If you are a veteran in crisis or are concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.

 

Jim Lorraine’s 22 years of Air Force service included nine combat deployments. With the rank of lieutenant colonel, he retired as deputy command surgeon for U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), then became founding director of the command’s Care Coalition and served as a special assistant for warrior and family support to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

 

Lorraine now serves as president and CEO of America’s Warrior Partnership, which aims to improve the lives of veterans as a way to prevent suicide, working on the national and local levels with communities. He’ll moderate a panel on state-level solutions for veterans at MOAA’s upcoming people-focused conference, TotalForce+, which runs Oct. 28-29 in National Harbor, Md. 

 

He recently spoke with MOAA about the event’s importance for the entire all-volunteer force. This interview was edited for length and clarity.

 

 

Q. Why did you choose to participate in TotalForce+?

A. I’m a SOCOM guy, so I’m a joint force guy. The conference title “TotalForce+” implies the mission takes all of us — Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, Reserve, Space Force, and so on. We have a motto at America’s Warrior Partnership: Together, we can do better.

 

MOAA is not only a great organization at the local level, but also nationally. There’s nobody who bridges the gap between the Department of Defense and the VA better than MOAA. And I’m impressed with MOAA because it doesn’t only advocate for the officers, but also for the enlisted and the earned benefits and services that they receive both during and after service.

 

[SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT: Comedy Troupe Finds Humor in Tough Topics]

Q. What message will you be bringing to TotalForce+ attendees?

A. If you know a veteran who needs help and you’re not sure where to go, come to America’s Warrior Partnership. We partner with nonprofits throughout the United States, we partner with for-profits, and with a goal of knowing the veteran in one hand and connecting them to the resources in the other hand.

 

Q. What challenges are you eager for TotalForce+ to tackle?

A. We need to be people-focused and not necessarily organization-focused. TotalForce+ will bring experts together, educate stakeholders, inform them, and inspire them.

 

[SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT: Retired Marine Officer Finds a New Mission With ZeroMils]

 

Q. As someone who transitioned from the military to the private sector, what advice do you have for those looking to do the same?

A. Build a network before you get out. Use resources like LinkedIn to connect and maintain relationships. Know that in order to get what you want, you’ll have to put in the work ahead of time.

 

My biggest issue getting out was that I didn’t tell anybody about what I did. But it’s important to recognize your military service as an asset, and you should tell people that you served in the military and what you did.

 

[RELATED: Transition and Career Resources From MOAA]

Q. Where do quality of life and the well-being of servicemembers and their family intersect with military readiness?

A. I’m a firm believer that the best recruiter for the Department of Defense is the VA. If the VA does a really good job of serving all the veterans and their families — and conveying, proving, and demonstrating that it has their backs for the rest of their lives — then they’re going to tell their friends and family members that the best thing they can do for their lives is to start out in the military.