Season 2 Episode 67: Getting Real About Military Transition Struggles with Mark Brock

Mark Brock had a relatively smooth transition after retiring from the US Army as a Command Sergeant Major. Though he landed a SkillBridge and then a great job pretty quickly, he discovered that the struggles of the military transition were much bigger than landing a job.

He vowed that he would wait until he had 2 years of experience in the private sector before he started sharing advice. However, his first piece of advice was a list of 10 lessons – many of them not even related to the job search – that prompted me to reach out to him so he could share those lessons with my listeners here on the show.

You will find Mark’s no B.S. approach to advice to be very refreshing and candid. Here is an overview of Mark’s list:

1. Get over yourself. Employers call BS on that flowery resume that depicts all your scope and responsibility as a Senior Leader. Tailor the resume for the position and be reasonable in your achievements.
2. Civilians do not understand the military structure or lingo. To them a Corps CSM is the same as a Corps Armorer. I mean honestly, an Armorer in Corps probably works harder than the CSM anyway.
3. Find a couple of hobbies to challenge yourself physically and mentally that you will have fun doing. For me it was Brazilian Jujitsu and learning how to play the guitar. I literally ran 2 times in all of 2021.
4. Thanks to social media it is easier to maintain friendships. Camaraderie will be found at your new job, gym, or neighborhood. You will assimilate.
5. Catch up with the lost family time. You rowed hard for years, now it’s time to put them first.
6. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do.
7. Grow your hair, grow a beard, pierce your ears, do whatever you want to do within the limits of your chosen profession.
8. Take your health serious, you are in worse shape than you realize. It will all come out when you retire, trust me…

These next two were added by someone else before they were published, but I think they are valid points so let’s go through them together

9. Unless you go into public service, such as law enforcement, healthcare, social work, etc., you will probably not so something as "meaningful" to society as military service. Be OK with making your meaning outside of your chosen profession - your faith, your family, your volunteer service, and your hobbies. This is Ok. You've paid your debt to society many times over. (Added by Chris Morton)
10. And since #9 is true, relax. You're probably not saving babies every day. Most bad decisions in business cost people that already have made a couple of bucks. They'll be all right. (Added by Chris Morton)

 You can connect with Mark Brock at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-brock/

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