Exit strategy: Are you prepared to leave the service?

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Michael Yoakum
  • 60th Security Forces Squadron manager
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Times have changed and the Air Force's Force Management programs are moving full-steam ahead.

In the past, most of us equated military lifestyle with long-term job security. I remind you that your military career is temporary and encourage you to have an exit strategy.

If you are a first-term Airman, civilian employee or officer having served for four, six, eight, 15 or more than 20 years, you need to have an exit strategy. An exit strategy is a means of leaving one's current situation, either after a predetermined objective has been achieved, situations beyond your control become a reality or as a scheme to mitigate failure.

There are four areas you should consider as part of your exit strategy before the time presents itself: education, finances, building an effective resume and networking.

Education goes without saying. People with college degrees are much more marketable in the private sector and tend to make more money compared to those without a degree. Military members earn college credits through various technical programs and formal training opportunities and the Community College of the Air Force provides opportunities for Airmen to earn an associate degree within their specialty.

Even if you do not plan on pursuing higher levels of education, the two-year associate degree is important. I challenge all first-term Airmen to complete their associate degrees before your first enlistment is up.

The associate degree essentially fulfills your freshman and sophomore years of college. If you are eligible to re-enlist and make a career out of the Air Force, your college education is essential and even more so if you pursue undergraduate and graduate programs.

Unless you are retiring from the Air Force, your pay check stops upon separating from the military. How much money do you have in savings or investments to assist you with maintaining your lifestyle while you transition to a new job and place to live?

I challenge all first-term Airmen to save or invest $25,000 to $35,000 during their first enlistment. Draft a budget, live within your means and have the discipline to save and invest. A master sergeant retiring after 20 years of service may struggle if he or she fails to save and invest.

To put this in perspective; a master sergeant retiring after 20 years will earn $1,992per month before taxes and $1,434after taxes, or 28 percent. Oh, by the way, there is no more basic allowance for housing or basic allowance for subsistence. Essentially, you are making as much as an airman first class with more than two years in the military without the perks of a meal card and dorm room.

Ideally, a master sergeant should have a couple hundred thousand dollars in investments, such as Thrift Saving Plan, Individual Retirement Arrangement, stocks, mutual funds, bonds, etc., by the time they retire. It's never too late to start investing for retirement.

One of the benefits of being in the Air Force is all the training you receive, but even more so are all the formal and informal certifications and job experiences you acquire. While you complete your Air Force mission, you need to make it a point to obtain every certification possible. Know that those mundane additional duties will provide experience and training that will be useful in the civilian sector.

I call this building your resume for success. By obtaining additional certification and job skills, it will give you the flexibility to tailor your resume for specific jobs. A targeted resume focuses on the needs of the employer, not your work history, and makes you look like the ideal candidate. The civilian sector thrives on disciplined, trained and experienced military members.

Networking plays a huge role in finding job opportunities. The key to finding jobs is people. There is an old saying I was told by a chief years ago, "Be careful not to step on the toes of the butts you may have to kiss tomorrow." Most people, if given the right respect and opportunity, will go great lengths to help others. Networks are established through organizations such as church, Air Force Sergeants Association, Top-3, Staff Sergeant and Technical Sergeant Association Reaching Success, Airmen Committed to Excellence, LinkedIn, local organizations, sports and attending school. Establishing contacts with people and communicating your intentions to your network will assist in seeking employment opportunities.

Your military service is temporary, yet offers countless opportunities which place you head and shoulders above your civilian counterparts. Focusing on education, finances, tailoring your resume and building a network will ensure your transition is less stressful and somewhat seamless. The best two places to obtain information for building your exit strategy are the Travis Education Office and Airman and Family Readiness Center. They have countless resources to prepare you and your family for life after the military.