Product Manager at USAA
Former Navy officer urges military job seekers to sell their leadership experience to civilian employers.
By Warren Duffie

As a junior officer on two Navy vessels, Travis Peace, 30, learned how to make snap decisions. Often, situations arose for which he had limited details but still had to react quickly – the lives of his Sailors and millions of dollars of equipment could be at stake.

Despite this pressure-cooker education, making decisions in the corporate world as a civilian took some adjustment. Now, instead of taking the lead, he had to step back and take a larger view of a challenge – often consulting committees and key stakeholders.

“When I first came to USAA, I sometimes rushed to a decision before getting all of the facts,” said Peace, a former lieutenant. “I had to adjust to the change of pace because in the business world, you have time to analyze a situation and digest information thoroughly before making a judgment. I had to learn to slow down. However, my quick reactions still help when I’m asked a question and have to think on my feet.”

On the Job
Peace found solid footing in USAA’s Junior Military Officer Career Development Program. USAA provides a variety of insurance, investment, banking and financial planning services. The career development program recruits junior military officers and places them in different business areas over three years – allowing them to learn how the organization operates.

“JMOS have a lot of leadership and management experience,” Peace said. “This program provides them with exposure to the business world.”

Currently in his first year, Peace works as a product manager in the Home Circle division – which provides members with advice and services regarding home ownership, buying, selling and renting. He partners with USAA’s marketing, communications and development teams to highlight current products and promote new ones.

In Uniform
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Peace played guard for the U.S. Naval Academy’s football team. After graduating in 2003, he was assigned to USS Bataan, where he completed surface warfare officer training. He later attended nuclear engineering school in Charleston, S.C., and Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He was then assigned to USS George Washington as a nuclear engineer.

The Transition
By 2008, Peace knew he didn’t want to make the Navy a career. He read a variety of books about leaving the military and rubbed elbows at several service academy career fairs. Before his 2008 separation, he also took transition classes and sat through networking lunches.

Peace landed a federal contracting job with Parsons Corporation, working as an engineer at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He enrolled in the MBA program at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he met a West Point graduate who worked for USAA and told him that the company was hiring.

“In the interview and on my résumé, I really stressed my leadership and management experience, as well as the business knowledge I had acquired through my MBA studies,” Peace said.

One thing I would stress to transitioning military is to push your leadership experience,” he continued. “I wish I had done that more when I first got out. I thought I could only sell my engineering skills and economics degree. Civilian employers really value the intangibles that military veterans bring to the work force.”

How’d You Get That Job?
Peace read a variety of books about leaving the military and rubbed elbows at several service academy career fairs. Before his 2010 separation, he also took transition classes and sat through networking lunches.

Peace landed a federal contracting job with Parsons Corporation, working as an engineer at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He enrolled in the MBA program at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he met a West Point graduate who worked for USAA and told him that the company was hiring.

“In the interview and on my résumé, I really stressed my leadership and management experience, as well as the business knowledge I had acquired through my MBA studies.”

Peace’s Advice
Do your homework. “Before you interview with a company, learn all you can about it. Come up with some discussion questions. Show them you want to work there.”

Don’t sell yourself short. “The military has provided you with unique experiences and skills. Promote them and show what you can bring to a company.”

Did You Know?

• USAA has ranked in the top 10 eight years straight since the G.I. Jobs Top 100 Military Friendly Employers® was instituted in 2003 and has been in its top 5 the last four years. The Fortune 500 group of companies is also ranked #1 on Military Spouse magazine’s 2011 Top 10 Military Spouse Friendly Employers® award and has held the top spot three years running.
• USAA’s Junior Military Officer Career Development Program recruits junior military officers and places them in different business areas over three years – allowing them to learn how the organization operates.
  

Where Were You on Sept. 11, 2001?
“I had just started my 2nd class year (junior) at the Naval Academy. I was in a statistics class (which happened to have computers with Internet access at each desk) when rumors started going around the classroom that a rocket or airplane had hit the towers. Classes were obviously cancelled for the rest of the day, and we were all ordered to stayed locked in our rooms in Bancroft Hall (the dorm). My roommates and I watched everything unfold on our personal computers.”