Starting a second career after retiring from the military is an option for many officers who feel they are too young to head to Florida to begin a life of golf, fishing, or memoir writing.

If you think you are too young to start a life of leisure, a second career might give you a chance to continue to use the knowledge and experience you gained in the military. However, what career should you pursue?

"I think a career or position that makes use of the leadership experience is one that officers should seek," advises Brig. Gen. Thomas Draude, USMC-Ret., who enjoys human interaction. "I would have a tough time at independent research. I had to go to a position where I was going to be working with people."

After retiring, Draude started his second career in corporate America at USAA, a Fortune 500 financial services company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. He served as senior vice president and general manager of the southeast region until he retired recently.

Draude was fortunate because he knew the type of position he wanted. However, what are some of the best career choices for you?

If you have experience interacting with the private sector, consider a second career in corporate America. Former Army Lt. Chuck Wardell was in the armor branch when he left the service in 1969. A graduate of the Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, N.C., he did one tour in Vietnam and was an advisor to the Fifth Army. Today, he is the managing director for the northeast region at Korn/Ferry International, an executive recruitment company headquartered in Los Angeles that has done more than 80,000 senior-level searches for clients worldwide. The company offers services such as chief executive officer (CEO) and middle-management recruitment.

Wardell says the officers who are most successful in business are those whose military jobs mirror their corporate jobs. Examples of military jobs that mirror corporate jobs include transportation, logistics, personnel, and inventory control.

Wardell believes it's helpful to have experience working with corporations while in the military. He also thinks corporate America needs more leadership, and retired officers are "good candidates" because they do many things, are hard workers, and are sincere.

Even if you decide you want to enter the business world, one challenge you're bound to face is the lack of understanding people in the military and business world have of each other's jobs.

"People on each side have misperceptions," Wardell says.

He sometimes bridges that gap by pointing out how a military experience, such as heading logistics for Desert Storm, parallels a logistical position in corporate America. Getting recruiters to recognize how a former officer's skills can be used in the private sector is key, according to Wardell.

One segment of corporate America that understands officers' military experience, and has attracted many retired officers, is the defense industry.

"We certainly have hired a lot of folks with past military service and background," says Steve Kawakami, manager of employment services for Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems Sector.

Northrop Grumman, which is based in Century City, Calif., consists of seven different sectors. The Electronic Systems sector, which is based in Baltimore, Md., is a leader in the design, development, and manufacture of defense and commercial electronics and systems such as airborne radar, electronic countermeasures, precision weapons, and air defense systems.

"You're not going to find many [companies in the defense industry] that don't have a large amount of officers," says Kawakami, who has worked in the defense industry for more than two decades.

He considers the military to be a "great training ground" for retired officers entering the defense industry. For example, many of Northrop Grumman's products have military applications. This allows retired officers who join the company to apply their skills almost directly to their new jobs.

Kawakami says defense companies such as Northrop Grumman recruit retired officers because there is an overlap between what the officers did in the military and what they will do in their new positions. Retired officers have "valuable" and "extensive" leadership experience that make it natural for them to be considered for management positions in the private sector. He adds that the leadership experiences some members of the Electronic Systems sector gained in the military prepared them for their second careers at Northrop Grumman.

"We offer an individual a diverse and challenging set of opportunities," says Kawakami.

Because of the overlap in knowledge and skills, retired officers have a smaller learning curve when they make the transition to a defense company, which allows them to get a much faster start in their careers. Officers also will have an opportunity to grow and develop, and will not be "taken advantage of," says Kawakami, and a second career in the defense industry gives officers a chance to continue to serve their country while working in the private sector.

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