Military MBA

This section will give you some valuable "peer" perspective from former officers who have transitioned into business with an MBA degree and also from officers who have chosen obtain their MBA and remain in the military.

Military-to-Business

Meet Alex Lane
Meet Jonathan Um

Stayed in Military

Meet Christopher Petro
Meet Andy Rogers

Other

YouTube Videos
CEO Perspectives

Current Position: Vice President, Quality Strategy and Issue Management - Capital One Bank
Education: BS, United States Military Academy
MBA, Texas A&M University, Mays Business School

Why I chose an MBA

I was very interested in transitioning from military life to business as I felt many of my skill sets would be useful in the business world. An MBA seemed ideal as it would provide me the education I needed to succeed and help me tailor my military background to be useful in the civilian sector.

Military and MBA skills used in my current position

Leadership and communication have played a major part of my current role.  My ability to lead and mentor was developed while I was a platoon leader and company commander in the Army, then enhanced as I applied it to team projects and my Capstone project within my MBA.  Additionally, communication was always a necessity in the military and was a huge part of the MBA curriculum.  In my current role, I have used my skills in communication for both crisis communication as well as corporate presentations.

How the MBA has met my expectations for career readiness

The MBA met my expectations as it armed me with the basic knowledge and education I needed to solve business related problems and communicate subject matter clearly. There have been several times in my current career where I have been able to apply theory or formulas I learned in my MBA to solve real world problems.

The advantages my military background has given me over other MBA job candidates

At Texas A&M, many of our projects were team oriented and required quick decision making to meet tight deadlines. The advantage I had was that my military background was conducive to this environment. Foundational military skills in critical decision making, leadership, and communication translated well to set me up for success in my MBA.

The greatest benefits my combined military and MBA skills bring to an organization

Merging my military background and MBA education has made me very marketable in the business world. Over the past few years, several large corporations have been actively recruiting former military candidates for leadership roles in their organization. By having an MBA it ensures employers that I have business oriented skills in addition to a military foundation.

What to look for in an MBA program

An MBA program is a very large commitment, I would recommend you take time to find the right fit. There are a lot of programs offering different focus areas. I encourage you to visit the program you are thinking about attending, speak with the faculty, and ensure that you are comfortable with the program before making a choice.

Advice for officers considering an MBA

As there are many transition programs offering to help officers find jobs as they leave the service, the question on the value of pursuing an MBA often arises. An MBA will open doors for you that would not normally be available to a transitioning officer. Most of these services focus on placing officers in operational roles that focus solely on the leadership skills of an officer. An MBA allows you to become marketable in roles that require leadership and specific business related skill sets.

Current Position: Management Consultant, McKinsey & Company
Education: MBA, UCLA Anderson School of Management

Why I chose an MBA

As a platoon commander in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years, leadership was a big part of Jonathan Um’s day-to-day job. Heading his platoon both in the U.S. and in Iraq, he analyzed intelligence reports, acted on limited information, and worked with parties having different agendas. During that time, he became increasingly interested in gaining a more formal understanding of the management process and challenges of leadership. So when his military service ended in 2009, pursuing an MBA was the next logical step in his career path.

Military and MBA skills used in my current position

The lessons I learned in the military have turned out to be very applicable to the MBA program where we work with data and facts to support business cases and projects. UCLA Anderson has such a strong focus on management and leadership principles. We learned so many concrete tools through the curriculum that even after the first year, I felt like I was thinking differently and approaching problems differently. I’ve found a lot of commonalities between what I did in Iraq and in the military in general and business.

How the MBA has met my expectations for career readiness

Jonathan credits his education UCLA Anderson with opening the door to the business world. "Without UCLA Anderson, I wouldn’t have built this network or had these learning and business opportunities. I’ve really boosted my career here – there was no better place I could have gone to start this next phase of my career."

What to look for in an MBA program

Jonathan looked for fit with his future interests, location and a program that supported military students. "There are quite a few veterans in the MBA program. The administration at UCLA really supports veterans with things like the Yellow Ribbon Program and a special boot camp for veteran entrepreneurs in the summer. Plus, there’s a pretty big veteran military community in southern California so we have a big network.”

Advice for officers considering an MBA

Like many other military officers, Jonathan thought that pursuing an MBA was the next logical step in his career.

Current Position: Lieutenant Commander, US Navy, MCM Crew Dominant, USS Champion (MCM 4)
Education: BA, Business Administration and Accounting, University of San Diego
MBA, UC San Diego Rady School of Management

Why I chose an MBA

As part of a Surface Warfare Officer’s career progression, an officer is expected to complete his or her graduate level education. When I made my decision, I was of the opinion that the experience would make me a better leader by enhancing my critical thinking ability. Surface Warfare Officers are expected to execute their duties and responsibilities on various operational platforms, within varying areas of responsibility all over the world. The one common factor is that we are expected to have and to utilize sound judgment in carrying out our duties. I felt an MBA curriculum would provide me a wide range of skills and experiences that I could apply to any one of the many possible duty assignments in my future.

Military and MBA skills used in my current position

I use a piece of just about everything I was exposed to at the Rady School of Management, especially as the Commanding Officer of a ship. Each and every day provides a new leadership opportunity…some might call them challenges. I am charged with mission accomplishment coupled with the continued improvement in mission readiness of the ship and crew. My command is subject to every sort of manning, training, logistic and material issue you can imagine. Overall, my MBA experience at the Rady School made me a better leader and a better person.

How the MBA has met my expectations for career readiness

The education and experiences as received at the Rady School played a significant role in my leadership development.

The greatest benefits my combined military and MBA skills bring to an organization

Critical thinking while applied to military operations -- the ability to take a complex scenario or problem, identify the desired end state, identify and react to the variables that impact that end state, make sound decisions based on limited knowledge in a time-restricted environment…and then be able to utilize various feedback mechanisms to measure the success and adjust as necessary to achieve the desire goal.

What to look for in an MBA program

Diversity, opportunities to think outside the box, freedom to explore different education paths within the program, future job opportunities if transitioning from active duty. I think a program that empowers students to educate themselves and each other through special programs and clubs (like the Rady School did for me) is a plus. Flexibility is a necessity if earning your degree while on active duty. I was fortunate that my program at the Rady School allowed me to be a full-time student while on active duty.

Advice for officers considering an MBA

An MBA will expose you to a variety of topics that you can explore with greater detail as you move through the program should you choose. You will also be exposed to a very diverse group of people, which in itself can be educating. If the idea of an MBA comes across as the least bit interesting, you will be doing yourself a service by working towards one.

Current Position: Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force, Chief, Enterprise Interoperability and Future Capabilities.
Currently deployed in Kuwait in support of troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa.
Education: BS Computer Science, MBA

Military and MBA skills used in my current position

I frequently call upon my MBA skills for fiscal and marketing needs in order to justify budgets and "sell" the decision makers on the worthiness of projects for taxpayer funding. Everything from people management to production scheduling has an MBA reference above and beyond the technology aspects of my job, and my military training in time management and leadership are important as well.

How the MBA has met my expectations for career readiness

The MBA has given me a more broad academic background to draw upon. The marketing concepts alone have been very useful for every major project and program change I've executed.

Traits the Air Force is looking for in an MBA

The ability to discuss requirements with a better eye on fiscal reality, as well as the business practices to make large projects successful. MBAs are expected to present proposals for viable projects and deliver results above the standard military process.

The greatest benefits my combined military and MBA skills bring to an organization are

The ability to see a bigger picture, from acquisition through program development, and how it applies to the national interest as well as the local organization's success metrics. Understanding business concepts helps justify decisions concerning procurement, maintenance, or elimination of major force programs.

What to look for in an MBA program

A strong rating in the business world and adequate facilities to support the most up-to-date principles of production and service delivery.

Advice for officers considering an MBA

The MBA is a huge commitment in time and work, but it is worth it in the long run if your goal is moving into leadership positions. Being successful is more than accomplishing the mission. In tight fiscal times, it requires a balance between mission and efficiency. Find a good program that focuses on both edges of that sword.

YouTube Videos

Alex Martini (MBA ‘15) shares his transition from the military to the University of San Diego Rady School’s MBA program in order to pursue his goal to start his own company and gives advice to other military professionals seeking an MBA. Watch video here.

Mark Covell (MBA ’13) discusses the UC San Diego Rady School's role in his transition from the military to Booz Allen Hamilton and why and MBA is a great career choice for others in the armed services. Watch video here.

Most corporate CEOs and chairmen say their military service played a huge role in their subsequent careers.

"It was an important part of my experience," says Joel W. Johnson, chairman and CEO of Hormel Foods. "At Hormel, we frequently see job candidates who have served their 20 years in the military. Now they're in the early to mid-40s and have time to start a second career. They come with a degree of maturity and experience that's far beyond what we find in the typical college classroom."

"I don't think a day goes by that I don't use some of the leadership skills I learned in the Navy," says Anthony Earley, CEO of DTE Energy. "One of the things any branch does is teach leadership the way no organization does." Speaking of the service, Earley says, "It's kind of our preferred supplier of talent because people are so well-educated, so well-trained."

"When you've been in the military and under the pressure you experience there - in many cases life and death pressures - it's a lot easier to face the pressures of the business world." says Gary L. Neale, president and CEO of NiSource.