Episode 151: How to Build Your Civilian Career Before You Take Off the Uniform

In this episode of the Military Transition Academy Podcast, we sit down with Michael, a 31-year Army veteran who proves that preparation truly pays off. Now serving as a Project Controller at TIG, supporting the Defense Health Agency (DHA), Michael shares how his path from military operations to IT project management was shaped by one key decision...earning his PMP® certification before retirement.

From his first separation in 1995 with no plan and little support to his final retirement decades later with preparation, resources, and a strategy, Michael’s story is a roadmap for how to transition effectively.

You’ll hear:
✅ How to translate military experience into civilian project management skills
✅ Why earning a certification early changes everything
✅ What to expect when shifting from operations to corporate project work
✅ How to balance job offers, salary expectations, and lifestyle priorities
✅ Why “knowing your worth” is just as critical as updating your resume

Whether you’re still serving, planning to separate, or already navigating civilian life, this episode will help you see the value of preparing today so you can achieve a meaningful, lucrative post-service career tomorrow.

🎧 Tune in and learn how to build your next career before you hang up the uniform.

👉 Follow/Subscribe to Vets2PM for more real-world transition stories, tools, and resources to help you achieve a meaningful and lucrative civilian career.

Connect with Michael Davis: Michael Davis | LinkedInCheck out Vets2PM: www.vets2pm.com

Episode 150: What Vets2PM Does to Help Military Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Companies Succeed

In this episode, Cathy Miclat and Misty Moreno share exactly what Vets2PM does to support the military community and the employers who hire them.

Vets2PM helps military service members, veterans, and spouses become project managers. Through programs like the Master Project Leadership Workshop (MPLW) at Fort Bliss and Fort Campbell, participants train to earn three project management certifications and prepare to show & tell the skillset via the resume/interview/LinkedIn. We also offer standalone PMP and ACP certification training, SkillBridge internships, and career services that guide every graduate toward meaningful, long-term employment.

At the same time, we help companies find and hire skilled, disciplined, and certified professionals who are ready to make an impact. From introducing businesses to our SkillBridge candidates to providing group training and certification programs for their teams, Vets2PM makes veteran hiring simple, effective, and beneficial for everyone involved.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Vets2PM prepares service members for civilian careers through the MPLW and SkillBridge

• Why our PMP and ACP training programs are trusted by thousands of veterans nationwide

• How our Career Services team connects graduates with employers actively hiring

• The ways companies benefit from partnering with Vets2PM to upskill and hire top talent

Whether you’re preparing to transition out of the military or looking to hire strong, certified professionals, this episode breaks down exactly how Vets2PM helps you succeed.

Learn more: www.vets2pm.com

In this episode of the Vets2PM Military Transition Academy Podcast, Misty talks with Mike about how he used AF COOL, SkillBridge, and his PMP® certification to build a strong foundation before leaving the service. Today, he leads a Project Management Office and manages a team of project managers.

They discuss how preparation, mentorship, and mindset can make all the difference when moving from military life to civilian leadership.

• The value of DoD SkillBridge and how to make the most of it
• How to start preparing for your next career while you’re still serving
• Why finding a civilian mentor can speed up your transition
• What it takes to stand out and succeed in the civilian sector

Mike’s story is a great reminder that your experience already gave you the skills to lead. You just need the right plan and people around you to turn it into a career that fits.

Connect with Mike: Mike Grunow, PMP | LinkedIn

Check out Vets2PM: www.vets2pm.com/training

In this episode Air Force veteran Jesse Dieter talks about his path from seven years in combat weather and as a gray beret to building a career in project management. He shares how SkillBridge opened the door to civilian work and how veterans can use what they already know to succeed in this field.

What you’ll hear about:

SkillBridge as a launchpad

• Jesse’s internship and how it led to his first role

• Why SkillBridge is one of the best tools for transition

Beyond the job title

• Roles like scheduler, analyst, coordinator, cost or risk manager

• Why you shouldn’t focus only on the title “Project Manager”

Military tasks as projects

• Planning missions, coordinating resources, meeting deadlines

• How those daily tasks count as project management

Learning how to think

• Jesse’s experience with Vets2PM exam prep

• Why problem solving matters more than memorizing

Adaptability

• Veterans know how to adjust under pressure

• Employers value that skill above almost anything

Book smarts + street smarts

• Certifications validate skills

• Real-world application makes the difference

Preparing while still in uniform

• Research certifications, shadow professionals, take on PM tasks

• Start putting military experience into PM language early

Veterans as leaders

• Clearing roadblocks, supporting teams, keeping the mission first

• Why leadership gives veterans an edge in the workplace

Takeaway
Project management is a way of thinking and leading. Veterans already do it. The key is to translate those skills, earn certifications, and keep building on them in the civilian world.

Connect with Jesse: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-d-0bb770192/

Ep. 147 – How to Build a Project Management Career After the Military (with DJ McCord)

Making the jump into project management after the military isn’t always straight forward but it is possible.

In this episode of the Military Transition Academy Podcast, we sit down with DJ McCord, whose path took him from an engineering degree to an unexpected stop in IT, and ultimately into project management. Along the way, he even taught with Vets2PM, helping other veterans take their first steps in the field.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How diverse experiences can prepare you for project management.

• Why stakeholder management and requirements gathering matter in every project.

• The difference between deliverables and activities in a Work Breakdown Structure.

• What earned value really means and how to apply it.

• How to identify your niche and align it with the right industry.

• Why project management job titles vary (Project Engineer, Project Lead, Project Controller, etc.) and how to read between the lines.

• How to start preparing now through study, translation, and networking.

If you’re preparing to transition or you’re already out and looking for direction, this conversation breaks down the mindset, tools, and skills that can help you build a project management career after the military.

Listen to Episode 147 now and learn how to turn your military background into a foundation for success in project management.

Connect with DJ here: DJ McCord | LinkedInStart your Project Management Career here: www.vets2pm.com/course

🎙️ Episode 146: How to Land Your First Role After the Military with a PMP – Josh O’Neill

Transitioning out of the military doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch if you prepare while you’re still serving. In this episode of the Vets2PM Military Transition Academy Podcast, Misty is joined by Josh O’Neill, former Infantry Officer and now Project Engineer/Project Lead at Lockheed Martin Space, where he manages projects supporting the Next Generation OPIR program.

Josh spent over 8 years leading Soldiers as a Platoon Leader, Company Commander, and Senior OC/T before separating in 2025. By earning his PMP® certification through Vets2PM while still serving, he stepped directly into his civilian role.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ How to prepare for your next role while still on active duty

✅ Why the PMP helped Josh land his first job at Lockheed Martin

✅ The massive overlap between military and civilian project management

✅ Why veterans succeed as project leaders—clear communication and brevity

✅ The one thing he would do differently: fighting harder for SkillBridge/CSP opportunities

Josh holds degrees from West Point and Arizona State University and is passionate about helping fellow veterans transition smoothly.

👉 Tune in now to learn how to set yourself up for success before you take off the uniform. Also available on all podcast platforms.

Connect with Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-o%E2%80%99neill-93799529/

Earn your PMP with Vets2PM: www.vets2pm.com/pmp#pmp #projectmanagement

What does project management really look like once you take off the uniform? In this episode, we sit down with Mike Falcho, a retired Air Force Loadmaster who used AF COOL to earn his PMP through Vets2PM before transitioning into his civilian career. Today, Mike works at the Navy Nuclear Laboratory alongside engineers and scientists, helping to make the business more effective and efficient.

Mike shares his story of separating from the Air Force in 2018, why timing certifications before transition matters, and how the PMP opened doors in the civilian sector. Together, we tackle some of the biggest myths about project management, including:

• “You don’t need a degree” — why it’s often expected, and how to prepare while still in service.

• “Project managers do everything” — the reality of specialized roles in different industries.

• The hard truth about expectations when entering civilian life, and why humility and adaptability go a long way.

We also dig into the tools and skills veterans should get comfortable with and why continuous learning beyond the PMP is key to long-term success.

If you’re considering project management as a career after the military, this episode gives you an honest look at the opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned along the way.

Connect with Mike: linkedin.com/in/michael-falcho-434665135Check out Vets2PM.com/pmp for more details on how you can earn your PMP!

🎙️ Episode 144: How to Use the PMP® to Transition from the Military to Project Management

This episode features Sam Swindle, former paratrooper, civil engineer, and contracting professional, who shares how he built a successful career in federal projects and design-build work after the military.

• How military skills translate into project management and contracting

• Lessons in risk management and the power of finding your niche

• Sam’s work with an American Indian 8(a) company and SAME (Society of American Military Engineers)

• Why certifications like the PMP® matter for credibility and growth

Learn more about the 8(a) Business Development Program.

Connect with Sam:

[email protected]
Sam Swindle on LinkedIn

Find out how you can earn your PMP at www.vets2pm.com/pmp.

In this episode of the Vets2PM Military Transition Academy Podcast, we’re sharing a testimony from Kristin Fogle, a graduate of the Master Project Leader Workshop (MPLW) at Fort Bliss.

The MPLW is designed with one mission in mind: to help service members translate their military leadership into civilian career success. Through this program, participants earn three professional project management certifications, receive career preparation training, and connect directly with employers seeking skilled leaders.

Kristin’s story shows exactly why the MPLW works. From the structure of the program to the support along the way, it breeds success for those ready to take their military experience and turn it into a meaningful, lucrative civilian career.

If you’ve been wondering what makes the MPLW different, this episode will give you insight straight from someone who has lived it.

Learn more about the MPLW that is now available at Fort Bliss & Fort Campbell.

Master Project Leadership Workshop | Vets2PM, Premier Authorized Training Partner in project management (PMP, CAPM, PMI-ACP, and Scrum Master) certification and credential preparation courses.

Episode 142: Is PMP Certification Worth It? – Testimonials

For many service members and veterans, one of the biggest questions is: Is earning the PMP® certification really worth it?

In this special episode of the Vets2PM Military Transition Academy Podcast, you’ll hear directly from three veterans who answered that question for themselves. Each testimonial shares how Vets2PM trained and prepared them to:

✔️ Pass their certification exams
✔️ Translate their military skills into project management language
✔️ Launch meaningful and lucrative project management careers

If you’ve been wondering whether PMP® is the right move for your career, this episode will give you honest insight from those who’ve been in your boots.

Find out more about the Vets2PM PMP Exam Prep Course and Career Preparation Program: Master Project Leadership Workshop | Vets2PM, Premier Authorized Training Partner in project management (PMP, CAPM, PMI-ACP, and Scrum Master) certification and credential preparation courses.