FROM MARINE TO CONTRACTOR

By: Katie Doyle, CANA Senior Logistics Analyst

Transitioning from the Marine Corps to the Contracting World

Transitioning from active duty to “the real world” can be overwhelming after spending two decades in the Marine Corps. Training and experiences do not always translate easily into the civilian world. Looking back on my journey from a Logistics Officer in the Marine Corps to a civilian contractor, I’ve realized that while the clothing changes, the mission remains the same.

The Inside Life

If you had asked my family or friends when I was in high school what I’d be doing after college, joining the United States Marine Corps would not have been on that list. My heart was set on the State Department; I wanted to give back to my country by joining the Diplomatic Corps. Instead, I decided to join the United States Marine Corps. It was a pivot I would never trade.

During my 20 years on active duty, I learned the reality of being on the “inside.” On active duty working with other service members, there is a level of frictionless communication we take for granted. Cold calling individuals you needed to coordinate with or ask for additional information from was no big deal. Simply stating your name, rank, and billet, got you in the door to do business. There is an inherent trust among Service Members – a shorthand language and shared set of values – that simply doesn’t exist after you depart. 

After 20 years, the USMC wasn’t just my job; it was the only career I had ever known and after three combat deployments was more of a way of life. Approaching retirement brought on a mix of excitement and apprehension.

The Search

My first few steps into the civilian world were a series of experiments in finding where my skills met my purpose. I started my first job at a non-profit making less than I was in retirement pay, but the mission was important to me and the impact was visible. After about three and a half years there, I moved on to be a Corporate Strategy Analyst. The organization I worked for was fantastic, the people were great, but it didn’t quite click. Eventually CANA LLC found me, and I was able to return to my roots working on solving complex problems around military Logistics.

Life on the “Outside”

Transitioning to the contracting side of USMC-focused projects is a unique experience. As former active duty members, we understand the grit and the frustration of the warfighter because we were them. However, as a contractor, cold calling and explaining who you are and what you do becomes more complicated. You still speak the language, but you no longer have that inherent trust among service members because you no longer are one. At times it can be frustrating to feel like you are on the outside looking in, but remember you are now in a position to advocate for the solutions you know are needed.

“To Be or To Do?”

Throughout my career, I never cared much about "being somebody." I didn't need a fancy title to feel important because I knew my value. It wasn't until I read Robert Coram’s biography of United States Air Force Colonel John Boyd - the fighter pilot who gave us the OODA loop - that I found the words for my personal philosophy.

Boyd used to give a famous speech, and it's a quote I originally read in Robert Coram’s 2002 book Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War. I keep it pinned to the front of my mind during this new chapter of my life:

Tiger, one day you will come to a fork in the road and you’re going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go that way you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends... Or you can go that way and you can do something—something for your country and for your Air Force and for yourself. If you decide you want to do something, you may not get promoted and you may not get the good assignments... But you won’t have to compromise yourself... To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That’s when you will have to make a decision. To be or to do?  Which way will you go?

I find that the "To Do" path is where meaningful work happens. I’m grateful to be in a place where I can still do something for the Marines coming up behind me. The uniform stays in the closet, but the mission continues.

#Logistics #MarineCorps #MilitaryTransition #PurposeDriven

About CANA

CANA is a woman-owned small business (WOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that empowers federal and commercial organizations to thrive in a global digital world through precise and adaptable technology solutions. We fuse our rigorous analytics and top-tier talent with deep expertise in complex logistics to design customer-centric, powerful solutions. We strive to create an environment that allows our Team and Clients more time to focus on the things that matter most.