Down Range

Written by veterans who have successfully made the transition, Down Range offers career planning guidance to U.S. military veterans coming off active duty. This is NOT simply a guide to transitioning from the military to the civilian world. This is NOT a guide to getting a job. This book IS a guide to developing a post-military career, not just for the first few days, weeks, or months after active duty, but for the rest of your employed life.

This simple and effective planning process has been taught to more than 1 million business executives in companies all over the world.

• Explains how to build an adaptable long-range career plan called a Career High Definition Destination (HDD), across a spectrum of seven key areas
• Shows how business differs from military service, how to identify the resources needed to achieve the Career HDD, and how to develop strategic and tactical courses of action that drive you to executing towards your Career HDD on a consistent basis
• Author James Murphy is founder of Afterburner Inc. and is currently working with the U.S. Army at the highest levels to develop a transition program for the estimated 1.5 million veterans who will transition from active duty service to civilian careers by the year 2020

This book challenges veterans to change their mind-set and understand just how different the "wilderness" of civilian employment is from military experience. Down Range provides an appreciation for what's important to a business, helping you to become a valuable asset throughout your career.

Introduction: You Have Everything They Need 1

Chapter 1 Transition Your Mindset: It’s a Brand New Mission 7

Chapter 2 Translating the Values You Bring to Business 21

Chapter 3 Before You Step Outside the Wire, Determine Your Objective 31

Chapter 4 Identify the Threats 65

Chapter 5 Identify Your Resources 85

Chapter 6 Evaluate Lessons Learned 101

Chapter 7 Develop a Course of Action 109

Chapter 8 Selling the Most Important Commodity: You! 123

Chapter 9 Interview to Win! 137

Chapter 10 Down Range: Put Your Career Plan into Action 147

Appendix A The Six Steps of Planning 151

Appendix B Career Planning Worksheet 153

Appendix C Example Career Plan 157

Appendix D Resume Construction Template and Tips 161

Appendix E Cover Letter Template and Tips 165

Appendix F Getting Noticed on an ATS Query 167

Appendix G Practice Interview Questions Bank 175

Appendix H Interview/Opportunity Preparation Checklist 185

Appendix I Men’s Interview Attire and Grooming Checklist 191

Appendix J Women’s Interview Attire and Grooming Checklist 193

Appendix K Summary of Veterans’ Career and Transition Resources 195

Appendix L LinkedIn Tips 199

Appendix M List of Common Threats, Resources, and Lessons Learned to Consider While Planning Your Career 201

Appendix N List of Action Verbs for Use in Demonstrations of Effectiveness 203

Appendix O Additional References and Information Resources 205

Appendix P Recommended Tasks to Include in Your Career Course of Action 209

Appendix Q Tips for Preparing Questions to Ask an Interviewer 211

Index 213

JAMES D. MURPHY is the founder and CEO of Afterburner, Inc., established in 1996. A former U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter pilot, Murphy established Afterburner to teach skills inspired by his military training and service to business leaders all over the world. He and his team of veterans led Afterburner to its three-time recognition by Inc. magazine for “fastest growth,” and made the Inc. 500 List twice. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Inc., Newsweek, and has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and Bloomberg News. Author of Business Is Combat and Flawless Execution.

WILLIAM M. DUKE is a retired U.S. Navy Officer with 23 years of combined active and reserve service. He also worked as an operations and hiring manager in a U.S. Fortune 500 company for eight years. He is Director of Learning and Development for Afterburner, Inc., where he consults and trains corporate managers in a wide variety of industries. He is the coauthor of Flawless Execution Field Manual and The Debrief Imperative with James D. Murphy.

CAREERS

Prepare for your next mission—a civilian career.

A veteran’s transition from military to civilian life is a major life event that requires careful planning. This career guide for veterans is unique and empowering for two reasons. First, it is written by veterans who made the transition and now lead a successful civilian business which consults with corporations large and small all over the world. Second, it explains a simple and effective planning process that has been taught to over 1 million business leaders, a process born of military experience. This book:

• Challenges veterans to change their mindset and understand just how different the “wilderness” of civilian employment and the world of business is from military experience
• Helps the reader build an adaptable long-range career “High-Definition Destination” (HDD); identify the resources needed to achieve that career; and develop strategic and tactical courses of action
• Also contains extensive tools and checklists to help veterans plan

“The Afterburner team guided me in my successful career transition using this book’s methodology, resulting in my civilian job offer six months prior to retirement. Simply outstanding!”
—MARK C. GARDNER, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

“Down Range gives veterans the direction and advice they need to translate their military skills and experiences into the talent sets that companies so desperately need.”
—JUDY MORRIS, Vice President, Human Resources, Sitel North America

“Down Range gets our vets pointed in the right direction, empowers them to take control of their post-military careers, and gives them tools to become highly successful leaders in the civilian business world.”
—DOUG McCLAIN, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

“Down Range lays out a very practical way for a veteran to translate and leverage military career experiences to the corporate workforce. A must-read for every Marine preparing to transition to the civilian workforce.”
—GARY G. TOLAR, Sergeant Major, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)