20+ Years of Service

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BTU #447 - Life after being declared Killed in Action (Justin Constantine)

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BTU #447 - Life after being declared Killed in Action (Justin Constantine)

Why Listen:

Today’s episode originally aired in June of 2019. This last week, I learned that Justin passed away following a battle with cancer. I wanted to rebroadcast today’s episode as a tribute to Justin’s life and legacy.

What to say about Justin? Well, he was shot in the head by a sniper and pronounced killed in action… but that didn’t stick. Justin was a Purple Heart recipient, an author, a lawyer, an motivational speaker, an entrepreneur, and worked with a company that helps over 24k military members and their families EVERY MONTH - that’s right, every month - find their ideal job and make their career transitions easier. It’s a little disappointing to be on a show with two Justin’s, and realize that the other Justin is kicking a— and you need to try your best to keep up. This is a great interview for any career path, and I think you’ll really enjoy Justin’s story.

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BTU #436 - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

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BTU #436 - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

Why Listen:
In 3 years and 333 episodes, today’s conversation is the highlight of my time with Beyond the Uniform. More than anyone else I have witnessed, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are doing the most to elevate the civilian world’s understanding of military Veterans and what they bring to the table. In this conversation we talk about what it is like for Jocko and Leif to work together now, out of uniform. We also talk about what it was like starting their company, Echelon Front… and it’s not as easy as I had thought it would be. We talk about their newest initiatives - EF Overwatch and EF Legion, incredible recruiting resources for the military community. We talk about career transition advice and mindsets to keep and tweak and more.

About Jocko:
Jocko Willink is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, Dichotomy of Leadership, host of the top-rated Jocko Podcast, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as Chief Executive Officer, leadership instructor, speaker and strategic advisor. Jocko spent 20 years in the SEAL Teams, starting as an enlisted SEAL and rising through the ranks to become a SEAL officer. As commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, he orchestrated SEAL operations that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the U.S. Army’s First Armored Division bring stability to the violent, war-torn city. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War.
Jocko returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. There, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield. Jocko is the recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and numerous other personal and unit awards.

Upon retiring from the Navy, Jocko co-founded Echelon Front, a premier leadership consulting company, where he teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win. Jocko also authored the Discipline Equals Freedom Field Manual, a New York Times Bestseller, and the best selling Way of the Warrior Kid children’s book series.

About Leif:
Leif Babin is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as President/Chief Operating Officer, leadership instructor, speaker, and strategic advisor. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Leif served thirteen years in the Navy, including nine in the SEAL Teams. As a SEAL platoon commander in SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, he planned and led major combat operations in the Battle of Ramadi that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the US Army’s 1st Armored Division achieve victory. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War.
Leif returned from combat and became the primary leadership instructor for all officers graduating from the SEAL training pipeline. There, he reshaped SEAL leadership training to better prepare the next generation of SEAL officers for the immense challenges of combat. During his last tour, Leif served as Operations Officer and Executive Officer at a SEAL Team where he again deployed to Iraq with a Special Operations Task Force. He is the recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart.
Upon his departure from active duty, Leif co-founded Echelon Front, a premier leadership consulting company that helps others build their own high-performance winning teams.

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BTU #404 - Leading at the Highest Level (LTG Robert Caslen)

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BTU #404 - Leading at the Highest Level (LTG Robert Caslen)

Why Listen:

It is always intimidating speaking with a flag officer. And that all said General Caslen made that so easy. He's such a gracious man. He served for over 43 years in the military, including being Superintendent at West Point. He was at the Pentagon on 911. He snuck back in to assist with fighting fires and ensuring that his colleagues were safe. He has no shortage of unbelievable experiences in the military. After the military, he went on to become the president at the University of South Carolina, so continued leading at the highest level in a civilian capacity. We cover a lot of ground. We talked about mistakes he made in his transition out of the army. You've heard them before, but it's reassuring to hear them from someone at his level. We talk about the differences and similarities between military leadership, academic leadership. We talked about what it was like leading the University of South Carolina through COVID-19, and I appreciate the General's candor. We talked about his recent resignation from the school and just learning about that situation. There are some great takeaways there for anyone aspiring to lead at a high level. Then we talk about comfort zone, and I appreciate, in contrast, a lot of things we talked about previously, this sense of really being out of your comfort zone and being willing to fail, make mistakes, and to recover.

As always at beyondtheuniform.org you'll find show notes with links to everything we discuss, including over 403 episodes just like this one.

About Robert:

Robert Caslen is the former President of the University of South Carolina and the President of the University of South Carolina system, as well as the 59th Superintendent of the US Military Academy at West Point. He also serves as HigherEchelon Special Advisor on Executive Leadership and Character Development in his 43 years of military service in the United States Army. He has done far too much to ever encompass in a brief bio and we're going to touch on those things, including an unbelievable role in 911 and many other situations.

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BTU #387 - Navy and DoD Civilian COOL (Michael Talley)

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BTU #387 - Navy and DoD Civilian COOL (Michael Talley)

Why Listen:
Today’s interview is the 2nd installment in a series where we take a deep dive into each branch’s respective credentialing service.

Credentialing Assistance is a great way to leverage the transition tools and resources available to service members to accelerate their post-military careers. Certifications add professional capability and credibility and help you stand out to a hiring manager.

In this conversation, we talk with Mike Talley – the Director of Navy COOL, and he breaks down all the nuances of the program. Additionally, Mike offers insight into the DoD Civilian COOL program.

In short, Navy COOL covers credentialing exam fees for all Sailors, regardless of rank or compo for anywhere between 1,400 and 1,600 credentials. Navy COOL has its yearly budget and its first come, first serve. Sailors can utilize funding for as many credentialing exams as they want, but can only pursue one exam at a time on the Navy’s dime. Navy COOL will only fund one exam attempt per credential. Furthermore, Navy COOL will help pay for continuing education units to help Sailors maintain their credential once obtained.

If you’re in the Army, you can find your deep dive in Episode #383. Interviews for the Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard are in the works.

About Mike:
Mike served as a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy, retiring after 20 years of service. After transition, Mike held various customer support and managerial positions with AT&T, Gap, and Old Navy before returning to the U.S. Navy as a civilian employee. Today, Mike is the Director of Navy COOL for the Navy’s Credentialing Programs Office. He holds a Bachelor’s in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University.

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BTU #386 - Starting a Business on Your Own Terms (John Schmitt)

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BTU #386 - Starting a Business on Your Own Terms (John Schmitt)

Why Listen:

I loved hearing John's unique approach to entrepreneurship and life. After 20 years of military service, John was drawn into starting his own business. While starting any company requires sales, John's approach to sales is to simply be curious about whoever he is speaking with, and learn about their pain points. This is such great advice for so many different career paths. I also appreciate how John has constructed his life to have a fulfilling family life, outside of work life, and professional life.

About John:

John Schmitt is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served 20+ years as an Aviator and Acquisition Corps officer. Upon leaving the Army, John started his own consulting firm with a focus on biotech, advanced manufacturing and marketing projects. Additionally, he serves as a board member for multiple local non-profits. John holds a BS in Biological Sciences from UC-Davis and an MS in Microbiology and Immunology from Vanderbilt Univ.

Our Sponsor:
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BTU #383 - Army Credentialing Assistance (Sophia Sweeney)

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BTU #383 - Army Credentialing Assistance (Sophia Sweeney)

Why Listen:

Well, normally Beyond the Uniform is hosted by Justin, but I came to him with an idea. I talk to a lot of transitioning service members, and its eye opening how many of them – regardless of branch – have never heard of the various credentialing programs that are offered.

Today is part 1 in a series where I’ll be interviewing each branch’s credentialing program manager to get the facts on that respective branch’s credentialing assistance in an effort to spread awareness to the service members who can use them.

Credentialing Assistance is a great way to leverage the transition tools and resources available to service members to accelerate their post-military careers. Certifications add professional capability and credibility and help you stand out to a hiring manager.

We’ll start with the Army and talk with Sophia Sweeney, the Program Manager for Army Credentialing Assistance (CA) and Credentialing Opportunities On Line (COOL).

About Sophia:

Sophia served for 20+ years as a member of the Army's Military Police (MP) corps, retiring as a First Sergeant. After retiring, Sophia held multiple government contracting roles in various Soldier support positions. In her current role, she serves as an Army Civilian working as the Program Manager for the Army Credentialing Assistance Program and the Army Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL). She holds a BA in Criminal Justice from Columbia College and a MA in Organizational Leadership from Brandman University.

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BTU #382 -CIO Pre and Post-IPO (Michael Hanson)

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BTU #382 -CIO Pre and Post-IPO (Michael Hanson)

Why Listen:

Special thanks to Jim Sinai for making the intro to Michael. While Michael had a full career in the Marine Corps, with over 21 years of service, he didn't let either what he did in the Marines, or how successful he was at doing it get in the way of his going on to have a truly exemplary tech career as a Chief Information Officer at some truly incredible companies. Here are a few things to look for in this interview:

  • How Michael is always dreaming of what is next, and then working his tail off to be proactive and bridge any skill gaps in his next career move

  • How Michael is always learning, always pushing himself forward and NEVER playing it safe

  • How Michael uses his network - not just to find a job, but to sharpen his skills and be the best he can be in his current position

  • How Michael "paints the target" to determine what he wants to do, and then doesn't allow himself to lose sight of the bullseye

At the end of this episode, Michael rattles off a whole host of books and frameworks. Don't worry, we've listed them all at BeyondTheUniform.org. While you're there, if you've got 400 hours free, be sure to check out over 381 other episodes hand crafted to help you crush your post-military career.

About Michael:

Michael Hansen is the Chief Information Officer at Procore Technologies, a company with nearly 2,000 employees that provides cloud-based construction software to clients across the globe. He started out in the Marine Corps, where he served for 21 years as an IT Security Architect. His career has included 2 years in Guantanamo Bay Cuba as the CIO, 2 years as a Cloud Architect for the Federal Government, and 5 years as CISO and then CIO of Mindbody both pre and post IPO.

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BTU #381 - Broadcasting your values, not your accomplishments (Justin LeHew)

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BTU #381 - Broadcasting your values, not your accomplishments (Justin LeHew)

Why Listen:

Special thanks to Steve Bane for making this interview happen. My guest today, Justin LeHew, is many things. He earned the Navy Cross for his heroic actions in Iraq in 2003, he has an obstacle at Paris Island named after him: LeHew's Challenge, he achieved the rank of Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps. Yet its not merely these accomplishments that set him apart - it is the way that he focuses on others rather than broadcasting his significant achievements. We talk a lot about that in this interview, as well as his work at History Flight, a private MIA search and recovery organization, responsible for locating and repatriating over 365 missing American servicemen to date. In the show notes for this episode at BeyondTheUniform.org there is an incredible, one-minute YouTube video about this - I highly recommend checking that out, as well as our 380 other episodes just like this one.


About Justin LeHew

Justin LeHew is the Chief Operating Officer at History Flight, the world's most successful, private MIA search and recovery organization, responsible for locating and repatriating 365 missing American servicemen to date. Justin has his own Wikipedia page, so here are a few highlights:

  • He served in the Marine Corps for over 25 years, achieving the rank of Sergeant Major

  • Paris Island has an obstacle named in his honor. "LeHew's Challenge" is an 8 ft high suspended log supported by two pedestals that is part of the famed 54-hour crucible event which culminates the basic training of a United States Marine

  • He was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions in Iraq in March of 2003

Most notably, none of this information you'll find on his LInkedIn Page, and I'm guessing none of it would come up if you were at a bar with Justin. We traded emails about this, but I wanted to start off our conversation here - in an era where self-promotion is at an all-time high, you seem to be an example of someone who is not broadcasting his merits, is not touting the unbelievable achievements you've accomplished... what advice do you have for listeners about this.

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BTU #374 - A Case Study in Curiosity with Anthony Spadaro

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BTU #374 - A Case Study in Curiosity with Anthony Spadaro

Why Listen:

In episode #367 I interviewed John Wayne Troxell, who talked about his transition journey after serving as Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his nearly 40 years of military service. After our interview, he mentioned his friend Anthony, and I jumped at the opportunity to have a similar conversation. Anthony served in the Marine Corps for 35 years, serving most recently as a Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Sergeant Major. We talk about his career journey, his work serving on multiple boards, a long list of resources he would recommend to listeners, and, most importantly, the vital role that curiosity plays in one’s life and career

About Anthony:

Anthony is a leadership consultant, strategist and Veterans advocate. He is the former Command Senior Enlisted Leader (Sergeant Major), USINDOPACOM, having served in the Marine Corps for 35 years. He serves as the Vice President and Director of Development & Special Projects at the Robert Irvine Foundation, the Vice President of Training for 5th Principle, a Consultant at BeaverFit North America, and serves on multiple boards including Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, FourBlock, Youth Impact Program, and Advisor Board Chairman for FITOPS.

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BTU #367 - Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (John Troxell)

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BTU #367 - Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (John Troxell)

Why Listen:

I just wrapped up my conversation with John and I put this in a rare category of interviews where I just started taking notes for myself during the conversation. And John, as you'll hear, is such a wealth of wisdom about career success in in any arena. I've got a half a page to a page of notes for my own career advice that I got from him about achieving what you want to achieve in your in your professional life. John, as you'll hear about worked his way up to the pinnacle of service in the military, but more impressively after 30 you know, nearly 40 years of service he just powered through to continue to find purpose to find a calling that pulled him towards it, and keeping more than busy with many different things but continuing to give back after the Military. So I appreciated John's example not only in terms of an extremely high achieving individual looks like and and what it takes to do that, but also someone who continues to redefine purpose in his life. So I imagine this interview will be extremely applicable to all of our listeners. We also at the very end, we touch on something that is so powerful about what I would call the subconscious bias that we have - for most people who serve I would imagine this bias and opinions and beliefs about officer and enlisted on both sides. And I think that our conversation at the end is really worthwhile about challenging those assumptions.

Of course, this interview was only made possible due to the financial support of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Back when I interviewed Matt Hesse in Episode 358, that was a similarly energizing conversation. And what I said to Matt was we were fortunate enough to receive sponsorship from the Carlson School of Management. We've got a few more interviews we can do. I'll talk to anyone you would recommend. And John is who he recommended. And so thank you to the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management for making this possible.

About John Wayne Troxell

Before his retirement in December 2019, Troxell advised the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of Defense for four years on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force and joint development for enlisted personnel. Troxell enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1982.

By 2020, Troxell joined forces with FitOps to lead the Foundation’s strategic advisory board, working closely with Matt Hesse and the team to help prevent and end veteran suicide. Troxell’s primary focus will be helping FitOps reach service members who plan to separate from the military and equip them with training prior, so that when they hit the ground as a civilian, they are equipped to immediately serve their communities again, this time as personal trainers and coaches.

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BTU #360 - CBS' "Tough as Nails" with Kelly "Murph" Murphy

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BTU #360 - CBS' "Tough as Nails" with Kelly "Murph" Murphy

Why Listen:
I want to highlight a couple things that Murph and I talked about in this interview. The first is that I love Murph's attitude around expanding your thinking about your career. In this own life, he ended up doing things that he didn't initially plan when he got out of the military.

Murph currently works at the University of Central Missouri and as their Director of Military and VeteranServices so he has some great thoughts from his experience helping many veterans in their post-military life. We talk about the value of education that keeps on coming up again and again in Murph’s story.

We also talked about the TV show that he's on called “Tough as Nails”. We talk about what it was being on the set and how that opportunity came about.

About Murph:

Murph is the Director of Military and Veteran Services at the University of Central Missouri. He is also a competitor on CBS’s new show, Tough as Nails. TOUGH AS NAILS is a competition series that celebrates everyday Americans who roll up their sleeves and don’t think twice about working long hard hours and getting their hands dirty, in order to keep their country running. On the show, competitors compete in challenges that take place at real-world job sites. Murph served in the Marine Corps for 22 years. Since his military service, he has worked as an Adjunct Faculty member at Central Texas College and Columbia College and also worked at Lowe’s in their as a Human Resrouce and Training Manager.

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BTU #350 - The Semiconductor Industry & Micron Technology (Art Behnke)

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BTU #350 - The Semiconductor Industry & Micron Technology (Art Behnke)

Why Listen:

A lot of Veterans I speak with are interested in technology. Most of us in the military get a fair amount of experience with technology, and we hear about the high growth this industry has seen. It’s a pretty broad industry - to me, 10 years out of the military, hearing someone refer to Tech feels like someone referring to “the military” - it’s a great catch all phrase, but there is so much beyond that high level term - branch of service, MOS, warfare speciality, etc.

Today’s interview feels like a gateway to that world of tech. My guest, Art, works at a company called Micron Technologies, which is in the semiconductor industry. Which, as you’ll learn, is a foundational element in pretty much every technology industry: drones, autonomous vehicles, tablets, social media… it’s everywhere.

I don’t think I’ve ever had an interview that has packed in so much information at the end. I really try to keep these interviews to 45-50 minutes, based on feedback I’ve received from listeners. Today was a rare case where we kept going because there was so much richness in what Art was sharing. We talk about translating one’s experience on both a resume and interview. We talk about diversity of perspective as a strength when one is applying to a job. We talk about three things I rarely hear on these interviews: how important it is to evaluate a company by the size of the company and what this offers to you in terms of a community and mentorship opportunities, evaluating a company’s team and how those individuals will challenge and support you to grow, and also looking at how a company behaves in a crisis… like the one we’re going through right now. All of these are fantastic lenses through which to evaluate a company and job opportunity, and they’ve never come up in the 349 episodes that precede this.

As always, at BeyondTheUniform.org you’ll find 350 other free episodes, just like this one. You’ll find show notes with links to everything we discuss today. And you’ll also find a special, limited time offer at BeyondTheUniform.org/micron, where Art is graciously offering to connect with 20 of you to help you with your resume, and answer your questions about job transitioning (side note: he has conducted thousands of interviews), the semiconductor industry, and Micron Technology.

About Art Behnke

Art Behnke is a Manager of Talent Acquisition at Micron Technologies, which is a world leader in innovative memory solutions that transform how the world uses information. Micron Technologies has over 37,000 team members in 18 countries who work with the world’s most trusted brands, delivering memory and storage systems for a broad range of applications and sparking countless possibilities in technology.

Art served in the Marine Corps for 21 years as a FA/18 Hornet WSO and is a graduate of the TopGun program. He has held a wide variety of roles throughout his career and has completed 173 combat flights, with 2,500 total flight hours. He has completed an MBA and is a graduate of the Naval War College

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BTU #347 - Marines to PMP Instructor and PM-ProLearn (Ian Fisher)

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BTU #347 - Marines to PMP Instructor and PM-ProLearn (Ian Fisher)

Welcome back to Beyond the Uniform. I’m Justin Nassiri and our mission is to support the military community in their civilian career. Today is episode BTU #347 - Marines to PMP Instructor and PM-ProLearn (Ian Fisher).

Why listen:

Here are the top two reasons to listen to today’s episode:
1.Project, Program, and Portfolio Management - at BTU we often hear questions about these three career paths, and Ian goes into great detail about what these fields are, how they relate to one’s military background, and how to succeed in these career paths.
2.Certifications - Ian has great advice about education, certifications, and how to make one self appealing to a hiring manager.

Beyond the Uniform has over 350 podcast episodes and 20 videos with America’s top Veterans, including Jocko Willink, the former CEO of Pepsi, NFL players and more. They are all for free at BeyondTheUniform.org. If you benefit from Beyond the Uniform and would like to help get this in front of more members of the military community, please consider donating at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate. You can also text SUPPORTBTU to 33777 and we will send you additional information. Our cost of production is $300 per month, we are an all-volunteer team, and we could use your financial support. That is at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate or by texting SUPPORTBTU to 33777.

About Ian:

Charles “Ian” Fisher is Director of Operations at PM-ProLearn. He served for over 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and since then has worked as both an IT Consultant as well as the Assistant Director of Professional Services at TimeClock Plus, a Data Management company.

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BTU #344 - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Admiral Michael Mullen)

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BTU #344 - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Admiral Michael Mullen)

Why Listen:

When I was in the Navy, I’m not sure how much I respected Admirals. I certainly feared them - I got that instilled in me at the Naval Academy. But I think I was caught up in this mindset of: it’s inevitable that I get promoted from O-1 to O-2, and from O-2 to O-3… so it can’t be that hard to make it to flag rank. In the ten years since I left the Navy, my respect for senior officers and flag rank officers has grown exponentially. I’ve seen how difficult it can be to reach the top of any organization - civilian, government or military. And I admire the determination, talent, and intelligence required to achieve these pinnacle leadership echelons.

Today’s interview only served to reinforce that respect. Admiral Mullen served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under both President Bush and President Obama. I was fascinated to hear what it is like to work at this level and the principles of leadership that helped Admiral Mullen achieve success. We also talked about leadership of the Beyond the Uniform audience - how we, as leaders, can look out for the men and women we served with, and how we can pay forward the benefits we’ve experienced in our careers.

About Admiral Mullen:
Admiral Michael Mullen is a retired United States Navy admiral, who served as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to both President Bush and President Obama. Previously, he served as the Navy's 28th Chief of Naval Operations, and was only the third officer in the Navy's history to be appointed to four different four-star assignments: Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, Commander Allied Joint Force Command Naples, and the 32nd Vice Chief of Naval Operations. He retired from the Navy after over 42 years of service.

Fast Company has called Admiral Mullen “not just a new model for military officers-and a new kind of business titan-but also a case study in 21st Century leadership.” Since retiring from the Navy, Mullen has joined the boards of General Motors, Sprint and the Bloomberg Family Foundation. He has taught at the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton University, and now teaches at the United States Naval Academy. He is also known for his efforts on behalf of service members, veterans and their families. He is renowned for his role in dismantling “don’t ask, don’t tell” and allowing gay service members to serve openly.

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BTU #340 - The Power of Meditation (Jon Macaskill)

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BTU #340 - The Power of Meditation (Jon Macaskill)

Why Listen:

Jon went from 20 year Navy SEAL to a meditation instructor. In this interview we talk about Jon’s work with Veteran’s PATH, since I believe that every listener could benefit from this free program. We also talk about mindfulness, how it has helped both Jon and I, and what it is. We also talk about how Jon found his way to the non-profit space.

One note, in my introduction I use the wrong title for Jon’s role at Veteran’s PATH - it is actually Deputy Director - my apologies on the oversight… if Jon catches wind, and his SEAL training overrides his meditation training, I could be in trouble on this one.

For those who enjoy this episode, be sure to check out:
BTU #123 - The Veterans Yoga Project (Dr. Dan Libby) - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-123-the-veterans-yoga-project-dr-dan-libby?rq=yoga%20project
BTU #150 - Silent Meditation Retreats - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-150-silent-meditation-retreats?rq=yoga%20project

About Jon:

Jon is the Deputy Director at Veteran’s PATH, a non-profit that enables returning veterans to rediscover meaning, purpose, and joy in their lives through mindfulness, meditation, and a safe community.

He started out at the Naval Academy, and since then has served as a Navy SEAL for nearly 19 years. For those who listened to episode #336 with Marguax Lohry on Tuck’s Next Step program, Jon is a graduate of that program as well.

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BTU #333 - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

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BTU #333 - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

Why Listen:
In 3 years and 333 episodes, today’s conversation is the highlight of my time with Beyond the Uniform. More than anyone else I have witnessed, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are doing the most to elevate the civilian world’s understanding of military Veterans and what they bring to the table. In this conversation we talk about what it is like for Jocko and Leif to work together now, out of uniform. We also talk about what it was like starting their company, Echelon Front… and it’s not as easy as I had thought it would be. We talk about their newest initiatives - EF Overwatch and EF Legion, incredible recruiting resources for the military community. We talk about career transition advice and mindsets to keep and tweak and more.

About Jocko:
Jocko Willink is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, Dichotomy of Leadership, host of the top-rated Jocko Podcast, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as Chief Executive Officer, leadership instructor, speaker and strategic advisor. Jocko spent 20 years in the SEAL Teams, starting as an enlisted SEAL and rising through the ranks to become a SEAL officer. As commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, he orchestrated SEAL operations that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the U.S. Army’s First Armored Division bring stability to the violent, war-torn city. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War.
Jocko returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. There, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield. Jocko is the recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and numerous other personal and unit awards.

Upon retiring from the Navy, Jocko co-founded Echelon Front, a premier leadership consulting company, where he teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win. Jocko also authored the Discipline Equals Freedom Field Manual, a New York Times Bestseller, and the best selling Way of the Warrior Kid children’s book series.

About Leif:
Leif Babin is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as President/Chief Operating Officer, leadership instructor, speaker, and strategic advisor. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Leif served thirteen years in the Navy, including nine in the SEAL Teams. As a SEAL platoon commander in SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, he planned and led major combat operations in the Battle of Ramadi that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the US Army’s 1st Armored Division achieve victory. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War.
Leif returned from combat and became the primary leadership instructor for all officers graduating from the SEAL training pipeline. There, he reshaped SEAL leadership training to better prepare the next generation of SEAL officers for the immense challenges of combat. During his last tour, Leif served as Operations Officer and Executive Officer at a SEAL Team where he again deployed to Iraq with a Special Operations Task Force. He is the recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart.
Upon his departure from active duty, Leif co-founded Echelon Front, a premier leadership consulting company that helps others build their own high-performance winning teams.

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BTU #325 - Clark Kent-ing Your Resume (Shannon Gregory)

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BTU #325 - Clark Kent-ing Your Resume (Shannon Gregory)

Why Listen:

Shannon’s military career includes time in both the Marine Corps and the National Guard, and so he has faced multiple transitions. Shannon has been a mentor at the University of Minnesota and it comes through - he has so much great advice on topics including:

  • resumes - how he has nearly a dozen version of his resume based on to what job he is applying.

  • being Clark Kent - not always revealing your super powers. yes, you may have dozens and dozens of crazy stories from the military, but based on the position to which you’re applying, you may just pick one choice gem out and leave the rest in the bag, unused in both your resume and your interview preparation.

  • networking - Shannon has received several jobs and - more importantly - very helpful intel about the jobs to which he is applying - due to his approach to networking.

  • We talk about dealing with depression, we talk about how most of what you need in your civilian career you learned in the military, but it is ALL about lifelong learning - about building skills and adding to them every step of the way. Shannon is a great example of this - he’s held three different jobs and also earned his MBA leading up to his role at Xcel… while he may have gone directly into the energy industry, his circitiuos route was exactly what we needed. and we talk about the Energy Industry - why you don’t have to be a navy nuke like me to go into the energy industry - we talk about all the disruption and changes going on, and how they NEED fresh perspectives, like Shannons, who has no direct background in energy.

This is a sponsored interview - which means that Xcel Energy supports Beyond the Uniform financially so that we can continue to do this work, for free to Veterans. I’m very grateful for their support. Although this is a sponsored interview, Shannon and I only talk about Xcel Energy for about 4-5 minutes in this hour long conversation. The rest is packed with tactics and tidbits to help you in your career path, whatever that may be.

About Shannon:

Shannon Gregory is a Program Manager, Enterprise Resiliency for Xcel Energy. He started out in the Marine Corps, where he served in the infantry for over six years. He has also served in the Army National Guard for nearly 8 years. His post military career has included working as a Rotory Wing Pilot at Air Methods, a Senior Corporate Security Manager at Target, and a Safety Business Consultant at Predictive Safety SRP. He holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota and a BS from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

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BTU #317 - Army to EVP @ Hornets Sports & Entertainment (James Jordan)

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BTU #317 - Army to EVP @ Hornets Sports & Entertainment (James Jordan)

Why Listen:

If you’re interested in sports and entertainment - either as an enthusiast or as a potential career option - you’ve got to hear James’ story. He went from 31 year Army Veteran to being an Executive Vice President for Hornets Sports & Entertainment. Not only does this entail the logistics for each and every Hornets basketball game… but that is literally less than 20% of the events that occur at the Spectrum Center each year, and James oversees all of them. We talk about how much of our military experience translates well to operations. We talk about why Veterans may love a career in sports and entertainment. And we talk about swimming in your own lane. James’ younger brother is a guy you may have heard of - Michael Jordan… the Michael Jordan. Towards the end of our conversation, James and I talk about this, and his response to my question about this made me respect James even more. James has a wonderful perspective on the military transition, and I hope you enjoy this unique conversation.

If you enjoy this episode, I’d recommend checking out four other similar episodes, each listed in our show notes, which are:

1. BTU #93 - Matt Ufford: Marines to Editor & Host at SB Nation

2. BTU #74 - Nate Boyer: Army Green Beret to the NFL

3. BTU #258 - Army Ranger to HBO and Writing & Directing Movies (Brian Hanson)

4. BTU #302 - Navy SWO to ESPN Reporter and Host (Sal Paolantonio)

About James:

James Jordan is the Executive Vice President of Operations for Hornets Sports & Entertainment, where he has served for nearly six years. He started out in the Army, where he served for over 31 years, most recently as the 35th Signal Brigade Airborne Command Sergeant Major as a part of 18th Airborne Corps Task Force supporting Combat Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. After his military service, he worked for over seven years as the Director of Operations and Administration for the EPS Corporation, Field Service Company.

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BTU #312 - Wounded Warrior Project (Tom Kastner)

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BTU #312 - Wounded Warrior Project (Tom Kastner)

Why Listen:

What I appreciate most about my conversation with Tom is his authenticity. After 30 years in the Army, it took Tom a while to find his new home in the civilian workforce. While he was able to land incredible opportunities - General Manager at Mercedes Benz USA, Senior Manager at Amazon, Academic Dean at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy - each of these proved to be a poor fit for him. I respect Tom’s willingness to talk about what this process was like - the frustrations, the disappointments, the uncertainty - these are all challenges I’ve faced in my own career, and challenges other guests have experienced as well. Yet, Tom brings an openness to this conversation that I found refreshing. More importantly, the new home that he has found is incredible. Tom’s career journey has led him to work as the Financial Wellness Vice President at Wounded Warrior Project. I have to say, I was extremely fired up about learning more about the work that Wounded Warrior Project is doing. Not only are they providing an incredible support to the military community, but they’re also supporting other organizations in a way that is broadening their impact. Every Veteran would benefit from learning about Wounded Warrior Project and their mission, and I hope you check them out.

About Tom:

Tom Kastner is the Financial Wellness Vice President at Wounded Warrior Project. He started out at West Point and served for 30 years in the Army, including serving as the Director of the Dean’s Staff at West Point. His career since the Army has included time at Mercedes Benz USA, where he worked as the General Manager for Learning and Performance, Amazon, and St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy among others. He holds a Master of Arts in National Security Studies at the Naval War College, a PhD in Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech, an MS in statistics from Georgia Tech and an MS in applied mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

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BTU #305 - Lt. General to Arizona State University leadership (Benjamin Freakley)

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BTU #305 - Lt. General to Arizona State University leadership (Benjamin Freakley)

Why Listen:

Lt. General Freakley had an incredible career of over 36 years in the Army prior to his retirement. Yet, similar to nearly every guest I’ve had on the show, when he approached his own transition to a civilian career he experienced fear. In this interview, we talk about how to approach that transition, how to cultivate curiosity and learn something new, and we talk about leadership - we talk about leadership in the uniform and beyond. We talk about Ben’s work at Arizona State University and the McCain Institute for International Leadership, and more.

About Ben:

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley is the Special Advisor to the President for Leadership Initiatives at Arizona State University. Additionally, he serves at the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University. He recently retired from the U.S. Army after more than 36 years of active military service, and was serving as Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command, at the time of his retirement. He started out at West Point.