I got tired of all the military transition books coming out that offer a "follow the yellow brick road" fairy tale on how, if you just get your LinkedIn page right and follow some BS "to-do list" everything will be OK. So... I wrote my own that skips the to-do list and gets right to the point with the psychological transition we all eventually experience regardless of how prepared you are.It's a Non-PC approach to the transition conversation that uses the dark humor military people know and love to discuss something well known for ruining lives.About 70% of military service members transition out of the military before 10 years. And the vast majority of those that do, are junior enlisted personnel (E4-E6). Yet, most transitioning books on the market are written by lifers who have spent 20+ years in the military, or they are written by an officer. While both perspectives may offer valuable insights, there are some key ingredients junior enlisted personnel face that officers and retirees could never truly understand.When you transition from the military before 20 years, there is no guaranteed safety net made of a pension or disability payments. There is no good ole boy club helping you land a cush DOD retirement gig. And there is no additional support for family members.It is just you. On your own. Doing the best you can...Which has been proven, unfortunately, to not be going well for those of us who transition without post-secondary education, guaranteed pensions or disability, and a distorted world-view that 99% of the public does not fully understand. This book is written by a junior enlisted (E-6) Navy Special Operations (SWCC) veteran who transitioned at 12 years (honorably), without guaranteed income, without education, without family support, and without a solid plan. It illuminates the reality that many of the obstacles we face during transition are self-imposed. And one of the best ways to grow mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially beyond the military is to get out of our heads and into the world through sustained engagement with civilians.
I got tired of all the military transition books coming out that offer a “follow the yellow brick road” fairy tale on how, if you just get your LinkedIn page right and follow some BS “to-do list” everything will be OK. So… I wrote my own that skips the to-do list and gets right to the point with the psychological transition we all eventually experience regardless of how prepared you are.It’s a Non-PC approach to the transition conversation that uses the dark humor military people know and love to discuss something well known for ruining lives.About 70% of military service members transition out of the military before 10 years. And the vast majority of those that do, are junior enlisted personnel (E4-E6). Yet, most transitioning books on the market are written by lifers who have spent 20+ years in the military, or they are written by an officer. While both perspectives may offer valuable insights, there are some key ingredients junior enlisted personnel face that officers and retirees could never truly understand.When you transition from the military before 20 years, there is no guaranteed safety net made of a pension or disability payments. There is no good ole boy club helping you land a cush DOD retirement gig. And there is no additional support for family members.It is just you. On your own. Doing the best you can…Which has been proven, unfortunately, to not be going well for those of us who transition without post-secondary education, guaranteed pensions or disability, and a distorted world-view that 99% of the public does not fully understand. This book is written by a junior enlisted (E-6) Navy Special Operations (SWCC) veteran who transitioned at 12 years (honorably), without guaranteed income, without education, without family support, and without a solid plan. It illuminates the reality that many of the obstacles we face during transition are self-imposed. And one of the best ways to grow mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially beyond the military is to get out of our heads and into the world through sustained engagement with civilians.
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