Send us a text

We are excited to welcome back Misty Moreno. On Season 1, Misty talked about how to leverage LinkedIn to build a solid network. Today, she shares new perspectives on the military transition. In 2020, Misty retired from the USAF and landed a role in HR with Continental. After 2 years, she transitioned from HR to a Lean Manufacturing Coach. Misty created and teaches the Associate Professional in Human Resources Certification Course for Vets2PM and is the author of Get Your $hit Together. 

Recently, Misty created a LinkedIn post about the 21 things military service members should do before they even think about starting their transition. While having a 5- or 10-year plan is important, it’s often easier to process life into 1-year segments. Taking life 1 year at a time allows you to be open to new opportunities. Next, define what success means. This will be different for every person. Third, find a hobby and establish a friend circle outside of the military or your job. Realize that your job may not fulfill your passion, but it can help to fund your passion. 

Misty’s book, Get Your $hit Together, is a short book filled with journal prompts meant to help you define what areas you want to see change. Give yourself 1 year to make changes and then go back to what your definition of success is to determine if you are on the right track. Society often influences people on what “success” looks like in terms of financial independence, family, friends and health. Instead of caving to social media’s definition of “success,” define it for yourself and live your own life, free of comparison. 

Some lessons are learned the hard way. Misty has realized after 3 years in the civilian sector that she is still the same person she was while in the military. While she no longer wears the uniform, the personal challenges she experienced while serving remain areas of opportunity today. Don’t forget the reason why you decided to separate or retire from the military. Most people voluntarily leave before mandatory retirement for various reasons. Remember these reasons, and when you start working in the civilian sector, don’t try and recreate the military in your work environment. Have a growth mindset. Resist imposter syndrome. Find a veteran mentor within the company that can help you navigate the civilian work environment. 

Misty separates the military transition into 2 parts. The first part is the logistics of transition; out-processing, submitting VA claims, going through TAP, deciding where you are going to live and what salary you need to make. The second part is the transformation. You no longer have the immediate credibility of your rank on a uniform. You must be mentally ready to adapt to life without the security of the military. 

To close the show, Misty challenges people to let go of their past. Whatever baggage you may have from past experiences that were outside of your control, make the decision to no longer be a victim. Military members are taught how to be flexible and agile. As a veteran, you have the choice to be flexible and agile. Choose to be a better version of yourself each day. 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/llforvets22.

Connect with Misty at https://www.linkedin.com/in/misty-moren

The Lessons Learned for Vets Podcast is sponsored by Seek Now and their Drive Academy. Seek Now is the property inspection industry's leading business and they created Drive Academy DoD SkillBridge and CSP internships to teach transitioning military service members and veterans skills that prepare them for lucrative and rewarding careers in the property inspection and insurance industries. You can learn more and apply today at www.internwithdrive.com.