Seek out forks in the road during your career

  • Published
  • By Col. Stuart Toft
  • 349th Mission Support Group
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  As I prepare for retirement later this year, I have been reflecting on my career and how I got where I am. 

As I look back along my path, I find numerous distinct forks in the road that had direct impact on my Air Force journey.

Every fork in the road that I approached and the path I chose led me to right here and right now. Every permanent change of station, permanent change of assignment, deployment, re-enlistment and opportunity we encounter forces us to make decisions with regard to our careers.  These decisions all eventually determine where our career paths lead.

Every fork comes with a set of decisions. Take the new assignment, try to stay where you are, separate, retire, etc. My first PCS came with an option to separate. This was the first fork in my Air Force journey. I often wonder how my life would have changed had I taken the other road.

The change would have not just ended my Air Force career, it would have changed my sphere of friends, life experiences and opportunities.  The ripples are incalculable.  The missed opportunities include not just assignments and some interesting jobs, but just as importantly for me, I would have missed out on the people.

I am proud of the work I have done. I cherish the people I have worked with. Those we work with have a way of becoming a part of us and our careers - superiors, subordinates, peers and co-workers.  All have an impact on who we are and what we become.

The decisions we make at critical junctures need to be based on our career plans and objectives, our family situation, etc.  I almost always encourage members to continue their career.  It is a rare occurrence when I suggest separation.  There are occasions when family or other life situations interfere with someone's ability to serve. 

Family comes first.  The Air Force does a great job of trying to meet the needs of those with special family issues; however, there are times when continued service can be a detriment to the family or the member.  There also are those few individuals who are not a match for military service.  I encourage them, in one way or another, to find another vocation.  For those with four, five or six years in, retirement eligibility at 20 plus years can seem like an eternity. When considering the active-duty benefits, to include retirement, I recommend staying in the Air Force for the duration.

However, there are always variables that need to be considered.  In my case, a civilian job opportunity became available that was too good to pass up.  At one of my forks in the road, I opted to leave active duty and transfer to the Air Force Reserve.  For me, this turned out to be one of the best decisions of both of my careers. This provided me the best of both worlds, a rewarding civilian career coupled with a successful Reserve career. I would not trade either.

The remaining years in my Air Force career had numerous opportunities for a change to my path.  Each fork in the road required thoughtful consideration and consultation with mentors and family.  Each change came with the expected change of duty, location and an increased workload.  Each path change provided the usual list of options - stay, go, separate or retire.

I honestly believe the paths I selected allowed me the career I eventually constructed.  Most Reservists spend too much time in one spot, one squadron, one base.  It is the lack of flexibility that prevents most individuals from optimizing their career potential.  By making the choice to accept change, I found opportunities for increased responsibilities, job opportunities and a few great duty locations.  I was afforded the ability to work with some outstanding individuals and units that I would have missed out on had I not accepted the vector change. 

Don't let someone else dictate your career.  Try to create some of your own forks in the path.  I encourage you to look out five, 10 or 15 years.  What do you want of your career?  Where do you want to be?  Pursue your goals.  Too often I have seen individuals ride along without being an active participant in their careers.  Then when it was too late, they wondered why their career fell short of their expectations. 

Don't just wait for an assignment. Advocate for the assignment you want. The best moves I made were the ones where I pursued the assignment I wanted. Seek out what you want. Talk to your mentors and leadership. Don't take advice from someone who is stagnant. Find those who have excelled in their careers. Seek their advice and counsel. Follow their advice and your dreams. Once you get the assignment you want, work hard, excel at your work and master the job. 

Every significant change along my career path came with options.  Stay, go or separate, and over the past several years, retirement also was an option. My decisions were based on what I thought was best for me, my family and, yes, the Air Force. Our time spent in service to our country effects those with whom we serve and I believe we make the Air Force and our nation better for our having been here.  If that were not the case, why are we here?

We don't serve for financial gain and rank should not be the ultimate motivator. I do not know what opportunities I may have missed because of my choices as I approached those forks in the road.  But I do know that I am very happy for the opportunities I have had and I would not trade them for anything.  My decisions were not always perfect, but I am grateful that I made the ones I did.  The best overarching decision was the one to stay in the Air Force while not only accepting, but actively looking for change.