1

be better prepared

2

Had I foreseen that I was going to be forced out due to force shaping I would have started preparing a lot earlier. Hind sight being 20/20 and while it is better to start earlier than later, unless you have a job already lined up, the transition is not easy or smooth.

3

I would have saved 90 days of Terminal Leave vice the 45 I had on the books. With the additional 45 days specifically dedicated to job hunting, my transition would have been a lot smoother.

4

I would have started networking earlier, honed my LinkedIn profile earlier, looked into certifications earlier, and taken at least a week or so off between taking of the uniform and starting the new job. I didn't think I needed a break but I did. I had just come back from a year in Iraq when I start my interviews.

5

As hard as I thought I was working on my transition from the beginning, I was wasting my time by ignoring the advice that was being given to me. It wasn't until I did an ego check and started actually doing the little things, that I started making progress.

6

I would have built my professional network at least 1 year out from transition.

7

Look into perspective employment long before actually ending your service

8

I'd be more open to various locations instead of focusing on "back home".

9

became a federal employee

10

I would've completed my last year of college and earned my Bachelor Degree.
Transitioning without a degree is difficult enough.

11

Work towards a degree or certification as much as I could.

12

I would be more pro-active in establishing my network and using that network.

13

Learn by watching co workers

14

Go right into collage

15

Don't apply online in the blind and use that time networking online instead. Look into certs in advance and don't assume the MBA is going to do it all - although it certainly helped.

16

Earn more certificates needed in the civilian workforce.

17

Demilitarize my resume, make it ATS friendly, create a plan, and start networking 1 year out.

18

I would never have left active duty - I would have done my full 20.

19

Ask more detailed questions about travel/move compensation.

20

Improve my resume, find out more related to finances and what to expect while using the GI Bill (pro-rated months).

21

I would've networked a lot more in college and took an internship somewhere.

22

started planning sooner.
created a check list
insured i had a place to live where i was headed.

23

I would have told recruiting command to pound sand and insisted on more time to attend the TAPs workshops. I also would have started my MBA while I was in, so that I was at least enrolled a pursuing that degree.

24

Everything would be different. (I tried working 50+ hours a week, raising teenagers, transition my life and going to school (management) all at the same time). I could have leveled the playing field: developed a customize resume, dressed appropiately, learned the landuage and culture of companies, had recruiters work on my behalf, financial aid from the VA. (had VA pay my medical bills) VohRehab send me to school, and so much more.

25

Take a longer transition break

26

Start job search sooner

27

Would have gone after a higher position

28

Stay active and retire.

29

I would have taken time off between my retirement date and when I began my civilian job. But due to my family situation, I could not take any time off. That is my biggest regret. I went straight from active duty to a civilian position.

30

Seek help immediately.

31

Go back to school

32

Be more patient in accepting that first civilian position. Take full advantage of terminal leave to decompress.

33

Ask the military to give me more time. I was forced to transition due to force shaping programs and was afforded a very minimal (6 weeks) amount of time to exit the service.

34

Find a mentor in my first and follow-on companies to help me transition ito their culture.

35

I would have done a lot more networking

36

I would do more research into the company and different industries.

37

Not buy a house until I was done with school; Find a mentor early; really assess what I wanted to do versus what jobs would make me the most money...Look at the location

38

I would not have gone to Okinawa as my last duty station.

39

Would have used my VA benefits and went to college. Would have planned before leaving the military.

40

I would have started school before exiting the military

41

Begin planning sooner

42

Get all my benefits in order and have a prepared resume and apply to many more positions to facilitate having more options to decide from regarding employment.

43

Never take employment with organized labor.

44

Being enlisted I would've worked tirelessly to earn my 4yr degree in my current degree. I would seek the unit paying for Six Sigma certification (great for down economy where businesses strive to cut costs), earning technical certification such as MS Office, earning my PMP, started meeting professionals to connect with or pipeline me into their companies, reduced my living expenses as low as possible, located where I desired to move so as to buy or setup rental applications earlier, etc. I can write a book on this :)

45

More preparation

46

I would have stayed in first, but I would have taken a little time off before starting work and I would have explored my education options a little more thoroughly. I would have started saving earlier.

47

Go straight to college

48

Stay in contact with my unit and colleagues. Reach out to people in the industry I wanted to be in.

49

Line up a job before getting out.

50

Use more tuition assistance to complete more education while still on active duty

51

I would have partied less

52

Go straight into school and stick it out.

53

Nothing, I think I transitioned well.

54

I would do it again exactly the same and I regularly tell veterans to do as I did.

55

I would open my own business starting day one. I eould not have worked for anyone else. I would have stsyed on Terminal leave a lot longer.

56

Yes I would begin preparation sooner.

57

I would work on networking with people outside of the military to possibly assist in finding a position.

58

The only thing would have been to start home searching earlier, as purchases take time.

59

Start the paperwork sooner

60

I would have been more purposeful in getting into a good university and taking advantage of that experience.

61

I would choose a different major.

62

I would have stayed in longer than expected.

63

I gained a lot of valuable knowledge from those hard lessons. So, it's hard to say what I would change. I believe I would go back further than my transition period and started taking advantage of higher education opportunities while I was in service.

64

I would have earned a PMP certification.

65

Education and certifications before transitioning.

66

Start sooner

67

I probably would have re-enlisted if only for job security.

68

Speak with people about career options. Set up prior to leaving job opportunities and keep contact info of people that can help.

69

Better salary negotiation.

70

Get certifications documented.

71

More time and energy in getting my VA healthcare disability benefits right. They denied stuff that bothers me every single day and allowed stuff that really isn't that big an issue. Maybe it's a wash, but still burns me.

72

Completed my last three college courses prior to retirement.

73

Be more aggressive with reaching out to people.

74

Start working on a plan earlier.

75

Entrepreneurship. My family and I ate through our savings while I worked a low paying job. We could have had the same struggle while building a business instead. That dream now seems out of reach.

76

Get my finances in order -- I would have been debt free prior to getting out.

77

Be more clear on the disability examination process and not scheduled until I was at my permanent location.

78

I would not have left the military.

79

Start earlier

80

No, still use the plan today for new opportunities.

81

I would have tired to find more opportunities to interact with Veterans in the community sooner.

82

I would be more relaxed and less stressed, you have the skills and background, just have to be able to articulate it...

83

Build a stronger network.

84

Participate in a TAP program. Do more documentation of medical conditions.

85

Started earlier. At least one year earlier and consulted more with friends that were transitioning then.

86

Prepare my resume better & gained more certifications needed to be desired in the civilian sector.

87

I would spend more time with the VA and now that I know what PTSD is, I would of certainly asked for more help then in my transition with PTSD & some of the current challenges in my life that I am facing. I am now in a position where I need to try and be reassessed and will be asking the DAV for support in having my claim reevaluated. DO NOT be overly macho and say your fine, IT WILL NOT GO AWAY ON ITS OWN

88

I would have stayed in.

89

Start earlier, network specifically within companies I wanted to work for, spend more time writing an engaging resume that plainly explains what I did in my military assignments.

90

Start networking as soon as I decided where I was going to live.

91

Everything

92

Stay in the Military

93

try to relocate to a different area that has more career opportunitites

94

Network with other veterans in my community and at my college. Participate more in school as to help network more as well.

95

Get a professional mentor that can help with the transition and career finding.

96

I would have located to an area that had the jobs not the benefits....

97

Not worry as much...

98

I would have started acquiring certifications sooner.

99

Have bought a house with the VA loan while I was in and rent it while out of state.

100

Start college earlier.

101

I am not sure. Transition is personal and has to be experienced.

102

I learned you don't transition your last few years from a high tempo unit. You transition from a low tempo unit where you can handle all your physicals and transitional duties while still performing your military duties.

103

I would have stayed in the Corps and hopefully completed 30 years of service.

104

I really enjoyed logistics. I'd spend more time researching applicable schools I could attend after my separation than focus on developing proficiency in the skills the military demanded of me.

105

Have a more complete plan before exit...

106

Not a thing. My transition went very smoothly.

107

Taken more time to explore other fields of interest.

108

I would apply for jobs earlier and look at places were I want to live in advance.

109

None. It was a well fought and difficult transition, but I made the best out of it and I would do it again. The difficult and frustrating part I remember are the colleges trying to squeeze money out of students and not being upfront about certain programs.

110

Go directly to community college, paying out of pocket, and saving my GI Bill for transferring to a 4-year university (and potentially having enough GI Bill left for a graduate degree). If you're going to be a cop or firefighter, test right away, and don't be honest to a point where you disqualify yourself to people less experienced and qualified then you.

111

Have a choice about leaving the military...

112

Start earlier. Go to school sooner. Network more.

113

Apply to school sooner. I held off on applying to school due to the uncertainty of my transfer over to the Army National Guard. But I believe I should've went in with school than be slow and cautious.

114

I would have chosen a different military job.

115

Nothing. Had resume complete, started job search through networking- went on terminal leave and during that period researched various companies and job hunting techniques.
Coincidental with ending terminal leave, through networking, had interviews and offers from two companies

116

yes! I would of focused on my personal transition first, then education, then a Job.

117

I would have waited longer to submit my request for retirement until funding for my business venture was locked in 100%. I didn't, and unforeseen economic troubles caused me to have to change plans in mid-stream.

118

Start my transition 120 days out and not 30 days out like my unit made me.

119

I would work on my networking more. I would keep my skills sharp and certificates and licenses current.

120

Ensure service members are assigned a transitioning life coach, whether its another senior military officer or enlisted person or civilian, this should be optional to have a mentor at the ready as it is very hard and depressing on landing a career after military service for some such as myself. Suicide rates will go up over the next 10 years as well as unemployment rates because the jobs that were promised during the Obama administration simply are not there. Also It is not right to force service members to retire after they have already been career invested if they don't have prior court martial convictions or NJP's on their service record.

121

I would pursue my education with more zeal and network with more civilians.

122

I would have started earlier against my commands direction.

123

I would job search ASAP and network as early as possible. I focused too much on going to school and didn't leave room for a smooth transition from school to work. Now I am trying to make up that ground by networking when I would have had an easier time with it, had I started earlier.

124

List is too long and the availability of resources and level of maintaining communication is at a much higher level and accessibility today.

125

Finish my bachelors degree or at least had an associates degree.

126

Get started on my degree earlier (Tuition Assistance was cut due to Sequestration).

127

Started a year earlier

128

Negotiate for a higher salary... Not waste time with GI Bill and go straight to post 9/11

129

I would have reenlisted.

130

Network earlier, not waste time on efforts that didn't work for me, get out there as an entrepreneur earlier and sooner.

131

Run a transition program as a real course, they have a freshman 101 course in colleges, why not a Vets-101 course for Veterans.

132

Start networking and my transition earlier