Military Transition Academy Podcast by Vets2PM

Welcome, everyone, to The Military Transition Academy Human Resources Pathfinders Series, where we explore the path from military service to civilian Human Resources roles.

I'm Jeremy Burdick, and in our first two episodes, I'll be taking on the role of interviewer as we sit down with Misty Moreno. Misty brings over 24 years of invaluable experience in the HR industry, and together, we'll dive deep into her journey.

Join us as we uncover Misty's insights, lessons learned, and advice gained from her extensive career. If you are a veteran navigating your transition into civilian HR these episodes are packed with valuable knowledge.

Get ready to gain some incredible insights as Misty shares her wisdom with us on The Military Transition Academy Human Resources Pathfinders Series.

Welcome, everyone, to The Military Transition Academy Human Resources Pathfinders Series, where we explore the path from military service to civilian Human Resources roles.

I'm Jeremy Burdick, and in our first two episodes, I'll be taking on the role of interviewer as we sit down with Misty Moreno. Misty brings over 24 years of invaluable experience in the HR industry, and together, we'll dive deep into her journey.

Join us as we uncover Misty's insights, lessons learned, and advice gained from her extensive career. If you are a veteran navigating your transition into civilian HR these episodes are packed with valuable knowledge.

Get ready to gain some incredible insights as Misty shares her wisdom with us on The Military Transition Academy Human Resources Pathfinders Series.

Jimmy Matamoros, a US Navy veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, seamlessly transitioned from military service to entrepreneurship. With a rich background in the window film industry and significant collaborations with top-tier companies like Boeing and Google, Jimmy has demonstrated exceptional versatility and creativity. As the founder of Turn-To, a pioneering job search platform, he combines his software and AI engineering skills with a passion for solving real-world problems. Beyond his professional achievements, Jimmy's involvement in holistic living through his Moringa tree company reflects his commitment to a balanced and impactful life. His journey is a beacon for veterans and entrepreneurs alike, showcasing the power of adaptability, continuous learning, and the drive to make a difference.

Erin is a self-made millionaire who achieved financial freedom through real estate investing in less than four years. To date, she has helped over 600 other investors to build cash flowing real estate portfolios.

A U.S. Army Veteran, Erin understands what it’s like to work for “the man” and be limited by a schedule and fixed income. Erin created a system to allow her to live a life by design and now has the time and resources to give back and focus on her family. She is a Realtor ® at eXp Realty and is passionate about growing her team of agents and mentoring them to build the business of their dreams. She currently has 15 agents with plans for continual growth.

Erin’s real estate portfolio includes 97 rental units. Erin’s courses and conferences empower investors to dream big and ruthlessly pursue their goals! She has a personal goal of creating a million millionaires!

In this episode, we discuss contract support through tailored insurance and benefits with Ricky Dodge and Mike deVaux.

Keystone Benefit Group has industry-leading expertise and tools to support the needs of SCA contracts. Innovative, compliant, and cost-effective solutions. With benefit programs for government contractors ranging from startups to companies with thousands of employees, Keystone's service model ensures 24/7 support for our clients and their families. Always on duty.

Mike deVaux - Naval aviator F-18 pilot -mdevaux@kbgllc.com

Richard Dodge: rdodge@kbgllc.com

In this episode, we discuss a contracting event with John Cook.

A way to go from $0 to $.5B!

Register today! https://stratgrowthadvisors.com/2024-tribal-partnership-summit/

In this episode, we discuss the Master Project Leadership Workshop or what we call the MPLW.

Jozue Chaires is a first-generation American born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in inner-city Los Angeles and enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after high school. Jozue attended 12B Combat Engineer One station unit training at Fort Leonard Wood MO in the Winter of 2009. He served 14 years in the US Army and is a proud graduate of the Army Jumpmaster and Sapper Leader course. In 2023, Jozue embarked upon a credential laddering journey where he earned the CM, PSM, PMI-ACP, PMP, and LSSGB certifications in pursuit of his post-service career. In October of 2023, the idea of the MPL-W was born and in January of 2024, the Fort Bliss Master Project Leadership workshop became the only Project Management Career Skills Program in the United States Army.

If you want to sign up, go to www.vets2pm.com/mpl-workshop

In this episode we discuss heuristics, biases, behavioral design, NeuralPlan, and behavioral project management in general.

Dr. Josh Ramirez, NPPQ, PMP, is CEO and founder of the Institute for Neuro & Behavioral Project Management with Dr. Jodi Wilson. His experience includes work at numerous DOE sites and national labs, including Hanford, LBNL, PNNL, and Los Alamos, and he also teaches project management at Columbia Basin College and Lewis University (Chicago). He has written best practices for the DOE Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) that focus on blending cognitive and behavioral science with project management, and is co-author of NeuralPlan with Dr. Shari DeBaets, a certification that has seen up to 80% increases in probability of meeting project milestones. Josh’s doctoral research focused on designing project management with behavioral science.

If you want to sign up for free:

1. Go to neural-plan.com

2. Click on "Get NPPQ Certified"

3. Add to cart

4. Click on the GovX box and verify to get your coupon code

5. During checkout use the GovX code

Carey Kight combines military experience with industry experience to produce award-winning content campaigns.

As a bomb loader in the US AIR FORCE, he deployed twice to Afghanistan and participated in NATO operations throughout Europe with allied militaries.

After service, he attended film school and worked in Hollywood as an indie filmmaker before making the leap to advertising.

He got his start writing, producing, and directing branded content for publishers before moving on to lead award-winning campaigns for small agencies helping to earn:

AdAge’s Best New Product Launch for King C. Gillette

AdAge’s Small Agency of the Year (11-75 Employees, GOLD)

DraftLineUSA’s first-ever Super Bowl spot

He leads a distributed roster of talent across

Account Services, Strategy, Creative, and Production disciplines.

Misty Moreno is a multifaceted professional with an impressive background and a dynamic approach to leadership and communication. As the Marketing Manager at Vets2PM, she plays a pivotal role in aiding veterans to transform their military skills into successful post military careers. Misty's approach combines strategic insight with creative marketing to effectively showcase Vets2PM's value to potential participants and partners.

Her career is marked by a 20-year service in the Air Force, followed by a significant role as an HRBP & the Lean Manufacturing Coach at Continental Tire. Academically, Misty is well-equipped with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, an Associate degree in Human Resources, and certifications including PMP, HRCI APHR, and PHR.

Misty is not just a marketer but also an author and educator. She has written "Get Your Shit Together," which includes 30 journal prompts and practical advice for navigating life's challenges. Additionally, she is the creator of the Vets2PM aPHR Certification Prep Course and an instructor for the Vets2PM Project Management Professional Boot Camp Plus.

Her leadership philosophy centers on developing better human beings, honesty, effort, and service to others. This philosophy has guided her in all her professional interactions, ensuring dignity and respect are upheld in every situation. Misty is known for her "keep it real" attitude, punctuality, attention to detail, and her passion for research and order.

On a personal note, Misty's life is filled with diverse interests and commitments. She loves cake and has a deep faith in Jesus, is known to curse occasionally, and works hard so her husband can be a stay-at-home dad. Her son's name is inspired by the main characters of the films "Gladiator" and "Troy," reflecting her creative and thoughtful nature. Misty Moreno is a unique blend of professional rigor, personal authenticity, and a heartfelt commitment to service, making her an invaluable asset to any team or project she is part of.

Today's episode will explain the application of a product roadmap and we will include the determination of which components go to which releases. Next, we talk about the role of a business analyst in adaptive or predictive, plan-based approaches. Finally, we cover the acceptance criteria (the action of defining changes based on the situation) and how to decide if a project/product is ready for delivery based on a requirements traceability matrix or product backlog.

On today's episode we match tools to scenarios (e.g., user stories, use cases, etc.), then identify the requirements gathering approach for a situation (e.g., conduct stakeholder interviews, surveys, workshops, lessons learned, etc.) and wrap up with explaining the requirements traceability matrix/product backlog.

This show covers the most appropriate communication channel/tool (e.g., reporting, presentation, etc.) and demonstrates why communication is important for a business analyst between various teams (features, requirements, etc.).

Robert retired as a First Sergeant in the Army and a 19Z, Cavalry Scout who served on active duty for 20 years. Currently, Robert serves as the Learning & Development Specialist for North America at Embraer.

In this episode, Max and Jeremy distinguish between stakeholder roles and the need for stakeholders. Then we move on to differentiate between internal and external roles.

As a highly-successful entrepreneur, Douglas James has seen over-and-over how fellow business owners have amazing ideas which deserve to succeed. This knowledge inspired Douglas to empower budding entrepreneurs on how to acquire, close and retain amazing clients, so they can finally experience the lives of their dreams.

Douglas decided he wanted to help others to succeed during his time in the Navy. In 2015, he was deployed on a humanitarian mission that allowed him to assist some of the most impoverished communities in the world. It was then and there that Douglas knew he wanted to live his life with great purpose and do everything he can to raise others up.

After returning home, Douglas launched his career as an entrepreneur and immediately experienced the power of certain digital marketing and advertising techniques and how they can positively impact virtually any business.

Douglas also immersed himself in the world of Facebook Ads and YouTube Ads, learning all he could about this effective marketing platform to reach global audiences. He has used Facebook Ads to help numerous local businesses to succeed, and then expanded his scope to online coaching so he can help other business owners do the same. Known as “The High-Ticket Client Guy”, Douglas has already trained and coached over 5,000 entrepreneurs on how to turbo-charge their earning potential with his proven sales and marketing strategies.

Douglas James has been aired on Live TV and featured in major publications like FOX, Entrepreneur, Yahoo, NBC and ABC to name a few. He is a Inc. 5000 Entrepreneur, meaning that his company is one of the fastest growing companies in the United States today. Douglas will never forget his time working with the people of Papua, New Guinea and other countries, many of whom were lacking basic essentials like shoes. As a result, he focuses on being a for purpose business, giving back to non profits like Pencils of Promise who build schools for kids in Mexico and RIP Medical who eradicate Military and Veteran Medical Debt

Michelle Prince is CEO and Founder of Performance Publishing. She’s helped thousands tell their stories and is dedicated to making a difference, one story at a time. She is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, publishing expert, leadership coach, host of The Power of Authority Spotlight podcast, and a Ziglar Legacy Certified speaker/trainer. She is married to her husband Chris and has two sons, Austin and Tyler, and has a passion for the ocean and pugs! Michelle really wants to see everyone succeed in their personal & professional goals and realize an abundant life.

You can find her books on Amazon with the below link. She is on LinkedIn and you can email her directly at Support@PerformancePublishingGroup.com

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michelle-Prince/author/B00ML0DXB0?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

In this episode, Max and Jeremy identify artifacts that are used in adaptive projects. Then we discuss the components of different adaptive methodologies (e.g., Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), Scaled Adaptive Framework (SAFe®), Kanban, etc.). Next, we cover the success criteria of adaptive projects and wrap up how to prioritize tasks in adaptive project management.

Sam Peterson is a former Army EOD technician turn mental health professional. Since nearly taking his own life and losing several friends to suicide, Sam dedicated his life to treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic, brain injuries, depression and anxiety. Sam is an entrepreneur and has opened up several mental health programs for vets in need and continues to push the envelope on what it means to treat mental health conditions more effectively.

If you are interested in the Patriot PowerUp care please reach out to speterson@altiorhealthcare.com and use the NPI1003086653 for your VA referral.

During this episode of the PM Pathfinder we discuss the logical units of iterations and interpret the pros and cons of the iteration. We then talk about translation of a WBS to an adaptive iteration. From there we move to the necessary inputs for scope and talk over the importance of adaptive project tracking versus predictive, plan-based tracking.

This episode will compare the pros and cons of adaptive and predictive, plan-based projects. Next, we discuss and identify the suitability of adaptive approaches for the organizational structure (e.g., virtual, colocation, matrix structure, hierarchical, etc.). Finally, we identify organizational process assets and environmental factors that facilitate the use of adaptive approaches.

Katie Garcia is a seasoned HR professional with over 10 years of experience, including pivotal roles in HR and a supportive Navy Spouse. Holding an MBA from Regent University and a SHRM Certification, Katie has excelled in driving organizational growth, championing diversity and inclusion, and streamlining HR strategies. Recognized for her innovative recruitment tactics and commitment to employee well-being, she’s not only a trusted advocate for enhancing HR practices but also an active contributor to professional and volunteer organizations. Katie's expertise and insights have made her a respected figure in the field of HR as well as a veteran advocate in the landscape of employment.

During this episode, we unpack the various artifacts for plan-based predictive projects while discussing cost and schedule variances of earned value management.

Sebastiano "Seb" Formica, a retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant and dedicated advocate for transitioning Veterans through SkillBridge, leads the Formica Group Real Estate Partners in the greater San Antonio area. Under his guidance since 2018, the group has consistently achieved remarkable growth. In 2020, Seb and his team closed 121 units, generating $36 million in production. The following year, they served 205 clients, achieving an impressive $67 million in volume. Their exceptional service earned them recognition as one of "America's Best" by Real Trends, ranking them among the top 1.5% of real estate agents and teams nationwide for two consecutive years. They were also honored by the San Antonio Business Journal as one of the "Best in Residential Real Estate" teams in 2020 and 2021. They have consistently ranked in the San Antonio Platinum Top 50 Organization’s list of Top 500 agents in San Antonio since 2020. Seb Formica holds a notable portfolio of credentials, including roles as a Real Estate Broker, Project Management Professional, Certified Ninja, Consumer Residential Specialist (CRS), and a Master's degree in Information Technology Management with a specialization in Digital Forensics.

Eric "Doc" Wright, PhD presents The Extra TAP Class, the place where we help you turn your military leadership experience into a meaningful, lucrative post-service career.

Juan "JP" Perez Jr. was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, then commissioned into the US Army Corps of Engineers. JP then attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection on September 08, 2001. Having completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2003, he joined the 7th Special Forces Group. JP deployed overseas in support of the GWOT in over seven countries, including Afghanistan. He retired in 2016 and currently works as a Program Manager and Lead for Davies Group - a UK-based company that provides professional services and technology solutions across the risk and insurance value chain.

Maria Cherjovsky has dedicated over 25 years to the fields of workforce development, nonprofit management, social services and higher education, addressing the emerging needs of employers while representing and supporting underserved groups. She’s held executive roles at the University of Central Florida as well as local nonprofit organizations including Vice President of Mission Services and Workforce Innovation for Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Vice President of Operations for the Coalition for the Homeless, President of the Florida Diversity Council, President of the Central Florida Disability Chamber of Commerce, which she helped transition to the Florida Abilities and Inclusion Network; and Executive Director of AMCSI, a national organization on disability inclusion. In addition to these roles, Maria was a college professor for 10 years; a career coach, instructional designer, project manager, marketing expert and consultant for 15+ years, both domestically and internationally, transforming organizations, developing high performing teams, thus furthering the impact on the individuals and communities served.

Rob Campbell is a U.S. Army Colonel turned leadership and veteran author, coach, and keynote speaker. A staunch veteran and military spouse advocate, Rob founded Salutes and Handshakes, an Eastern Tennessee regional effort to attract and retain talent – military and non-military. Rob is a decorated veteran of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and served in relief efforts during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana in 2005.

Adam was a Marine combat engineer from 2010 to 2018 and met Nicole during his military transition road trip. Nicole has been in the surety industry and worked as a surety underwriter while Adam completed his Entrepreneurship Degree from Belmont University in Nashville TN. In 2021 Adam & Nicole started a surety agency to help surety users and insurance agents get the most knowledgeable and specialized surety support.

Ben Skipper is the Executive Director of Aerospace & Defense Executive Programs at the University of Tennessee's Haslam College of Business and serves on the faculty of the Department of Supply Chain Management. In these roles, he works closely with the College’s corporate and institutional partners and students to develop and advance knowledge across industry and academia.

Skipper earned his doctorate in Management from Auburn University and holds an M.S. in Logistics Management from the US Air Force Institute of Technology. Skipper has published work in a variety of management, logistics, and supply chain related journals including the Journal of

Business Logistics, the International Journal of Logistics Management, and the International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management. He has received several teaching and research awards including a best paper award from the International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management. His current research interests include supply chain disruption and disruption avoidance, supply chain strategy, and supply chain leadership.

Additionally, Dr Skipper has held tenure track positions at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University, and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Prior to entering academia, Skipper served for twenty years in the United States Air Force. During this time he held a variety of logistics positions and commanded one of the US Air Force’s strategic supply chain operations squadrons, responsible for worldwide operational support.

Today we cover the application of both quality and integration management plans. You should have a better understanding of the project management plan as a whole after watching this video.

Branden Irvine, Director of Sales and Marketing, brings a strong background driving high-performing teams for top global brands. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Mr. Irvine came to sbLiftOff to grow the company’s national presence. Mr. Irvine works directly with business owners across the country contemplating an ownership transfer or acquisition. He has extensive business transformation experience spanning operations, supply chain, sales, marketing and post M&A integration.

Before joining sbLiftOff, Mr. Irvine worked at Stanley Black and Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK), where he served as a Senior Channel Marketing Manager with responsibility for P&Ls, representing some of the most notable global brands from DEWALT to Craftsman, Irwin, Lenox, and Mac Tools. Mr. Irvine brought award-winning, patented products to market in collaboration with Product Development and Supply Chain teams. At Worthington Industries (NYSE: WOR), his primary responsibility was implementing transformation systems across two different business units.

Mr. Irvine, a veteran, was awarded a Bronze Star for service in Afghanistan. At sbLiftOff, he is deeply committed to the company’s charitable work with veteran entrepreneurs. Mr. Irvine served as an Officer in the United States Army’s 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), deployed to Afghanistan as a Platoon Leader of Cavalry Scouts in 2012, and again as an Executive Officer in 2013. In addition to being an Executive Officer, Mr. Irvine was also an Advisor to the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army on Logistics. Mr. Irvine was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and holds an Army Commendation Medal and a Combat Action Badge.

Dustin Hayes- U.S. Navy (Medically Retired), CEO/Founder of Red White & Badass Brew, Coffee As old as The American Spirit & Host of Coffee, Conversation & Badasses Podcast, We tell heroic stories of badass people who overcame mental health, addiction, relationship & business struggles.

Corey Reiser is a former Field Artillery Officer who has made a successful transition from military service to entrepreneurship after serving on active duty for 10 years. Corey is a proud graduate of the US Military Academy Preparatory School, and a 2011 graduate of West Point, where he played lacrosse.

He has served in the 101st Airborne Division and 3rd Infantry Division, completing two deployments before being assigned as an ROTC instructor in Columbus Ohio.

While in Ohio Corey built a profitable real estate portfolio and short-term rental company which allowed him to successfully exit the Army in March of 2022 and pursue entrepreneurship full-time.

Corey looks to grow his company Early Riser Stays into the #1 short-term rental company in Columbus. He looks to work with veteran transition programs to educate and train transitioning service members on how to get started on their own journey through entrepreneurship and to help them reach financial freedom.

Tyler Wancowicz joined the Navy in 2012, the day after he turned 18. From then until 2020, all Tyler knew was military service. He decided to get his real estate license as a sort of “side hustle"; however, Tyler quickly realized that after what would be 11 years, the military is no longer for him. He has sold about 25 homes in his first 2 years in real estate while being a full-time active-duty sailor. Tyler's goal is for 25-30 this year alone.

In this episode we unpack the project management plans schedule through a review of the critical path, schedule variance (SV), work breakdown structures (WBS), and work packages.

Scott Medlin is a United States Marine Corps veteran who went on to a career of nearly fifteen years in law enforcement. In 2020, Scott wrote his first book on mental health after a harsh personal battle, and realizing just how serious the suicide threat is for many people. Scott has spoken openly about his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, and depression. Scott is a relatable and dynamic speaker, author, and content creator, and has presented at numerous first responder conferences and police academies. His work has also been featured on major platforms including Police1, Law Enforcement Today, top-ranked police podcasts, and much more. You can follow Scott on the YouTube channel, The 10 Code Mindset.

This episode is all about identifying and explaining when it is appropriate to use a predictive (or plan-based) approach. We cover this by identifying a predictive, plan-based approach for the organizational structure and determining activities, then looking at project components.

During this episode we will focus on examples of how it is appropriate to respond to a planned strategy or framework, project initiation, and benefit planning, evaluating the effectiveness of a meeting, and finally, the purpose of focus groups, standup meetings, brainstorming, etc.

This episode covers the DoD SkillBrige program and Vets2PM's use of it. The panel is stacked with Vets2PM employees and showcases their capability. It is also loaded with tips for the transitioning veteran. If you are a veteran interested in the program go to www.vets2pm.com/skillbridge to sign up. Then check out www.vets2pm.com/job-board to find opportunities.

If you are a company and you want veteran talent as a competitive edge go to www.vets2pm.com/skillbridgeca today!

During this episode, we explain the differences between leadership and management. Then we cover emotional intelligence (EQ) and its impact on project management.

Concierge Business Solutions (CBS) was born from a desire to serve. CBS founder, Luis A. Montanez, served in the Army for over 20 years. After 3 combat tours serving to build foreign nations, his vision became to form a business that offers construction services for building renovations, maintaining our local communities and national infrastructure.

Our values are the foundation of our work, and this core philosophy drives CBS divisions and employees to deliver above and beyond our clients’ expectations.

Luis has over 20 years of combined experience in the areas of Accounting, Acquisitions, Government Contracting, Military Operations, Financial Management, Real Estate Investing, and Entrepreneurship.

Luis’ formal education consists of a Masters in Accounting and Financial Management, a Bachelors of Business Administration & Accounting and is a Licensed General Contractor for the state of Georgia.

Luis enlisted in the US Army in 1998 and received his direct commission with the US Army Reserves in 2007; retired in 2021 with the rank of Major.

Luis vast acquisition experience was gained through both military and civilian when serving as contingency contracting specialist for the US Army Reserves and as a Sr. Contract Auditor for the Defense Contract Auditing Agency.

Sam Peterson is an accomplished business leader and former explosive ordnance disposal technician in the Army. After deploying three times to Afghanistan and witnessing the mental health struggles of his fellow service members, Sam developed a passion for improving the mental health system.

With a desire to create a comprehensive care environment for veterans and first responders, Sam earned his MBA from Regis University in Denver Colorado and dedicated himself to the development of Mind Spa and Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. He believes that the unique challenges and needs of this population require specialized care, and is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for veterans and first responders to receive the care they need. Through his dedication and expertise, Sam is working to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those who have served our country.

Project Managers need to display an understanding of project roles and responsibilities. During this episode we have a casual conversation about the difference between the roles and responsibilities of project managers and project sponsors, the roles and responsibilities of the project team and the project sponsor, and the importance of the role the project manager plays (e.g., initiator, negotiator, listener, coach, working member, and facilitator).

This episode we are discussing the use of a risk register in a given situation. We are also going to cover a stakeholder register in a given situation. Then finally, explain project closure and transitions.

During episode 3 we cover the purpose and importance of cost, quality, risk, schedule, etc.. Next we move to different deliverables of a project management plan versus product management plan. We finalize with a discussion over milestones and task duration while covering different types of resources.

During this episode we cover why the Global Business Development Association (GBDA) and their certification of Business Development Professional (BDP) is a great fit for veteran talent.

Tony Gray is the Founder and National Director of the Global Business Development Association, GBDAssociation.org and he is a technology executive with 30 years of business development, sales, and customer success with a wide range of experience, from technology startup founder to growth advisor for some of the most elite organizations.

During episode 2 we will discuss issues, risks, assumptions, and constraints. We also cover reviewing and critiquing project scope. Next we cover the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional conduct. Finally we discuss how projects can be a vehicle for change.