The FourBlock Podcast

While many service men and women are often focused on employment when they leave active service, Marine Corps Major Marvin Jackson suggests that the very first thing that transitioning veterans should focus on is their medical out-processing. This week, Marvin joins FourBlock founder and host Mike Abrams to discuss the importance of documentation and shares actionable advice about medical out-processing for transitioning servicemembers. This is a must-listen episode for any servicemembers who are planning to transition out within the next couple of years or want to learn more about the medical claim process.

Marvin is an active duty Major in the Marine Corps with an end-of-active-service date of 1 June, 2020. He is a prior enlisted Staff Sergeant who was commissioned to Second Lieutenant. He deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. An artilleryman by trade, he also did two tours on recruiting duty – he and Mike served together on recruiting duty at one point. He is currently based at United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) in Tampa, FL and is a Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellow with Quiet Professionals, LLC.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

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This week, we welcome Pat Hubbell and Peter Sukits, the co-founders of Candorful, a non-profit organization that connects transitioning service members with experienced interview coaches for live personal job interview practice sessions.

Pat is the executive director of Candorful and has over 17 years of experience coaching soldiers, veterans, and young professionals with career transitions at Cornell, PRTM (which is now PwC), and Keystone Strategy. She has an SM/MBA from MIT Sloan and a BSME from the University of Rhode Island.

Peter is president of Candorful and a former Army Captain who served five years on active duty with service in the 82ndAirborne Division and with a deployment to Afghanistan. He is currently a commercial financial risk manager with GE Aviation. Peter has an MBA from Cornell, an MS in Business Analytics from Indiana University, and a BS in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon.

This episode is Part One of a four-part series where we explore and take a deep dive into the job interview, an area that many transitioning service members, veterans, and employers find challenging. Over the course of the series, Pat and Peter join host Mike Abrams to discuss what they've learned working with hundreds of veterans and employers; the biggest mistake veterans make going into an interview; how veterans can best prepare for a job interview; and what veterans wish employers knew before interviewing them.

In this first episode, Pat and Peter share how they came together to create Candorful, what veterans can expect from the Candorful experience, and the important things that veterans need to know about the job interview process.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

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This week we welcome non-governmental organization leader and former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Cassy L. Cox. Cassy transitioned from active service to a role in the private sector as a corporate recruiter, first with a small start-up headhunting firm and then with a large accounting firm. Feeling a bit unfulfilled, she decided to take an 80% pay cut to join an American international non-profit, called the International Rescue Committee (IRC), whose work began with and remains focused on refugees and displaced persons.

Between 2009 and 2015, Cassy worked for the IRC on refugee and IDP programming in the United States, Liberia, Kenya and South Sudan. Cassy then transitioned to be the Programmes Director in Somalia for Concern Worldwide, an Irish international non-profit organization that works to reach the most vulnerable populations across the globe. In this role, Cassy covered all humanitarian sectors including education, cash assistance, women's empowerment, and internally displaced persons.

Cassy is currently the Strategy Lead for DataKind, a non-profit organization based in New York City, that harnesses the power of the world's most talented volunteer data scientists to solve some of the world's largest problems.

In this episode, Lindsey and Cassy discuss finding meaning and purpose in one's career, the non-governmental organization industry as a career option, and some of the challenges Cassy faced as a transitioning female veteran.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Have you ever met someone who had no idea how they came across? Have you ever been that person? How would you know? It can happen often during the military-to-civilian career transition that someone has trouble adapting to different environments or is generally unaware of how they come across in various work cultures.

This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams discusses the importance of developing self-awareness, both at work and in life, to help you better understand other people and understand how you are perceived by others. Mike challenges you to ask two trusted individuals about how you are perceived. How do you come across? Are there ways you can improve how you speak to and interact with others? Are there any military cultural habits that you need to adapt for the civilian world? You may be surprised by the feedback you receive.

We encourage you to check out the video "Feedback is a Gift" by New York Times bestselling author and organizational consultant Simon Sinek. This interview with Simon is part of an online career transition course created in partnership with Columbia University called Find Your Calling: Transition Principles for Returning Veterans.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Military career paths are typically very well-defined. Service members usually know exactly what they need to do to get promoted to the next rank. This is often not the case in the civilian workforce. Career paths in the civilian world are much less defined, making it difficult for transitioning service members to chart a course forward and to think strategically about how to get to where they want to be in 10-20 years.

This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams shares the advice he once received from a friend on how to think strategically about your civilian career and to make decisions based on your long-term earnings potential and progression.

We encourage you to check out the video, "Navigating Choice" by Dr. Sheena Iyengar and author of The Art of Choosing. This interview with Dr. Iyengar is part of an online career transition course created in partnership with Columbia University called Find Your Calling: Principles for Returning Veterans.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

This week we welcome former U.S. Army officer Dr. Jason Dempsey. Jason served for over twenty years in the Army as an infantry officer, deploying twice to Afghanistan and once to Iraq. He last served as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In that capacity he oversaw the Chairman's strategic priority of Keeping Faith with the Military Community and led the development and launch of the Call to Continued Service, an initiative endorsed by all of the Joint Chiefs of Staff which encourages members of the military to continue their public service after they take off the uniform.

Jason is the co-founder of MILLIE, a company that seeks to empower the community of veteran and military spouse real estate agents and to help military families through the moving process. He is also a Senior Adviser to the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration and an Adjunct Senior Fellow of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security.

Jason has written extensively on Army efforts toward gender integration, the experiences of Hispanics in the military, and our counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan. His book, Our Army: Soldiers, Politics and Civil-Military Relations was published by Princeton University Press and was the first major work to delve into the social and political attitudes of the active-duty military.

Jason is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and holds a PhD in political science from Columbia University.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

When most people are asked to describe themselves, they typically respond with what they do for a living – but that doesn't necessarily define the core of who you are as a person, or give you the strength you need to press forward in times of adversity. This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams asks, how would you define yourself? Mike talks about how you can find your core identity from which to live your life every single day and to make better decisions in each role that you hold.

We encourage you to check out the video "Never Be Defined by What You Do" by Simon Sinek. This interview with Simon is part of an online career transition course created in partnership with Columbia University called Find Your Calling: Transition Principles for Returning Veterans.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

This week's guest is retired Army First Sergeant Patrick Abrams. Patrick was drafted and served in Vietnam in 1971 and then deployed again in 2003 to Iraq as a 55-year old infantry platoon sergeant with the New York National Guard. He was severely injured when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive devise detonated at a checkpoint that he was supervising. While recovering at Walter Reed Hospital, doctors discovered a 15-pound tumor in his abdomen that was almost too large to remove. His surgeon told him that the suicide bomber saved his life.

Patrick discusses his time in service both in Vietnam and Iraq, his injury and recovery, the impact on his family, and what it was like to come back home from Vietnam and then again today. Full disclosure: Patrick is Mike's father!

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Are today's service members narcissistic snowflakes or the next greatest generation? In this week's episode, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, NYT bestselling author Lindsey Pollak, and entrepreneur Rick Miners discuss a new study published in the journal Psychology and Aging that suggests baby boomers are actually more sensitive than millennials. The study, described as the largest on narcissism to date, focuses on both generational and individual trends in narcissistic behaviors.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams discusses a speech delivered by William Deresiewicz at West Point called Solitude and Leadership. For the past ten years, all FourBlock students read and reflect on this speech to help them think critically about their lives, careers, and transition. The link to the full speech can be found here. A link to the video of William Deresiewicz describing the speech called Critical Thinking Demands Courage can be found here.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter