Navy veteran, Mitch McGuffie shares his time on active duty as a Surface Warfare Officer and his advice on when and how to make the decision to transition out of military service. His insightful advice sheds light on why having a sense of purpose in life and having the right mentors can help guide you throughout your post-military life and career.
Summary
Mitch McGuffie graduated from the Naval Academy in 2003 and became a Surface Warfare Officer. His Naval career included a post on a British ship as an assistant navigator, a post with the Navy Senate Liaison Office, and as a Commanding Officer on a patrol ship in Bahrain.
Putting his family first, Mitch made the difficult but clear decision to transition out of the Navy during his tour in Bahrain in 2015. He and Gene discuss why self-reflection is an important requirement to decide to transition out of service.
After leaving the Navy, Mitch attended graduate school, which he credits to giving him the time to adjust to civilian life before moving into corporate America. He advises you to make your transition mistakes early and that you can experience what you don’t want to know what it is you do want. That means your first post-military career may not be the right fit and you can make the decision to move on.
Mitch credits his mentors for guiding him through his Navy and his post-military career and that a mentor should be someone who can ask you the questions which you can answer to make the right decisions in life.
Episode Highlights
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00:02:36– 00:07:35: Mitch shares his career as a Surface Warfare Officer with the US Navy
00:07:36 – 00:12:15 Mitch discusses why and how he made the decision to transition out of the Navy
00:12:16 – 00:27:15 Gene and Mitch discuss the things one can consider when transitioning out of service and the importance of having mentors to help guide and formulate the questions you need answers to when deciding to make your move.
Your Move
Show Resources:
The one certainty for those who serve in the armed forces is that they will one day leave the service. It’s as certain as death and taxes. We all get out. It’s just a matter of when and how. Then the question quickly becomes, “What’s next?” We typically turn to other former service members to help answer this question, but they may not be the best people to ask. It may be time for you to find new mentors and guides. Reading this book, you’ll come to see why. genemoran.com/make-your-move/
Connect with Gene on LinkedIn for more useful tips and proven strategies to maximize your post-military career success.
You can find the Necessary Endings book here.
Connect with Mitch McGuffie on LinkedIn.
Pre-order your copy of Million Dollar Influence: How to Drive Powerful Decisions through Language, Leverage, and Leadership at milliondollarinfluence.net
