PCS to Corporate America

The April 2026 Cameron-Brooks Career Conference has officially come to a close. We had 48 interviews, 51 companies, and 540 interviews over two days. Every single candidate was pursued. Every single candidate who entered the follow-up process received an offer.

In this episode of the Cameron-Brooks podcast, Brock Dudley sits down with three recent alums to talk through what actually happened at conference and what they’d do differently if they were starting over. Learn how these three officers navigated their transitions from business

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Meet the panel:

If you’d like to learn more from other recent alums about their experience, you can listen to the following alumni roundtables:

If you have any questions, we’re happy to help! For those of you in our program, we know how daunting the process up the career conference can be. We are here for you and we’ve got your back. In the meantime, practice in your study groups, stay active in discord, and attend your interview workshops.

And if you’re new to Cameron-Brooks and are looking to explore your transition to the business world, we’re happy to talk.

Follow Cameron-Brooks on LinkedIn.

For more than 30 years at Cameron-Brooks, Michelle Spisak and Candy Belcik have worked with thousands of military officers navigating the transition from active duty to corporate America. In this mini episode of PCS to Corporate America, they share the honest, practical advice they wish every officer heard before starting their transition.

Here are the key takeaways:

1. Lead with your leadership. Your degree matters less than you think. Companies hiring through Cameron-Brooks are looking for your leadership experience first. That is your strongest asset and the thing that sets you apart.

2. Going it alone means going through filters. When you apply online you are competing against hundreds of applicants and may never reach a hiring manager. Cameron-Brooks removes those filters and gets you in front of 8 to 12 hiring managers in two days at our career conference.

3. The conference has changed but the support has not. Since the pandemic, Cameron-Brooks moved to a fully virtual conference model, which actually aligns with how most companies now conduct first round interviews. The format is different but the experience, the coaching, and the care behind the scenes is the same.

4. Start early. Not for Cameron-Brooks. For you. The more time you give yourself in the program, the more you will get out of it.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at cameron-brooks.com.

And if you’d like to speak with a career coach, we’re happy to talk.

Follow Cameron-Brooks on LinkedIn.

Tom Morin went from Army Infantry Captain to the Leadership Program at Extant Aerospace.

Matt Horsley went from Marine Corps Logistics Officer to Financial Leadership Program at BD.

Three incredible officers. Three success stories. All Cameron-Brooks, Inc. alums. These are just three of the officers are launching their business careers after our conference.

On average, each officer had ~11 interviews. Most officers accepted offers after ~14 days.

This isn’t just about landing a job. It’s about building a long-term leadership career. For more than 50 years, Cameron-Brooks has helped JMOs do exactly that. If you are considering your next move, learn from others who have been in your shoes. Listen to what these three officers learned from their successful military to business transitions.

If you’d like to learn more from other recent alums about their experience, you can listen to the alumni roundtables from after the November 2025 Career Conference and the August 2025 Career Conference. 

And if you’d like to speak with a career coach, we’re happy to talk.

Follow Cameron-Brooks on LinkedIn.

With over 40 years of experience spanning the US Military, KFC, Pilot Company, and CSUSA Shoffner, Dave Parmly has navigated multiple career transitions and leadership roles. Each of these transitions required preparation, trust, and the willingness to listen and adapt.

In our latest PCS to Corporate America podcast episode, Dave shares the leadership principles that guided him from military service to senior HR and operations roles in business. Here are some of the core themes from the episode:

It is easy to view the military to civilian transition as a one-time event. However, each new role, each new company, each new life change is its own transition. Dave partnered with Cameron-Brooks and made the military to business transition in 1990. Through his storied career, he navigated career transitions along the way, across companies, roles, and locations with his family. And he’s picked up incredible wisdom along the way.

Dave’s move to corporate leadership taught him that listening is one of the most underrated leadership skills. He encourages leaders to seek feedback from multiple sources: peers, direct reports, even family members. If you’re not actively seeking feedback, you’re missing opportunities to grow.

Too often, people compartmentalize their lives. They’re one person in the office and another person at home. But, according to Dave, true integrity means aligning who you are in these different spaces and showing up authentically. What are ways you can show up more authentically at work? How are the benefits of increasing trust at work?

This episode was truly a gift. Great conversation, great people, great advice. Thank you to Joel Junker and Dave Parmly for your wisdom and generosity.

Listen to the full episode wherever you listen to your podcasts, and if you’re curious about Joel’s own military to business transition, check out this blog.

If you’re a company-grade or field-grade officer exploring what’s next, Dave, Joel, the entire Cameron-Brooks team, and I are here to help. Feel free to reach out below. We’re here to help and listen and see if this path could be right for you.

Email: [email protected] 

From Military to Corporate America: Leadership Lessons in From A Supply Chain Leader, Jim O’Rourke

Transitioning from military service to corporate America isn’t just about landing a job, it’s about preparing for a completely different operating environment. In our latest podcast episode, Cameron-Brooks alum Jim O’Rourke shares how humility, mentorship, and leadership frameworks helped him build a successful supply chain career after the military.

Most officers underestimate what it takes to succeed in corporate America.”Humility is important in transitioning,” Jim explains. Coming from the military, where rank and experience are clear, the corporate world requires a different approach. You’re no longer the expert. You’re the learner.

This mindset shift is critical for officers moving into leadership-intensive roles like supply chain management, operations, or manufacturing—where understanding team dynamics and business processes matters as much as decision-making ability.

One of the most valuable aspects of Jim’s transition was mentorship. But not just any mentorship: the kind that provides a “safe harbor for growth” and challenges your thinking.

“Mentoring is a safe harbor for growth,” Jim notes. In corporate America, you need people who can help you navigate unwritten rules, decode organizational dynamics, and develop the critical thinking skills that separate good leaders from great ones.

Cameron-Brooks provides this structured mentorship during the transition process. What about after the transition? According to Jim, finding mentors within your company accelerates your career development long-term.

For officers considering supply chain roles, Jim breaks down what this actually means. It’s not just moving products. It requires leadership-intensive work in addition to the following:

– Managing across operations: Managing cross-functional teams across manufacturing, distribution, and planning

“Clarity of purpose helps teams succeed,” Jim emphasizes. In supply chain, that clarity comes from understanding how your decisions ripple through the entire organization.

In addition to his expertise in supply chain, he has been on the hiring side. When asked what differentiates Cameron-Brooks candidates, Jim pointed to two qualities:

1. Genuine preparation: They’ve done the work to understand industries, roles, and companies before interviews

“Cameron Brooks candidates are well-prepared and genuine in their approach,” he observes. They’re not just looking for any job…they’re looking for the right career trajectory.

Jim’s final piece of advice? Never stop learning.

Whether it’s leadership books, industry podcasts, or formal training, lifelong learning is crucial for career advancement. The military teaches you to be adaptable. Corporate America rewards those who continuously evolve.

If you’re a company-grade or field-grade officer exploring what’s next, Jim’s story shows what’s possible with the right preparation, humility, and mentorship.

Listen to the full episode wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Email: [email protected] 

As the year winds down, a lot of Junior Military Officers are asking the same thing: What does the market actually look like right now? And what should I be doing about it?

In the latest Cameron-Brooks podcast, our CEO, Chuck Alvarez, and Senior Vice President, Joel Junker, break down where things stand at the end of 2025. The short answer: the market isn’t easy, but there are still great opportunities out there.

There’s no question the economy feels uncertain. Global conflict, political gridlock, and nonstop headlines about AI have made companies more cautious. Hiring has slowed in many corporate roles, and expectations are higher across the board. But here’s the part that often gets missed: companies are still investing heavily in leaders who can run teams, solve problems, and deliver results.

That’s where mindset matters.

Looking ahead to 2026, that gap is only going to widen.

AI isn’t replacing leaders, but it is raising the bar. Companies expect new hires to show up ready to learn, ready to adapt, and ready to drive outcomes. Officers who prepare early, by learning the basics of business, understanding how data and finance work, and translating their military leadership into real business impact—will stand out. Officers who wait until separation to start thinking about all of this will feel the market’s friction much more sharply.

Additionally, Joel and Chuck talk about the difference between a landing pad and a launching pad. A landing pad feels safe. It prioritizes location, familiarity, and getting comfortable quickly. For many officers, that leads to internships or roles that don’t fully use their leadership experience—and frustration sets in fast.

A launching pad is different. It treats the transition as the start of a long leadership journey, not the finish line. Launching pad roles are harder. They come with more responsibility, steeper learning curves, and sometimes less geographic control. But they also create momentum: early wins, faster growth, and compounding “opportunity” interest over time.

The year-end message is simple: you may not be able to control the economy, but you can control how prepared you are for it.

If you want 2026 to be a year of growth rather than regret, build a launching pad now.

Listen to the full Cameron-Brooks podcast for a candid conversation on the market, mindset, and what it really takes to transition well.

Thinking about your next steps? We’re more than happy to talk.

Check out our latest Alumni Panel after the November 2025 Career Conference. Brock Dudley sits down with:

You cannot control the market, but you can control how prepared you are. Cody and Ian started early, stayed open to learning, and trusted the process. In turn, their preparation led to fantastic, well-aligned career launches.

This is not just about landing a job. It is about building a long-term leadership career. For more than 50 years, Cameron-Brooks has helped JMOs do exactly that. If you are considering your next move, now is the time to prepare.

https://youtu.be/oSYdpYoVfPQ

If you’d like to learn more from other recent alums about their experience, listen to the alumni roundtable from after the August 2025 Career Conference. 

If you’d like to speak with a career coach, we’re happy to talk.

Follow Cameron-Brooks on LinkedIn.

On this episode of the Cameron-Brooks Podcast, Senior Vice President Joel Junker sits down with Phil Ranck, founder of Lean Alaska and a retired Army CW4 logistician. Phil shares how Lean Six Sigma helped him shift from “fix the person” to “fix the process. Additionally, he shares why that mindset is critical for junior military officers (JMOs) moving into business leadership roles. More specifically, if you’re preparing for interviews or your first role post-military, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways you can apply immediately. In short, developing your process thinking will supercharge your military to business transition.

Phil joined the Army intending to serve two years—and stayed for 24. Along the way, Lean Six Sigma gave him a language and framework to communicate with commanders, diagnose issues, and drive change. His big lesson: most failures aren’t individual—they’re process problems. That perspective reshaped his leadership and later inspired Lean Alaska, where he now trains and consults across industry. Additionally, in his role, he translates “military speak” to the terms hiring managers understand.

Whether you’re headed to operations, manufacturing, sales, or project management, Phil argues that a baseline in Lean and Six Sigma helps you see—and explain—value. He breaks it down with DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control). More specifically, he talks about resisting the urge to jump straight to solutions; measuring the baseline; finding root causes; then improving and controlling so changes stick. You’ve likely been doing parts of this already. Certifications and vocabulary simply give you the framework to tell your story in interviews and in your first 90 days.

At a minimum if you are a JMO considering a transition, you will want to familiarize yourself with business concepts like Lean, Six Sigma, Project Management and Change Management. You watch YouTube Vidoes, take classes on Coursera, and read books such as What is Lean Six Sigma, Fundamentals of Project Management, Leading Change and The Goal.

If you have time and the financial resources, you can earn certifications. There are numerous organizations and universities that offer official learning at a reasonable cost, or investment. A certification does not ensure transition success, though it does indicate mastery of a subject.

A few Cameron-Brooks Alumni have earned certifications through Lean Alaska. Phil emphasizes no out-of-pocket when possible—leveraging Army Credentialing Assistance, Post-9/11 GI Bill, and other pathways. The program also helps you build a portfolio you can bring to interviews to prove real impact. He also partners with bodies like ASQ, PMI, and ACMP, and delivers virtual, recorded, repeatable training focused on doing, not just testing.

Conclusion
If you want a practical roadmap to translate your military experience into business results—and speak the language of industry—don’t miss this episode. Hear Phil’s stories, learn the tools, and discover funding paths that make upskilling attainable. Listen now and turn your transition into a process you can lead.

At Cameron-Brooks, we guide officers through the transition and accompany them along the journey to de-risk the transition and help them reach their goals.

We help JMOs transition into leadership developmental roles where they can apply their talents and lead teams and organizations that flourish.

If you want to talk more about your options, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Your transition partner,

Joel Junker | [email protected]

Want to learn more? Request your free 1-on-1 coaching session: Personal Marketability Assessment | Cameron-Brooks.

Lauren Kordzik, Principal at Cameron-Brooks, sat down with Cameron-Brooks alum Pat Curran to discuss his leadership journey from the military to consulting.

When Pat left the Army in 2013, he had a strong operations background and years of leading teams under pressure. After active duty, Pat started his business career at EMCOR and later continued to grow his career at CBRE and through his MBA at Penn State. Today, he serves as Managing Director at Greencastle Associates, a 100% veteran-owned consulting firm.

While Pat relied on his leadership skills from the Army, Pat emphasized the importance of continuous growth and improvement. Below are some key highlights from the conversation as well as Pat’s advice for evolving as a leader.

When reflecting on how he adjusted his leadership style, Pat shared a few key tips:

In addition to advice about leadership style, Pat has advice for the aspiring consultant.

Want to hear more from Pat? Check out our full conversation on the podcast.

At Cameron-Brooks, we help officers transition from the military into another fulfilling career in business. Whether you are looking to move from the military to consulting or you are looking to explore your options, we’re here to help.

Want to learn more about a career in consulting? Check out our career fields page.

Want advice about your marketability in the business world? We would be happy to talk.

In this episode, I sit down with Cory Bouck—former Navy Naval Flight Officer, Cameron-Brooks alum, and author of The Lens of Leadership: Being the Leader Others Want to Follow. Together, we explore how military-honed leadership translates into exceptional business results. Today, Cory is making a significant impact in the private sector at Johnsonville Sausage, where culture, coaching, and performance go hand-in-hand. Importantly, this is a great example of self-transcendent military leadership in action in corporate America.

This is Cory’s second time being a guest on the podcast. If you missed it, you can listen to his first episode here.

Here is what we cover in this episode:

Cory opens the curtain on Johnsonville’s mission: create the environment where each of us is required to fully develop our God-given talents—and help others do the same.

Together, these values create a culture of straight talk delivered with care, high standards, and real growth.

Cory explains why junior military officers are prized: they lead up, down, and across, stay relentlessly focused on mission accomplishment, and learn fast. Moreover, that mindset maps directly to Johnsonville’s values and to the expectations of modern companies that need adaptable leaders who close gaps, build teams, and deliver outcomes.

Drawing from his book, Cory starts with followership—a set of learnable, practical skills that make you professionally essential while creating chances to demonstrate superior leadership. He shares tools like an Impact Map to connect new skills to on-the-job applications, team metrics, and company results. He also talked about the 70-20-10 learning model (learn most by doing).

By applying these tools, leaders can see tangible results while developing themselves and their teams.

If you’re a JMO considering a transition, this episode of PCS to Corporate America demonstrates how to:

Use AI as a force multiplier for high-impact leadership

Overall, listen to learn how to carry your military edge into business and become the leader others want to follow.

At Cameron-Brooks, we guide officers through the transition and accompany them along the journey to de-risk the transition and help them reach their goals.

We help JMOs transition into leadership developmental roles where they can apply their talents and lead teams and organizations that flourish.

If you want to talk more about your options, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Your transition partner,

Joel Junker | [email protected]