Create your Life Vision.  This powerful exercise will ground you in your goals and what you truly want for your future.  After several years in a military mindset, it can become difficult to see yourself doing anything else.  This will help you stretch your “imagination muscles” and prepare you for a more flexible lifestyle.

Using the following questions as a guideline, picture vividly in your imagination how you would like your future to be.  Don’t analyze what you see.  Judging how reasonable or possible it is or how you could earn a living at it will only get in the way of your creativity.  Don’t think about timelines, 3/ 5/ 10 year goals.

Give yourself permission to create your perfect future with childlike curiosity, fun and imagination.  Please be sure this future is what you want, not what you think it should be or ought to be or needs to be.  And certainly not what you think will please everyone else.  This is just for you.

Don’t hurry this; let it come easily and naturally to you. When you have a clear picture, open your eyes and write down everything you imagined.  It’s best to put this on a computer so you can easily change it and add to it during the next several months.  Make it a habit to go over it and update it every week.  It’s THAT important to your transition!

• What do you look like?
• How do you feel? (Physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually)
• What are your personality characteristics?  How do you act?
• What characteristics do the people around you have?
• What interests do the people in your life have?  (Similar to yours or different)
• How do you feel when you are with the people in your life?
• Where are you living?  (Geographic description or specific location)
• What style of house do you live in?  (Describe it from roof line to door knobs)
• How is your home furnished?  (Everything from bath towels to baseboards)
• What things do you own or have unlimited use of?  (Transportation, equipment, small and large, this is all your ‘stuff’)
• How do you feel when you are in your home?
• What type of work do you spend most of your time doing?  (Physical, mental)
• Which skills are you using regularly?
• Where are you when you’re working?  (Inside, outside, small, large, busy, quiet)
• How many hours a day, days per week, and weeks per year do you work?
• What type of products or materials are you working with?
• What are you creating?  (Tangible, intangible, think little, think big)
• What subjects are you learning about?
• What are you talking about all day?
• How many people do you interact with daily when you’re working?
• How do you feel when you’re working?
• What level of responsibility do you have?  Why is this important to you?
• What are your day-to-day rhythms?
• How do you spend your leisure time?
• Where do you go for vacation?
• How often do you take vacations?  How long do they last?
• How much income do make monthly and annually?
• What are the sources of your income?

Go over each part of this exercise.  What mini-steps could you start taking today to live your vision?  What changes are you willing to make now that will move you closer to your vision?

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Determine the date you first become eligible to retire.  Now determine the dates you’re eligible for 52%, 54% or 60% of your base pay.

Will your retainer be calculated from the base pay you’re receiving on your last day or will it be taken from some average over the past 3 years?  If it’s based on your last day, you may want to stay and take advantage of the 1 January raise.  Or maybe you’re eligible for a mid-year raise.  Do you want to stay for that?  Is it worth it to you for the few extra dollars?

Visit the Navy Personnel Command site for information on Pay and Benefits and an online pay calculator.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Determine when you’ll be clear of all service obligations.  Do you owe time on station for orders or time in grade to be able to retire with your current pay grade?  How about payback for graduate school?  Did you use Tuition Assistance funding?

I’ve learned that you can get a waiver for almost everything.  It may be more important to you to have the time and pay back any money owed, rather than serve out the time obligation.  If so, use this week to investigate how to request a waiver for your particular situation.  Can you submit your request for waiver now?

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Get a professional sounding email address.  If you have an internet company that provides 2 or more email addresses, you can use your full name such as JohnDoe(at)internetcompany.com.  Please don’t use a cute or funny email address for your professional correspondence.

Another way is to register your name as a domain name on the internet. For example, register JohnDoe.com and your address can be John(at)JohnDoe.com.  One advantage of having your own domain name is that you can check your email anywhere, from any computer with internet access.  Set up a webmail account when you register your name.  The total cost of a domain plus a webmail account is less than $20 a year.  And if you move later, you won’t have to go through the pain of changing your email.

Your email address becomes one of your marketing tools.  Every time someone sees it, your name is impressed in their mind.  So they’ll be likely to remember you in the future.  Believe it or not, it’s true.

If you choose to use a free email service such as Google’s Gmail, be sure they do not add advertising to the footer of your emails.   These don’t give a serious professional impression to the receiver and may cause your email to get caught by spam filters from time to time.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Learn how to use your application software, such as Microsoft Word®, PowerPoint and Excel.  Become proficient in a Contact Management program such as Microsoft Outlook® or ACT!®

Begin adding contacts to your now-growing network. Start using the calendar and reminders in your contact management program to organize your schedule.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

If you don’t have a home computer, or the one you have is more than 3 years old, think about buying a new one.  You’ll need one in the near future and it will more than pay for itself through the use you’ll get out of it.

Get the most up-to-date system, including software and the fastest internet connection, you can afford.  You can get a good quality combination printer, scanner, fax, and copier for about $300.  This will save you many trips to the office supply store to accomplish these tasks, not to mention the savings in service costs.

If you purchase a new computer to replace an older one, think about donating the old one to a local school or business.  Call the Chamber of Commerce or look in the newspaper for organizations that accept these types of donations.  Maybe a Veteran’s Association?  Keep the receipt for your tax-deductible charitable contribution!

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Establish 2 files to accumulate and organize all the paper you will be acquiring in the next several months. One file will be for military papers and one will be for collecting information about your follow on plans; job search, resumes, new business start-up, etc.

These can be anything from small accordion files to 1-2 drawers of a file cabinet.  You’ll need space for service, medical, and financial records, copies of letters you’ll be writing requesting various things, and lots of information you’ll gather on Veteran’s benefits, resume writing, job searches, business plans, and more.

The following lists are suggested categories only.  Use whatever titles make sense to you.  The key is to have an organization system you will use that serves you well.

Suggested Military Folders:
AWARDS (Letters & Medals),
CEREMONY (Retirement Party, Hail & Farewell)
COLLEGE (Credits & Transcripts),
DENTAL (copy of Record),
DD214s & SERVICE RECORD (+Statement of Service),
FINANCES (Leave & Earning Statements, W-2, W-4, Allotments),
LAST MOVE (+Travel Claim),
MEDICAL (copy of Record),
MILITARY SCHOOLS (Completion Letters, Certificates, Proof of Attendance),
ORDERS (Permanent Change of Duty Station, Reserve AT, ADT, TDY, PTDY),
PERFORMANCE REPORTS (Fitness Reports, Evaluations, Promotion Letters),
RESERVE DRILLS (Proof of Retirement Points, Diary of Drills Performed),
SECURITY CLEARANCE,
SPECIAL REQUESTS,
TRAVEL CLAIMS,
VA BENEFITS (education, disability compensation),
FINAL TURN-IN (temporary folder to collect papers and records required by Personnel Office prior to releasing your final DD Form 214)

Suggested Civilian Folders:
APPEARANCE (Wardrobe, Briefcase, Pens, Stationary Portfolio lists & ideas),
HEALTH AND DENTAL PLANS (TRICARE, etc.),
INSURANCE (Life, Health, Dental, Long Term Care),
NETWORK (contacts, phone numbers, biz cards),
RESOURCES (Reading List, Websites),
VISION (Goals, Primary Aim),
EXPENSES (Receipts for Tax Deductions),

If planning a job search, add:
INTERVIEWS,
RESUME (Objective, Skills, Job History, Accomplishments)

If planning a new business, add:
BUSINESS PLAN,
FINANCES,
MARKETING PLAN

Don’t stress about trying to find all the paper to fill these folders now. As you come across paper or generate it in the next several months, you’ll have a place to put it.  If you know where you have this information and have been somewhat organized over the years, go ahead and start sorting through it a bit at a time.

I strongly suggest you scan all your papers into your home computer and save them on a CD for long term storage.  It will provide a backup in case you lose any of the original paper files in the future.

Start today keeping all your receipts for any expense you incur during this transition.  Everything from phone calls and new clothes to printing paper and mileage is tax deductible.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Once you make the decision to retire, the first thing you should do is tell your family.  It may not come as a surprise to them, but they will be just as nervous about facing the unknown as you are.  So face it together.

Until now, discussions about retirement have been held over after-dinner coffee or driving through the mountains on your way to the next assignment.  From now on discussions will take on a more serious tone….. This time it’s for real.   So before you go any further, get everyone in your family involved.

Schedule a family meeting night this week.  Put all the cards on the table.  Really listen to and understand everyone’s thoughts and concerns.  The military has been as much a part of their lives as it has been yours.  Talk with close family members who aren’t living with you also, like grown children, in-laws, parents, or siblings.

If you’re single, call your parents or siblings or best friend.  Let them know your plan and discuss it with them.  Listen to them as they share their thoughts and perspectives.  They have insight you may not be aware of!

If your retirement is involuntary, the first step must be to accept the situation. Like it or not, a decision has been made for you.  Refusing to accept it or becoming bitter, angry and resentful only hurts you, drains your energy, and makes it more difficult for you to navigate through your transition.

Start getting used to the idea of no longer being in the military.  Share your fears and concerns, hopes and dreams with each other.  Try to have some fun with this and discuss what you might want to do and where you might want to live.  You can go anywhere you like, so dream about different places and why you would want to live there.  No final decisions need to be made at this point.  Simply allow yourself the space to ease into a new, expanded way of thinking.

Don’t underestimate the emotions tied to this.  This first step is crucial to a stress-free transition.  Getting your family involved now will assure their support in the months ahead when you’ll need it most.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

When I decided to retire after 26 years in the Navy, I found myself overwhelmed by two things:

1.  Too much information on how to make a military transition, and
2.  Not enough information on how to make the transition into military retirement.

One, there is an abundance of information and resources available for folks retiring from the military and entering civilian life.  You can find advice on how to clarify your skills and talents, write a resume, survive an interview, and network like a pro.  The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) coordinators make every effort to provide valuable information on what you need to do and what your timeline should be to do it in.  There are self-help and career transition books, career and personality assessments, headhunters, and hundreds of websites loaded with information.

While this is all very valuable, I discovered I didn’t know where to start and couldn’t find anyone to tell me.  Some would say “Start with your resume”.  Okay, but I don’t know what I want to do.  Others would suggest I take some personality assessments.  I did.  And discovered that I was perfectly suited to do what I was doing in the military.  So why wasn’t I happy doing it anymore?  Did I really want to pursue my second career in the same field?  (By the way, you can take these assessments at different times in your life and get different answers.)

Which brings me to number two, not enough information on how to make a military transition. I felt like I was sitting in the middle of a large pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces.  I had numerous skills, tons of experience and an abundance of enthusiasm.  I needed help putting it all together and making sense of it.  All I needed was the first few edge pieces of my puzzle to fit together and the rest of the picture would fall into place.

I realized that the first piece missing from the puzzle of information was a checklist. My military training had taught me to always read the book, look at the manual, use the step-by-step checklist.  Don’t rely on your memory or try to reinvent the wheel.  People got hurt and equipment was damaged when we did that!

I’m not trying to reinvent the transition process here.  There’s really no new information.  Rather, I offer you the missing piece.

I’m offering you the step-by-step checklist so you don’t miss anything.

(I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.)

Panic, doubt and fear all stem from a lack of knowledge, the unknown.  Not knowing what to do, what will happen next or even how to begin.  I have combined everything you have to do for the Navy before you retire with the personal things you want to think about and explore before you actually leave.

My desire is to help you find the edge pieces to start putting together your own puzzle. What I wish for you is to have an effortless transition, to enjoy the process, and to create a civilian lifestyle that brings you constant joy and deep satisfaction.  God bless you on your journey.

You just received that job offer and the salary isn’t exactly what you hoped for. But starting salaries depend on a number of factors including the size of the perspective employer and their current level of success, your professional level, your previous work experience, and the particular skills you bring to the job. Remember too that your salary represents only part of the overall compensation package. Employers may not be willing to make adjustments in base pay, but you may be able to negotiate some benefits to help make up the difference.

Before beginning a negotiation, you must:

Know the Market – Do some research on salaries for the job you are being hired to perform. An excellent source is the Salary Wizard®. Be careful to find a similar job in the same geographical area, industry and company size. This will give you a general idea of whether the salary amount offered is reasonable.

Show interest – If you appear interested in the position, company and industry, an employer is more likely to give you what you want.

Think beyond salary – If an employer cannot meet your salary request, think about negotiating for other items in your compensation package.

Some benefits are standard for all employees, but some are more open to negotiation. Rather than ask for more of everything, focus on what you might actually be able to get. Benefits that tend to be the easiest to negotiate include the following:

Hiring Bonus

This is a one time only cash payment made on the first day of employment. These types of awards are often given to attract candidates to positions that are hard to fill. If you can show a gap between market pay and what you are being offered, you may be able to convince your potential employer that an initial cash award is deserved.

Vacation time

Most companies offer two weeks of vacation time to start. Negotiating for an extra week off is not uncommon and is often likely to be granted. It is particularly helpful if you can show that you earned more than two weeks vacation at your previously employer. Additional time off could also help narrow the pay gap if you consider your base salary to be on the low side.

An Early Review

Most companies conduct annual reviews for their staff. If you negotiate an initial review in 6 months, your salary increase will start 6 months earlier than the norm. This is a reasonable compromise to settle a negotiation over a salary offer that is lower that you would like it to be. It also shows the employer that you are interested in proving yourself to be worthy of a higher rate of pay and are willing to prove it.

Relocation Costs

If a new position requires you to relocate, do some research on the actual costs associated with your move and present them to your potential employer. Salary.com’s Cost of Living Wizard® provides you with much of the additional information you need to illustrate these types of expenses.

Flexible Schedule

Often times, flexibility in work schedules are a reasonable trade off to higher pay. If flexibility in the hours you work is important to you, ask about coming in and leaving early in order to meet family obligations, request a schedule of 4 ten hour days, or ask if you can telecommute one or more days per week.

Extra Time Away (paid or unpaid)

You can always request extra paid or unpaid time off in the event of a pre-planned a trip, plans to participate in some volunteer work, or any reasonable personal issue requiring you take additional leave.

As you approach these negotiations, be aware that a prospective employer may withdraw an offer if it feels that your requests are excessive and not in line with what the company can offer. Any negotiation should be approached in a professional and reasonable manner. Equipping yourself with research done before hand ensures your requests will more likely be considered.

About Salary.com

Salary.com is the leading provider of detailed compensation information. Through continual analysis, Salary.com tracks up-to-date salary information for more than 3,700 job titles. This information is available online through the Salary Wizard®. Salary.com also tracks cost of living through the Cost of Living Wizard®.