Military Advantage

272 Pages·2001·1.11 MB·English

by  Lynn Vincent

the
military
advantage

the
military
advantage
by Lynn Vincent
New York
Copyright © 2001 LearningExpress,LLC.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.Published in
the United States by LearningExpress,LLC,New York.
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Vincent,Lynn.
The military advantage / Lynn Vincent.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 1-57684-363-2 (pbk.)
1.Retired military personnel—Employment—United States.
2.Veterans—Employment—United States. I.Title.
UB443 .V56 2001
650.14'086'970973—dc21
00-067427
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition
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CONTENTS
Preface _______________________________________v
CHAPTER 1:
What Is the Military Advantage? ____________________1
CHAPTER 2:
Getting In,Moving Up __________________________11
CHAPTER 3:
Choosing a Military Career Field ___________________23
CHAPTER 4:
Get With the Program __________________________45
CHAPTER 5:
Financing College ______________________________65
CHAPTER 6:
Charting a Second Career ________________________79
CHAPTER 7:
Transition Assistance ____________________________97
VI CONTENTS
CHAPTER 8:
Marketing Your Military Experience ________________107
CHAPTER 9:
Interviewing Like a Pro _________________________125
CHAPTER 10:
The Civil Service Option ________________________139
CHAPTER 11:
Making the Transition __________________________165
Afterword ___________________________________181
Appendix A _________________________________187
Appendix B __________________________________205
Appendix C _________________________________209
Appendix D _________________________________236
Appendix E __________________________________248
Index_______________________________________251
Preface
People choose a tour—or a career—in the military for a variety ofreasons ...
• Some like the idea ofleaving home to visit or live in other parts of
the world.
• Others join the military to help pay for college.
• Still others see military service as a way to earn a living while
learning vocational skills.
• Finally,some folks join the armed forces out ofa sense ofduty and
patriotism.
Whatever your reason for considering or joining the military, you’re in
good company. Some of our nation’s most admirable citizens are military
veterans ofdistinction.Senator John McCain,for example,is a former Navy
pilot who was shot down over Vietnam and held prisoner for five years by the
North Vietnamese.Senator McCain recently rose to prominence during his
2000 bid for the Republican nomination for the presidency. General Colin
Powell, after leaving his position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
VIII THE MILITARY ADVANTAGE
during Operation Desert Storm,is now chairman ofAmerica’s Promise,one ofthe
nation’s most successful community service organizations. America’s Promise
mobilizes people from every sector of American life to build the character and
competence ofAmerica’s youth.
General Powell and Senator McCain are just two very public examples ofpeople
who chose to join the military.But successful military veterans populate mainstream
American business as well.For example,Clarence Briggs,a former combat infantry
commander, now heads a Fayetteville, NC–based web-hosting business called
Advanced Internet Technologies (AIT).Along with a group ofhis Army buddies,
Mr.Briggs founded AIT in 1996.His company was the first to challenge a near-
monopoly by another tech firm in the arena ofInternet domain-name registration.
Today, Mr. Briggs’ company hosts more than 100,000 domain names, occupies a
93,000-square-foot office building, and employs more than 100 people, 80% of
whom are former military personnel. AIT’s business revenue in 2000 was an
estimated 15 million dollars.
Last year Mr. Brigg’s firm launched a “business incubator.”In business, an
incubator is a developmental enterprise that trains people with specific niche
expertise in the goal ofspinning offsuccessful subsidiary businesses.The military
is the ultimate people-incubator:It trains experts and equips them with tools for
later personal, educational, and financial success. But not every military
servicemember takes advantage ofthat training.This book tells you how youcan.
The Military Advantagewill show you how to make the most ofmilitary service—
first,by serving your country with honor,courage,and commitment;and second,by
taking advantage ofcivilian education and career opportunities afforded by military
service.In the next ten chapters,you’ll learn how to:
• Put your best foot forward during your military career
• Earn a college degree while on active duty
• Finance your college education
• Match your military experience with civilian career options
• Market your military skills to civilian employers
• Execute a successful transition from military service to a great civilian
job
PREFACE IX
Ifyou’re in the process ofdeciding whether to join the U.S.Army,Navy,Air Force,
Marines,or Coast Guard,you’ve got an exciting decision on your hands.Ifyou’re
already serving in America’s armed forces,you’ve got exciting opportunities on your
hands.
In either case,this book is for you,so let’s get started!