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1st Sgt. Michele Garner: Living life to the fullest with no regrets
By Annette P. Gomes, Warrior Care and Transition
ARLINGTON, Va. - Hard work, perseverance, and determination are all the ingredients retired 1st Sgt. Michele Garner needed to set her on the track towards success at an early age.
“My work ethic comes from being raised by a single parent to be a go-getter and I had to help provide for my mother and siblings at a young age,” Garner said. “My mother always told us that no matter what, we had to get an education and always be ready to adapt to anything.”
The Mississippi native had dreams of becoming a doctor, but having a family came earlier than expected, her mother gave her advice that would catapult her career.
“She told me I need to get away and join the military. She took guardianship of my children and that was it. I joined the military and I am loving the results now,” Garner said.
After 26 years in the military, Garner says she was ready to write the next chapter of her life. While recovering from health issues at Fort Benning, Georgia’s Warrior Transition Battalion, Garner enrolled in the Career Education Readiness’s Boots-to-Business program at the advice of her Transition Coordinator, Kevin Peoples. She learned the basic concepts of starting and operating her own business from the program. A short time later she was selected to attend the Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, an eight day intensive program that places Veterans in an accelerated learning environment to successfully transition them to the civilian or corporate world.
“Being enrolled in the program opened my eyes to bigger and brighter things. For one, I am a licensed Master Cosmetologist and I’ve been licensed since 1996. The program made me reach out to seek more information and knowledge on how to start my own business and having a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration and a Master’s of Science degree in Management certainly helps,” Garner said.
1st Sgt. Garner’s aggressiveness and enthusiasm was evident during her recovery and more so in her eagerness to propel her career. She not only sought out career opportunities for herself, but she has excelled as a servant leader by always assisting and mentoring Soldiers. She is the epitome of a Non-Commission Officer,” Peoples said.
Garner graduated with the 2017 Distinguished Graduate Veteran Entrepreneur Award and the Dreamer of Doer Award. She is currently working towards completing her Project Management Certification and accomplishing her goal of owning and operating several beauty salons.
“Anything you can dream is achievable, but sometimes the dream you have is not necessarily what God wants for you,” Garner said. “I am living proof transitioning can be a blessing. Life will be full of twists and turns, but you just have to know who’s in control.”
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2018 15:26 |
| Story ID: | 277667 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 310 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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