Mission Continued Archives — ľ��AV

Mission Continued: Joe Lemanek on Helping Veterans Transition to Cyber Careers

ľ��AV PR — Wed, 15 May 2024 11:00:46 +0000

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Retired from the U.S. Navy in 2022, Senior Capture Manager Joe Lemanek joined ľ��AV in 2023 and quickly embraced our culture and community. Joe is a member of ľ��AV’ Veterans MWR Employee Resource Group. He also joined our philanthropy efforts by nominating the nonprofit for an ľ��AV Engage grant.

As a Cybervets advisor, Joe mentors veterans interested in private-sector jobs in cybersecurity — one of his areas of expertise. The nonprofit gives veterans enough training to earn a cybersecurity certificate (if they’re new to the field) and helps with resume-writing, interview preparation, and other skills crucial to securing a new role.

Six Cybervets graduates have become ľ��AV employees, and Joe and his fellow Cybervets volunteers are planning to further grow the partnership between the nonprofit and our company.

We sat down with Joe to get his thoughts on private-sector work and to learn more about his penchant for helping other veterans find their way into civilian life.

Q: What motivates you to volunteer your time as a Cybervets advisor?

A: It’s one of the things I love about being retired ― giving back to those who are transitioning from active-duty service to civilian life. I have a heavy schedule, but I make time to attend Cybervets cohort meetings, and I’m always having coffee or meeting up with an advisee for a drink. It’s fulfilling. It’s that reward you can get only from focusing on others.

A lot of people feel confused and lost when they’re leaving the service and looking for work in the civilian world. I explain that this is normal and give them tools they can use to get started — practical things they can do — and I encourage them to put in the work. It’s a very worthwhile mentor-mentee relationship.

One of our best programmers from this last cohort came to us with little technical experience. He was a cook in the Navy for six years, and he’s become one of the most brilliant programmers I’ve ever seen. He just gets it. It’s fulfilling to help people out and then watch them grow like that.

Q: What are you enjoying most about working in the private sector?

A: The challenge. I’m responsible for helping our Business Development group capture opportunities that will drive strategic growth for ľ��AV. I enjoy that challenge, and the people too.

ľ��AVers are amazing to work with. There’s a camaraderie and a family feel here, despite it being a big company. So, you get all the resources you need, and you can also take time to laugh with colleagues. ľ��AV is an inviting, welcoming place.

I also enjoy spending more time with my daughter and being able to tell her about my work. I was in windowless basements for much of my Navy career, working in cybersecurity and intelligence. So, it’s cool to be able to talk more freely about what I do and bring her into the office to show her where dad works.

Private-sector work has also been more lucrative for me, which is a plus. And I still get to serve. I still know what the government is doing in the intelligence and cybersecurity spaces, and I still help to support vital missions and make a difference.

Q: What’s the most important thing you learned during your 10-plus years in the Navy?

A: Don’t take things personally. There’s a mission to get done. You’re not an expert at everything, so stay humble. It’s the team that accomplishes the mission, not you alone. I may have some leadership skills, but I can’t get it done by myself. It takes the team believing in me and me believing in the team, to become successful.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

Careers at ľ��AV

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ľ��AV is a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) certified organization. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, and retaining veterans for the value they bring to the workforce. Virginia has the fastest growing veteran workforce in the country, and we are now trained on best practices for recruiting and hiring transitioning military members.

The post Mission Continued: Joe Lemanek on Helping Veterans Transition to Cyber Careers appeared first on ľ��AV.

Mission Continued: John Achille Discusses Camaraderie, Leadership, and Continuing to Serve

ľ��AV PR — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:00:04 +0000

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What lessons did a United States Marine Corps infantryman carry from his time in service to his civilian career in IT? While these two occupations seem like they are worlds apart, there are some universal concepts that are critical to succeeding in both. We sat down with John Achille, director of Enterprise Solutions and Services at ľ��AV, to learn more.

During his military career, John served as a machine gunner and mortarman in the Marines. In our talk with him, he discusses some of the high points of his time in service, including camaraderie with his brothers-in-arms and being exposed to diverse people and cultures, as well as how he navigated the challenges of transitioning from active duty to a civilian work setting.

ľ��AV has over 20 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense (DoD) and federal civilian agencies. As we do work that matters around the world, our veteran employees have the opportunity to continue the mission even after their active-duty service comes to an end.

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation?
Reach out today.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

Careers at ľ��AV

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The post Mission Continued: John Achille Discusses Camaraderie, Leadership, and Continuing to Serve appeared first on ľ��AV.

Mission Continued: With Luis Colon-Castro

Rey Granda — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 11:30:43 +0000

“Mission Continued” is a blog series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

In this installment, we interview Luis Colon-Castro, vice president of Mission Systems at ľ��AV. A retired Marine officer, Luis served the USMC in several management roles, blending experience in systems engineering and software development. He also became an expert in the human resources development process across the enterprise, from recruiting to separations and retirement.

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation?
Reach out today.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

Careers at ľ��AV

PROUDLY V3 CERTIFIED

The post Mission Continued: With Luis Colon-Castro appeared first on ľ��AV.

Mission Continued: with Sam Stolzoff

ľ��AV PR — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 13:21:35 +0000

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

In this installment, we interview Sam Stolzoff, Director of Advanced Open Source Solutions at ľ��AV. During his military career, Sam worked as a cryptologic analyst identifying foreign language communications using signals equipment and served in the Iraq War.

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation?
Reach out today.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

Careers at ľ��AV

PROUDLY V3 CERTIFIED

The post Mission Continued: with Sam Stolzoff appeared first on ľ��AV.

Mission Continued: with James DeVore

ľ��AV PR — Thu, 26 May 2022 11:00:51 +0000

In this installment, we interview James DeVore, program manager and senior SharePoint developer at ľ��AV. Throughout his 20-year career in the U.S. Army, Mr. DeVore worked as a cable systems installer, a network systems operator, and a telecommunications operations chief, as well as serving as the first sergeant of a signal company.

Q: What did you love most about your work in the military? What lesson from your time in service has stuck with you?

A: What I most enjoyed was that every day offered unique challenges to tackle and adversities to overcome. Learning to handle challenges is something I tried to instill as a leader and mentor later in my career.

One principle I live by that I attribute to my time in service is “excellence is a habit.” We’re shaped by what we repeatedly do, and our habits become part of our character. That means practical skills such as rethinking a plan at the last minute or demonstrating resilience under pressure can become automatic, increasing the bandwidth of what you can accomplish on any given day.

Q: What was your favorite duty station or deployment?

A: Hands-down my favorite assignment was in Belgium. I was a personal communicator for The Supreme Allied Commander Europe, who leads the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Allied Command Operations. It was stressful but rewarding to support a four-star general. Failure was never an option. I also got to see so many different countries and have life experiences that, as a small-town kid in his twenties, I never would’ve thought possible.

Q: What did you most look forward to about separating from the military?

A: A better work/life balance. Dedicating yourself to being a soldier means making yourself available 24/7. That equates to a lot of late nights and missed time with family, especially in roles of greater leadership and responsibility.

Q: What kinds of challenges did you encounter when transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce? What should companies do to attract more veteran talent — and what makes veterans such valuable assets?

A: Possibly the biggest hurdle veterans face in entering the civilian workforce is translating their military experience to a marketable civilian skillset. At the time that I retired in 2015, the military didn’t prepare service members well for the transition in terms of getting certifications to validate their skills, educational credits, and so on. It’s better now, but there’s still room for improvement.

On the civilian side, companies looking to recruit veterans should be proactive, reach out early during transitional leave, and start the dialogue about skill transfer and relevant experience. Companies often seek out veterans for their leadership qualities and discipline.

Q: How have the skills you developed throughout your military career translated to your role(s) at ľ��AV? What has kept you here?

A: More than anything, the leadership approach that I cultivated in the Army. I treat people as adults who can take ownership of their own responsibilities until they prove me wrong. This approach translated well to my environment at ľ��AV. What has kept me here is the opportunity to continue supporting the mission. ľ��AV’s applications in support of the Defense Health Agency directly impact the lives of active duty, veterans, and their families. Whether it’s our PTSD coaching app, smoking cessation app, or our suicide awareness and prevention app, these are all issues that hit home for veterans. Giving back through my work at ľ��AV is extremely rewarding.

Q: What would your professional advice be to a service member who is approaching their separation date?

A: The military will try to use you as an asset until the final day of your contract. Know when to push back and take time for yourself to prepare for the transition, and to take advantage of all the resources available to you: interview preparation, professional resume writing, networking, and so on. Use those final months to set yourself up for success.

Leverage your military skills and experience to build a career with ľ��AV.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

Careers at ľ��AV

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The post Mission Continued: with James DeVore appeared first on ľ��AV.

Mission Continued Archives — ľ��AV

Mission Continued: Joe Lemanek on Helping Veterans Transition to Cyber Careers

Q: What motivates you to volunteer your time as a Cybervets advisor?

Q: What are you enjoying most about working in the private sector?

Q: What’s the most important thing you learned during your 10-plus years in the Navy?

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

PROUDLY V3 CERTIFIED

Mission Continued: John Achille Discusses Camaraderie, Leadership, and Continuing to Serve

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation? Reach out today.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

PROUDLY V3 CERTIFIED

Mission Continued: With Luis Colon-Castro

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation? Reach out today.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

PROUDLY V3 CERTIFIED

Mission Continued: with Sam Stolzoff

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation? Reach out today.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

PROUDLY V3 CERTIFIED

Mission Continued: with James DeVore

Q: What did you love most about your work in the military? What lesson from your time in service has stuck with you?

Q: What was your favorite duty station or deployment?

Q: What did you most look forward to about separating from the military?

Q: What kinds of challenges did you encounter when transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce? What should companies do to attract more veteran talent — and what makes veterans such valuable assets?

Q: How have the skills you developed throughout your military career translated to your role(s) at ľ��AV? What has kept you here?

Q: What would your professional advice be to a service member who is approaching their separation date?

Leverage your military skills and experience to build a career with ľ��AV.

“Mission Continued” is a limited series in which military veterans working at ľ��AV discuss transitioning to a civilian work environment and building a successful career while continuing to support the mission.

PROUDLY V3 CERTIFIED

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation?
Reach out today.

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation?
Reach out today.

Ready to start the conversation that will lead to success after separation?
Reach out today.