“My Transition” #7: Steve Bane — Army Aviation to Senior Program Manager at SCI Technology
Steve is a brilliant example of what happens when service members leverage the transition tools and resources available to accelerate their post-military careers. He’s currently employed full-time and pursuing both an MBA and PMP through Syracuse!
Doing the simple, easy, ‘leadership wins’ where you’re just flat out taking care of people gains you so much credibility with the work force. This concept is no different than taking care of your Soldiers — the big difference is that our normal in the military is often viewed as above and beyond in the civilian sector.
Huntsville, AL — Steve Bane served as an Army aviation officer for 9 years and served in Afghanistan as a Chinook flight company commander before transitioning into a job as a Senior Program Manager with SCI Technology, a global defense and aerospace innovation company. He is also pursuing his MBA and his PMP certification through Syracuse University.
DJS: Did you know what you were going to do when you got out?
SB:
Not at all. I went into the transition process completely wide open. The only thing I was sure of was wanting to pursue an MBA to increase my business acumen. I knew I wanted to get into the business arena somehow, but didn’t have the best prerequisites as a history undergrad.
DJS: Did you face any struggles?
SB:
Yes, especially during the preparation phase for the transition process. As leaders, you’re ingrained to deflect the spotlight and accolades from yourself and instead praise your subordinates and those who have made the team or mission successful. I struggled with detailing and quantifying my story/narrative and seemingly taking credit for the accomplishments of the people who had worked for me. It felt wrong to take credit for a unit and team achievement, fully knowing that while I was a critical component to the success, I wasn’t the sole reason for it.
To combat this moral conflict I had, I made a decision to continue to give credit where it was due when asked about the bullets on my resume in interviews. I continued to highlight the incredible people I served with who made US successful, not ME successful. Understanding the difference of how you explain your story and narrative was a hurdle initially.
As leaders, you’re ingrained to deflect the spotlight and accolades from yourself and instead praise your subordinates and those who have made the team or mission successful…
DJS: How did you find your current job?
SB:
In short, networking like a madman. After returning from Afghanistan in late 2014, representatives from the Army’s Cargo Helicopter office at Redstone Arsenal, AL came up to Ft. Wainwright, AK where I was stationed and conducted an after action review (AAR) on how the Chinook performed during our recent deployment. I met some senior leaders within the Cargo organization and stayed in touch; months later, I was invited to be the keynote speaker at the 2015 Annual Team Chinook program review. I went and spoke to industry suppliers who manufacture components on the Chinook about the aircraft’s performance, pro’s, con’s, etc. from the user’s perspective. I left the event with a stack of business cards and built relationships with those contacts over the following months. My current supervisor and VP of my division were in attendance at that conference, so there was already an established relationship as we went through the interview/offer process.
On a side note, I also went through Lucas group. Some people frown upon the JMO recruiters, but I found the process to be extremely beneficial. It greatly assisted in helping me refine my story and narrative, hone interview skills, and more importantly helped me see myself. I had some fantastic job opportunities un-related to the defense sector through companies I interviewed with at the hiring conference, but the JMO process showed me that I still really wanted to continue helping the warfighter in some way.
In short, networking like a madman…
DJS: How does it feel to continue to support our nation’s military through your work at SCI?
SB:
It’s very fulfilling being able to oversee programs and design efforts producing components going on military equipment operated by friends and former co-workers. Having operated SCI products on the Chinook, I take this responsibility to produce a quality product that works the right way every time very personally and try to convey that importance to the work force daily. As I tell my team all the time, we aren’t making hair dryers here. In the end, its all about trust. Our service men and women trust our company to make high-reliability equipment that functions flawlessly when needed most. I’ve come full circle in a way from the end user to the manufacturer and am in a unique position to add the critical relevancy and big picture view to ensure a quality product is delivered.
Having operated SCI products on the Chinook,… I’ve come full circle in a way from the end user to the manufacturer and am in a unique position to add the critical relevancy and big picture view to ensure a quality product is delivered.
DJS: What skills from the military translated into your job and made you successful in your current role?
SB:
Attitude, integrity, team building, and servant leadership. Attitude is everything. I try my best to be constantly upbeat and positive and to make a conscious decision each day as I walk in the door to absolutely crush it and leave the organization better than when I found it. I think this mindset comes inherently to veterans because we’ve all been in those situations in the military that really sucked — you can either wallow in your despair or you can change your thinking and look for the opportunities others may not see.
Attitude is everything. I try my best to be constantly upbeat and positive and to make a conscious decision each day as I walk in the door to absolutely crush it and leave the organization better than when I found it.
Most importantly, building a cohesive team and being a servant leader has paid huge dividends for me. Approaching each interaction with the mantra ‘it’s not about me’ and ‘how can I help this person?’ has had a profound impact on the culture and organization in my short time with my employer. Doing the simple, easy, ‘leadership wins’ where you’re just flat out taking care of people gains you so much credibility with the work force. This concept is no different than taking care of your Soldiers — the big difference is that our normal in the military is often viewed as above and beyond in the civilian sector.
Doing the simple, easy, ‘leadership wins’ where you’re just flat out taking care of people gains you so much credibility with the work force.
DJS: If you knew one thing before the transition process that would have made your experience easier, what would that be?
SB:
Soak up all of the mentorship and guidance you can now. Professional development and mentorship thus far in the civilian sector has been sub-par. If we pause to look to our left and right in the military, we are surrounded by some incredible talent. Looking back, I know I took that for granted, and did not tap into those resources nearly enough when they were literally feet away. I was the guy rolling my eyes and being frustrated at having to attend Officer Professional Development (OPD) sessions with Battalion or Brigade commanders during my lunch hour, or on a Friday afternoon. Shame on me. Embrace it. Try to find something in the subject matter that you can glean and carry forward. More importantly, learn more about who you work with, their qualifications, desires, and aspirations. Ask thought provoking questions and get on senior leaders calendars for more learning, growing, and mentorship.
Soak up all of the mentorship and guidance you can now… learn more about who you work with, their qualifications, desires, and aspirations.
DJS: What was the hardest piece of the transition so far?
SB:
The learning curve. While my military experience is an added bonus in my role and gives me credibility with our customers, there is an incredible amount of programmatic, financial, and legal information to learn in order to be successful. Like most type-A personalities, I hate not knowing how to do something or failing. As my Wife can tell you, I can be a very impatient person, and I want to know it all right now. However, I’m learning to embrace the discomfort of the process, knowing its only going to make me grow and be better in the long run. There’s added self-imposed pressure to learn the nuances of everything I’m doing so I can be a game changer within the organization.
Like most type-A personalities, I hate not knowing how to do something or failing.
DJS: What one piece of advice do you have for anyone reading this?
SB:
You’re better than you realize. There is a lot of stigma surrounding transitioning and at times, you may feel like you can’t make it in the civilian sector. The values, skills, attitude and multiple other intangibles you bring to the table as a veteran are an invaluable asset that companies are desperately searching to find. Be confident, take pride in your service, and leverage your experiences and accomplishments for future success. Never burn a bridge, make a concerted effort to network, and never stop grinding!
The values, skills, attitude and multiple other intangibles you bring to the table as a veteran are an invaluable asset that companies are desperately searching to find.
Service Details:
Since 2016, Steve has been a Program Manager at SCI Technology, Inc., a company that designs and manufactures products for military and commercial aviation, ground tactical and other defense applications. Previously, Steve spent 9 years as an Army Aviation Officer and CH-47D/F Chinook pilot, serving in various leadership positions, including 2 company commands, in South Korea, Alaska, Afghanistan and Alabama.
Steve graduated from the University of Scranton with a Bachelor’s degree in History and was commissioned into the Aviation branch through the Army ROTC program. He is also currently enrolled in Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management MBA program and is also in the process of obtaining his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification through Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) Veterans Career Transitions Program (VCTP).
Top Resources:
- www.beyondtheuniform.io. —An excellent podcast series about veterans who have transitioned into new careers. The interviews have been profound and Justin has a great list of resources on the site.
- LinkedIn Veterans Membership — Free 1 Year Premium membership for transitioning vets. You get 10 free inMail messages per month, which is great for contacting recruiters, hiring managers, mentors, etc.
- Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) — Lots of free programs and professional certifications. The Veteran’s Career Transition Program (VCTP) has open enrollment twice a year and the window closes quickly (less than an hour before all slots are filled).
- Simon Sinek offers an interactive ‘Why Discovery Course’ that lasts between 7–10 hours. Helps you find your purpose, cause or belief that inspires you to do what you do. Normally, it costs $129, but its offered for $10 under the Salute to Service section. Active duty just needs to email them from their .mil account. All others submit a sanitized DD 214 to gain access.
Are you interested in sharing your story of transition? Or are you a military transition specialist who would like to share some tips? Send me an email at MilitaryTransitionStories@gmail.com
The goal of this series is to bridge the military-civilian divide in three ways: 1) Highlight the incredible skills and value that military veterans of all generations and backgrounds bring into the workplace. 2) Help transitioning veterans understand their true value and therefore aim as high as possible in their employment and educational goals. 3) Discuss the common struggles, pitfalls and indicators of success in veteran transition, in order to provide better transition assistance from both military and civilian sides.
