Success Statements

“The biggest challenges for me [in looking for a job after leaving the military] were first and foremost being a mother of three young sons . . . and my husband was working overseas, so finding a job outside of the home would have been very difficult, especially considering the costs of childcare and that my paychecks likely would have gone entirely to those costs. I was fortunate to be able to stay home with my children for several years until they reached elementary school age. When I was ready and able to search for a job, it was tough to translate my military skills to the civilian sector; I also . . . wanted to return to college to complete my undergraduate degree. Knowing that completing my education would take some time was intimidating, and it took me three different attempts to finally finish my bachelor’s degree . . . Additionally, my oldest son is diagnosed with ADHD and one of my twin sons has ADHD and is on the autism spectrum, so having the responsibilities of caring for two special needs children . . . was often overwhelming, and I put my educational and career pursuits on hold to make sure my sons would be supported and set up for success in school.

Having the encouragement and support from Operation: Job Ready Veterans was powerful in helping me to continue pursuing my education. I appreciate that Operation: Job Ready Veterans is so enthusiastic about guiding veterans toward new civilian careers with their one-on-one assistance to help with creating resumes and searching for jobs.

I am currently working at Syracuse University at the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families as the program coordinator for the Community Navigator Pilot Program and am also in my last semester of undergraduate studies to earn my BA in psychology and forensic science and will be graduating in May 2023.

I hope other women veterans will be inspired to pursue their own career and educational goals and know that there are organizations ready and eager to uplift and support them from start to finish! There may be challenges along the way, but they don’t have to navigate it all alone. Reach out and take advantage of the opportunities available to you!”