Commander George Allen Floyd’s Background:

• Served 33 years in the Navy, beginning as an enlisted nuclear machinist and commissioning through the “Hip Pocket” scholarship.
• Held numerous leadership roles across four aircraft carriers and various surface combatants.
• Supported counter-IED efforts in Iraq (2006) as part of a Navy augmentation team.
• Final tour: Helped establish the NROTC program at the University of Hawaii, retiring on the USS Missouri.
• Currently a senior scientist at Savannah River National Laboratory (Dept. of Energy), working on nuclear materials, environmental protection, and global security.

Key Themes and Guidance:

1. Transition Planning:

• Start early; ideally 18–24 months out.
• Use a structured timeline even if time-constrained (start from the beginning regardless of how close separation is).

2. Resources for Veterans:

Floyd presented a digital guide containing valuable hyperlinks. Highlights include:

• Onward to Opportunity: Offers free certifications (PMP, cybersecurity, HR, etc.).
  
• American Corporate Partners (ACP): One-on-one mentorship tailored to desired industry.
• LinkedIn Premium for Veterans: Free for 1 year, vital for visibility. Floyd got hired through a LinkedIn cold call.
• VA Education Benefits: Including VetTec (tech training with stipend), if funded.
• SkillBridge: Paid internship opportunities before retirement.
• BOOTS TO BUSINESS: Entrepreneurial training for aspiring veteran business owners.
• Rülin Course: Peer-based mentoring and elevator pitch development for senior transitioning service members.

Five Questions to Ask Yourself (Self-Reflection Guide):

1. What do I want to accomplish next?

2. What skills/certifications do I need?

3. What time will I commit to my growth?

4. Who is my network?

5. What is my deadline for goals (to turn dreams into goals)?

Five Promises to Make:

1. Revisit your answers until satisfied.

2. Be honest with yourself and others when you need help.

3. Stay mentally, physically, and spiritually fit.

4. Give yourself grace through setbacks.

5. Use every available veteran resource.

Final Motivational Thought:

Commander Floyd shared Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” quote, emphasizing the value of daring greatly and not being deterred by critics who aren’t in the fight.

Audience Engagement:

Participants (active-duty members and soon-to-retire officers) shared their transition plans, concerns, and experiences. The team encouraged networking, leveraging clearances, and mentoring through personal and professional connections.

Takeaways:

• Preparation, mentorship, and mindset are critical to a successful military-to-civilian transition.
• There are ample no-cost resources tailored specifically for veterans.
• Transition is challenging, but with deliberate effort and support, it’s highly manageable.

Topic: Emotional Intelligence – Leadership, Transition & Impact

Key Concepts & Definitions

• Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to:
  1. Understand and regulate your own emotions.
  2. Perceive and influence the emotions of others.
  3. Use emotional insight to guide behavior toward mutually beneficial outcomes.

• Common alternate terms: soft skills, charisma, people skills.

• EQ is trainable but requires self-awareness, feedback, and deliberate practice.

The Four Quadrants of EQ (Fretz Model)

1. Self-Awareness
   • Know your strengths, triggers, and emotional tendencies.
   • Be open to feedback.

2. Self-Management
   • Regulate reactions, resist impulses, act with intention.
   • Set personal “rules” to manage triggers.

3. Social Awareness
   • Empathy and perception: understand others’ emotions and perspectives.
   • Recognize that others’ behaviors often reflect their inner struggles, not you.

4. Relationship Management
   • Build trust, resolve conflict, and influence effectively.
   • Support others based on their individual needs and values.

Military Transition and EQ

• Veterans often struggle in transitions due to ingrained behaviors (e.g., authoritative leadership, strict hierarchy).
• Success in civilian sectors often depends more on EQ than command presence or technical ability.
• “Degreening” = the cultural shift required when leaving the military.

Example Stories:

• Briefing an Army colonel like a professor → learned to adapt to direct communication norms.
• Culture shock in corporate America when civilian colleagues failed to meet deadlines with no consequence.

Leadership and EQ in Practice

• Great leaders (e.g., Capt. Daniel Bowler, Adm. Ben Hacker) demonstrated high EQ by remembering names, personal details, and showing care.

• Leaders with low EQ create toxic environments, high turnover, and morale issues.

• People quit bosses, not jobs – emotional intelligence is a key retention factor.

EQ, Perspective, and Bias

• Perspective-shifting is essential: people experience and interpret situations differently.

• Examples using visual illusions and real-life analogies highlight how perception varies.

• High EQ means being curious rather than judgmental.

Assessment and Growth

• 360-degree feedback (from superiors, peers, and subordinates) is critical.

• EQ Rubric developed by Dr. Fretz asks:
  • How do others feel around you?
  • Would they want to work for you?
  • Would they want to be stuck in an elevator with you?

• EQ assessment results can be sobering but vital for self-growth.

Cultural and Cognitive Bias

• Cultural background, education, and upbringing influence how EQ manifests.
• Be aware of cognitive biases that distort perception and behavior.
• Example: men often overestimate their EQ; women underestimate it.

Emotion Vocabulary & Granularity

• Better emotional vocabulary = better emotional regulation.
• Use tools like the Emotion Wheel or Periodic Table of Emotions to name emotions precisely (e.g., “frustrated” vs. “furious”).

Final Insights

• “Be curious, not judgmental.”
• “Name it to tame it” – identify emotions clearly to control them.
• EQ fosters longevity, health, and personal and professional success.
• Feedback, humility, and intentional practice are the keys to increasing EQ.
  

Main Topics Covered

1. Power of LinkedIn for Career Transition

• LinkedIn is used by 9 out of 10 employers during hiring.
  
• It is the most trusted professional social network, offering safe, professional engagement. 

2. LinkedIn Profile Optimization

• Your LinkedIn profile acts like a live, dynamic resume that works for you 24/7.
  
• Headline is critical: It’s the most heavily weighted part in recruiter searches.
  • Avoid terms like “transitioning veteran” and use your desired professional title. 
• About section: Use this to humanize your profile. Share your story, key achievements, and career goals.
  
• Experience section: Add detailed job descriptions and list relevant skills repeatedly.
  • Ensure correct logos (e.g., Air Force, Navy) appear. 
• Skills section: You can add up to 50. Use all 50 to boost search visibility. 

3. How Recruiters Use LinkedIn

• Recruiters filter candidates based on:
  • Location
    
  • Job title
    
  • Skills
    
  • Veteran status
    
  • Engagement (e.g., profile updates, activity) 
• The more relevant keywords (like “project management”) in your profile, the higher you appear in search results. 

4. LinkedIn Premium for Veterans

• Veterans and military spouses get 1 year free LinkedIn Premium through linkedin.com/military
  • Access to 20,000+ LinkedIn Learning courses
    
  • AI-driven profile building and job matching
    
  • See who viewed your profile
    
  • Interview prep tools with real-time AI feedback 

5. Job Search & Networking Tips

• Signal interest in specific companies; this dramatically increases visibility in recruiter searches.
  
• Use LinkedIn’s advanced search filters:
  • Combine current/past employers, military background, and job titles to find people to network with. 
• Networking strategy:
  • Connections lead to opportunity, but second-degree connections (friends of friends) often open doors.
    
  • Send brief, respectful notes when reaching out.
    
  • Ask for advice rather than jobs; it creates more positive responses. 

Key Takeaways

• Build your LinkedIn profile with intention: it should reflect who you are and what you’re aiming for.
  
• Use the platform actively: connect, post, comment, and engage.
  
• The LinkedIn algorithm favors relevance and repetition: don’t shy away from using job-related terms throughout.
  
• Premium tools are powerful: learning, visibility, and prep all in one place, free for the military community. 

Final Thoughts

This fireside chat emphasized that LinkedIn is a critical tool for transitioning service members, veterans, and spouses. It’s not just about having a profile—it’s about optimizing it to attract opportunity. With intentional use, networking, and the support of premium features, members of the military community can connect to meaningful, fulfilling careers.

Background

• Service Record: Nearly 27 years in the Marine Corps as a Harrier pilot and cyber warfare leader.
  
• Last Assignment: Commander, Marine Corps Cyberspace Warfare Group at U.S. Cyber Command.
  
• Education & Training: Degrees from the Merchant Marine Academy and Naval War College; fellowships and executive programs at MIT, Harvard, Wharton, Columbia, and SANS. 

Transition Journey Overview

Oz focused on his intentional and strategic transition to the private sector, using a combination of:

• Long-term career planning via personal tools (e.g., a career tracker spreadsheet),
  
• Mentorship and sponsorship,
  
• Networking and informational interviews. 

He emphasized the importance of early preparation and viewing transition as a multi-year process.

Key Lessons and Frameworks

1. “You Are in Charge of Your Own Career”

• Oz stressed ownership of professional development, leveraging every assignment as a stepping stone.
  
• Built a visual time chart throughout his Marine Corps career to track progress and target future roles. 

2. Mentors, Advisors, and Sponsors

• Advisors help solve problems.
  
• Mentors offer career guidance from personal experience.
  
• Sponsors advocate for you when you’re not in the room.
  
• All three roles are vital; sometimes one person plays multiple roles. 

3. Four Essential Questions for Transition

From years of networking, Oz distilled transition prep into these guiding questions:

1. Where do you want to live?
   
2. What do you want to do?
   
3. How much money do you want to make?
   
4. Who do you want to work for? 

These questions clarify priorities and help navigate the complexity of post-military options.

4. Strategic Decision-Making

• Family and personal life heavily influenced decisions.
  
• Accepted an unaccompanied tour and declined early retirement to align professional opportunities with family needs. 

Entering the Private Sector

• Oz joined Hewlett Packard Enterprise after being personally recruited by a VP who recognized his leadership potential.
  
• He valued a strong mentorship commitment from his new employer and sought opportunities for growth, not just placement. 

Initial Challenges:

• Adjusting to remote work culture.
  
• Understanding matrix organizations with fewer direct reports than in military units.
  
• Translating military leadership to corporate language. 

Long-Term Success:

• Promoted three times in six years.
  
• Leads strategic IT solutions for the Intelligence Community in Northern Virginia. 

Advice for Those Transitioning

• Start early: Plan 3–4 years out.
  
• Talk to many people: Treat each conversation as valuable data.
  
• Tailor your resume: Avoid mass submissions; hand it to trusted contacts.
  
• Think beyond MOS: Leverage broader leadership and problem-solving skills.
  
• Understand civilian lingo and metrics: Translate military experience into business terms. 

“Footprints and Fingerprints”

• Your past experiences and influence leave marks that shape both your reputation and trajectory.
  
• Be intentional with every step and maintain high performance and relationships.They may open unexpected doors. 

Audience Engagement & Reflections

• Participants included transitioning officers and veterans seeking insights.
  
• Several questions explored:
  • Timing of entry into cyber.
    
  • Role of peers and subordinates in mentorship.
    
  • How unexpected opportunities and visibility shape career direction. 

Closing Notes

• Colonel de Haiti’s story is a case study in disciplined preparation, leveraging networks, and aligning purpose with opportunity.
  
• The session concluded with a recognition that transition is ongoing, not a one-time event, but a continuous process of growth. 

Key Themes and Takeaways:

Military Background:

• Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1986.
  
• Commissioned into the Marine Corps; served in multiple capacities including logistics, hazardous waste management, and fiscal officer roles.
  
• Participated in Operation Desert Shield/Storm and served in Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand.
  
• Retired in 2016 after a successful career in both active duty and reserves.

Transition to Civilian Career:

• Left active duty in 1995 to support family stability and joined the Marine Corps Reserve.
  
• Began transition planning 2 years before separation, emphasizing early preparation as critical.
  
• First civilian roles centered around environmental engineering and program management due to a unique blend of technical and military contracting experience.
  
• Held senior roles at Weston Solutions, Fluor Daniel, HDR Engineering, Brown and Caldwell, and others.

Keys to Successful Transition:

1. Start Early – Begin planning 18–24 months out.
   
2. Pursue Education – Supplement military experience with additional learning (e.g., night school in Environmental Engineering).
3. Network Actively – Leverage:
   • Alumni associations
     
   • Fraternities (e.g., Alpha Phi Alpha)
     
   • NNOA
     
   • LinkedIn and in-person career conferences (e.g., SACC)
4. Seek Mentors – Especially those in your career field, regardless of background.

Career Flexibility and Growth:

• Career path evolved from project management to strategic sales and business development, especially in infrastructure.
  
• Roles included managing multi-million dollar federal and local contracts, often tied to water/wastewater and environmental compliance.
  
• Advocated for pursuing leadership roles and not fearing lateral or vertical moves to find a better fit.

Insights on Reserve Duty:

• Highly recommends staying in the Reserves as a bridge to maintain military connection and benefits.
  
• Found Reserve experience enhanced promotion opportunities and broadened professional skills.
  
• Served in unique billets such as FEMA emergency liaison and Marine Corps Recruiting Command Chief of Staff.

Advice to Junior Officers (e.g., Medical Service Corps):

• Promotions in the Reserve/Active components are achievable with performance, involvement, and strategic assignment choices.
  
• Leverage mentors and be open to roles beyond your core specialty.
  
• Consider how civilian and Reserve roles can complement each other to build a well-rounded professional profile.

Final Encouragement:

• Organizations like NNOA provide powerful networks—engage actively and give back when possible.
  
• The path may not be linear, but with adaptability, preparation, and leadership, a rewarding civilian career is well within reach.