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What if military transition isn’t about the next job, but about laying down the "rucksack" you’ve carried for years? Lori speaks with Marine Corps and Army veteran Eric Brew, now Georgia Director for Warriors Set Free, to unpack this organization's candid blueprint for healing from the past, building honest relationships and choosing a purpose that fits. Eric’s story cuts through the noise. He isn't known for using buzzwords, there is no posturing, just his authenticity sharing his hard-won lessons on how to own your narrative and connect without pretending.

We dig into Warriors Set Free’s origins under Set Free Ministries and the heart of their work: a peer-led, faith-centered approach that meets veterans where they are. Eric explains the Freedom Appointment, a one-day spiritual “house cleaning” that compresses months of inner work into focused time, and why virtual options make it accessible across the country. He also highlights immersive gatherings like The Warrior’s Battle for men and the new Heroes Reflect for women and family members, designed to help people put down guilt, shame and the silent weight of service.

At the core is the TRIP framework:

Truth as a filter for life’s grit

Relationships in the right order

Identity that reframes strength without shrinking

Purpose you can pursue in any field with integrity.

Eric offers practical guidance for both extroverts and introverts such as become “bilingual” in civilianese when needed, honor what charges your social battery and lead with authenticity because veterans can spot pretense a mile away.

The deeper insight Eric shares is both sobering and hopeful, transition never ends. From empty nests to career shifts and grief, change keeps coming. With truth, relationships, identity and purpose in place, each new chapter becomes navigable.

Ready to rethink what comes next and set down what no longer serves you? Listen, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help more veterans find this conversation. Subscribe for more real stories and actionable tools for every chapter after service.

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Your federal resume just shrank and if you are looking to work for the federal government you have 2 pages to convey your qualifications for these roles. In this solo episode, resume writer and federal employment specialist Lori Norris walks you through the new two-page limit, the shift to merit-based hiring processes, skills-first hiring and the rise of assessments that can land in your inbox with a 24-hour clock. If you’re a transitioning service member or a veteran already navigating USAJOBS, this is your field guide to staying eligible, standing out and moving fast without missing critical details.

We start by decoding what actually changed: how agencies will certify smaller pools of qualified applicants, why keywords now matter more and what it means when occupational questionnaires disappear in favor of USA Hire or technical tests. We explain how to read “Who may apply,” how veterans’ preference points and CPS status still work and why some announcements may close early once they hit a candidate limit. Then we drill into the resume itself, covering exact fields you must include, what to cut to fit in two pages and formatting moves that keep you compliant and visible. Think months and years for every role, hours per week, recent measurable achievements and a clean sans serif format that keeps your resume file under 5MB.

You’ll also get a clear approach to the 4 optional 200-word essays that hiring managers, not HR, will read. We share prompts, strategy and structure, how to connect your commitment to the Constitution to the job’s mission, how to quantify efficiency gains you’ve driven, how to reference relevant executive orders responsibly and how to tell a concise work-ethic story with outcomes. We wrap with a practical application plan to tailor fast, apply early, track documents, watch your spam folder for assessment links and call the agency contact when in doubt.

If this helped you get clarity or momentum, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a veteran who’s applying soon. Your support helps more service members translate their skills into roles that matter.

Learn more about Lori's resume and LinkedIn services, where she specializes in helping translate military terminology at www.getresultsresumes.com

Connect with Lori Norris on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorinorris

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/llforvets22

Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a 5-star review. Please share this with other veterans who might need help as they transition from the military!

The Lessons Learned for Vets Podcast is sponsored by Seek Now and their Drive Academy. Seek Now is the property inspection industry's leading business and they created Drive Academy DoD SkillBridge and CSP internships to teach transitioning military service members and veterans skills that prepare them for lucrative and rewarding careers in the property inspection and insurance industries. You can learn more and apply today at www.internwithdrive.com.

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For the first military transition Q&A of the season, Lori speaks with Ryan Griffiths, an Air Force leader 9 months from retirement, to translate a First Sergeant’s responsibilities that include pay issues, emergency leave, recognition and crisis calls, into relevant HR and employee relations skills that land interviews. We dig into how to rename military titles for the market, how to build keyword-rich resumes that pass ATS filters and how to lead with outcomes instead of military jargon.

Ryan’s path spans munitions, recruiting, first sergeant duty, and a first-of-its-kind candidate outreach team inside AF Special Operations Command. That outreach work becomes a blueprint for civilian talent acquisition: launching a program from zero, marketing the value proposition, sourcing in nontraditional places (think CrossFit competitions and large events), and converting interest into qualified pipelines. Lori explains the power of swapping terms, such as FMLA-equivalent instead of military leave or executive leadership instead of command, and shows how a few precise keywords can unlock the right searches without stretching the truth.

We also tackle a growing hazard for transitioning service members, job search scams. We go through some tell-tale signs such as LinkedIn DMs from “recruiters” who can’t name the role, push for phone numbers and use Gmail addresses while claiming big-brand employers. Learn a simple verification process of checking their profile activity, connections, company domains and public job links before you engage. Don't fall for high-pressure deadlines, pay-to-play promises and off-platform chats without clarity.

If you’re aiming at HR, talent acquisition, or operations, this conversation gives you a clear translation guide, a resume tuning checklist, and practical guardrails for vetting opportunities. Subscribe, share with a veteran who needs a boost, and leave a quick review to help more service members find their footing.

If you have an idea for an opportunity that matches Ryan's background, you can connect with him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-griffiths1/

Learn more about Lori's resume and LinkedIn services, where she specializes in helping translate military terminology at www.getresultsresumes.com

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/llforvets22

Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a 5-star review. Please share this with other veterans who might need help as they transition from the military!

The Lessons Learned for Vets Podcast is sponsored by Seek Now and their Drive Academy. Seek Now is the property inspection industry's leading business and they created Drive Academy DoD SkillBridge and CSP internships to teach transitioning military service members and veterans skills that prepare them for lucrative and rewarding careers in the property inspection and insurance industries. You can learn more and apply today at www.internwithdrive.com.