Episode 192 - Military Transition Experiences with Colonel David Howe (Ret.)
Going to high school in the 1980s, there was a strong emphasis on the idea of going to college in order to enter a white-collar career. This was seen as the epitome of success. Even though I was in Metropolitan Detroit, the focus still was not on skilled trades and manufacturing. “Shop” classes and programs were thought to be for those kids who couldn’t handle the academic rigors of a college prep curriculum.
It is interesting to see today how blue collar has come back. Skilled trades are seen in many ways as being more “AI proof” in comparison to white-collar professions that are more at risk of being replaced (or at least reduced). At the same time, there is an increasing need for skilled trades, and a renewed interest in blue-collar work. We even see this in mass media with shows like Dirty Jobs, or other shows that focus on the importance and skill of blue-collar professions. Turns out blue-collar work is also knowledge work.
My guest today on Experience by Design podcast is Colonel David Howe (Ret.). David built a career in healthcare. As part of his military service, he served in the Medical Service Corps, where he was a platoon leader and company commander in the 4th Infantry Division and 82nd Airborne. He then moved into healthcare administration in the civilian sector, balancing clinical needs with financial considerations. Taken together, he sees how healthcare as a system functions, needs to be improved, and how new technologies might help create better outcomes (if they don’t make things worse).
Today, he is putting together his administrative experience and military service to help veterans make the transition for military to civilian life. Along with author Ken Rusk, he co-founded the Comfort, Peace, and Freedom Foundation, which “provides free strategic life-planning services to veterans and Gold Star Families.” Their core mission is on “holistic life planning, mental health support, and goal setting to help transitioning service members and families.”
We discuss David’s military experience, and the stresses that happen among military members even when not during wartime. He describes the importance of improving the transition that takes place from military to civilian life. He also describes how he partnered with Ken Rusk, author of “Blue Collar Cash,” a Wall Street Journal Bestseller. David describes how helping vets create strategic plans can lead to better transition experiences for paths to economic and social stability, and how blue-collar work can provide a more established pathway.
I should also add that one of my standing personal goals for the podcast is to have a platform to highlight work being done by veterans. The transition from military service to civilian life can be a challenging one. So, anytime I’m able to host veterans, I’m more than happy to do so as a way of supporting the work of veterans, no matter the type of service or the timeframe in which it was done.
LEARN MORE:
Comfort Peace Freedom Foundation: https://www.cpff.us/
“Blue Collar Cash: Love Your Work, Secure Your Future, and Find Happiness for Life”: https://www.kenrusk.com/blue-collar-cash/
