Episode 244 of the Transition Drill Podcast explores the power of working backwards from a goal for veterans and first responders navigating the complexities of career shifts. You’ll hear retired Navy Commander and helicopter pilot Jeremy Vellon on overcoming the friction of being an outsider, and what it takes to build a successful post-service life by finding your people.
Jeremy’s journey started in Brooklyn, inspired by a trip to the movies with his father to see Top Gun. That moment sparked a lifelong commitment to naval aviation. His father didn’t just offer support; he laid out a clear roadmap of the grades, athletic milestones, and leadership skills required to reach the Naval Academy. Jeremy took that advice to heart, spending his youth working backwards from that singular objective despite being younger and smaller than his peers.
Throughout his twenty-year career in the Navy, Jeremy leaned into the discipline of setting preconditions for success. Set to deploy on September 19, 2011, his unit was one of the first to go active after 9/11; deploying immediately to Afghanistan. He faced the harsh realities of service, including the loss of friends, which grounded his professional outlook in the gravity of the mission. This mindset of service and sacrifice was a Family Legacy, shared with his father who served during the Vietnam era.
After retiring in 2018, Jeremy transitioned into a new chapter that prioritized his family and individual Growth. Building on his military experience and his MBA from the University of Michigan, he embarked on a new Human Resources career, with a stop at Amazon, he was building his own HR Consulting company. But while he was focused on his career, he was not focused on himself. Then one day he struggled physically to get out of bed. With his wife’s prompting and the need to help care for his son, who has Cerebral Palsy, he realized he needed to put focus back on his personal fitness. That caused a new career pivot, and he and his wife are now owners of a Burn Bootcamp Fitness center.
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