

Season 5 Episode 176:
Revamping the Military Transition Framework with Jason Anderson
When Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jason Anderson retired after 20 years of service, his transition looked perfect on paper. He landed a defense industry job with just one resume and two interviews, quickly rising to an executive position managing operations across Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. But behind this apparent success lurked a troubling reality: "I was not ready to perform in these roles at all," Anderson reveals.
This startling admission forms the foundation of our eye-opening conversation about the fundamental disconnect in military transition preparation. Anderson, now founder and CEO of PreVeteran, argues persuasively that the military and private sector are vastly different environments requiring entirely different mindsets and approaches – a reality the current transition system fails to acknowledge.
"We don't have a resume problem," Anderson explains, challenging conventional wisdom. "We have an 'I don't know what I want to do' problem." This insight cuts to the heart of why so many veterans struggle despite possessing extraordinary skills and experience. Through his pioneering work applying cognitive neuroscience to transition preparation, Anderson has developed a framework that helps service members understand how their military-shaped thinking patterns influence their decision-making, and provides tools to create new anchors in the private sector.
The conversation delves into controversial but important topics, including the debate over free versus paid transition services and why starting transition preparation 18 months to 3 years before separation creates optimal results. Whether you're years from separation or already navigating civilian life, this episode offers a transformative perspective on military transition that could fundamentally change how you approach your post-military career journey.
Connect with Jason Anderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-anderson-preveteran/
Learn more about the PreVeteran programs at: ttps://preveteran.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/llforvets22
Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a 5-star review. Please share this with other veterans who might need help as they transition from the military!
If you learned something valuable today, share it. Leave us a review and write a post on social media about the lessons that helped you today from this episode.
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.
Are You Struggling to Write Your Resume?
I created the Veteran Resume Self-inspection Checklist to lessen the resume writing struggle for veterans. This 11-item checklist will educate you in resume best practices while giving veterans a guide to assess their resume and determine if it's ready to send to employers.
Download Your Checklist Here