Stand Tall

He was all spit and polish. New suit, shirt, shoes, tie. He was the picture of the perfect employee. She sat across the table, looking at his resume, a mass of acronyms, military terms and titles, and countries she didn’t even know about. She looked up. “How many people have you killed?”

Your answer, if anyone is ever stupid enough to ask you that in an interview, is to stand up, gather your stuff, and politely but emphatically say, “I served OUR COUNTRY honorably and well.” Then walk out. You do not want to work for anyone who does not respect your service.
You are the product of the most technical military in history. You have managed situations most people can’t even imagine. You are as perfect an employee as there can be for startups, small businesses, and clean technology. You need a mission, not a job.
The VA sent me a woman who had risen through the ranks from Private to an officer’s role during her career. She shook my hand and said, “I know I have to start at the bottom since I’ve never had a civilian job.”

DON’T EVERY SAY OR THINK THAT!

You have transferable skills and a skill that many don’t have. You know how to keep your eye on the goal. If the objective was to take a hill, you were part of a team that didn’t stick with a plan that wasn’t working. You found a way to take the hill. Small businesses and Startups fail at an alarming rate. Clean technology is definitely a mission. Someone who can keep their eye on the goal and adjust to a constantly changing environment has high value.
Come back and find a mission that satisfies you and leads to the success of an American business.