If you have decided to start your own business, rather than seek employment, it’s time to draft your Business Plan.  Your best resource is the Small Business Association Startup website.  You can also find loads of guidelines and outlines for One Page Business Plans online.

While you’re at the SBA website, search for your city and state.  Check for business training classes offered in your area.  The majority of offices offer free and low fee classes on various areas of business development.  Also check out your State Small Business Development Office for more classes.  (This is a great place to start networking with other business owners!)

The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is under-estimating the time and money it takes to start a business.  The rewards of having your own business are abundant (trust me on this one!), just please be sure this is the path you want to take.  Do thorough research on your market and complete a realistic business plan before you venture out.

The second biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is to try and do it all themselves.  Get advice from professionals early in the process.  Talk to a lawyer, tax accountant and banker about the basics.  Don’t waste your time trying to learn the intricacies of tax codes, business structures and financing.

Whether you start a new business, buy an existing one, or purchase a franchise, build your business on a solid foundation of sound advice from experienced professionals.  You’ll multiply your chances for success!

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.

I recently partnered with some great guys, Phil and Jake, over at Get Out Get Ahead to record a podcast series on getting out of the military.  If you have received any value from my sporadic blog posts on retiring from the military…check it out!

You can also download my entire step-by-step checklist for how to retire or separate from military service.

If you plan to seek civilian employment (as opposed to a government job), get started drafting your resume.

There are hundreds of resources available on writing resumes. Do a search for ‘military resume’ on the internet.  There are hundreds of sites to help you, some are free and some charge a fee.  Be sure you understand what you’re getting before you pay any money!

Keep in mind this is your first DRAFT.  Don’t feel like you have to have a polished product this week!  The important thing right now is for you get started and put something on paper. Your resume will become an important tool in your Career Toolbox.  You’ll be adjusting and tweaking it for years to come!  So relax…… and build your resume one section at a 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.

If you plan to seek employment with the government, you need to research the requirements for resumes and applications.  Different agencies have different requirements.  Jobs exist at the Federal, State, county, city and local government level.  Local government jobs may include utilities, schools and hospitals.

With any job search, the most important thing you can do is network.  Yes, much more important than your resume, you need to start meeting people who work in the area that you want to work in.

It’s been proven that 80% of all employment opportunities are never advertised to the public, including government.  And while they may have to advertise a position as required by law, you can bet they will hire someone they already know, or someone personally referred by someone they know.  (As long as no hiring guidelines or laws are being broken.)

So while you do your homework on resume and application formats, make some phone calls too.  Find out who the decision makers are.  Put yourself in a position to meet the people who have inside knowledge of employment opportunities.  If you’re the right person for the job, they will help you write your resume and application to fit the position!

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.

OFFICERS: If you plan on attending college after the service, there are some things you need to look into.  Contact the school and get information on requirements for enrollment, residency, use of Veteran’s Education Benefits, etc.
If you are not a resident of the state and need to establish residency, complete a Change of State Residency DD FORM 2058 at your Personnel Support Office.
Get copies of your previous college transcripts and have them stamped “Certified to be True Copies” by administration personnel.

ENLISTED: If you plan on attending college after the service, there are several things you need to look into.  Contact the school and get information on requirements for enrollment, residency, acceptance of military schools or College Level Entry Program (CLEP) tests for credit, use of Veterans Education Benefits for tuition, etc.

If you are not a resident of the state in which the school is located, and need to establish residency, complete a Change of State Residency DD FORM 2058 at your Personnel Support Office.

Gather copies of required documentation for proof of military schools or experience and have them stamped “Certified to be True Copies” by administration personnel.

If you have taken any previous college classes, get copies of your transcripts from the school(s) and have them stamped “Certified to be True Copies” by administration personnel.

Check with your base college education office to see what the requirements are for taking CLEP tests.  These are free of charge while you’re in the service.  You’ll pay over a $100 per test once you get out!  Schedule yourself to take as many as you feel comfortable with in the next few months.  Be sure to keep copies of the results.

Navy and Marines: Request your Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART).

Obtain your Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) DD FORM 2586 from your local Fleet and Family or Transition Support Office.

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.

Verify your eligibility for Veterans Education Benefits (GI BILL, MGIB, VEAP).   Call the Veterans Administration at 1800-827-1000 and ask them to verify your benefits.  If you need to submit a form to the VA for further investigation of your record, you can download them online.
When I did this during my transition, I discovered that the VA had two records on me.  One said I was eligible for benefits…..the other said I wasn’t!  I had to submit an application for benefits, even though I wasn’t planning to go to school, to get my record reconciled.  It was apparently the only way to get any action taken on it.  It took a few months to get it straightened out.

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 current one, request a copy of your complete service record.

Review your service record thoroughly for all schools, awards, copies of Permanent Change of Duty Station Orders and/or Active Duty for Training Orders, and documentation of Earned Retirement Points if you were ever a Selected Reservist.

Formally request any missing information you discover to be included in your record.  You’ll need to provide copies of everything you want added.  Hopefully, you’ve kept originals and/or copies of all your paperwork in your personal files at home.  Have your Administration personnel stamp them “Certified to be True Copy” for inclusion with your letter.  Do not send the originals!

Why do this exercise?  You will never have a better chance to clean up your service record than now while you’re still on active duty.  There are hundreds of reasons you may need proof of something in your record in the future.  Having an updated record is like having insurance and will give you peace of mind.

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.

Generate a chronological list of all jobs/ positions you’ve held in the past.  Start with your current position and work backwards.  List dates as ‘From –To’ month and year held, job titles and a one line description of duties.  If you held more than one job within the same command, break them out individually.  Go all the way back to boot camp!

A good place to find most of this information is on your security clearance questionnaire, application for Officer Candidate School, past Fitness Reports/ Evaluations, etc.  Also list the type of equipment you worked on and the Command or Unit assigned to. Keep this list in a simple one or two line format.  Don’t try to describe everything you did during each tour.  You should have copies of fitness reports for that.

This list will become useful for a number of things; writing your resumes, your biography for a retirement ceremony program, a Command letter outlining your tours for an End of Career award, etc.  You never know who will ask for this information, so it’s a good idea to have it already done in an easy to read format!

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 copies of your credit report from the top 3 Credit Reporting Agencies, Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax.  They all track and report on slightly different information.  Best to know what all of them are reporting.

Visit www.freecreditreport.com

Once you receive your credit report, review it carefully and make a note of any accounts you have a question about.  Cancel any open accounts that are inactive or that you no longer need.  Call the companies directly and ask that your account be closed and you be sent a letter by mail confirming the action.

Then, to speed up the process, write a Letter of Dispute to each of the 3 Credit Reporting Agencies requesting they update your credit report.  The Credit Reporting Agencies must reply to your letter within 30 days.  If they make any changes to your report they must also provide you with a new, updated credit report at no cost.  (This way you’ll get copies of the other 2 agencies’ reports at no charge.)

Get your credit report cleaned up and improve your credit rating!

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.

How many years has it been since you first joined the military? Ten, twenty, more?

For a long time you’ve put aside your personal life. You’ve been there when your team and your country needed you. Now it’s time to move on and transition from military service to civilian life. As you prepare for this change, you may find the choices overwhelming.

Where do you start?

Historically, people who experience the greatest success transitioning out of the service are those who enlist the support of experts. The business world operates very differently today than it did ten years ago. Competition is fierce.

In today’s economy, you won’t get a second look if you fumble an interview or submit a business plan with unclear intentions. Get the support you need with a team of experts committed to helping you achieve your transition goals.

Transition Assistance Program (TAP) classes offer information on veteran’s benefits and basic job hunting skills. However, they don’t provide enough information for a thorough transition. Leaving the military involves much more than simply writing a resume and finding a job. To increase your chances for success, you will need more – more information, more resources, more help. You need a team.

A basic civilian transition team might consist of:

** A professional writer to help with resumes, cover letters or business plans. I know you’ve been told you don’t need to hire a writer. But why struggle? A professional can save you a lot of time and frustration.

** A headhunter or job placement expert to market you to companies looking for people with your skills and experience. They have inside information and access to jobs not advertised to the general public.

** A financial advisor or tax strategist to position you for what lies ahead. One of the biggest shocks during your transition will be your new tax bill.

** A business planning specialist to save you time and money if you plan to start your own business. They can help you avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that new business owners face.

** A Transition Coordinator to work with you to clarify your goals and co-create a strategy for achieving them. They will keep their eye on the big picture, coordinate your team’s efforts, and make sure nothing is overlooked during your transition.

At Front Line Transitions, we are experts at coordinating military transitions. Drawing from our extensive database of experts, we will help you put together a team that’s perfect for you. We have been through the “transition minefield” and mapped it out. We will guide you through and point out obstacles before you reach them.

You are navigating some dramatic changes in your life. You want assurance that you are making the right decisions. You know from the military that teamwork is essential to success. Let Front Line Transitions coordinate your team for you. Let’s work together to create your best life – Let’s start right now.