In this week’s episode of Life After the Military, Lee and Howie interview Captain (Retired) Ted Digges. A GREAT listen for active duty military members, transitioning veterans and military spouses – ESPECIALLY if you are interested in a financial management/services career!
Ted, a veteran of 27 years of military service as an officer in the United States Navy, shares invaluable advice and lessons learned from his transition to the private sector. He challenges transitioning veterans to think strategically, build out their professional network, find a mentor, and be OK with asking for help.
Ted talks about being OK with “not sticking the landing” on your first try and “opening up your aperture” to the potential opportunities that a military experience gives the men and women who serve.
Ted shares great insights on the value of the financial management scholarship program offered to active military, veterans, and military spouses by the American College of Financial Services.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-digges-3059856/
American College of Financial Services on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-american-college-cp/
American College of Financial Services: https://www.theamericancollege.edu/
0:00 Lee opens the podcast
00:26 Lee introduces Ted
01:47 Ted talks how his military service shaped him
05:04 Ted describes how he prepared for and executed his transition from the military and shares his advice and lessons learned
08:43 Ted reflects on the three important things to focus on: think strategically, find a mentor, and create and leverage your network
11:18 Ted dives more deeply into the value of mentorship and the need to OK with asking for help and “having a cup of coffee” with others
16:50 Ted advises transitioning veterans to “open their aperture” to opportunities and how they translate their skills and experience
20:03 Ted talks about why he chose to pursue the financial management field for post military employment
21:00 Ted describes the veteran scholarship opportunity with the American College of Financial Services and what he did to build up that program
23:38 Ted describes the American College of Financial Services and what the program offers to veterans and military spouses
27:40 Ted provides advice on how to apply for the scholarship
29:00 Lee gives Ted his book title
29:50 Lee, Howie and Ted talk about Ted’s positive spin on “not sticking the landing” if a veteran chooses to change jobs
31:50 Ted describes the transition he is going through now using the James Michener metaphor of “shocking the dying apple tree to bear fruit”
35:56 Ted talks about how managing the stresses of life today
40:19 Lee closes out the episode
