A Fond Farewell From Dennis, Our SkillBridge Intern

This blog post was written by SFC (RETIRED) Dennis Moore, the Global SOF Foundation’s 4th SkillBridge Intern. He interned with us for the last 5 months of his Active Duty service. Read his previous entries here.

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“Now What?”

As I sit here thinking about the past 5 months I ponder the question: “Now What?” Just five short months ago, I joined Global SOF as an intern and really had no idea what I wanted to do once I finaled out of the Army. 

Well the day has come–it’s time for me to put my uniform on one last time. Shave my face one last morning. Because that’s just what we do in the Army.  

The last five months have been filled with a wealth of knowledge that I am most grateful to have had the chance to obtain. From Day One I was welcomed into the group, albeit from one of the morning Google Meet calls. And I concluded my time with my first-ever Podcast. 

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Rewards & Challenges

Being a Skillbridge Intern has been both rewarding and challenging. 

I got to go to The Range Complex and be there for filming YouTube content with The Tactical Rifleman and Rick Lamb.

I had the chance to pick the minds of CEOs of several companies.  

I went to a Global SOF Huddle and got to meet other great people, many of whom were SOF from Partner Nations. 

When I started, I wanted to learn sales, but as I leave I realize that I learned way more than that.  

I have learned how Business to Business sales is an animal of its own. 

I have learned how much planning goes into an event, not only in normal times but especially during COVID. 

I have learned what and how to do a “go to market plan” and how I can apply it to my next job (#spoiler alert).

I even learned where the best places to live are in Tampa and surrounding areas. (This was a two week process, and of course, I got three different answers from three different people.)  

I have learned to think outside the box on how you can pitch a product to someone, even when you can’t travel to them because of COVID.  

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My Advice

I know retiring from the military is scary and stressful, but it doesn’t have to be.  If I can give a few words of advice to all that are transitioning out of the military they would be this: 

1. Research everything.  SFL-TAP is a week long and that is just there for the Army to check the block. Research and find what you are looking for. 
   
2. Just like in the military, you don’t have to do this alone. There are so many programs to help you with this process. They will help you in any way they can, and they will give you the right answers. If they don’t know the answer they will point you in the right direction. 
   
3. Take advantage of the Skillbridge internship. It is there for you to spend up to the last six months on active duty at another job to learn a skill and with a possible job when you are done, or a job somewhere else.  

With that said, I can not thank the people at GSOF enough for this amazing opportunity and all the help and guidance that they have given me. I am forever grateful for it, and I will be there for y’all if and when you ever need something.  

I started five short months ago not knowing much outside of what the Infantry has taught me. I’m leaving a much more well-rounded person with a skill that will help me in my next job…at Sparta Science.   

Aloha,

SFC (RETIRED) Dennis Moore