April 2025 - Mentorship Success Story
An Avionics Chief in the U.S. Marine Corps for 20 years, Sergeant Major Luis Juarez knew how to advance through the ranks in the Corps. He and his wife had a solid idea of post-military life, too: They planned to move back to Georgia, where Juarez could continue working in aviation engineering and spend more time with family. With one Master’s under his belt, another in Systems Engineering underway, and a SkillBridge internship on the near horizon, Juarez felt confident about the year ahead.
However, when he began his job search in earnest, Juarez quickly realized he might need to consider other career and geographic options. Luckily, he had the foresight to sign up for an American Corporate Partners (ACP) mentorship in early 2024 and was paired with Jeff Miller, Semiconductor Technology Cost Lead for General Motors.
Miller, an experienced ACP Mentor, boasts almost 40 years of experience in engineering and manufacturing and has seen the industry move through many evolutions. This knowledge uniquely positioned him to advise Juarez on what to expect when transitioning from military avionics to civilian engineering. The pair tweaked Juarez’s résumé, explored job opportunities in the local Atlanta area, and even met in person for a post-Thanksgiving family meal.
“Jeff helped me understand subtle and big differences between the military and civilian worlds,” says Juarez. “In the Marine Corps, I grew a lot and was really savvy about how to conduct myself,” but corporate America was a mystery to him. He and Miller discussed everything from interviewing best practices to how to dress for corporate roles.
When Juarez’s job search stalled towards the end of 2024, though, he began to feel discouraged. Despite his impressive CV, Miller could relate. “I’ve been there, sending out résumés and not hearing back,” he empathizes. “That has a very heavy effect on your self esteem.”
“Having been on both sides of the hiring table, often there are factors that are completely out of your control,” Miller continues. He explained to Juarez that the fourth quarter was often a difficult time for job-seekers, as companies might wait until the start of a new fiscal year to resume hiring, and added that online job listings sometimes reflect openings that don’t materialize.
“In the meantime, network as much as possible,” Miller suggests to Veterans looking for work. “Get involved with professional societies, make your own business cards, and get your name out there.” Miller helped Juarez make some of those connections, including introducing him to Miller’s son Nathan, a U.S. Navy Veteran.
The pair’s hard work paid off when Juarez received not one, but three job offers. While he and his family initially planned to stay in Georgia, Miller helped him weigh the pros and cons of each role and ultimately determined that a role in Fort Worth, TX offered Juarez and his family the most stability and opportunity for career growth.
“I’m an engineer - I like graphs and numbers,” Miller says with a grin, explaining this matrix-based approach to making big life decisions, which he shares with all of his Protègès. He adds that taking a holistic view is crucial and reminds Veterans to carefully consider their families’ well-being and preferences in any final choice.
“I have extreme appreciation for people like Jeff who give their personal time to transitioning service members,” says Juarez, who is excited about the Texas leg of his life journey. “It means a lot, and I hope I can do the same once I’m settled in.”
You can volunteer just one hour a month as an ACP Mentor! Post 9/11 Veterans and Active-Duty Military Spouses, sign up today for our no-cost mentorship program.
