From Boots to Business

Service members find that transitioning from active duty into the civilian sector can be abrupt, with mission demands leaving little time to prepare for new careers. Transitioning without guidance, resources, and proven strategies has left thousands of veterans sitting on the sidelines of civilian employment.

Business is a diverse field, with many subcategories to pursue and many routes available to fulfill career goals and achieve success. Designed to help personalize the experience while guiding readers through the breadth of available options, those interested in pursuing a career within the business realm or as a business owner will find Boots to Business to be a valuable reference guide. Whether new to a career field or pursuing a civilian career similar to the occupational specialty you held in the military, this book offers helpful information for planning, preparing, and executing your transition.

Jillian Ventrone is an adjunct veterans’ counselor at MiraCosta College, which is part of the California State Community College System. She counsels military and military-affiliated students regarding their higher education and career goals. She is the go-to expert for professional advice for those in the process of transitioning off active duty and into the civilian sector. She is a licensed professional counselor, a certified rehabilitation counselor, and a certified career counselor. She has written five other books, including From the Marine Corps to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education (Rowman and Littlefield, 2014), From the Navy to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education (Rowman and Littlefield, 2015), From the Army to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education (Rowman and Littlefield, 2016), From the Air Force to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education (Rowman and Littlefield, 2016), Balancing Life and Education While Being a Part of a Military Family: A Guide to Navigating Higher Education for the Military Spouse (Rowman and Littlefield, 2017), that were designed to assist service members in the Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Army, as well as dependent family members.

Robert W. Blue has been a civilian education and career counselor for the military since 2001, working in the San Diego area on Navy and Marine Corps bases providing higher education services to Marines and sailors of all ranks, from junior enlisted to admiral. He has been responsible for setting up college programs, including classroom instruction, on dozens of U.S. Navy ships.

Roxanne Rapske is a franchise consultant , specializing in using the company's proven franchise matching system and her own unique experience in the business world to consult with clients and to match them to a franchise that offers the best personal and professional fit for their needs. She teaches for a transition seminar for service members held aboard the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in California. In this seminar she teaches active duty service members, veterans, and military spouses about the process of owning a franchise to demonstrate that it may be a viable option for those service members who prefer to start their own business versus working for someone else.

Julie LaCroix has been a career counselor in private practice for over a decade, based in Southern California and serving adults of all ages.