The Military Wire with Mike Schindler

DEVELOPING A TOP GUN MINDSET: INSTRUCTOR AND TOP GUN AVIATOR DAVE BARANEK

Life is full of transitions. Mindset is key to success. Our guest - Dave Baranek- helps us understand what it takes to develop the mindset that not only helped him become a radar intercept officer (RIO), operating the weapons system in the Navy's F-14 Tomcat fighter but then be selected to become an aerial combat instructor at the elite Navy Fighter Weapons School, better known as Topgun. While serving as an instructor in 1985, he had the unusual experience of flying aerial sequences used in the film "Top Gun."

How many of us have envied the success of someone we met in person or we saw on a movie screen? Honestly, you’ve had those thoughts of, “I see that success, I want that success, I’ve got to get it done.” Some of you put in the work, but after exhausting yourself, you aren’t any closer to where you want to go. A year or two goes by and you aren’t any farther along in your journey.

You aren't alone. It’s not uncommon. Few seem to be on-point and on-mission. But not because of a lack of desire – but know-how – and mindset.

Dave shares how mindset is key to your success and the small steps you can take to incorporate those changes into your life.  

 

 

Vision - Maj.General (Ret.) Gale Pollock talks straight on gaining personal and physical vision

Vision. Some have their eyesight yet lack direction. Others have lost their sight, yet know the direction they want to go. Some are simply blind in both areas. In this episode you'll learn about what it takes to gain vision back in your life and about a new technology, eSight, that is helping bring back sight to those who are visually impaired.

Imagine for a moment, you serve your country and you do it well – not uncommon. But then you get injured in battle – injured to the point your vision for your life changes – maybe you lose your sight; maybe your “planned career” now needs to change. You once could see, but now you are visually impaired. Or maybe your vision for your life is going off the rails. You are not alone. Today we are going to give you steps to help you gain vision - and for those who have actually lost their physical sight, we have a tremendous resource for you.

ON the show today I have Gale Pollock,  retired United States Army major general who served as the ACTING Surgeon General of the Army Medical Department, the Deputy Surgeon General of the United States Army from October 2006 to March 2007, and also as chief of the Army Nurse Corps. In addition, GEN. Pollock served as Exec Director, Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Today, she is helping Veterans see.

What Stands Between You and Your Best-Fit Job - Casey Hurst on A Veteran Job Seeker’s Perspective on Job Hunting

TOPIC: What Stands Between You and Your Best-Fit Job – Casey Hurst on A Veteran Job Seeker’s Perspective on Job Hunting 

Some of you may simply be struggling with how to identify the best fit job or struggle with the lack of feedback from the job seeking process.

In this episode, you'll hear from Casey - a veteran job-seeker - on how he is navigating the job hunt and where he is finding success. 

SUMMARY: 

Zip Recruiter and Call of Duty Endowment recently released a study which revealed that Veterans are typically quick to get hired but roll out of that first job at a higher rate than their civilian counterpart within the first six months – both the veteran and the employer lose when this happens. 

I’m sure many of us know someone who has experienced this – it can be a struggle even to get an interview so when you do, and it results in an offer, you take it. Not uncommon – as the study shows. 

Some of you may simply be struggling with how to identify the best fit job or struggle with the lack of feedback from the job seeking process. 

You aren’t alone. Our guest, Casey, shares his experience as a job seeker. An Army officer, with an impeccable record, who from all appearances is doing everything right – taking advantage of resume workshops, fellowships, networking, yet still working to land his talents, skills and abilities inside a company where he will no doubt improve morale and profits.

Special OPS Gary V shares "How He Is Finding His Post-Service Identity"

WHO AM I? Have you ever looked in the mirror and asked yourself “who is staring back at me?” You wear the uniform or wore it – had your identify assigned to you – but you still don’t know who you are. Maybe you’re not who you thought you would be? Maybe you’ve done things that are incredibly impressive followed by things you are far from proud of – which creates this internal conflict – and leads you to ask the question WHO AM I.

You aren’t alone. Gary V helps us unpack his journey to discovery WHO HE IS despite being defined by the military and society of who he should be.

This episode will help you start that journey to self - discovery. 

 

Our guest led a dual life – and one where he battled with his dual identity. Gary Villanueva’s training in Special Operations is extensive -  Retired 1st Special Forces Group, Ft Lewis WA 1999 (Retiring rank: E-8 Master Sergeant, no combat tours)

He then became an Activated Retiree; Operation Enduring Freedom Iraq, 1st Special Forces Group 2008-2009 (in the rear with the gear, still no combat tour)

Finished 21 years of service in the United States Army, Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran. Six years as a Special Forces Operations Sergeant coordinating detachment (1 year A-Team Operations Sergeant) and company operations. eight years as a Special Forces Medical Sergeant specializing in combat trauma management. six years as a Special Forces Engineer Sergeant specializing in military explosives, field (theater) construction, and fortifications.

Start the journey. Ask for help. Get a mentor. You'll find you when you find your gift. 

How to Get Ahead in Corporate - Gaining a Top Gun Mentality with Dwight Zimmerman

Getting ahead in corporate requires a certain attitude. In this episode, you'll learn how Dwight Zimmerman - one of the nation's most respected historians moved along his career to showcase some of America's most pivotal events. His steps can be duplicated to help you move along your career path. 

You also learn that in 1986, in more than a thousand theaters across the country, American audiences flocked to see one of the year’s most hyped movies. I was one of those Americans who raced to see what was promised to be an action-packed, thrilling movie starring Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, and cool jets. Some critics said the movie would amount to a failure – but in the first weekend, sales totaled $8.2 million, more than half of the movie’s $15m budget – and it went on to amass more than $300m and is still considered one of the Navy’s best recruiting tools.

That movie is Top Gun. It not only became a recruiting jackpot for the Navy, but according to Dwight Zimmerman – one of the nation’s top historians and author of the new book TOP GUN: 50 Years of Naval Air Superiority – it was the catalyst to helping shift an attitude of despair and embarrassment many felt when it came to our military.

How to Leverage LinkedIn to Land Your Next Career with Sarah Roberts - Head of Military and Veteran Programs at LinkedIn

Sarah Roberts, West Point Graduate and Head of Military and Veteran Programs at LinkedIn, shares how to effectively leverage LinkedIn to land your next job in this episode of The Military Wire. 

Roberts is a West Point graduate, graduate of Gonzaga, worked at Amazon and Microsoft after her time in the Army. 

In this episode you'll learn:

1. Some of the common mistakes people make with their LinkedIn profile and how to avoid them

2. How to position your profile as a problem solver and not as one trying to sell themselves

3. What is LinkedIn Premium and how Veterans and their spouses can take advantage of this program at no cost for one year. 

 

How To Leverage Your Past to Shape Your Future - Lt. Col. Bill Riley

Not every experience in your life is a good one. In this episode, Lt. Col. Bill Riley (Ret.), author of the book "Baghdaddy: How Saddam Hussein Taught Me to be a Better Father" shares how both his childhood experiences - unstable and violent home, absent father and a mother who struggled with mental illness - and his military experience - witnessing the violence of war - shaped who he is today: a true asset to his community and more importantly, to his family. 

Your past does not have to define you. Learn from it. Focus on the good of the moment. Plan for a great future. And be flexible. 

In Bill's latest book, Baghdaddy, you'll be taken on a journey where you'll likely see parts of yourself and you'll understand that even the toughest assignments and roughest childhoods can be teaching moments. 

Overcoming Your Past - The Ranger Behind the Pat Tillman Tragedy

Are you struggling with your past getting in the way of your future? Imagine if you were most-likely responsible for the death of a fellow soldier...and that soldier was American Hero Pat Tillman. Steven Elliott, author of War Story, shares how we worked through being one of two most likely responsible for Pat Tillman's death.

Steven Elliott was one of the Rangers who served with Pat's brother but through investigation was determined to be one of two individuals responsible for the shot that ended Pat Tillman's life. Steven allowed that experience to grip him - turned to alcohol, lost his marriage, lost hope - but was able to pull through and his story of overcoming is incredible - the journey painful and told in his new book War Story. 

How to Beat Veteran Underemployment - Featuring Dan Goldenberg Executive Director Call of Duty Endowment

In this episode you'll learn how to beat Veteran Underemployment. Dan Goldenberg, Naval Academy and Harvard Business School graduate, serves as the Executive Director of the Call of Duty Endowment and walks our listeners through the latest studies on Veteran underemployment and what our listeners can do to beat it. 

Check out the latest study here. 

Military Recruiters Are Facing a New War: A War for Talent

In this episode, you'll hear from Jeb Blount, the bestselling Author of ten books and one of the world's most respected thought leaders on sales, leadership, and customer experience, on what he is doing to aid the military in recruiting talent and what you can do to land your next job.

Unemployment fell to a 49-year low as the U.S. created 263,000 new jobs in April. Those increases in hiring were concentrated mainly at white-collar businesses, construction and health care. And while this is great news for those individuals and industries, America is becoming more at risk as military recruiters are competing against higher wages and for qualified candidates who are willing to protect and defend the United States. This episode also unpacks what the country is doing to shore up this short-fall. 

His book, Fanatical Military Recruiting, is a must-read for anyone who is exploring the sales industry.