Transition preparation class aids Marines on Camp Pendleton

Photo By Cpl. Alison Dostie | Bruce Carroll, career service staff with Marine Corps Community Services Camp Pendleton, gives a class on interview techniques during Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton’s Personal & Professional Readiness workshop at the Pacific Views Event Center on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, November 7, 2022. The purpose of the workshop was to provide air station personnel with personal and professional readiness information to increase their awareness on topics related to their military service and life after the service. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alison Dostie)  

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

11.07.2022

Story by Cpl. Andrew Cortez 

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Marines are often asked the difficult question, "what is your life plan after the Marine Corps?" Some Marines are unaware that there are courses available to take to help them build a plan for free.

"Being a sergeant major, we are obligated to talk to our Marines and see what they have planned for the future before they talk to a career planner," said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Major Curtis Rice, the sergeant major of Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. "It's a scary transition if a Marine wants to get out after their enlistment with little to no plan."

Marines bear the reality of their decision to leave the Marine Corps 18 months from their end-of-service date. As a safeguard, Marines attend a series of mandatory meetings with thier career planner to ensure the Marine has a plan and follows the correct steps to see it through. Marines will have the opportunity to attend multiple classes, including a Transitional Readiness Seminar that covers education, employment and entrepreneurship.

"The mandated seminars, like TRS, are very structured and are only one week long," said Patrick Keplinger, the career service program manager with Marine and Family Programs, Marine Corps Community Services Camp Pendleton. "That week is pretty stressful and is very intense for most Marines."

Sgt. Maj. Rice states that the class he has created is not a replacement for TRS, but a way to get more repetitions. The class is two days long and consists of topics that Marines request exiting the service. The topics that are popularly requested include LinkedIn, resume building, interview practice and Veteran Assistance benefits. The instructors extensively discuss the subjects to help the Marines understand the material.

"The way we set these classes up for the sergeant major is they are more specific with certain topics, which is important because you don't necessarily get that opportunity in TRS," said Keplinger. "You can go through TRS and still come to one of these classes because getting out is a process."

This event marks the fifth iteration of the course and will continue for years to come. Marines receive a mass email that is intended to advertise the class to anyone who is interested. "I encourage every service member, even if you're a private first class or a staff noncommissioned officer, to come to these classes," said Sgt. Maj. Rice. “They will have all these resources available in case the inevitable happens, and you are ready to get out. That's exactly what we are looking for… returning the best product we can back to society."

• Date Taken: 11.07.2022
• Date Posted: 11.30.2022 18:45
• Story ID: 433953
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US