Just Getting Started
For newly enlisted and early-career service members thinking about education, certifications, technical skills, career development, and future opportunities.
Veteran mentorship
Helping Service Members Navigate What Comes Next
I share practical perspective from military service, technical careers, Boeing, Microsoft, education, real estate, and the transition into civilian life.
You do not need to already know exactly what you want to do before reaching out.
Support across the military lifecycle
You Can Ask for Help at Any Stage
Mentorship does not need to begin only when separation orders arrive. Earlier questions can create more time to learn, prepare, and choose.
Building a Career
For people developing skills, considering promotion and education, exploring technical work, or deciding whether continued service fits their long-term goals.
Preparing to Transition
For service members translating experience, exploring civilian careers, learning corporate environments, comparing education options, and preparing for life after service.
Already a Veteran
For veterans still working through career direction, technology, education, homeownership, benefits resources, networking, or professional growth.
Firsthand perspective
My Military and Civilian Path
I am sharing experience, not presenting one path that everyone else should follow.
- United States Navy
- August 2012 through February 2016
- United States Air Force Reserve
- July 2017 through May 2025
My military background
I served in the United States Navy from August 2012 through February 2016. My work included component-level electronics troubleshooting, hands-on technical work, systems thinking, and methodically working through technical problems.
I later served in the United States Air Force Reserve from July 2017 through May 2025. Those two periods of service gave me experience with different stages of military life and with balancing service alongside civilian goals.
My path was not one straight line
My technical path moved from military electronics into technician work at Boeing, then into software engineering and Microsoft. Along the way, I developed experience in cybersecurity, full stack development, cloud and distributed systems, automation, and AI. I also pursued education, property ownership, real estate, and house hacking.
I learned many of those lessons through trial, research, questions, and persistence. I did not always know the right next step in advance. Helping another service member or veteran ask better questions earlier, understand more options, or avoid learning everything the hard way is meaningful to me.
Why I make time for mentorship
Military life can teach us to solve problems for the mission while leaving our own career, education, benefits, and transition decisions largely up to us. I want to be a practical sounding board for those decisions.
I will share what I know honestly. When a question belongs with a licensed, accredited, or specialized professional, I will say so and help identify the kind of resource to look for.
Mentorship and practical conversation
A Sounding Board, Not Another System to Navigate
I can listen, share what I have learned, help you organize questions, and point toward the right kind of resource when the answer is outside my role.
- What should I be doing early in my military career?
- How do I start preparing for civilian life?
- How do I get into technology?
- How do I translate my military experience?
- Should I pursue college, certifications, or another path?
- How do I prepare for corporate interviews?
- What should I know about buying a home with a VA loan?
- How could house hacking fit my real estate goals?
- Where can I look for accredited help with a VA disability claim?
- I do not know what I want to do next. Where do I start?
Civilian career transition
Build More Than a First Post-Military Job Plan
Transition can involve translating your experience, learning unfamiliar workplace norms, and testing career ideas before choosing a direction.
I cannot promise employment or get someone hired. I can help you think through how your experience may connect to civilian work and practice telling that story clearly.
Areas we can work through
- Identify civilian roles that may connect to your military skills
- Translate responsibilities and results into plain civilian language
- Build and revise a civilian resume
- Practice explaining your experience in interviews
- Build a network before you urgently need one
- Compare education, certifications, and skill-building options
- Learn how ownership and communication may work in civilian organizations
- Think beyond the first job toward a longer career direction
Technology careers
You Do Not Have to Start as a Software Engineer
My own progression started with physical systems and electronics before moving into software systems. Technology includes many kinds of work and many possible entry points.
My background includes military electronics, Boeing technician work, software engineering, Microsoft, cybersecurity, full stack development, cloud and distributed systems, automation, and AI. I can share perspective on learning paths, portfolios, interviews, and the realities of changing technical disciplines.
Explore Technology- Software engineering
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud systems
- AI and automation
- Technical support
- Technical program roles
- Corporate technology
- Portfolio and interview preparation
Civilian growth
Corporate Perspective and Education Choices
The useful path depends on your goals, your existing experience, and what you need to learn next.
Entering Large Civilian Organizations
Working in military environments, at Boeing, and at Microsoft gave me perspective on entering organizations with different structures and expectations. Every company is different, but these are useful areas to think through:
- Communicating without a shared military context
- Working through ambiguity when direction is incomplete
- Taking ownership without waiting for a formal tasking process
- Building professional relationships across an organization
- Learning the culture and expectations of a specific workplace
Choosing an Education Path
A degree can be useful, but not every goal requires the same education. College, degree completion, certifications, technical training, and self-study are tools to compare, not one universal answer.
- What role or outcome are you working toward?
- Would college, degree completion, a certification, technical training, or self-study serve that goal?
- What can you learn and build outside a classroom?
- How will you verify current military or veteran education-benefit requirements?
- What time, cost, and support will the path require?
Verify current education-benefit eligibility and requirements through official sources before making a decision.
VA homeownership perspective
Think Beyond the Initial Purchase
I am a veteran, a licensed Washington real estate professional, and I have personally used a VA loan once to purchase property. I also have personal experience with homeownership, real estate investing, and house hacking.
I can help you think through first-time buying, property fit, possible house hacking, and how a home may connect to longer-term ownership goals.
Disability claims resources
Find the Right Kind of Claims Assistance
If you are trying to understand where to seek help with a disability claim, I can help you look for an appropriate starting point and encourage you to understand and advocate for your rights.
I do not prepare or file claims, represent veterans before the VA, determine disability ratings, give legal advice, or promise benefit outcomes.
Resource library
Useful Places to Keep Looking
The resource framework covers the common areas below. Only reviewed public entries will appear as the library grows.
- Career transition
- Technology careers
- Education
- VA homeownership
- Benefits information
- Disability claim assistance
- Networking
- Veteran employment
Verified resources will be added here as the library grows.
Ask better questions earlier
You Do Not Have to Figure It Out Alone
Military life often trains us to solve problems for the mission while our own career, education, benefits, and transition decisions stay on the side. A practical conversation can help turn a large unknown into the next few questions worth answering.
I will not pretend to know everything. I can share what I have learned, listen to what you are trying to work through, and be clear when another professional or resource is the better next step.
A simple place to begin
Not Sure Where to Start? That's Fine.
Tell me where you are, what you are trying to figure out, and what feels stuck. If I can help, I will. If the question belongs with someone else, I can try to point you toward the right kind of resource.