moaa career guide
Former Air Force Capt. Cindy A. Nieves is an area manager at Amazon’s fulfillment center in Phoenix, Ariz., where she is responsible for the management, control, and direction of in- ventory, picking, packing, and shipping functions for one aspect of the facility. Nieves is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and served
six years on active duty. She was stationed at maintenance training bases for the majority of her active duty service, including four years at Luke AFB, Ariz. Her path to Amazon started after talking to a non-Amazon recruiter who mentioned Amazon was looking for managers in Phoenix. Nieves looked online and found an open position. “I read the job description and felt it had my name written all over it,” she says. Nieves says her role in the military easily translated to her current role. “As a military officer, my job was to in-
spire, motivate, and lead my airmen to success. In my perspective, my job [as an area manager] is to inspire, moti- vate, and lead my associates to achieve their individual development goals as well as the overall goals of the facility.” She recommends other transitioning servicemembers do “research, research, and more research. The first
question you need to answer is ‘what do I want to do, and what company do I want to work for?’ ” She says servicemembers understand the importance of a mission, goals, and a vision, so understanding the type of or- ganization you want to work for is key to a successful transition. “Do not get discouraged if you do not land the first job you apply for,” she says. “It’s a long process, so start early, be patient, and don’t lose sight of your goal to get the right job for you.”
From Military Service to Public Office
For some retiring servicemem- bers, the leadership skills that made them successful in the military seem to lead in one direction — public of- fice. After all, veterans possess many qualities of successful public officials: leadership experience in the face of ad- versity, familiarity with a broad cross section of American society, and an understanding of the human conse- quences of foreign-policy decisions. The road to public office can be
tough, but Veterans Campaign, a non- partisan organization, can help — by training veterans to run for office.
“Our mission is to provide military veterans with the training necessary to campaign for all levels of
elected office,” say Seth McCormick Lynn, founder and executive director Veterans Campaign. Veterans also face distinctive obstacles in elected politics, Lynn says. Especially in the past three national
elections, few nonincumbent veterans have been elected. Veterans Campaign’s goal is to demystify the pro- cess of running for office and make it accessible to veterans who are interested in continuing their service as elected officials. Visit
www.veteranscampaign.org for more information.
M MILITA R Y O FFICER MAY 2011 MOAA CAREER GUIDE PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
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