Episodes

I think one of the hardest parts of the transition from the military is the unknowns and uncertainty about what is next. Not everyone experiences this uncertainty. Many JMOs who move from the military have their immediate future locked up, whether they choose to attend a full-time academic program such as an MBA or law school or if they work in a general schedule (GS) role for the government agency or department, those options are often secured many months for they separate from the military. M...

We started this podcast 8 years ago on May 26, 2016 and as we've reached our 200th episode, we are extremely grateful for the officers with whom we get to work with on a daily basis. We're grateful to serve JMOs!

Welcome back! As Transition Coaches, a topic that we often help officers think through as they are making decisions about getting out of the military is short-term thinking versus long-term career thinking. It is completely natural for officers leaving the military to focus and think in the short term. They have a future date in which they are going to exit the military, usually with in the next 12 months or less, and they need a plan. Because of this, there are typically two main issues that te...

Welcome back! This is the second installment in our Career Field series podcasts. In our first episode (Episode 192), we featured three Cameron-Brooks alumni who explained their careers within the Engineering Management Career field. In this episode, we invited two of our alumni who launched their careers within Manufacturing. After listening to them, you’ll have a better understanding where a post-military career in manufacturing can take your career. Michael Warwick is a former Army Infantry/...

Welcome back! This episode continues our Post-Conference Review series. As many of you know, Cameron-Brooks holds five Career Conferences per year. After every Career Conference, we lead a webcast with a few of our most recent alumni to let them share their experience with the Conference and the follow-up interview process. Hear some real JMO transition stories. We continue to conduct these webcasts because officers continue to provide feedback on these episodes and how helpful they are. Though...

Let's talk about the value of the Cameron-Brooks Preparation Program. The number one feedback comment I hear from Cameron-Brooks Alumni is, “I wish I had started preparing earlier.” Regardless of whether the officer started 12 months or 2 months before...

Harry Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Therefore, JMOs should read. Leaders read because they continuously pursue learning and development. They know they never “arrive” and know everything. Additionally, whether they are politicians, business people, military leaders, teachers, or wherever they lead, they know their environment is dynamic. They read to stay sharp, adapt to new challenges, explore new ideas, and ...

Welcome back! Today you're going to get three tips to manage your career after you transition to business. I am glad to introduce you to Kingsley Spiller. He's a former Army Infantry officer who moved to corporate America in 2016.

Welcome back! We recently wrapped up our January 2024 Career Conference. The primary takeaway from the Conference is that companies remain motivated to pursue JMOs for their important leadership openings, and the prepared candidate will succeed at the Career Conference. Diving deeper, the key takeaways were: The Economy The economy tends to be a question on JMOs’ minds. Specifically, is the economy strong enough to support my transition, and will I find the right job when I exit the military? A...

Welcome back! - In this episode, we're going to talk about why it's important to get your foot in the door—THEN navigate your career. You’ll meet three Cameron-Brooks alumni who have successfully made the transition to the business world,

When I meet with junior military officers JMOs to discuss their career goals, I ask them, “What will make a happy, successful career for you?” I deliberately ask them an open ended question to leave a lot of space on where they can take their answer. I might hear things like, “Using my technical skills,” “Solving problems and making an impact,” or, “Learning, growing and developing.” However, the number one response I have heard over my 25-year career is, “I want to have meaning and purpose.” ...

The DoD launched a pilot program in 2011 called SkillBridge. The intention of the program is to provide service members and spouses with an in-depth and real-world training opportunity as they prepare to move from active duty to post-military employment. Today, the program has grown to almost 3,000 different SkillBridge opportunities. Cameron-Brooks is one of them! So what is the Cameron-Brooks SkillBridge experience like? It’s the ideal opportunity for high-achieving JMOs that want to transiti...

Welcome back! If you're questioning whether or not you need help with your military transition, this podcast is for you. - In this episode, you will meet Colin Floyd. Colin is a former USMC Air Defense officer who attended the August 2023 Cameron-Broo...

My experience has taught me that if I want to achieve excellence in something, I should study and learn from the people who have achieved success in that area already. Why should I reinvent the wheel? So, when Cameron-Brooks Alumnus Liam Burns messaged me on LinkedIn that he wanted to be a guest on the podcast and share how he managed his 30+ year career, I jumped at the chance to interview him. Liam is a former Navy Surface Warfare Officer who transitioned to a business career in 1991. He spen...

If you are (or have ever) considered a move from the military to the business world, you have probably wondered if the current economy will support your transition. And the question is not just, “Will I get a job when I get out of the military?” The answer to that question is invariably YES! Finding a job, any job, is not the issue. The real question – the amplified version of the question posed in the title of this podcast is, “Will the current economy allow me to launch my business career by s...

Today we interview three former officers and give you three keys to success! I often get positive feedback on the Post Career Conference reviews webcasts that we do after every Conference. People tell me that it is so helpful to hear the stories of recent Cameron-Brooks alumni as they navigated the Career Conference and Follow-Up Interview Process in order to secure their next career. That is exactly the reason that we introduced these webcasts over three years ago and why we converted the Q&A w...

Welcome back. In this "3 reasons for gratitude" episode, Brock and I sat down with some coffee to discuss the benefits of being thankful and having a strong sense of gratitude. As we approach Thanksgiving, we thought it’d be a great idea to share the t...

Are you waiting to prepare for your military transition? Junior military officers have a distinct advantage over those who graduate college and straight into the workforce. Simply put – they have leadership experience and leadership potential. There is just no denying that JMOs are given the opportunity to lead as soon as they hit the force. They get to lead teams, manage programs, solve problems, and ultimately make their organization better. You would be hard-pressed to find a company that gi...

For three decades, I have led teams, coached leaders, helped thousands of Junior Military Officers (JMOs) transition to business, and worked with hiring managers to hire and develop leadership talent. One common theme is that people want meaning and purpose in their work. They want to create something or serve someone beyond themselves. They want to live undivided lives where their values align with their profession. Organizations Need to Create Meaning and Purpose Now, more than ever in my ca...

Welcome back! On this episode, we bring you a Career Conference BTS (Behind the Scenes) as we wrap up our August 2023 Career Conference. We enjoy doing these episodes because it’s a bit of a “peek over the fence” as some of our most recent alumni share their experiences through their process and journey. In this episode, we feature: Brad Franke, a former Navy Submarine lieutenant, graduated from the United States with a degree in Economics and Political Science and spent 7 years in the Navy. Br...

We are in mid-September and kicking off the football season. With Cameron-Brooks Team Members who attended Texas A&M, Baylor, Notre Dame, West Point, and the Naval Academy, we are huge college football fans. Football is a holiday season here in Texas, you know. So, to celebrate, I hosted a podcast with my good friend, Troy Prehar, who played football at West Point from 1990 to 1993. Troy’s second oldest son is a freshman football player at Mary Hardin Baylor, and Troy is also a youth football c...

Choosing to make a move from the military is an important decision and one that most military officers do not make lightly. We understand. At Cameron-Brooks, we have over a half-century of experience helping military officers navigate that decision. Our company is led by our CEO, Chuck Alvarez, who transitioned from the Army in 1993, and our Senior Vice President, Joel Junker, who transitioned in 1999. I made the move to Corporate America in 2003, and our most recent team member, Brock Dudley, s...

Ted Lindell is a former Marine Corps F18 Officer who transitioned to a business career with Conagra Brands in 2017. His transition journey started in 2015 when Ted and his wife, Carrie, reflected on what they wanted for their family. They decided they no longer wanted the long deployments and the risk of Ted’s flight operations. They wanted a better quality of life. While they knew they were going to leave the Marine Corps, beyond that, they had two main options on what to do next. One option, t...

You've already met Quinton Cookis. We actually featured him a year ago on Episode 154 of the podcast. Now he's experienced one year in Corporate America. Quinton is a former USMC Logistics officer who attended the June 2022 Carrer Conference.