After the JAG Corps: Navigating Your Career Progression

This week we learn about Mark’s unplanned career as a lawyer. As a young soldier, Mark ended becoming a paralegal after the Army did away with his MOS, and then went to law school after a conversation with a JAG. After graduating he had no intention of coming back into the Army (going into private practice instead) until 9/11. He then went onto serve another 15 years. In retirement, Mark served in Government before moving onto his current corporate role. Mark’s profile is available on LinkedIn.

Post-military career progression is driven by a number of factors including geography, an individual member's financial requirements, area of expertise, and desires. In this instance, we hear from Brent Thompson whose career progression was driven predominantly by location, location, location. In this instance, Brent and his wife had purchased a house in a rural part of California. Yet, via informational interviews, networking, and the rise of remote working due to the pandemic, he landed a job with a firm out of Sacramento, California. Brent's LinkedIn profile is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-thompson/

We close out 2023 with Holly Taylor who enlisted in the Navy before earning her commission and retiring after 26 years of service. While in the Navy, Holly served as a storekeeper, legalman, as a security officer, and then in admin and HR. After leaving the service, Holly went back to school before joining Amazon, serving in Arizona and Alabama, before breast cancer forced her to focus on her health. Holly now serves as a virtual assistant, is active in the military transition field, and leadership coaching and consulting. Holly is a great example of the opportunities that await all of us as we leave military service. Holly’s LinkedIn profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollybrasheartaylor?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit down with George Mathew, who talked about his post-military career progression, going from serving in the U.S. Air Force active component to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to USAID, and now to Lockheed Martin. George credits his experiences in the Air Force, including the great people for whom and with whom he worked, for his success. He also offers some great advice to transitioning JAGs as they try to determine what comes next. George's profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-m-300a391ba/

Today, we hear from Luis Rodriguez who spent 43 years as a U.S. Army soldier until earlier this year. Luis now serves as an Associate Deputy General Counsel with the Army. In this conversation, we hear again about the importance of networking, networking, networking, other issues associated with entering Government Service, and even the mundane, but important administrative matters such as navigating post-military healthcare coverage. Luis's LinkedIn profile is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-o-rodriguez-14250b234/

What do you get when you take a JAG who has always loved the outdoors, returns to Maine after six years on active duty, including time in Europe, and give him a window at his new law firm overlooking the water in Portland, and combine that with a tolerance for risk? The philosophical answer is never working a day in one's life. In this podcast, we hear from Chad Olcott, who serves as the director for Apogee Adventures (www.apogeeadventures.com) and founder, Parallel Adventures (parallel-adventures.com).

Although our paths did not cross too many times while serving in the Navy JAG Corps, Ian Wexler and I had many common career experiences, including career challenges and duty stations. Ian's last assignment on active duty was as Director, Institute for International Legal Studies in Newport, RI. Following his retirement this past fall, Ian became Director, Institute for Security Governance in Monterey, CA. DISCLAIMER: THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY IAN WEXLER IN THIS PODCAST ARE HIS PERSONAL VIEWS AND NOT THOSE OF THE INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY GOVERNANCE, THE DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION UNIVERSITY, THE DEFENSE SECURITY AGENCY, OR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Ian's biography can be found HERE while his LinkedIn profile can be accessed HERE.

This week, I talk to Zach Prager who left active duty last October. I asked Zach to share his journey as he was someone who reached out to me because of my podcast and I wanted to hear how his career progression went. As you will hear, Zach went through a period of discernment during which he examined both corporate and government work, the latter which he ended up taking and is enjoying very much. Zach's profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/zprager/

In this podcast, former legalman and retired LCDR Mark Blask tells us how he became the Mayor of his hometown of Little Falls, NY, how his experience in the Navy shaped his leadership, and is perspective that everything starts with relationships. By far one of the most charismatic individuals with whom I ever met, and someone I consider fortunate to call a friend, shares his insights and perspectives (as well as some humor). Blaskie's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-blask-a5323a262/.

In his brief three year stint in the Army, Steve Coopersmith wore many hats, including as a legal assistance attorney, SJA and trial counsel. However, he credits being thrust into the position of running a Voluntary Income Tax Assistance Center as a formative experience that set him on a course that led to becoming a business dispute lawyer and running his own law firm. Steve's LinkedIn profile can be viewed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-coopersmith-5523a01/