Warriors in the Workforce: Sam Kwan
Pilot, Nav: Turn right 180 degrees... I'm going to law school
Thank you so much for being here! I hope you’re enjoying my new series, Warriors to Workforce, where I feature veterans like you who have found success in the civilian world.
For this post, I have the pleasure of introducing you to a former squadron commander of mine: Sam Kwan.
Sam has an incredibly interesting story, as he is one of the few veterans I know who took a completely different turn after he retired from the military.
Despite having been an aviator, commander, inspector general and a slew of other positions in the Air Force, Sam decided to start all over and pursue law.
I am so grateful to Sam for sharing his story and wisdom with us.
Here’s Sam!
In true lawyer fashion, Sam started our interview with this:
Let me start off by saying that my answers and views are my own and do not reflect the position of my employer or, of course, the United States Air Force.
Why did you choose to serve in the Air Force?
The short answer is, I liked the idea of getting paid to fly airplanes! But I was also in Air Force Junior ROTC in high school, got an AFROTC scholarship for college, and just kept going.
I never intended to make the Air Force a career, then at some point I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
You held several positions in the Air Force, from MC-130P navigator, to Inspector General, as well as command tours. What was your most memorable assignment and why?
Every assignment was memorable in its own way, so it’s impossible to pick just one.
I’d say serving on the Air Combat Command Commander’s Action Group and regularly getting to be “in the room” with a four-star and other general officers was an eye-opening experience.
But getting the opportunity to command a unit, twice, was the ultimate privilege and something I will always be thankful for.
When did you know it was time to retire from the Air Force?
It wasn’t just one reason, but wanting to be settled down and for our kids to have a place to call home was a main factor.
They (twin boys) had lived in four different places by the time they were eight years old.
After you retired, you pivoted career paths completely from aviation into the legal field. What inspired you to go that route?
I never really considered my career field to be aviation. Rather, I thought of myself as a military officer/servant leader, airpower expert, and national security advocate.
I had always been interested in the law.
If my undergraduate grades had been better or I hadn’t become a navigator, I might have tried to become a JAG.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after the Air Force, but I just felt like I was burnt out from doing anything defense related.
So, I decided to scratch the itch and try my hand at law school. At the very least, it was going to give me three more years to try to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. But I also knew I wanted to continue to serve in some capacity.
What were the biggest challenges you had to overcome during and after your retirement?
I felt really rudderless that first year after retirement. I had been wearing the uniform and associated with the Air Force since I was 14 years old and suddenly I wasn’t a part of it anymore.
It’s been four years now but I feel like I could still throw on a flight suit and go right back to flying, or staff work, without missing a beat!
What was it like going back to school for your JD?
Not easy!
Most of my classmates were twenty years younger than me and fresh out of undergrad.
I was never a great student, so I felt at a disadvantage when it came to studying. However, I was used to putting in long hours at work, so I was able to handle it by treating it like a job.
What are the next steps for you in this new career?
Like I said, I knew I wanted to continue to serve. I wanted to help people so I focused my efforts and law school internships on public interest and government work.
I am happy to say that I have started as a Legal Honors Law Clerk in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of General Counsel.
Broadly speaking, I will provide legal services and support HUD’s mission to help provide affordable housing and build strong communities.
I’m at the entry-level of the legal profession, but I knew and accepted that would be the case when I started on my new career path.
What advice would you give to servicemembers who are also looking to do something totally different after they leave the service?
Do whatever you want to do!
I say that tongue-in-cheek because there are many factors to weigh, especially what your family wants and what your financial situation is and what you can afford to do.
You still need to put a roof over your head and food on the table, so if the skills you acquired during your service help you to get a good-paying job, I wouldn’t necessarily discount that.
I took a less-travelled road, but at the same time I am still back in the federal government, so I’m not 100-percent outside my comfort zone.
I did have to go back to school to do what I wanted to do though. I’ll say that the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill is a huge benefit.
Take the time to do the cost benefit analysis of whether it makes sense to use it for your own continuing education or whether to save it for your kids, or your spouse.
Do you (or someone you know) have a great story or insight to share with other military veterans?
Leave a comment below!
Hey, I'm Sam.
I'm an Air Force veteran and military spouse. I help veterans with their transition from the military and am a staunch advocate for military spouse employment.
Need help with your LinkedIn profile, cover letter, resume, or just want to bounce ideas off of someone?
Shoot me a note with “Hey Nav!”