Military

Public Speaking

How did the Navy help you create a better future for yourself?

Navy's Life-Changing Journey from Trauma to Triumph

So I think to know how the Navy helped me build a better future, you got to know where I came from. So I went through a lot of trauma. I was horrifically abused by every adult that I knew. Thrown from family to family to foster homes to whatnot to get to the point where I decided to go into the Navy. The cool thing was the Navy gave me an opportunity to see the world. The Navy gave me an opportunity to create a life I could be genuinely proud of. Even better, I met my wife. I've got two beautiful teenage daughters. I started enlisted, stripping and waxing floors and scrubbing floors. Ended up becoming a Naval Intelligence Officer, retiring after 20 years. Which not only still helps me today, but it helped me transition into corporate America. So there's so many beautiful opportunities compared to where I started from to where I'm at today. And that's why your history doesn't define your legacy and where you start in life doesn't have to be where you're finished. Go out and chase your dreams. Go out and get life. And let's play all in. Have a blessed day.

The Navy gave me an opportunity to see the world, and create a life I could be genuinely proud of. Through my service in the Navy, I was able to transition into Corporate America and have a successful career. My experience has taught me that history does not define your legacy and you can always strive for more no matter where you start.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/jbq9to7tyqg2v4vcjpue.vtt

To understand how the Navy helped me create a better future, it's important to know my background. I experienced significant trauma, enduring abuse from every adult in my life. I was moved from family to family, foster homes, and various situations until I made the decision to join the Navy.

The Navy provided me with incredible opportunities. It allowed me to see the world and build a life that I could genuinely be proud of. Moreover, it was in the Navy that I met my wife and now have two beautiful teenage daughters. I started as an enlisted member, performing tasks like stripping and waxing floors and scrubbing floors. Eventually, I worked my way up to become a Naval Intelligence Officer, retiring after 20 years of service.

The skills and experiences I gained in the Navy continue to benefit me today, aiding in my transition into corporate America. The journey from where I started to where I am now is filled with beautiful opportunities. It serves as a reminder that our past does not define our legacy, and where we begin in life does not have to determine where we end up.

I encourage everyone to chase their dreams, seize life's opportunities, and go all in. Your history does not have to limit your future. Have a blessed day.

What’s your opinion on the delay in getting our veterans seen at local VA hospitals? What, if anything, can be done?

Improving Access to Care for Veterans: A Step in the Right Direction

What's my opinion on the delay in getting our veterans seen at local VA hospitals and what if anything can be done? Look, I don't think this is a one-stop-shop answer at all. What I see that I liked recently is the VA doing a lot of hiring from a customer service standpoint in order to get veterans assistance outside just medical appointments. The education piece of it, the VA disability piece of it, where it used to take an inordinate amount of time to even get somebody on the phone, much less get your case seen or whatnot. What I also like that the VA has done is they allow you the opportunity, so it's 30 or 60 days if it takes that long to get an appointment, they allow you an opportunity to go get seen out in the civilian world, which typically comes a little bit faster than the VA will be able to offer. And so when you match being able to go to the VA for free or the VA paying where it's still free for you to go out into the civilian world because they just don't have the services available close or it's going to take too long to be seen at the VA, I think we're moving in the right direction and we just need to continue the good fight on ensuring that veterans get the health care that they absolutely deserve for laying their life on the line for their country.

The VA has taken steps in the right direction to help veterans get the healthcare they deserve, such as hiring more customer service staff and allowing them to go to the civilian world if it takes too long to be seen at the VA. However, there is still room for improvement and we need to continue to fight to make sure veterans get the care they need.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/oa0gwhug12tl9hhuqx6i.vtt

Regarding the delay in getting our veterans seen at local VA hospitals and what can be done, I believe there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, I have noticed some positive steps taken by the VA recently. They have been hiring more staff from a customer service perspective to provide assistance to veterans beyond just medical appointments. This includes addressing education and VA disability-related issues, which previously took a significant amount of time to even get someone on the phone. Another positive development is that the VA now allows veterans the opportunity to seek care in the civilian world if their appointment at the VA is delayed, typically resulting in faster access to services. Veterans have the option of either going to the VA for free or having the VA pay for them to receive care in the civilian world when services are not readily available or there's a significant wait time at the VA. I believe these steps are moving us in the right direction, and we must continue advocating for veterans to receive the healthcare they undoubtedly deserve for their service to our country.

What advice would you give someone looking to make a career change from the military to corporate America?

Transitioning from Military to Corporate America: Key Tips for Success

There is a couple key things that's absolutely vital when you transition from the military in the corporate America. Number one is humility. Look guys, we literally have so much responsibility in the military. It's all focused around leadership and development of other people and high-performing teams, which will serve you extraordinarily well when you move into corporate America. The reality is you don't have the hard skills yet most of the time to really make that transition at the same level. So be willing to take one or two steps back in order to take ten steps forward. I promise you it will serve you extraordinarily well. The second thing is network, network, network. I can't say that enough and I wish I would have did more of it. Jump on LinkedIn, ask for informational interviews, connect with other veterans and other people in corporate America in the genre that you want to work in and go ask questions and build the relationships with them. It will be absolutely astronomical in the difference of your transition if you do that. So keep rocking, keep moving and I'll see you next time.

When transitioning from the military to Corporate America, it is important to have humility and to network. This will help you make a successful transition.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/yqgokv2kcowngehhq3f7.vtt

When transitioning from the military to corporate America, there are a few key pieces of advice to keep in mind. First and foremost, embrace humility. While the military instills strong leadership and team development skills, it's important to recognize that you may not have all the necessary hard skills for an immediate transition. Be open to taking a step or two back in order to propel yourself forward in the long run. This mindset will serve you well.

Secondly, prioritize networking. Connect with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn and seek out informational interviews. Engage with other veterans and individuals working in your desired industry within corporate America. Building relationships and seeking guidance from others will greatly enhance your transition.

Remember to stay determined and keep pushing forward. Best of luck in your career change, and until next time, keep moving forward.

What is your best advice for veterans when it comes to applying for VA Disability?

Maximize VA Disability Benefits: Honest Transparency is Key

The best advice I can give for veterans when it comes to applying for VA disability, I think there's two things here. Number one, go to the DAV, Disabled American Veterans. There's people there that will literally help you put your package together and make sure that everything is worded in a way that maximizes your benefits from the VA. And number two, don't try to go in there being all tough. Look, I know as veterans, we're taught to be tough and we push through and even when our bodies are hurting. But when you go through the medical examinations, that's not the time. Just be honest about how you feel, good, bad and ugly. Be honest about how you feel because those benefits are gonna stay with you your entire life. And so it's important that if you've got aches and pains and hurts that you don't go in there being tough, that you're really transparent about those things and you're transparent about those things with the DAV representative. Doing that will help you maximize your benefits moving forward and could be a huge opportunity to create some additional income outside of what you're already having, income you deserve for your military service.

When applying for VA disability, go to the DAV Disabled American Veterans to get help with your package. Be honest about any aches and pains you have during medical examinations as this will help maximize your benefits.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/hutpv2nukumtxml7qzzn.vtt

My best advice for veterans applying for VA disability is twofold. Firstly, I recommend reaching out to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization. They have knowledgeable individuals who can assist in putting together your application package and ensuring that it is worded in a way that maximizes your benefits from the VA. Secondly, when going through the medical examinations, it's important not to try and appear tough. As veterans, we are conditioned to be strong and push through pain. However, during these examinations, honesty is key. Be open about how you truly feel, both the good and the bad. These benefits will stay with you for your entire life, so it's crucial to be transparent about any aches, pains, or discomforts you may be experiencing. Sharing this information with both the DAV representative and during medical examinations will help maximize your benefits and potentially provide additional income that you rightfully deserve for your military service.

What challenges did you encounter while transitioning from military to corporate life?

Overcoming Network Gaps and Skill Differences: Military to Corporate Transition Challenges

The biggest challenge I had while transitioning from the military to corporate America, I guess two big challenges. Number one was not having a network of people in the corporate environment. And the reality is you really need to have a network because transitioning from military into corporate, you're not gonna have the hard skills that they're looking for, even if you have the soft skills and spades. And so creating LinkedIn, going on there, engaging with people, doing some interviews with people about industries you might wanna go into starts to create that network that you're gonna need to leverage in order to get past the algorithm gatekeepers and get to those recruiters that can help you gain employment in some of those industries that you wanna move to. And the second part was really just the hard skills. So in the military, you don't make a decision that might cost $10 million later typically. But one small decision in corporate America and changing some strategy or some policy could cost a company 5, 10, 15, $20 million. And so it's really having the humility to say, hey, I know I have the leadership ability to really move large teams forward, but I need to learn these hard skills in order to be the most effective and understand how the analytics and KPIs and metrics really do fold into the overall big picture of where we're moving towards.

The biggest challenge I had while transitioning from the military to Corporate America was not having a network of people in the corporate environment and needing to learn the hard skills required to be successful in the industry.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/d4cd9fooqgcyowzuwalr.vtt

The main challenges I encountered during my transition from the military to corporate life can be narrowed down to two key areas. Firstly, not having a pre-established network in the corporate environment. It became evident that having a network is crucial since my military experience, while valuable in terms of soft skills, didn't necessarily align with the specific hard skills sought after by corporations. To address this, I created a LinkedIn profile, engaged with professionals in industries I was interested in, and conducted informational interviews. Building this network was essential to bypass algorithm gatekeepers and connect with recruiters who could assist me in securing employment in my desired fields.

The second challenge revolved around acquiring the necessary hard skills for corporate success. In the military, decisions rarely carried financial implications of millions of dollars, unlike in corporate America. It required humility on my part to recognize that although I possessed leadership abilities to drive large teams forward, I needed to develop proficiency in the specific hard skills that contribute to effective decision-making within a corporate setting. Understanding analytics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and metrics became crucial in comprehending how they fit into the overall strategic direction of an organization.

By tackling these challenges head-on and proactively addressing both networking and skill development, I was able to navigate the transition from military to corporate life more effectively.

How do you think the military can better prepare soldiers for the transition to civilian life and work?

Unlocking the Power of Skill Bridge: A Game-Changing Transition Tool for Military Veterans

How do I think the military can prepare soldiers for the transition to civilian and work life? I've seen a lot of things change since the 25 years ago when I first enlisted. One of the biggest and coolest tools that I feel like is still really underutilized is the Skill Bridge program. The ability to partner, because I actually partnered with folks transitioning out of the military when I was in corporate America too, the ability to take a transitioning military service member, put them with the company for six months, where the company return on the investment is they don't have to pay the employee and they get to vet somebody before they're hired. And the military member still gets paid by the military so they don't have to worry about making less money before they transition. The combination of that, if commanders really wanna see the best for their people to make this something more known and to support it fully can be huge on creating this dynamic environment between the military and corporate America. That'll transition so many veterans incredibly well and find most of them jobs in the companies that they're going to do the Skill Bridge program for.

The military can best prepare soldiers for the transition to civilian life by encouraging and utilizing the SkillBridge program, which allows transitioning military members to gain experience with a company without having to be paid by that company, while still receiving their military pay. Commanders should make this program known and support it fully in order to create a dynamic environment between the military and Corporate America that will help veterans find jobs after leaving the military.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/gfv8sfkhumyjui8w7yyg.vtt

The military can better prepare soldiers for the transition to civilian life and work by utilizing programs like Skill Bridge. I've noticed significant changes in this regard since my own enlistment 25 years ago. Skill Bridge is an underutilized tool that allows transitioning military service members to partner with companies for a period of six months. During this time, the company benefits by not having to pay the employee while they have the opportunity to evaluate them before making a hiring decision. Meanwhile, the military member continues to receive their regular pay, alleviating concerns about income reduction during the transition. If commanders fully support and promote this program, it can create a dynamic environment between the military and corporate America, leading to successful transitions and increased job opportunities for veterans.

Walt McKinley answers your Military questions. See all the advice Walt McKinley has and get answers to your own Military questions.

Follow me on AnyQuestion

Walter McKinley is an inspirational speaker, trainer, and #1 best-selling author of "Monsters In My House, A True Story." He helps people create a positive mindset, heal trauma, build resilience, communicate better, and provide world-class customer service. His captivating talks draw from his own childhood journey of extreme trauma, fourteen moves, homelessness, and attempted teen suicide. He's a retired Naval Intelligence Officer and former Fortune 300 Corporate Executive with over 25 years of leadership experience. Walt's diverse life experience shows that your history doesn't define your legacy. He helps audiences unlock their potential and use their past as rocket fuel for the future. He's a voice of leadership, healing, and success.