Season 5 Episode 185: Navigating an Unexpected Medical Retirement with Aaris Whitman

When Master Sergeant Aaris Whitman received her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis after 23 years in the Air Force, her carefully laid military career plans crumbled. Instead of serving 26-28 years as intended, she faced sudden medical retirement and an unexpected civilian transition that left her feeling lost and adrift.

"Change is the only thing you can really count on to be consistent," Aaris explains, sharing how she allowed herself to feel her emotions before getting to work on her transition. Recognizing the limited time available, she secured a Hiring Our Heroes fellowship at Allegiant Airlines to gain crucial corporate experience while still on active duty.

The podcast delves into the challenges veterans face when translating military skills for civilian employers. Aaris discovered that despite her extensive leadership experience as a First Sergeant, employers didn't automatically recognize her value. Through persistence, networking and learning to "speak corporate," she eventually landed positions at Amazon and later Credit One Bank.

Her five years as a First Sergeant proved invaluable in her current role as a Talent Management Partner. Aaris now teaches leadership principles that transcend both military and corporate worlds in subjects such as emotional intelligence, trust-building, effective feedback and above all, servant leadership. She shares the quote, "If serving is beneath you, then leadership is beyond you," emphasizing that true leadership centers on understanding people.

Perhaps most compelling is Aaris' work creating community for fellow veterans. Recognizing the isolation many veterans feel after transition, she founded "VET as One" (Value and Empower Together), a veteran and ally resource group at Credit One Bank. This initiative provides crucial connection points for veterans while educating allies about military experience.

For veterans struggling with transition, Aaris offers practical advice about seeking community intentionally through organizations like Merging Vets and Players. Her story demonstrates how military experiences, even difficult ones like unexpected retirement, can become powerful foundations for civilian success when paired with adaptability, community and compassionate leadership.

You can connect with Aaris Whitman on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaris-p-morris/

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.