Chuck Hodges
Senior Director for Events and Programs
Hiring Our Heroes
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
When I was a young major, I did a six-month industry training program in the civilian sector.
It demystified the civilian world for me and reassured me I could be successful after my service.
A huge milestone was when I attended my first transition summit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The vets and their families looked relieved and excited; they were so ready for their next chapter.
Near the end of my military career, I spent time talking to my wife about my next chapter in life.
After all she and my kids had already sacrificed, she told me she'd support me in whatever was next.
All of those extremely rewarding experiences made me want to go into the career that I'm in now.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Senior Director for Events and Programs
I synchronize multiple types of events, summits and expos across the country and in Europe.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Design
Teaching / Mentoring
Day to Day
I'm coordinating events, talking to companies about the value propositions of hiring veterans, and talking to service members and their families about the skill sets and tools they'll need for the job search. Every day differs, but everything revolves around the goal of getting opportunities for service members so that they can continue to serve even outside of their uniforms.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for professionals
The most important thing you can do is identify what you want to do. One thing that most military members have in common is that we have a commitment to service embedded into our personalities, whether that's serving a company, or serving our nation, or serving our fellow Americans. So find opportunities to give back, whether it's in your job or in volunteer opportunities outside of work, and you'll start getting down to the heart of what you want to do with your life.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Parents:
"You don't have the corporate experience we're looking for."
