I have been mentoring Josh Gillen for the past 9 months, and it has been a great experience. He actually started his preparation for retirement from the Army a couple of years before it was official. As someone working in corporate project management, it is a pleasure to listen to Josh strategizing his technical job-hunting tactics(networking, resume-polishing), along with seeking to adapt proactively to the language differences and similarities between military service and corporate America.

He came into the mentorship well-prepared, having done a lot of his own research on transitioning and what he wanted to do in his next chapter. Josh couldn’t have known his retirement from the military would coincide with COVID-19’s impact on corporate America. His speed in adaptation to the new environment is a testament to his leadership training and personal strength.

I am extremely confident Josh will find tremendous success in his future career. His discipline, commitment and work ethic have made this mentorship very rewarding. I look forward to staying in touch as a friend and colleague.

Mentor: Christy Eberle, Atlanta, Georgia, Coca-Cola

When I met Jared, he was already so focused and energetic about making his transition to the civilian world that I was thinking, “How can I help this guy? He’s got it all figured out!” Turns out that I was the lucky one in this situation and my job as mentor was fairly easy. Jared dove headlong into topics like, what kind of negotiation tactics are acceptable when considering salary and comparing the USMC command structure, one he was comfortable with, to that of Lockheed (his new employer). And now we’ve moved into more difficult questions like, where and how far do I want my second career to take me? I supported by asking questions to drive clarity in what he is already going after.

Words that are descriptive of Jared include: smart, driven, thoughtful, sincere, and professional. Jared continues to show his capabilities to succeed at every step along the way. He is leveraging tools and methods learned and developed during his military career to great advantage in his current career and will certainly prove a tremendous asset to Lockheed.

He demonstrates how superb people, built by our military, provide such excellent human capital to continue to expand our countries capabilities. 

Mentor: Edward Olson, Milan, Illinois, John Deere

I'd like to nominate Paula Canter for this month's veteran Protégé Spotlight. Paula is an extremely bright, committed and engaged protege whether we are discussing her career aspirations or just the passion of how she lives her life. She exudes passion and lives life to the fullest to create the life that she wants to live with all the challenges and opportunities that come with it. Paula has endless energy and has embraced the mentoring program from all fronts. She is consistent with staying in touch to ensure that she is driving the program. Paula has even found a way to meet me in person (given all of our sessions have been by phone or FaceTime) however she wanted to meet and she found a way to do that .....socially distanced and with a mask. That's but one example of the way she commits and engages. Paula has taken advantage of this program to the fullest and I am so grateful she is my protege. I am certain that we are now connected for life. We would have it no other way.

Mentor: Judith Schrecker, Pittsburgh, PA, ATI Metals

Jamesetta Palmer has strived to get the most out of our mentorship throughout the entire program. She has been extremely receptive to different ideas and resources I have given her. She took the opportunity to use my experiences in her coursework as she finished her bachelor’s degree. We have been able to role play different scenarios for her in searching for positions, updating resumes and preparing for interviews.

When I informed her of a nationwide virtual career fair through RecruitMilitary she made it a point to register and attend the fair and seek out businesses and opportunities in her local area. I feel that Jamesetta and I will continue to work together even after our year is over. I’m very excited to see what company is lucky enough to hire her as a human resources team member.

Mentor: Blair Ciccocioppo, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Select Medical

I have had the privilege to work with Steve Hauck, he has been a very ambitious and driven protégé. His commitment to our partnership and the ACP program has been stellar. Steve and I have been working together for four months and have developed a strong relationship in a short-time. Steve has always been transparent and open about his goals and ambitions.  I have been impressed as Steve never solely relied on our partnership as his primary source of guidance but has rallied around multiple resources during his transition to the civilian market place, pursuing all value added resources with a willingness to learn and adapt as he progressed on his journey. We have been disciplined in our monthly Video conferences while also exchanging communication between our meetings via text messaging and public dialogue on LinkedIn. Steve’s hard-charging attitude has helped him to begin an internship with great potential to achieve a competitive salary in the civilian market place.  Our mentorship has developed into a friendship and I am looking forward to seeing his successfulness in the civilian job-market.

Mentor: Jason Adams, Metamora, Michigan, General Motors

Zach and I began working together on his ambitions in early 2019. Zach impressed me even in the first session we had. He was articulate, knew his strengths and was looking for guidance on where to invest his energy. His focus was on data science and project management. 

Zach and I spent several months meeting and planning a set of strategies and milestones by which he could become as marketable as possible. Zach took courses, went on to get several certifications and also was networking all the while. He worked quite hard on the coursework and asked for advice whenever he needed it.

The rewards of hard work, dedication and commitment that Zach put in resulted in multiple job offers. Zach then had the ability to choose the most ideal role he preferred. 

I have no doubt in my mind that Zach will do well for himself in the long run and I wish him the very best for his future. 

Mentor: Madhav Madaboosi, Chicago, Illinois, BP

I began working with Tim in early 2019 and was immediately impressed by his drive, initiative, and determination. He was able to clearly articulate his focus on obtaining a job in Information Security and learning more about continuing education. To achieve these goals, we meet regularly and discuss different topics such as writing resumes and cover letters, interviewing, negotiating salary, etc. Through it all Tim has been proactive and very engaged and does not hesitate to reach out between those meetings when he has questions. He asks excellent questions and does not hesitate to implement the strategies we discuss.

I’m happy to say that not only has Tim found a position in Information Security, but he has already been promoted! I am excited to continue working with Tim throughout the rest of his internship, and beyond. I know he has a very bright future in front of him.

Mentor: Stephanie Randall, Charlotte, North Carolina, Wells Fargo

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