Jere Ferguson is a Navy veteran and an adjunct professor at Indiana Wesleyan University. He also has decades of experience in logistics management, a career he came to love after his dreams of a military career fell through. Coming from a third-generation naval family, he joined after earning his bachelor’s degree in social science, also minoring in political science.
As a veteran and a professor who is passionate about helping military and veteran students find their way, Jere helped us understand some of the challenges military personnel face as they transition to civilian life and offered advice from his own personal experience.
Q: So where did you start and how did you transition to civilian life?
Jere: I was on a destroyer, and I was the damage control officer and repair officer. That experience was difficult for me to explain to companies interviewing me. I was responsible for $10M worth of equipment, I was the officer of the deck handling stressful situations, and I was protecting the ship and keeping it afloat in combat.
I went in with the intention of staying 30 years, but the government downsized and cut the Navy by 70%. I served four years active duty and then 26 years in the Navy Reserve. Ultimately my first job out of the Navy was at a can manufacturer in a logistics leadership role. I was a middle manager bringing in supplies for the plants. Today, I am the CEO and president of JTE Industries.
Q: In your experience, what made transitioning to civilian life so difficult?
Jere: Part of it is working in an environment where people don’t have to obey you. Military personnel are used to the command structure. Also, many times the terminology used in the workplace is radically different – they use terms that don’t mean the same thing in the military, like logistics. In the military, that means moving supplies to a combat zone. I had to find terms that employers understood to describe what I did in the Navy. These days, most people don’t have a concept of what a sergeant is and so on, so it’s your responsibility to translate.
The other part is finding your path after the military. Usually people have varying levels of readiness for college or a career, and they may have a hard time seeing how their military experience connects to a civilian occupation or a college degree program.
Q: If you could give two pieces of advice to someone before they transition to civilian life, what would they be?
Jere: First, try and find someone in the civilian world that you feel you can share with or talk to. A lot of times, you lose the structure and camaraderie from a military command, so find someone either in person or virtually to unburden yourself.
Second, understand it will be difficult. You can’t just walk out and ten people will want to hire you—with some exceptions. A lot of people also have emotional trauma and feel abandoned. Be prepared to take baby steps and feel isolated for a time.
Q: What skills are going to be the most helpful for the transition?
Jere: One of the things military candidates fail to capitalize on in interviews is focusing on the fact that they were given leadership roles and authority, so they have experience that civilians don’t have. I mean leadership like handling large sums of money, expensive equipment, being accountable for people’s lives.
They have to be talking about their leadership skills and their ability to make decisions, follow instructions, and understand the importance of timely work and following a schedule. Regardless of what job you’re doing, remember your leadership and time management skills dealing with stress is something the average college student doesn’t have.
Searching for education options that can help you with your transition to civilian life? IWU offers more than 100 fully online programs made for busy adult students. IWU’s Associate of Science in Operations Management and Associate of Science in Public Service and Management are specifically designed to leverage your experience in the military as credits and help you prepare for and advance in a civilian career. Learn more at iwumilitary.com.