Kurt Virkaitis
NHMCA and my transition to post-military employment
In June of 2020 I retired from the U.S. Coast Guard after 26 years of service. My career included more than eight years of operational leadership at Coast Guard units including command of 110 people aboard a 270 foot flight deck equipped ship in Kittery Maine. My other experience ranged from teaching chemistry at the Coast Guard Academy, to HR program management, to managing regional law enforcement operations, to leading governmental relations and public affairs from New York City to the Canadian Border.
About a year before my planned retirement, I contacted a recently retired friend from New Hampshire to ask for some advice. By good fortune he told me about a new mentoring network that some very supportive New Hampshire professionals and veterans were launching. I jumped at the opportunity and was soon connected with a mentor. With the organization’s help I was able to plan my transition more effectively, gain insights into how my military skills would translate to a civilian career, and get validation on my plan to earn PMP and SPHR certifications. Most significantly, I learned the importance of networking and got good at it. Being a protégé in the NH Military Coaching Alliance allowed me to plug into a rapidly growing network in the location I planned to retire in. Making hundreds of contacts through the NHMCA and other networking groups was critical to my successful employment transition.
As a direct result of the skills learned in the NHMCA, I initially accepted a position with Amazon Logistics as senior operations manager and after just six months was selected to lead the successful launch of a new station. Like many veterans I did not find the best employment fit on my first try and was able to network through the NHMCA into a high school science teaching position. My success in this move was a direct result of the networking power of this organization. Still seeking the best personal and professional fit, through another network connection I recently discovered and successfully transitioned into a civil service position with the Department of Defense.
My advice to transitioning service members: find a network and expand it. If you know the location (like I did) focus on that area by finding organizations like the NHMCA. Networking is working, every contact is important, and embracing this reality will pay dividends. Every connection is valuable and you never know when they will create an opportunity. Take every introduction seriously. When anyone goes out of their way to make a connection for you it is a personal endorsement, so make sure to follow through and make a good impression. Finally, pay it forward to someone else. Networking is as much about giving as it is about getting, always look for opportunities to make connections for others.
