The Military Post - #7

Welcome back! It feels like we wrote the last edition of the Military Post yesterday and we are already writing again… I get a feeling that 2025 is going to go by quickly!

We don’t mind though, because that means we get to share more interesting news, amazing career and scholarship opportunities, and events with you!

We don’t only search for relevant news each week, but we speak with recruiters who help craft our job-seeker tips and send in the employment opportunities we share. That makes this newsletter your secret sauce to get all you need to know condensed and delivered weekly!

This week we also have two amazing events coming up to share with you, both of which are hiring fairs exclusively for the military community. Make sure to read to the end and sign up for your chance to get hired by some great companies like Amazon, TD, and more!

For our quote of the week. . .

As always, we have open roles, events, and scholarships at the bottom of this newsletter. If there is an industry or roles you want us to focus on, let us know by simply replying to this email and we will be sure to include it!

Ok - let’s do this thing!

Do You Have a MilMentor Account? The Seamless Platform Lets the Military Community Easily Connect with, or be a Mentor!

The easy, always-free platform allows mentees in the military community to search mentors by title, company, and expertise, easily request time to chat, and be connected via automated phone call at call time.

For mentors, the platform makes supporting the military community easy. You can set available hours, even integrate your calendar, and accept mentorship calls and make a difference on your schedule.

Sign Up Today Here.

Weekly Job-Seeker Advice

Preparing for interviews can feel extremely intimidating; however, there are ways you can prepare for the unknown in an interview and set yourself up for success on the big day. Here are a few steps to help you be prepared:

1. Do independent research on Google on common interview questions for your role, and common behavioral interview questions.

2. Practice your answers on your own to those questions.

3. Connect with someone in your desired role through MilMentor and run your practiced answers past them, and get feedback.

4. Next, think of 2-3 stories of times when you overcame a problem, faced adversity, or worked as a part of a team. Having these stories that can be melded to meet a variety of situation-based questions can be so helpful when it comes to “tell me about a time when…” questions.

By practicing some of the role-specific questions with a mentor and having a few stories ready for the behavioral questions, you can prepare yourself to get hired in an interview.

US Officials Head to Europe for High-Level Talks on Ending Ukraine War

President Trump’s national security adviser announced U.S. officials will meet with European leaders to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Trump recently spoke with Russian President Putin but declined to share details, focusing on pushing for a resolution. Trump also hinted at sanctions and tariffs on Russia to force negotiations and stressed that European allies need to take more responsibility in supporting Ukraine. As Russia continues to advance, experts say Putin has little incentive to negotiate, but Ukraine hopes to present its case at the Munich Security Conference, seeking security guarantees for the future.

Oculus Founder Aims to Enhance Soldier Capabilities

Palmer Luckey, the creator of the Oculus Rift and founder of Anduril Industries, is taking over the Army's Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program from Microsoft. Anduril had previously collaborated with Microsoft by integrating its Lattice platform into IVAS, enabling real-time threat detection for soldiers. In a recent blog post titled "Turning Soldiers into Superheroes," Luckey expressed his long-standing belief that soldiers would adopt advanced headsets before civilians. He envisions IVAS empowering troops to exceed human physical and cognitive limitations, working seamlessly with robotic and biological teammates. The Army has already utilized IVAS for controlling microdrones and facilitating intra-squad communication, sharing maps, coordinates, and data through the headset.

Trump Dismisses Members of Service Academy Boards

Donald Trump announced plans to replace members of military academy advisory boards, aiming to strengthen the U.S. military. These boards, consisting of lawmakers and appointees, guide curriculum, student morale, and institutional needs. However, Trump has not yet named replacements. This move mirrors Joe Biden’s 2021 decision to remove Trump-appointed board members, which sparked criticism from Trump’s supporters. In past administrations, non-lawmaker members usually served their full three-year terms, even after a change in leadership. The boards include members appointed by the president, vice president, and congressional leaders. Recent members have included high-profile figures like former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, retired Lt. Gen. Nadja West, and former Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning. Trump's upcoming appointments could significantly impact the direction of military academies.

Doug Collins Confirmed as First Post-9/11 Veteran to Lead VA

The U.S. Senate has confirmed former Georgia congressman Doug Collins as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs, marking the first time a post-9/11 veteran has held this position. Collins, 58, served as a chaplain in both the Navy and Air Force Reserve, deploying to Iraq with the 94th Airlift Wing. During his confirmation hearing, he highlighted his personal experiences with issues like toxic burn-pit exposure and the psychological challenges faced by service members. The Senate approved his nomination with a bipartisan 77-23 vote. As VA Secretary, Collins will oversee a department with a budget exceeding $350 billion, responsible for providing benefits and healthcare services to over 9 million veterans nationwide.

Coast Guard Halts Search for Missing Crew Member in Eastern Pacific

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for 23-year-old Seaman Bryan K. Lee, who went missing from the cutter while on a counter-drug patrol in the Eastern Pacific. Lee was reported unaccounted for last Tuesday, about 300 miles south of Mexico, prompting an extensive search effort. Over nearly 190 hours, crews covered more than 19,000 square nautical miles using helicopters, drones, and aircraft from multiple agencies, including the Mexican Navy. Despite their efforts, no signs of Lee were found. Coast Guard officials called the decision to suspend the search incredibly difficult but said they remain open to resuming if new information emerges. Cmdr. David Stern expressed condolences to Lee’s loved ones and gratitude to all involved in the search. Lee’s service record has not yet been released.