Having a military background has trained you in many ways for a future on the outside. We’ve already told you about the many skills that transfer with you into the civilian workplace — effective communication is one of them. Yet, no matter how trained you are in this area, speaking civilian can come with its challenges for any military Veteran.

Here are our top three tips for becoming an effective communicator among your civilian peers.

Style matters. How you say it is just as important as what you say as a communicator. Working with civilians, you have to learn to be more diplomatic with your tone. The military taught you direct, mission-focused, and maybe even slightly aggressive speak. There’s often little time or patience for ambiguity. But in the civilian workplace, it’s as much about relationship building as it is getting the task done. An overtly direct and to-the-point email may come across as cold and detached. Likewise, an “order” to get something done will not be seen as “business-as-usual” as it was in the military. In essence: friendlier is best with civilian communication.

Follow their lead. Every business is going to come with its own set of rules you must adhere to as a communicator. In the military, decisions are made from the top down. Out of necessity, there is no negotiating this type of approach. In the civilian world, it may be top-down, bottom-up, side-to-side, or everything in between. It’s important to learn these guidelines and play along. Although decisions may come at a slower pace when more voices are involved, collaboration can often lead to better outcomes — especially in the business world. This is also a great opportunity for you to get your own ideas heard.

Learn the why behind the way. It’s crucial to your success as a civilian professional to learn the ins and outs of your new industry. As mentioned above, each business comes with its own style of doing things. In the military, you had little room for expression. The civilian world, on the other hand, is full of individuals with all types of backgrounds, allowing communicators to develop a unique style. And every single industry can look different. Find a mentor at your new place of work, learn your business handbook, invite trusted colleagues out to lunch, and ask thoughtful questions. The more you seek to learn the why, the faster you’ll learn your way.

Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) were created to help Veterans and their families, or their survivors. Many of these organizations focus on assisting Veterans as they make the transition from active duty to civilian life. Many of these organizations offer veterans a variety of services, including VA disability benefits claims assistance, education and job training, resume writing services, financial grants, opportunities to participate in community service projects, and more. In most cases, these services are free! Many of the VSOs have state and local branches, which makes them easy to visit in-person.

Getting Started with a VSO

It is very important to find an accredited VSO or an accredited representative. Only recognized, accredited organizations and individuals can legally represent a veteran, dependent, or survivor before the VA. Non-recognized organizations and individuals can provide information, but cannot be representatives. A few well-known, nationally accredited VSOs include The American Legion, DAV (Disabled American Veterans), NCOA (Non Commissioned Officers Association), VFW (Veteran of Foreign Wars), and VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America).

An accredited representative is an individual who has undergone a formal application and training process, and is recognized by the VA as being capable of assisting claimants with their affairs before the VA. Most accredited representatives work for VSOs.

You can find an accredited representative or VSO organizations by going to eBenefits. The VA Office of General Counsel also maintains a list of VA-recognized organizations and VA-accredited individuals that are authorized to assist in the preparation, presentation and prosecution of VA benefit claims. You can search by location to find a VSO near you using either site:

• Go to eBenefits
• Search the VA Office of the General Counsel’s list

What Services Does an Accredited VSO Offer?

Most importantly, VSOs exist so veterans are never alone when trying to navigate their VA claims; helping them to receive their full benefits. The best part about using a VSO is access to the combined expertise on staff.  VSO service officers have vast experience in VA claims. They have seen thousands of cases and know the in’s and out’s of the VA system. If these organizations can’t help you, they can certainly put you into contact with someone who can.

VSOs can help you understand and apply for VA benefits, like:

• Financial support (monthly payments)
• Education
• Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E)
• Home loans
• Life insurance
• Pension
• Health care
• Burial benefits

They can also help you with:

• Gathering supporting documents (like a doctor’s report or medical test results)
• Filing a claim or appeal on your behalf
• Providing added support, like helping with transportation to medical appointments or emergency funds

Are VSO Services Really Free?

Getting help with veterans benefits isn’t difficult; and it’s a wonder more veterans don’t take advantage of these organizations! VSOs (compared to an individual claims representative or attorney) generally offer their services for free. In general, no individual or organization may charge you a fee to help you file your initial application for benefits. If you have questions about a VSO you are considering working with, or suggestions on free services near you, reach out to SAVI today.

Have you considered partnering with a non-profit? Non-profit collaboration provides a fantastic opportunity to grow your causes, expand your reach, and develop meaningful, long-lasting relationships. Especially in the Veteran space, relationships are essential to providing the resources and information your audience truly needs.

If you haven’t considered a non-profit collaboration, or are wondering what the benefits truly are, here are several benefits to non-profit collaboration that SAVI has identified in building relationships with our partners.

• Enhance your capabilities. By partnership with other non-profits, you are able to share infrastructure, administrative resources, and personnel resources. We have all heard the expression “two heads is better than one,” and with non-profit collaboration the additional brainpower behind your initiative is sure to kick things into overdrive. 
• Increase efficiency. With more hands on deck creating more relevant ideas, you also have the power of additional implementers. Projects that may have seemed daunting with your internal team are suddenly manageable with the help of your collaborator’s skilled team. 
• Diversify ideas. A fresh set of eyes onto your latest project creates a powerful environment for brainstorming and growth. You may discover in conversation that you find new solutions to issues you have been having, or the perfect idea for your next event or fundraising drive. 
• Enliven leadership. Non-profit collaboration can ignite excitement within the leadership of an organization, resulting in increased passion and a drive to get projects ready for launch. 
• Grow advocacy. With the announcement of your new collaboration, you have the ability to grow your audience. Working together, promoting your collaboration, and making a difference in your community will help grow your brand recognition. Once you are more broadly recognized, you are able to leverage that for campaigns throughout the year. 
• Expand services. Oftentimes, collaborations allow you to provide services to your target population that you otherwise wouldn’t have the capacity to provide. This is key to growing your non-profit, especially when you first launch.

Interested in collaborating with SAVI, reach out!

Why You Need a FREE LinkedIn Profile Review

While you’re in the military, your LinkedIn profile isn’t at the forefront of you mind. However, as you begin looking at the transition to civilian life, LinkedIn is an essential platform to understand and utilize- whether a future student, employee, or entrepreneur. SAVI knows how powerful LinkedIn is, and that’s why we are offering FREE LinkedIn Profile Reviews for Veterans!

Are you still skeptical? Here are the top three reasons LinkedIn is more essential than ever in the civilian professional realm:

1. To increase your visibility and establish a digital presence.

If you have applied to a job, or met someone at a networking event, chances are they want to learn more about you. In this digital age, that means a quick Google search, where LinkedIn profiles are frequently included in the results. Since you have control over your profile, its content, and what you share, it allows you to control the impression people will have of you.

If you have an incomplete profile, or one that is minimally complete, it can cause people to take a step back. You have to be willing to place information into the public domain regarding your professional background, skills and future goals in order to engage with potential mentors, employers, etc.

2. To develop your professional network

Within the military, your professional network is limited to those your serve alongside at your various duty stations, and those you attend military education schools with. However, within the civilian sector you can utilize LinkedIn to engage in conversation with those who currently work in the space you want to be in. Connecting and maintaining relationships with those you have met in the military, as well as those you have met at various networking events, opens you up to hundreds of possibilities. Did you know that most jobs are filled via networking and not blind applications to job postings?

3. To learn about potential intern and employment opportunities.

Based on the completeness of your profile, LinkedIn can highlight jobs that you might be of interest in, based on your skills, qualifications location, etc. Further, if you a member of certain LinkedIn Groups, where the members share common interests, jobs and various opportunities are also advertised there. Recruiters also utilize LinkedIn to search for candidates with specific skills sets!

Want to learn more about this amazing opportunity? Send an email to info@savivets.wpengine.com to request more information on the process. Or, visit us online and complete this form.

Take Advantage of Education Assistance Before Entering the Civilian Workforce

Making the leap from active duty to civilian life is one of the most abrupt and difficult changes military personnel face. It’s never too early to prepare for your next career by taking advantage of education assistance while still on active duty.

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition expenses of its members. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process’ and restrictions. This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual services. While the decision to pursue a degree may be a difficult, TA can lessen your financial concerns considerably, since it pays up to 100 percent of tuition expenses for semester hours costing $250 or less. TA is not a loan! It should be viewed as money you have earned just like your base pay.

TA only covers accredited institutions recognized by the Department of Education. Service members need to first check with an education counselor for the specifics involving TA by visiting their local installation education office or by going online to a virtual education center. Tuition assistance may be used for the following programs:

• Vocational/technical programs
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• Independent study
• Distance-learning programs

TA is open to officers, warrant officers and enlisted active duty service personnel. In addition, members of the National Guard and Reserve Components may be eligible for TA based on their service eligibility. To be eligible for TA, an enlisted service member must have enough time remaining in service to complete the course for which he or she has applied. After the completion of a course, an officer using TA must fulfill a service obligation that runs parallel with – not in addition to – any existing service obligation.

TA will fund up to 100 percent of your college tuition and certain fees with the following limits:

• Not to exceed $250 per semester credit hour or $166 per quarter credit hour
• Not to exceed $4,500 per fiscal year, October 1 through September 30

TA will not cover the following expenses:

• Books and course materials
• Flight training fees
• Taking the same course twice
• Continuing education units, or CEUs

Additionally, active duty members may elect to use the Tuition Assistance Top Up benefit in addition to your TA to cover high tuition costs or fees not covered by TA. This benefit program may be an option if you plan to use TA to complete a degree program while on active duty, and do not plan to continue your education after service. Top-up can also be helpful for just taking a few courses with TA while on active duty; then you can save most of your GI Bill benefits for after service to complete your education program.

To be eligible for the Top-Up benefit, you must be:

• Approved for TA by your military branch
• Be eligible for GI Bill benefits.
• Must be a GI Bill participant
• Still on active duty
• Must have served at least two full years of active duty

The amount of the benefit is limited to the amount that the person would receive for the same course if regular GI Bill benefits were being paid. In no case can the amount paid by the military combined with the amount paid by VA be more than the total cost of the course. Most importantly, If you receive the Top-Up benefit, your regular GI Bill benefits will be reduced. You must apply for GI Bill using the VA’s VETS.GOV website before using the Top-up benefit.

4 Life Hacks for GI Bill Benefits

The GI Bill is one of the best benefits of being a military member and a primary reason many join the military! These programs were designed to help service members, Veterans, and families reach their education goals. As your transition out of the military approaches, determining your full education benefits and how you want to use them should be a top priority. We’ve provided key insights from transitioned Veterans and spouses on helpful hacks to make this process easier.

Know Your Career Path

The Post-9/11 and Montgomery GI Bills offer 36 months of education benefits, but that time goes by quickly! We suggest mitigating the headache of changing majors several times during your education by having a solid understanding of your career path. The last thing you’ll want to do is get mid-way through your benefits to realize you aren’t satisfied with the career program you originally selected! VA’s Education and Career Counseling program is a great opportunity for Service Members, Veterans and dependents to get personalized counseling and support to help guide their career paths.

HACK ALERT: The VA also offers an aptitude test at no cost to all eligible benefit recipients. CareerScope can be used by Veterans to determine the best career path for transition to civilian life. You will be provided with an assessment of your interests and aptitudes, and given recommendations about which careers you may enjoy and be successful doing, along with suggested courses and trainings associated with those careers. By using these helpful tools, you can ensure the most effective use of your VA benefits and achieve your goals.

Find Out Which VA Benefits You are Eligible

Some might find they’re eligible for several types of VA education and training benefits, but there are many things to consider before applying for a GI Bill program. The most popular option is the Post-9/11 GI Bill, offered to those who have served on active duty for 90 or more days after Sept. 10, 2001. To qualify for the full benefit a Veteran must have served at least three years of active duty after September 10, 2001. The payment rate depends on how much active duty time a member has in service. The second most popular education benefit option is the  Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) This is offered to active duty members who enroll and pay $100 per month for 12 months and are then entitled to receive a monthly education benefit once they have completed a minimum service obligation. It is important to note that if you’re eligible for more than one education benefit, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill, you must choose which benefit to receive, a decision that’s final and cannot be changed.

HACK ALERT: The VA offers a GI Bill Comparison Tool to make it easier to research colleges and employers approved for the GI Bill. By answering a few questions about yourself and the intended educational institution you’re considering, you’ll receive an estimate of your GI Bill benefits; providing you with information about the facility’s value and affordability.

Transfer to Dependents

Spouses and family members may also be eligible for education and training assistance. In fact, 25 percent of those benefiting from VAs education programs are non-Veterans. Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, servicemembers are able to transfer all or some unused benefits to their spouse or dependent children. While in the armed forces, servicemembers can transfer their benefits using the Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) website to designate, modify, and revoke a Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) request.

HACK ALERT: The request to transfer unused GI Bill benefits to eligible dependents must be completed while serving as an active member of the Armed Forces. All transfer requests are submitted and approved while the member is in the armed forces.  Please do not wait until you are on Veteran status to make this change! You will not be able to transfer benefits after transitioning to your civilian career.

Yellow Ribbon Schools

For those of you who decide to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit, it’s important to note that your actual tuition & fees may exceed the amount paid for by the GI Bill; especially if you are attending a private school or are attending a public school as a nonresident student. The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays only the lower of the actual tuition & fees or the national maximum per academic. To mitigate these extra fees, several Degree Granting Institutions (colleges and university) participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill entitlement. These institutions voluntarily enter into a Yellow Ribbon Agreement with the VA and choose the amount of tuition and fees that will be contributed. The VA matches that amount and issues payments directly to the institution. To receive benefits under the Yellow Ribbon Program you must be eligible for the maximum benefit rate under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

HACK ALERT: Many Yellow Ribbon schools have a VA Benefits coordinator within their registrar office. These coordinators are employed by the university to support and encourage all students using VA education benefits. They can also assist you with military call-ups, leave of absences, and transferring credit for military service; plus promote Veteran-focused events on campus.