan Mail In celebration of Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we are pleased to host Sarah Bumgardner. Sarah is a military spouse and a certified financial education instructor who has worked with AAFMAA since 2010. She is currently the Director of Partnerships and Member Engagement and supports both AAFMAA members and the entire military community.  Sarah became a military spouse when her...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we continue our discussion on interview best practices with career strategist, Brenda Mariah. We encourage you to listen to Part 1, episode 158 before continuing with this episode. During Part 1, Brenda explained the purpose of an interview, what every employer is looking for during an interview and how to stay in control du...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we welcome Brenda Mariah. If you are having trouble getting others to see your value or recognizing your own value, this is where Brenda shines. Brenda Mariah, of Push Career Management, is a career-focused speaker, wordsmith, storyteller, encourager, author and strategist. She is the president of the National Resume Writers...

Send us Fan Mail We continue our discussion with Mary Polanco on Part 2 of this 2-part series. On the previous episode, Mary discusses the importance of taking time for yourself during the military transition process and the reality that separating from the military may cause grief. During this episode, we dissect content from her newly published book, Your Final Debrief , and dive deeper into hea...

Send us Fan Mail After serving 23 years in the US Air Force, Mary Polanco retired from the Air Force. She is the founder and CEO of Live and Lead Well and the author of Your Final Debrief , which she describes as a must-read guide to learning how to break free from the military mindset and craft the post service life you truly desire. During Season 3, episode 128, we talked with Mary about her tra...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we welcome retired US Air Force Senior Master Sergeant, Clarissa Merced. Clarissa used the SkillBridge program to upskill and land a role with the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). During her 2.5 years at the VBA, Clarissa realized she needed a job that was more stimulating and rewarding. She got serious about her job...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we continue our conversation with Dave Schantz, SkillBridge expert. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, we encourage you to download Episode 153 and learn more about what the SkillBridge program is and what it isn’t. This episode focuses on the employment part of the SkillBridge program.  Dave encourages service members to ru...

Send us Fan Mail We are excited to welcome Dave Schantz to the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast. After retiring from the US Navy in 2019, Dave built a SkillBridge opportunity at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). Once he learned how to navigate the SkillBridge approval process for GDIT, he took over the program to attract more transitioning service members to the organization. As the...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we welcome back Dr. Derek Moore. Derek was originally a guest in Season 1 for a Q&A episode. Since retiring in 2021 from the US Marine Corps, Derek’s journey has had highs and lows, including a period of unemployment and underemployment. Today, Derek is the Director of the Joint Military Leadership Center at the Universi...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lesson Learned for Vets podcast, we welcome Todd Nelson. Although not a veteran himself, he has dedicated his career to helping service members navigate their finances as a financial advisor for Edward Jones. There are often unique financial challenges that accompany transitioning service members into their next career. Todd is the host of Transition 30, a n...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, host Lori Norris shares the best ways to help candidates stand out from the crowd during the job search process. It may seem counterintuitive at first, but a candidate who can shift their focus from themself to the needs of an employer will rise above the applicant pool.  Whether it’s your resume, LinkedIn profile, a network...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we bring you the first Q&A session of Season 4. Taylor Lau currently serves in the US Army and is scheduled to separate in October of 2024 with terminal leave beginning in July. She is currently pursuing Salesforce certifications but is also open to working for a defense contractor.  What are the biggest pitfalls that pl...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we host Major General Gregg Martin. During his 36-year career, MG Martin commanded the Corps of Engineers Northwest Division and served as Commandant of the Army Engineer School, President of the National Defense University and Special Assistant to the Chief of Engineers. He is also the author of Bipolar General: My Forever...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we welcome Army veteran Travis Pearce. Travis separated in 2009 with very little notice and without a defined plan. He stepped off an airplane with a cell phone, a duffle bag and his Army training. When Travis joined the Army, he started in EOD and was then reclassed as a wheeled vehicle mechanic. With his GI Bill benefit, h...

Send us Fan Mail While serving as an active-duty US Navy officer, Jai Salters is also the founder and executive director of ACT Now Education and founder and CEO of his own consulting firm. He has a mission to get 1000 military service members and their spouses employed by the time he retires from the Navy in 2027. He has already helped hundreds of people successfully navigate their transition. Wh...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast kicks off our 4th Season! We are excited to host Charlene Wilde who served as a US Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Officer for six years. As a veteran and military spouse, Charlene is now the Senior Vice President of Operations at American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association (AAFMAA). This podcast focu...

Send us Fan Mail Shawn Welsh recently retired from the US Army after serving in the intelligence field, but he started his transition years prior. Using his intel skills, Shawn took advantage of 26 military transition programs and obtained 7 different certifications. He currently works in business continuity and is the host of the VET S.O.S. podcast, which he launched in May of 2022. Shawn teamed...

Send us Fan Mail After 17 years of service, Sean Oliva was medically retired from the US Army. Because he had spent 10 years in a recruiting role, Sean thought he could easily slide into a similar role on the civilian side. His job searching proved to be extremely challenging and competitive. After accepting a role with a nonprofit, he transitioned into a talent acquisition role with Boston Scient...

Send us Fan Mail We welcome back Mary Kate Soliva to update us on her life since transitioning 2 years ago. Mary Kate served more than 11 years in the US Army, with much of her service dedicated to Special Operations Forces. In 2021, Mary Kate separated and transitioned into the Army Reserve. She worked as a program manager for the Project Management Institute and is now supporting Special Operati...