Warriors in the Workforce: Stories of Veteran Success
Featuring Frank X. Shaw, Chief Communications Officer for Microsoft
Thank you so much for being here! I appreciate your support of my newsletter, Write of Passage. I’m excited to share a new series of posts, Warrior to Workforce, where I will interview veterans who have made the transition from the military to successful civilian careers.
My first guest is Frank X. Shaw. Frank is a Marine Corps veteran and is now the Chief Communications Officer for Microsoft.
Thank you Frank for sharing your insights with us!
Here’s Frank!
Why did you choose to serve in the United States Marine Corps?
I knew early on I wanted to serve in the military, and explored all the services, and service academies (was not accepted alas).
I liked the ethos of the Marines, and the flexibility of the Platoon Leader’s Course (PLC) program, and got accepted to their flight guarantee program where I’d be a naval aviator.
There is a long story about how that didn’t work out, and that’s how I ended up in Public Affairs.
What was your most memorable assignment and why?
I spent most of my active duty time at Camp Lejeune.
As a first lieutenant, I was given the responsibility for organizing a media event for several hundred global press who would be visiting the base as part of the first ever visit from Soviet Marshal Sergei Akhromeyev, accompanied by Admiral William Crowe, then the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
It was a great example of the kind of responsibility you get early on in the military. It was a huge spectacle, dog and pony show, and I put it together. It is hard to believe looking back!
You served for over 11 years. What factors influenced your decision to leave the Corps?
I was commissioned as a reserve officer at a time when the Corps was shrinking. I left active service and moved to Portland, Oregon, where I joined the 6th Engineer Support Battalion, in a variety of command or staff roles. I loved the work and the people!
When I was promoted to Major, it became clear that if I wanted to continue to thrive I’d need to devote more time to the Reserves than I could realistically do while holding down a full time job at communications agency where I billed by the hour. 😊 I wasn’t willing to just check the boxes, so ended up leaving the reserves.
What was the transition from the Marine Corps to the civilian workforce like for you?
There were some rocky parts.
Some are small and seem kind of silly now – but what did I wear to the office? There was no uniform or dress code, and so I had to spend time thinking about clothes for the first time in a long time.
Others were related to authority and command structure, which is not as clear as it is in the military – so I had to learn about decision making structures and differing ways to represent authority.
Being in the Reserves helped a lot because others were going through or had been through similar experiences, and so could give advice.
What were the biggest challenges you had to overcome during and after your separation?
For me, the biggest challenge was figuring out what career success needed to look like for me – in the Marines, it was clear- - do good work, get promoted, take on more responsibilities, a new duty station, etc, but there was no similar framework, so I thrashed around for a while before finding my feet/future.
How did your military service prepare you for the civilian sector?
The Marines essentially gave me a Master’s degree in leadership, and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t use those skills.
And, as a public affairs officer, the technical skills and experience I gained by running a base newspaper, doing community relations, working with the media, gave me a head start in my professional career.
What advice would you give to service-members who are getting ready to leave the service?
Make sure you take advantage of everything the military offers to help with the transition! And, look for programs from private enterprise and non-profits to tap into as well.
A great example is the work that the Military Affairs Team at Microsoft does with the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy.
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.
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