Why is military to civilian transition like a white Christmas? And by that we mean THE White Christmas, the largest grossing American movie musical of its day in 1954.
The consensus of the military members MilSuccessNet asked to reflect on the perennial favorite is summed up as follows: [Read more…]
One, super successful, already unafraid to shake things up American male, Jesse Itzler, felt he needed a clarion call to change in his life. So he hired a U.S. Navy SEAL to live with him-for a month. Oh, yeah. He got the expected early get your butt out of bed call plus 7 more big life tips share here as part of MilSuccessNet’s WoW – Words on Wednesdays.
The article posted by Inc. writer @BillMurphyJr is found below.
‘The SEAL’ as our warrior trainer is referred to, remains anonymous and was in transition out of military service at the time of his newly contracted 31 day duty.
The average reader of humorous, lifestyle and fitness books should be forewarned just by the headline, what is expected of a person committed to following the advice of a Navy SEAL. (HK)
Want to Lead a Truly Exceptional Life? A Navy SEAL Says Always Do These Things [Read more…]
Rising in the ranks can create changes in the team dynamics. Today’s Q & A presents a civilian who’s earned added ‘stripes’ by taking on a new, leadership role supervising former colleagues.
Stress can rear its head for the team and for the one bestowed with new duties and perceived status. You’ll find this insight from both Pamela and from Shaun Collins useful. Their response to a query posted in their regular He Said She Said column was featured first in Ft. Leonard Wood‘s My Guidon and is reprinted with a light edit here for our community:
The Q: I’m a Department of the Army civilian employee and have recently taken on a team leadership role at work. Two of the women in my section, whom I consider to be very good friends, have had trouble accepting this change. They refuse to help when I ask for their support, so I end up doing the work myself. My supervisor told me that I should not be doing their work for them. How can I convince my co-workers to give me a break? [Read more…]
For a soldier, as for any citizen who is leading a whole life there are seasons of growth, study, work and family. At each stage, there is reflection and there are decisions and hopefully support for them.
Advice columnists
A soldier seeks an answer on how to stay true to his identity as a gay man and also to share this with his unit. A timely question, it is answered here by Shaun and Pamela Collins in their He Said She Said column. It appeared at Ft. Leonard Wood‘s publication, the Guidon under the original title: Soldier considers ‘coming out’ as partner moves here.
MilSuccessNet is reposting it given that USA now has the Marriage Equality Act and it’s the season of Pride events across the country.
Here in their own words, including the soldier who wrote in:
Ever since “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed I have wanted to be more honest with my unit about my sexuality. [Read more…]
Readers of The Art of Manliness, from within the Military Success Network community brought this timely post to our attention. It’s the lessons from a D-Day fighter on leading a warrior life.
Major Dick Winters suggested this as a personal plan.
As a Monastic Warrior, his advice is just as relevant now in the din of all we do, post, read, hear, feel as it was in the solace of quiet and calm post World War II veterans sought. It meant not only “cultivate sharp minds and fighters’ bodies, but to develop themselves into men of the highest moral caliber.”
Winters believed that the cornerstone of character was: Honesty.
From there you worked to develop a moral compass that was guided by the virtues of:
Winters felt that integrity was paramount. “It’s easier to do the right thing when everyone is looking,” but “more difficult to do what you should do when you are alone.”
And because Winters added to these core values, his own ascetic precepts such as choosing to abstain from canoodling with women, drinking alcohol (he was a lifelong teetotaler), and swearing…… we now move to share the comprehensive and eminently comprehensive and well written original piece our post is taken from today… and Brett and Kate Mckay’s own words: [Read more…]
Just in time! For end of school term, PCS, end of service, deployment days. You name it! Always a good time to celebrate a military spouse.
This year’s short n’ sweet post on social media by the Department of Defense (DOD) “On Military Spouse Appreciation Day, the Department of Defense would like to take the opportunity to thank and honor the husbands and wives of our service members. Salute.” It is worth visiting the DOD on Facebook to read the tributes from military personnel to their sweethearts, so strong and true. [Read more…]
Shaun Collins’ personal essay explored 1st hand some changes he experienced after he retired and stepped out of his uniform. The post resonated with many service members both in transition or planning on their move from a military to civilian milieu.
In part 2 we look into the source of part 1’s title:
“If You Are What You Do – When You Don’t – You Aren’t”
And how he found his next steps a while into retirement from his military roles.
Shaun Collins spoke of his process to the Military Success Network site’s editor, Helena Kaufman. What follows is an excerpt from a conversation that took place on the phone just prior to the publishing of part 1 and Collins’ original writing on his transition.
Shaun, and I’ll call you that as I pose questions to you, based on your gentle request of others to do so in your essay. …You said your next steps were to figure out how to answer the question “What do you do”? [Read more…]