I have been mentoring Mike Aamold for the past 6 months as he prepares for life after the Air Force and it has been a great experience. He actually started a little earlier than some (2 years until retirement), but that has allowed us the time and space to explore a wide-ranging variety of topics and concerns rather than being limited to only the most-critical aspects needed to transition and find future employment. Mike came into the mentorship well-prepared. He has done a lot of his own research on transitioning and on what he wants to do in his next chapter. Instead of spending the initial few months trying to narrow down the what/where/how of the next chapter, we've been able to really dig into the details of transitioning from the military, interviewing and negotiating, earning civilian certifications, etc. For the remainder of the mentorship, we can complete that "education" and Mike will still have more than a year to begin his transition and job hunt in earnest. I am extremely confident Mike will find phenomenal success in his future career. Mike's focus, work ethic and advanced preparation have made this mentorship very easy. I look forward to watching him succeed in his life after the military and to stay in touch in the future as a friend and colleague.

Mentor: William Carter, McLean, Virgina, Deloitte and Touche, LLP

Thanks to ACP, I have had the privilege of working with Will Neves since February 2018. Within the first two weeks, we hit the ground running with resume polishing and interviewing practice. Will used his military focus to quickly identify specialty areas of business that he was interested in pursuing. He then used his military courage to reach out to several companies for employment opportunities. In fact, it was his email to the Head of Military and Veteran Affairs for JPMorgan Chase & Co. that led to his hiring into their Military Pathways Associates Program in August 2018. He has found this program to be beneficial because it has allowed him to further refine his business interests. This program has allowed him to experience skills in acquisitions marketing at JPMorgan Chase. Now that he has begun to settle into corporate life, he has taken on the additional challenge of starting his MBA degree.

ACP’s mentoring program has been a win-win for me personally. I have clearly gained more than I have given. As I work with Will around several topics, it reminds me of how much we can have in common. I am also inspired that the foundational skills, focus and courage that ACP Proteges have can be directly applied in the corporate setting. My hope is that other Protégés will use stories like Will’s to prove that anything is possible with the foundational skills they have developed.

Mentor: Andrew Loop, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Deere & Company

I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the ACP active-duty spouse mentoring program and have been fortunate enough to be paired with Dominique since October 2018. Her energy and enthusiasm during our calls is so refreshing, whether it’s around the job application process, interview preparation or building her professional network. I’ve really enjoyed helping to highlight her accomplishments and bring focus to her strengths in order to stand out from other applicants. She is like a sponge and has begun having some real positive momentum after implementing some of the techniques we’ve discussed in our bi-weekly touch points. I’m eager to see where she lands, as I know whichever company is fortunate enough to pick her up is going to be adding a sharp, thoughtful and considerate individual to their team.

Mentor: Evan Hughes, Fort Worth, Texas

Over the past year, I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with Sam Brand as he transitioned out of the U.S. Navy. Early in our conversations, it was apparent that Sam knew exactly what he wanted to do following the military and had laid a course for himself that would set him up for success. He had his sights set on becoming a Financial Advisor in the Boston area. In the months leading up to his transition date, Sam worked diligently to interview veterans working in the financial services field to learn from their transition experiences, as well as preparing to apply to MBA programs in the area.

As Sam made the official transition from the Navy at the end of 2018 and moved from San Diego to Boston with his wife, he shortly began a Financial Advisor training program with Bank of America / Merrill Edge. Since his time starting in the program, Sam has successfully passed all of his FINRA certifications, has been accepted to business school for fall 2019 matriculation, and has begun practicing as a licensed Financial Advisor. I am confident that Sam’s runway for growth is unlimited and that this is only the beginning of what will be an impressive career.

Sam’s dedication, motivation, and strong work ethic have made my end of the mentorship incredibly easy. It has been a pleasure to watch him succeed in his life after the military and in his new career. I look forward to staying in touch with Sam in the future as a friend and following his career progression.

Mentor: Mike Salinetti, Boston, Massachusetts, Fidelity Investments

Michael is a pleasure to work with. He entered our mentoring relationship fully prepared, with résumé in hand at our first meeting. Michael is intelligent, articulate, accomplished and humble. He has extensive leadership experience and clearly did his homework with respect to translating his military skills into language on his résumé that civilians would recognize. Michael is a natural leader, with demonstrated success, who holds himself to the highest possible standards. We have worked together for a few months now, and I am impressed with Michael’s commitment to his goals, and the hard work he puts into preparing for his transition to a civilian career.

He is currently involved in a fellowship program in a federal agency where he has demonstrated great leadership and ingenuity. I have no doubt that he will obtain the type of post-military career that he is interested in. Michael is an asset to whichever agency has the great fortune to hire him.

Mentor: Margarita Devlin, Washington, Washington D.C., Citizens Program

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Rick the past few months and have been extremely impressed (but not surprised) by his enthusiasm, passion, professionalism and inquisitive mind. An excellent example of today’s military leader and a role model for others. I am confident that Rick will be extremely successful in his transition and will be a strong leader that makes a difference in his next career.

Rick is extremely organized and motivated, and comes very prepared for our meetings/calls and the feedback I have received from the people I have introduced him to has been overwhelmingly favorable. Rick has even traveled from Florida to New Jersey to participate in a company Veterans Salute where he had an opportunity to experience the “corporate” world and further network.

The ACP program provides an excellent framework for engagement and learning, and has proven to be very successful. In addition to learning and preparing for life in the corporate world, Rick was accepted into a leadership program in St. Petersburg that provides further networking and development opportunities. He is tackling this with a passion and enthusiasm that is inspirational to observe and will set a high standard for other participants to match. Rick is also leveraging the ACP network and has spoken to former ACP participants to understand their transition experiences.

I am extremely confident in Rick’s ability to excel in his next career, and I look forward to our future sessions as I view these as win-win opportunities for both participants.    

Mentor: John Pinter, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Bristol-Myers Squibb

Jessica, a Petty Officer 2nd Class, made her transition to the civilian world on October 1, 2018. So first, “Thank You” Jessica for your service. I am so excited to highlight Jessica, as her strength of planning and goal setting, enabled her to quickly transition back into her new chapter in life. While in the Navy, Jessica was an Interior Communication Electrician installing telecom on the military bases in Southern California. Her eyes were focused on a position well before she was honorably discharged. Knowing the importance of networking with her civilian counterparts – Jessica was able to carryover these affiliations and connections, resulting in a position as a Telecom Specialist, working for the Department of Defense on December 24, 2018. In this role, she is responsible for the coordination, planning and execution of telecom requests on the same military bases.

Throughout our mentoring, we concentrated on effective communication, influencing decisions and ensuring her points are clear and understood. She is delightful to be paired with. I am proud to share, Jessica is married to her military husband and she is also working towards a degree in Applied Math. Her professional goals are to stay her course with the DOD, move up in continuous learning while acquiring additional responsibilities. Congratulations Jessica on your new journey.

Mentor: Colleen Dellolio-Coons, Gilbert, Arizona, UPS