In this episode, Patrick Corteau shares his journey from serving as a judge advocate in the Air Force to securing a position with Greenberg Traurig, in its Minneapolis, MN, office.

In this episode, I talk to Matthew Dursa, former Navy JAG, about his journey in overcoming a tendency to overthink things, which he shares in his new book, “Reading This Book Won’t Help You: Doing the Work Will.” A copy can be purchased on Amazon at https://a.co/d/a8AQUDN.

After almost ten and one-half years serving around the world as an Air Force JAG, Roza Sheffield talks about her career progression to her current position as an associate with Holland & Knight.

Nik Mathews, U.S. Army veteran and Partner at Orrick, Herrington, and Sutcliffe talks about his journey and the upcoming VLCF that Orrick sponsors. Nik's profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikmathews. VLCF information and registration available at https://www.veteranslegalcareerfair.com/

Bob Stern is a retired corporate counsel who now volunteers with Candorful, a non-profit organization that provides interview coaching for military transitioning to the civil sector. He also talks about why he believes military JAGs are well suited for work in the corporate world, and has served a mentor to a number of former judge advocates, including individuals previously interviewed on this podcast. Bob’s LinkedIn profile is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertstern1.

Another incredible transition story. When Augustus popped up in my LinkedIn feed, I immediately reached out to him to tell me how he scored his current gig with Amazon Prime. His story has everything: setback, perseverance, adaptability, embracing challenges, self-improvement, a pandemic, and finally, success! You gotta hear his story about Primetime, Amazon style, that is. Augustus’s LI profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/augustus-turner-venerablevoice/

Raise your hand if you have looked at a job description and determined that you were not qualified for it? In this episode, my friend, and leadership and performance coach, Dr. Bryan Price, talks about “Imposter Syndrome” and why we talk ourselves out of applying. A must listen for those who still have their hands up! To learn more about Bryan and his work, please visit topmentalgame.com and his LinkedIn Profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-price/.

I first met Toren Mushovic back in 2002.  At the time, he was a Lieutenant Junior Grade Surface Warfare Officer aboard USS PRINCETON (CG 59), which was part of the NIMITZ Strike Group, for which I served as the SJA.  (As a side note, yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the commencement of our deployment.) Toren then attended law school on his own before returning the Navy as a JAG.  After 5 years and for family reasons, he left active service and relocated to Denver, CO, where he has enjoyed a successful career in the healthcare industry.  Toren currently serves as the Vice President and Compliance Officer at Soleo Health.  His LinkedIn profile can be found here.

This conversation was recorded on January 6, 2023.

In this episode, David Thompson talks about finding work as a family law attorney and how his background as an SJA, trial counsel, defense counsel, and victims legal counsel has benefited him in his new role.  We also talk compensation and having the right expectations when leaving the service.  David's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-thompson-lawyer/

This week, I catch up with Randy Bagwell, one of the many great Army JAGs with whom I had the honor to serve.  As you will hear in this episode, through networking Randy was an opportunity to leverage his expertise in International Humanitarian Law with the American Red Cross in Washington, DC, before being asked if he would be willing to take a "temporary" posting in Yokota, Japan, where he has been for almost the last two years.  Randy's LinkedIn profile is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/randybagwell/.

In December, Danny Murphy posted "A Call to Service" on LinkedIn, in which he recounted the tremendous advice and mentorship from which he benefitted leading up to his retirement from the U.S. Army in 2020, and implored former and retired JAGs to help their brethren.  A good friend tagged me in his response, and on January 6th, Danny and I had a conversation about his post.  In this episode, you will hear about Danny's journey from the front office of the TJAGSA to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Southwest Virginia to private practice.  Grab a cup of coffee and listen to what Danny has to say.  Danny's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-j-murphy/

Last week, I dropped part one of my conversation with Ross Booher.  This is part two of our conversation, most of which is Ross passing along a lot of considerations for JAGs leaving the service.  Again, Ross's LinkedIn profile is HERE while information about Latitude Legal can be found at https://latitudelegal.com.

Ross Booher did one tour in the Navy JAG Corps before returning to Tennessee and entering private practice. He then launched Latitude Legal (latitudelegal.com), a firm that specializes in matching legal departments with qualified lawyers, paralegals, legal operations professionals, and compliance specialists. Whether looking for contract work or work-to-hire, companies like Latitude offer another avenue for separating and retiring judge advocates with a way to acclimate to the practice of law after the service.  In part one of a wide-ranging interview, Ross shares his insights on using a recruiter to assist with finding that job.  With offices in 11 markets across the United States, Latitude Legal could be of benefit to you.  Listen in.  You can find Ross's LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-booher-bb0869b/.

This week, I talk to Hugo Teufel who joined the Army National Guard as a judge advocate while working as an attorney with the Department of Homeland Security. After the ANG, Hugo made the move to the corporate world, first with Raytheon and now with Lumens.

As you will hear in this episode, Matt Schultz and his wife made the decision to leave the Navy and move to Nashville, TN, where she landed a job at Vanderbilt University.  Matt discovered that finding work as a non-native out-of-state lawyer was "a rough slog." While he did have interviews, those interviews never resulted in an offer. Nonetheless, he found the JAG alumni network to be considerably helpful and unselfish with plenty of local former JAGs taking the time to speak with him. Ultimately, he found work with the State of Tennessee Attorney General's Office before moving onto Tennessee Department of Human Resources and to is current job as Chief Legal and Civil Rights Officer in the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Washington.  Despite the tough slog, Matt talks about his service in the Navy JAG Corps taught him to lead by putting him in positions that required him to trust his subordinates and in doing so, enabled him to achieve different professional qualifications, such as conning a 96,000-ton aircraft carrier.  Matt's LinkedIn profile can be accessed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattschultzjd/.

I met Thomas Eybl this past fall as we were both members of FourBlock's 2022 Washington, D.C. cohort. This past Saturday, in just his 7th day of retirement, he messaged me to let me know that he had received an offer from T-Mobile.  As this was the first time a colleague and listener had let me know about an offer during the life of this podcast, I asked Thomas to share the story of his career progression while the memories were still fresh. In this episode, Thomas provides insight into applying for Federal jobs, Skillbridge, networking and understanding the audience(s) civilian job advertisements are targeting.  We also learn about perseverance and the importance of not burning bridges. Thomas's LinkedIn profile is accessible at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-eybl/ Note that this episode runs a little longer at 41 minutes.  I have some feedback that perhaps I can improve by running the podcasts a little longer.  What do you think?  Please let me know via the poll.

Happy New Year! Chad Jespersen retired from the United States Air Force in June 2021.  With the COVID 19 pandemic ramping up as he was preparing to transition out of the service, he was forced to find innovative ways to network, which he did, including extensive use of Zoom and other online tools to meet people who could help him with his goal to find his next career.  What was clear from our conversations, both this one and another that we had offline, Chad is a person who not only talks about the importance of networking, but practices it.  Familiar with the numerous programs such as Hiring Our Heroes, Candorful, Fourblock, and American Corporate Partners, Chad is a walking encyclopedia.  Now working for Unisys in HR and acquisitions, Chad is a great source for information and tips about making the transition from active duty to the civilian sector.  His LinkedIn profile is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-jespersen/ 

When I first launched this podcast and was soliciting volunteers, Paul Janoff was among the first to raise his hand and volunteer to come onto this show.  For one reason or another, however, we never got around to chatting until December 16, 2022.  I think it is the perfect show to closeout the year.  Paul offers a positive message of what awaits those of on active duty, which comes from serving in the Navy JAG Corps in the 1980s followed by stints in Philadelphia as a prosecutor, and then working with the Army and the Coast Guard before moving onto his current job as a bilingual HR advisor.  

Paul's LinkedIn profile can be viewed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-janoff-b3534133/.

A few programming notes.

1.  There are a few spots where there are slight distortions from degraded connectivity.  I do not think they impact the quality of the podcast, but simply wanted to make you aware.

2. You will note a moment of silent at around the 1245 mark.  No, this is not in remembrance of Barbara Walters who just passed away, but a ringing phone here in the podcast studios caused us to stop for a moment.  

3.  Turning to last week's show, I provided the wrong email address for Veteran Legal, LLC.  I have corrected on the podcast description.  The correct e-mail address isadvice@veteranlegalrep.com.

4.  Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas.  Today, on the 365th day since releasing the trailer for this podcast, we talk to U.S. Army JAG veteran James "Jimmy" Trieschmann who tells about his career progression from active duty to a civilian military justice appeals practice before building a nationwide VA disability ratings appeals practice.  James also provides a primer on the VA disability claims process, a must for both people who will soon be leaving active duty as well as those who separated and never filed a claim as well as those who may be thinking about appealing their rating.  The URL for Veteran Legal, LLC, is https://www.veteranlegalrep.com, while the phone number is 202-996-1300 and the e-mail address is advice@veteranlegalrep.com. 

In today's episode, Shane Cooper details his very quick and unexpected journey to becoming the Associate Dean for Administration and Enrollment at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law.  Believing that it was unlikely his application would advance, let alone that he would get the job, Shane found himself a clear front runner and had yet to tell Navy JAG Corps leadership about the possibility of him leaving. Fortunately, leadership understood the significance of this opportunity and was able to assist him to go ashore in time to begin his new career.  This is an episode for JAGs thinking about law school administration.  Shane's LinkedIn profile can be found here.

Good morning! Start your GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY! Saturday off with another episode of After the JAG Corps!  Today, I talk to Alison Atkins, who served just over 20 years in the Army, both as an MP and then as a JAG.  Following her retirement in 2020, Alison first worked with Capital One before moving onto U.S. Bank where she serves as Assistant General Counsel and Vice President and Chief Cyber Counsel.  In this episode, Alison talks about how she was fortunate to link up with a Navy veteran as a hiring manager at a company that values potential over experience, enabling her to make the jump from a military practice to the financial world.  In our wide-ranging conversation, we talk resumes, compensation, the cultural differences of working in the civilian sector, and Alison even worked a reference to Joey Tribbiani from Friends into our conversation.  Alison's LinkedIn profile is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-atkins/.

In this episode, Kelli Hooke shows that applying for a job online can indeed result in employment.  While stationed at Fort Belvoir, Kelli talks about how she saw an ad for a position with T Mobile in Seattle, for which she was ultimately hired.  Kelli shares her thoughts on what it is like to work for a major tech company, and how working as a corporate counsel is a lot like being an SJA.  Note: you will hear voices in the background of this interview.  It is a testament to Kelli's ability to multitask.  As a working woman with a husband and children, Kelli graciously gave up her time to talk to me while she waited on one of her children at an evening commitment.  Kelli's LinkedIn profile can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Today, Scott Felder, a retired Army judge advocate and partner with Wiley Rein LLP in Great Falls, VA, talks about what may be the oldest digital judge advocate network, known as the Military Legal Professionals Network or MLPN.  Scott took over administration of the network this year and was gracious enough to talk to me about how what it is, how it came about, and how judge advocates can join.  Scott also talked about his own career progression as well as the efforts by him and his firm to help judge advocates leaving the service.  Scott's LinkedIn profile can be accessed HERE.

Programming note:  Looking for additional guests. If interested, please e-mail me at afterthejagc@gmail.com.

In today's podcast, I talk to Jordan Walerstein, who leveraged his time as a member of the U.S. Army JAG Corps to working in the area of technology and security after a brief stint with the Department of Justice.  Jordan is a wealth of knowledge, and provides his perspectives on the value of continued military service in the Army Reserves, USAJobs, the challenges associated with immediately going into an in-house counsel office, Amazon's hiring process, what it was like to work there, and even the quality of coffee served there!  He has since moved on, but Jordan packed a lot into our 30 minutes.  Jordan's profile is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/walerstein/.

In this episode, Bryan Thompson, a judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve, with experience in both private practice and corporate law as an attorney with Microsoft, talks about his military career, the resource active duty officers have in Reserve Officers when it comes to transitioning from active duty service to post-military career, and working in the field of Privacy.

In today's podcast, Faisal Akhter talks about his career progression from active duty as a member of the U.S. Army JAG Corps to working at Microsoft, where he now serves as a Senior Corporate Counsel.  Faisal shares how his lifetime interest in technology led him to target employment opportunities in the tech sector, the interview process, how the COVID pandemic changed everything, how his experience the Army prepared him to assume his current leadership role as a director, and his belief of the important role, if not duty, that veterans have in helping those who come behind them.  To that end, he encourages judge advocates to send those cold messages via LinkedIn to veterans at companies in which they are interested to learn about that organization's culture.  Faisal's LinkedIn profile can accessed by clicking HERE.

This conversation was recorded on October 24, 2022.

Mark Fava is a 30-year Navy veteran and an accomplished aviation attorney, and although he credits everyone's favorite JAG and friend to all (Hank Molinengo) with being a critical enabler in his career success, never served as a JAG. Nonetheless, his background as a career Reserve naval aviator and attorney working in both law firms and at Boeing gives him a unique position to provide an outside perspective on the capabilities of JAGs to work in the corporate setting.  However, the real take away from our conversation is the value of engaging with military veterans in your job search.  As you will hear, Mark lists several examples in which having a military connection helped as he pursued different career opportunities.  In fact, this entire podcast itself speaks to the power of having such allies as Mark and I had never met before we sat down for our conversation a couple of weeks ago; we connected via LinkedIn.  And yet, he was kind enough to give me an hour of his time to help you and me with our career progression.   Mark's LinkedIn profile can be viewed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/markfava/.

In this episode, we hear from retired Navy Captain Scott Thompson, who currently serves as the Director of DoD's SOCO. Scott and I were classmates in the Naval Justice School's basic lawyer course (Class 94020) from January to March 1994, and then spent two weeks together assigned to USS STUMP (DD 978) where we got our first exposure to the Fleet. Scott went onto hold a number high-visibility jobs before retiring in 2015. He then served briefly as the Executive Director of the Board for Correction of Naval Records before moving over to DoD SOCO. Scott's LinkedIn profile can be accessed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thompsonscottf.

Mike Maffei served in active duty in the Navy JAG Corps for 4.5 years before leveraging his experience as a trial and appellate defense counsel to land a job as an assistant prosecutor with the DA's office in San Francisco, where he had clerked during law school. After a stint with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mike is now a senior security counsel with Google. His LinkedIn profile is found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-maffei-attorney.

Don Koenig left the Navy JAG Corps as a lieutenant commander, going from manning the Administrative Law Division's Standards of Conduct and Ethics branch to standing up a healthcare system's corporate responsibility office as it's initial compliance officer.  From there, he became the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer as well as the President of a Level I trauma center and now serves in his current position as a member of the Senior Executive Service.  His incredible journey again underscores the tremendous skills and capabilities that judge advocates develop while in service to our nation as both military officers and lawyers.  Don put it best when he described his JAG service as act one of a three-act play. Don's LinkedIn profile can be viewed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/donkoenig/. 

In this episode, Major Brooks Rose tells us about the stand-up of a virtual Military Officers Association chapter exclusively for judge advocates, active and retired, providing another avenue for networking. For more info, email Brooks at moaajavc@gmail.com

Drew Massucco and I were classmates in the basic lawyer course at the Naval Justice School in 1994,  After a short stint on active duty, Drew transitioned to the Reserves, but ended up spending approximately one-half of the last 28+ years on active duty stints.  When not deploying to Afganistan, the Horn of Africa, and GTMO, Drew served as a prosecutor in the US Attorney's offices in Puerto Rick and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  In this episode, we talk about the advantages that JAGs have when seeking employment with the Department of Justice.  Drew also explains why he remained in the employment of the U.S. Government all these years, decisions that must be made in the near future, and even sitting for a bar exam almost 20 years after sitting for his last one.  

(Note: Contrary to the dates discussed in this episode, Drew has not yet had his retirement ceremony, which is now scheduled for September 30, 2022, in Tampa, Florida.)

As for the nickname "Chupacabra," it was his code name in GTMO and is a nod to his Puerto Rican connections.

BG Gross retired in 2015 after 30 years of service. In this episode, he talks about the mental process of transitioning from the military, the importance of finding oneself and what one wants to do after military service. BG Gross’s Post-military has been as diverse as his active-duty career with stints at a law firm, as a general counsel, teaching, serving as a consultant, and as a highly-qualified expert for the DoD. Affable as ever, General Gross shares the challenges that accompanies doing new things, including a new experience of being let go, but offers reassurances that the same drive, willingness to learn new areas of the law, and the ability to provide sound counsel that is instilled in us as JAGs is just as valued in the civilian sector as it is in the military. General Gross’s LinkedIn profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/richgross. This conversation was recorded in August 2022.

This week, I talk to retired United States Air Force Colonel Dawn Zoldi who became the U.S. military's foremost expert on legal matters relating to the domestic operation of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones and then parlayed that expertise into a post-government career as an entrepreneur, business owner, consultant, speaker, writer, and podcaster among other things.  

I am really excited about this episode for several reasons.  First, Dawn is the first Air Force JAG to come onto the podcast to share her journey.  Second, Dawn's story highlights the possibilities that may be awaiting one of us who have developed an expertise in a specific subject matter and not only recognizes the potential of possessing such a skill set, but has the confidence to put in in motion.  

Dawn is the Founder and CEO of P3 Tech Consulting LLC.  Her LinkedIn profile can be accessed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnzoldi/ while her various podcasts, Dawn of Drones, Full TILT and Full Crew can be found at https://www.youtube.com/c/DawnZoldi.  A prolific writer and speaker, a quick search of "Dawn Zoldi" will result in scores of podcasts, videos and web sites. 

As military officers, we aspire to be viewed by our contemporaries and subordinates as a good or effective leader.  And as we prepare to leave the service, many of us (me included) will often include "Leader" somewhere on our LinkedIn profile or assert it in a resume.  But what does leadership look like and how does one quantify it during a job interview?  I talked Sean Georges, a former U.S. Marine judge advocate who left the Corps as a major, taking a job with a civilian law firm before serving 22 years a general counsel at a publicly-traded company.  Along with his childhood friend and fellow retired Marine, John Buford, Ph.D, Sean distilled their observations and lessons learned about leadership in a book, On Mission: Your Journey to Authentic Leadership.  As I prepare for my impending retirement (sometime in the next 15 months), I found the opportunity to have a conversation with someone who has not only speaks from experience, both in and out of uniform, but is passionate about the subject. This conversation was recorded on August 3, 2022, just days after the book was released.  Sean's LinkedIn profile is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-georges-031b486/.

In this episode, Tom Caruso takes us through his career progression after leaving active duty with the Navy. Leveraging Skillbridge on a part-time basis, he returned to clerk for a judge who was a mentor and for whom he previously worked while in law school to a clerkship with a Federal judge to private practice and now as Chief Legal Officer and Corporation Secretary.

CAPT Kevin O'Neil, JAGC, U.S. Navy (Retired), was serving as a military judge, a job which he absolutely loved, when he was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of cancer and began a long and courageous battle for his health. Medically retired in 2015 and finally turning a corner in his health battle, Kevin realized he was bored in retirement and found a way to return to the bench as an administrative law judge for the State of California's Department of Social Services.  Like many JAGs in retirement, although he had experience as a judge, Kevin had to learn a completely new area of the law.  This week's podcast is an opportunity to learn about working at the state level and an opportunity to hear about Kevin's remarkable journey.

Kevin's LinkedIn profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-o-neil-181772aa/. Our conversation was recorded in August 2022.

David Bean served less than 5 years as an Army JAG, but, as he explains in this podcast, the experiences he gained during while wearing the uniform have served him well as he has moved from "Big Law" to corporate law.  David takes us through his year-long search for a job (which included many rejections), how former JAGs of all services were always willing to give him a hand or introduce him to their networks, and how corporate America values military veterans and the experiences, knowledge and skills JAGs bring.  David also invites separating and retiring JAGs to contact him.  David's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bean-0a4baa145/.  This conversation was recorded August 3, 2022.

FourBlock is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting separating/retiring service members in their transition from military service to meaningful civilian careers. In this episode, Eric Stetson, a retired Army officer, gives us the gouge on FourBlock. Eric’s LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericstetson1. Information on FourBlock is available at https://fourblock.org/.

Don King retired from the Navy JAG Corps about two years ago.  As Don explains in this episode, he wanted to get off the bench and back in front of it.  You will hear how he envisioned having a small practice in Southern California, leaving him plenty of time to play golf and enjoy beautiful Coronado.  Things, however, have not turned out as planned.  Not only is Don not playing much golf due to his thriving practice, but he has had to hire other attorneys to handle the caseload.  In this week's episode, recorded on July 2, 2022, Don talks about making the decision to retire, how his plans were impacted by the COVID pandemic, and the launching of King Military Law (https://kingmilitarylaw.com).     Don also talks about the need for experienced former judge advocates to provide pro bono services to veterans with PTSD who have received unfavorable discharges from the services due to attempts to self-medicate following years of combat, and organizations with which you can affiliate to help our heroes receive the help and benefits they need. This episode is for anyone thinking about hanging a shingle after they leave the JAG Corps as Don extends an invitation to you to learn how to avoid the unnecessary mistakes that he made.  Don can be reached via LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/kingmilitarylaw) or via his firm web page. PROGRAMMING NOTE: It has been a busy summer during which I have not had much time to talk to people.  As a result, I am down to one interview.  I am looking for more guests to share their journeys as well as others who could speak about ancillary items associated with transitioning such as the VA disability system.  If you have any interest or recommendations, please e-mail me at afterthejagc@gmail.com

Adam Kantor left the Navy JAG Corps after 7 years back in 2005, a decision which he describes as one of the hardest adult decisions of his life.  In this episode, Adam tells us how a recommendation from a friend to talk to an attorney in Tampa, Florida, put him in the position of making a career change, how his seven years of active-duty service prepared him for his civilian law practice and offers words of encouragement to those who are facing the decision to separate or retire.  Adam's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-kantor-b533715a/. A couple side notes.  First, I had never interacted with Adam until our conversation on July 1, 2022, but the podcast you will hear is largely unedited.  The point is that despite our lack of familiarity, it was like we had known each other for years.  This is a common and unique phenomenon among military veterans that is a huge advantage when it comes to networking.  Everyone tells you that, but, as I listened to our conversation two weeks later, I was struck by how easy it was for us to immediately strike up a conversation.  In fact, Adam introduced me to someone in his network as I pursue my own career progression plans. Second, this summer has been a very busy travel season for me (this is the third Saturday in a row that I am on the road).  Accordingly, I apologize to both guests and audience for not putting in the same amount of time to edit these podcasts. 

Mike Millios enjoyed his time in the Army, transitioning to the Reserve Component upon separation. It was while in civilian practice that he recognized how the pressures of today's law practice lead to unhealthy habits and lifestyles. Now in Minnesota, Mike has evolved his practice from criminal defense to mediation, and also become a Wellness and Life Coach, assisting other attorneys and communities embrace Mindfulness and other exercises to live more joyful and less anxious lives. (Apologies to Mike and the audience as this is not my best editing job.  I am on the road the next two weeks and thus unable to devote extended time to editing the clips.) Mike's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmillios/ This conversation was recorded on July 1, 2022.

This week, we shift gears a little by talking to an active-duty judge advocate who has made the decision to separate from the Navy and begin her post-military career, which has nothing to do with the law.  LCDR Leslie Stephenson has served for almost 10 years, but has decided to shift colors and will return to school to pursue a completely different line of work.  What that career is, however, requires you to listen to this episode.  Leslie explains the factors that led her to this decision, the preparations she had undertaken and even provides some additional resources for separating and retiring military members, especially female military members.  What those resources are, again, requires you to listen to this episode. LCDR Stephenson's LinkedIn Profile can be accessed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliestephenson/ This conversation was recorded on May 27, 2022.

Happy Fourth of July!

Career military officers approaching retirement have a lot on their plate just to get out of the service as well as finding a second career.  One of the things that is not really considered is whether to pursue an alternative to the Survivor Benefit Plan, which costs the retiree 6.5% of their retirement pay over 30 years and provides the surviving spouse with 55% of the member's retainer pay.  In this episode, I talk with Scott Tucker, a USMA graduate and former Army officer, about this issue.  If you are approaching retirement, I recommend you listen to this podcast so that you can thoughtfully make a decision as going the insurance route is something you need some lead time to consider.  Scott's LinkedIn profile can be accessed here.  Additional information and resources can be found at USVetWealth's webpage here or his YouTube channel here.

Mike Green became the first judge advocate assigned to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in 2000 because Admiral "Skip" Bowman insisted on having a JAG assigned to his staff.  Proving once again that timing is everything in life, Mike was able to leverage his experience at his last assignment to a follow-on career as an attorney at a law firm and then as in-house counsel with a nuclear energy firm before moving over to TerraPower, LLC, this past May, when this conversation was recorded.  Mike entered the Navy in 1984 as a naval aviator and retired in 2004 as a judge advocate.  With 18 years of post-Navy law experience under his belt, Mike shares his wisdom on what is important for retiring and separating judge advocates should consider as they decide what to do next as well as a look back in his time in uniform.  As always, Mike's LinkedIn profile can be accessed by clicking HERE. 

Beth Kubala retired from the U.S. Army JAG Corps in January 2015 after almost 22 years of service, becoming the Senior Director of Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families.  In November 2019, she became the Executive Director and Teaching Professor at the Veterans Legal Clinic at the Syracuse University College of Law.  In this episode, Beth explains she took the a bus on the Greyhound on the Hudson River Line 'cause she's in a New York state of mind, where she is able to look after our veterans in her current role, her love of what she does, and that all one needs is a plan, but it need not be a well-developed plan.  As always, Beth's LinkedIn profile can be accessed by clicking here.  This conversation was recorded in May 2022. All you lawyers know this, but THE CONTENTS OF THIS PODCAST CONSTITUTE THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE HOST AND GUESTS ACTING IN THEIR PERSONAL CAPACITIES. "AFTER THE JAG CORPS" IS NEITHER AFFILIATED WITH OR ENDORSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEFENSE, THE RESPECTIVE BRANCHES OF THE ARMED SERVICES OR THEIR JUDGE ADVOCATES GENERAL.

In this episode, we learn about Samantha Sliney's career progression from active duty Air Force to serving as an advocate with the Defense-State Liaison Office, which exists to advocate for military personnel and their families at the State level. Samantha is on LinkedIn and information about the Defense-State Liaison Office is available on the Military One Source web site.

If Jonathan Goldsmith was the most "The Most Interesting Man in the World" in those Dos Equis beer commercials, then CDR Scott Suozzi, USN,must be the World's Most Interesting Retired JAG.  After a short stint as a civilian mariner on a oil tanker at the age of 16, Scott went onto graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy, become and deploy as a Surface Warfare Officer, teach at the Naval Academy, and then transition to the Navy JAG Corp's where he served in a number of diverse roles around the world, including in Europe, the Middle East and the Caribbean and South America.  His post-Navy life has been just as adventurous: taking two extended road trips of the United States, serving as chief of staff at a renown institution of higher education, and working with a number of non-profit organizations, including his current role supporting a nationally-known organization that supports the military and first responders.  On May 6, 2022, Scott and I talked about his incredible military career and just as equally impressive (and diverse) post-military career, highlighting the tremendous diversity of experience that our service provides as well all of the amazing opportunities that are out there after one leaves the military.  Scott also talks about the value of taking time to reflect and recharge one's batteries after extended military service and offers some important thoughts for those who are contemplating leaving military service.  Give it a listen!

Scott's LinkedIn profile is available by clicking HERE.

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PODCAST CONSTITUTE THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE HOST AND GUESTS ACTING IN THEIR PERSONAL CAPACITIES. "AFTER THE JAG CORPS" IS NEITHER AFFILIATED OR ENDORSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEFENSE, THE RESPECTIVE BRANCHES OF THE ARMED SERVICES OR THEIR JUDGE ADVOCATES GENERAL.

Joe Moyer packed a lot into just four years on active duty in the US Navy JAGC Corps, serving as an in-house counsel, appellate counsel, and a year in Afghanistan, where he really got his first consulting experience working as an advisor to Afghan government officials and lawyers on rule of law issues.  He also met and worked with some individuals who would become of his network and who have helped in his post-Navy career progression.  In this episode, Joe tells us about his journey from the JAGC Corps into the world of consulting and compliance, including his current job advising companies on CFIUS (The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) requirements.  If you are interested in consulting work after leaving the military, then this episode is for you.  Joe's LinkedIn profile can be found here.  

This conversation was recorded May 6, 2022.

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PODCAST CONSTITUTE THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE HOST AND GUESTS ACTING IN THEIR PERSONAL CAPACITIES. "AFTER THE JAG CORPS" IS NEITHER AFFILIATED OR ENDORSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEFENSE, THE RESPECTIVE BRANCHES OF THE ARMED SERVICES OR THEIR JUDGE ADVOCATES GENERAL.

It purely a coincidence that my conversation with COL Walt Foster, USAR, is being released the same week that "Top Gun: Maverick" is released.  The connection is that Walt initially entered military service in 1987 to become a naval aviator, thereby giving credence to the scenario in which Maverick could possibly still be serving over 30 years later. There are differences however as Maverick was already a lieutenant in 1986 while Walt entered as an ensign that year.  Additionally, Walt left the service to attend law school and eventually joined the Army Reserves, where he had a number of mobilizations, especially since the attacks on 9/11 and is essentially leaving the service like his active-duty colleagues.

I had never met Walt before we sat down for our conversation on April 29, 2022, but typical of many of our experiences in the military, the commonality of service was enough to provide a foundation to have the dialogue which you are about to hear.  In this episode, Walt talks about his career progression journey, including resumes, Hiring our Heroes (www.hiringourheroes.org) and Veteran (www.veterati.com), and interviewing.  

Walt is set to start his post-military law practice on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.  I am aware, however, that Walt did attend a recent cohort hosted by Blue Water Advisors, and is willing to share his perspective on the value of BWA, HOH and Veterati.  You can contact Walt through LinkedIn; his profile can be accessed here.