After the JAG Corps: Navigating Your Career Progression

This week, I sit down with Hank "Mongo" Molinengo, a Navy JAG Corps legend, who, as you will hear, did a lot scut work while on active duty. A true force of personality, Mongo served as the Navy JAGC's 06, which is a tombstone position, meaning that upon retirement, he was promoted to flag rank. Nonetheless, as you will hear, that did not help much when it came time to looking for post-service employment. (A lot of us generalists can probably identify with this.) Now retired and serving as a full-time grandfather, Mongo gives a candid assessment of his career progression.

This week, I catch up with Matt Dursa, Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer with Darley, a Midwest company that provides training and material support to the Department of Defense and first responders. Matt takes us through his career progression from the Navy JAG Corps to working with Customs and Border Protection to Darley. Matt's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-dursa/.

Jennifer Green had plans to become an in-house counsel somewhere until she accidentally sent her resume to a recruiter and what played out is an incredible account of career progression being like the proverbial box of chocolates. Listen closely as Jennifer talks about the clients she gets to represent as a plaintiff's attorney. You can hear the passion she has for her clients in her voice. Jennifer never envisioned herself here, but this is an example of what can happen when you surrender yourself to the process and interview for a job just to get your recruiter off your back. A must listen. Jennifer's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-green-63b124214/.

Matt Bernstein, an Army Veteran and Partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. in Miami, Florida, talks about transitioning to civilian law firms, the challenges of joining a new firm, finding mentors when transitioning to the civilian sector, comparing workload between the army and private practice, the process of becoming a partner at a law firm, and strategies for transitioning military personnel.

This week is my conversation with Jessica Hernandez who, like many of us, made a career change, going from practicing law in New York City to figuring out what to do next when she married a Navy officer and relocated to Washington, DC. After some networking and exploring, Jessica ultimately decided to get into helping others by becoming a certified coach. Jessica has helped executives and lawyers find new work. From these experiences, Jessica has a great seat to share insight into the transition process. If you are in the middle of the transition right now and need a pick me up, then I encourage you to listen to this episode. If you would like to contact Jessica about her services, you can contact her via her web site at Jlhcoachingconsulting.com. Her LinkedIn profile can be found at http://linkedin.com/in/jessicaatkinshernandez.

This week, I talk to Army JAG veteran Chris LaCour whose retirement from the military was a little more abrupt and sooner than he had intended due to medical issues. Stationed in Hawaii at the time, he and his wife executed a plan to relocate to San Antonio, TX, and then find work with Chris attending a Hiring Our Heroes Cohort, through which he landed a non-legal job at USAA before eventually being hired on as a litigation attorney there. Chris's LinkedIn profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lacour-b5886510/.

This week, I talk to Stephen Dunn, a JAG in the Army Reserve, who explains why separating and retiring JAGs should consider doing a law firm or entering the corporate world. Unsuccessful in obtaining a commission in the active component, Stephen secured a Reserve commission after becoming a prosecutor in Michigan before moving over to a law firm. Eighteen years later, he talks about juggling both careers and why JAGs make good firm attorneys and in-house counselors. Stephen's LinkedIn profile is HERE. Podcast notes: 1. A big thank you to the individuals who signed up to be a monthly sponsor on the Spotify for Podcasters web site. As retirement and new career draw closer, my hope is to contract out the editing and production work of the podcast, allowing me to continue the podcast once I start my next career. 2. Speaking of which, I am less than 5 weeks away, but thankfully on the Navy payroll for a little longer.

Michael Turner joined the Navy's JAG Corps in 1999 (Norfolk, Bahrain, Naples) and became a U.S. diplomat in 2004, retiring in April 2023.  Serving as a foreign service officer in Indonesia, Colombia, the Secretary of State's Office, Vietnam, Shanghai, and Beijing, his last tour was leading the Department of State's largest overseas communications office (China) where he had served since 2019.  As one of the very few, senior-level former officials who has recent, on-the-ground, experience in China, he formed his own consulting firm, Turner Global Solutions LLC, specializing in counter-disinformation and crisis narratives.  In this episode, we hear about making a career overseas and how retirement has allowed Michael to focus on personal projects, such as helping dads through his website Raise Strong Girls.  Click HERE for Michael's LinkedIn profile. 

Mike Palmer retired from the Navy JAG Corps in 2018 after 30 years of service with no intention of practicing law again. However, like so many judge advocates who at one time or another have taught as an adjunct somewhere, Mike has continued serving as an adjunct professor and then picked up a job as instructor teaching foreign officers. Mike also talks about the importance of doing those things that everyone plans on doing later in life, like traveling the country, when the opportunity presents itself and while your health is good.

In this episode, we learn about Matt Osman's journey from his 6.5 years hardship tours in the Navy from Japan to Rota, Spain, to Charleston, SC, his decision to get out, the mistake he made in looking for that first job getting out of the service, and how he ended up being an elected judge for the past 12+ years. Matt's profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewosman/details/experience/.