U.S. Army, 92 A-Quartermaster Corps (Supply and Logistics), Captain
Field Consultant/District Manager, 7-Eleven
It has been almost two-and-a-half years since I took the position as a Field Consultant with 7-Eleven Inc. in the Sierra Nevada region through Orion International and seven-and-a-half years since I left the Army. Although no longer the rookie or the “new kid on the block” in my job, I find myself as challenged and engaged as my first day.
My transition experience began back in 2004, when I separated from the Army as a Captain in the Quartermaster Corps (Supply and Logistics). Orion has helped me find a new career a few times since then. I even utilized their client-side services as a hiring manager at my first job obtained through them.
My first month looking for a job when I first got out was extremely humbling. I left the Army with a multitude of real world experiences that made me extremely self-confident about my capabilities, even in fields or industries in which I had no prior experience or training. Interview after interview, I felt like I was being told ad nauseam what I DIDN’T have to OFFER (conventional education, industry experience, etc) versus the breadth and depth of what I could offer my employer and my teammates.
Most difficult, however, was the dilemma of which road to take professionally… “Do I choose a path in an industry I was trained in the Army for (Supply and Logistics), or do I choose something completely unrelated that I have always dreamed of doing (going to cooking school to become a chef, or getting my certificate to become an elementary school teacher)?”
Two months after leaving the military, I had a new job as a Director of Branch Operations through Orion. I was with that company for a year-and-a-half. When I decided to leave to pursue a graduate degree, I left that job knowing that I had been able to see and experience a tangible shift in the quality of the staff through the extensive recruiting, training, and retention efforts of my entire operations staff.
In 2009, Orion placed me once again in my position as Field Consultant/District Manager for 7-Eleven, and I am still extremely happy. As a Field Consultant/District Manager, I serve as a business consultant and coach for a group of eight 7-Eleven stores with $4 to $6 million in revenues. My duties include collaborating with the store operators and/or owners to implement corporate and merchandising strategies, while supporting the development, reassessment and execution of employee training, annual budgets, business plans, and 24-hour store operations. This position is mostly autonomous, as I work both from the stores and my home. Fortunately, there is also a strong foundation of collaboration with the local market team that meets bi-monthly and nationally once a year with the Corporate Office in Dallas, Texas.
I rely on my various management and leadership from my experiences as a Supply and Logistics Officer in the Army and my earlier civilian career in social work and school counseling to succeed in this industry. Working as a Field Consultant enables me to continually challenge myself by cultivating my analytical and business acumen. This step outside my “comfort zone” represents a steep and humbling learning curve that rivals even my first days as a Platoon Leader or Company Executive Officer, but I’m nonetheless grateful for the opportunity to diversify and strengthen my existing skill set.
The organizational culture of 7-Eleven is not just pro-military in the sense they recognize the dynamic skill set of servicemen and women, but they seem to hire for talent and potential and train for skill and experience. It is a breath of fresh air to have my unique skill set and diversity of experiences not only valued but utilized and integrated into the existing corporate structure.
In a twenty-four hour retail work environment with blackberry/PDA access and a home office, it became easy for me to default into Platoon Leader/XO mode where your workday doesn’t necessarily end when you get home. However, I learned the importance of blocking out and committing to time off, whether that means spending time with friends and family, exercising, or setting aside times for hobbies. Work/life balance has always been a struggle, but I have been fortunate to count on the support of my family, friends, work team, and the local Vet Center for my transition to life as a civilian.
Working for an organization like 7-Eleven with a strong commitment to supporting its communities has allowed me to continue to combine my professional development with my passion for community engagement. In the last couple of years, I have been given the full support and encouragement of my supervisor and peers to participate in several projects to include the Muscular Dystrophy Association “Shamrock Program” and “Cops and Kids Program”, supporting positive relations between the community and law enforcement.
Although I have enjoyed all the community projects, I am most proud of the partnership and corporate sponsorship initiated with the local Homeless Veteran Program, participating in last year’s “Stand Down for Homelessness” event, which became the highlight of 2011 for me. A team of local franchisees, field consultants, and store employees participated in a daylong event at the local VA Hospital providing coffee, glazed donuts, and coffee mugs to the homeless veterans. More importantly, our store operations team was able to thank these men and women personally for their service, and, in turn, put a real human face to a segment of our population that is often overlooked and forgotten about, despite their service to our country.
It was extremely rewarding and fulfilling not just to “pay it forward” to our brothers and sisters in arms, but to listen to my team brainstorming enthusiastically how we were going to improve next year’s event and how to increase our local collaboration. I even came home to a very touching voicemail from a long-term franchisee of thirty years. She not only expressed her gratitude in being included in the event, but her desire to participate the following year, stating that the opportunity to thank our veterans in person was a “gift”.
Although these events were partly work-related, it offered me the opportunity to take part in projects that I’m passionate about and mirror my own personal values. This was part of the “lessons learned” from my transitioning experience, identifying hobbies or past times that would “recharge my batteries” and enable me to keep me connected to the community. Additionally, I have been able to take advantage of the year-round access to hiking, trail running, and skiing the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada area provides.
As far as advice for transitioning veterans, I would advise you to plan ahead financially for your terminal leave time so you can properly decompress and unwind from the military lifestyle and experiences. Finding a job and supporting your family is very important, but oftentimes we as service members take for granted the enormity of our accomplishments and experiences in the military, and the toll it has taken on us, both physically and emotionally.
When I got out in 2004, after finishing my tour in South Korea, I was so determined to find a job, “be productive”, and “make it” on the outside, that I didn’t stop moving when I got home, literally. I arrived from Korea at my home of record in Portland, Oregon, on a Thursday, and I left three days later on a Sunday to start driving down to California for job interviews that I had set up, as well as to attend a hiring conference for Orion.
I kept that pace up for three solid months while job hunting. Being proactive, motivated and high energy made me successful in the Army, but the level of self-imposed stress and pressure had an adverse affect on my health and my relationship with my friends and family. Remember to decompress properly, especially after the stress of whatever tours you have experienced.
The seven-and-a-half years since I left the Army in 2004 have been a roller coaster of changes. It has been challenging and humbling to say the least, but connecting with other fellow veterans really helped me make the transition. I have no regrets. I accomplished all that I wanted in the Army, and, in my own way, know that I left the Army better than I found it. I’m looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that 2012 will bring as I continue the post-Army chapter of my life!
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