In 1997, I joined the Marine Corps at 18, after my first year of college. It was a spontaneous decision but one that changed my life forever. When I first stepped into the famous yellow footsteps of Parris Island, South Carolina, I told myself, "It's a six-year reserve contract; do your time and move on to other things." However, I never expected to enjoy the challenging, high-paced environment the Marines provided me. As a 19-year-old, I learned to drive a manual transmission on a five-ton truck and earned a tractor-trailer license. Between my college studies, I drove trucks throughout tank trails, providing logistical support to M1A1 Tank operators. I enjoyed my work so much that I decided to pursue a career as an officer on active duty after college. In 2001, I became a Second Lieutenant, and the Marine Corps provided 20 more years of adventures and learning experiences as a telecommunications officer until I retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2021.

I spent the latter part of my career as a reserve officer, which allowed me to walk both the military and civilian sides. In 2015, I started The Dining Traveler, a content creation and publishing business centered on food and travel. My professional life ranges from driving tractor-trailers to interviewing Michelin-starred chefs. This is what I've learned from my transition:

Everybody has a unique journey

One of the questions I got from my family while in uniform was, "What do you exactly do?" As a business owner, I sometimes get the same question from my veteran friends. Being in the military, especially as a Latina Marine, is an unconventional path. Starting a business, especially in media, is an unconventional path for a retired officer. Many of my peers enter civil service after retirement, but I chose to follow my passion for food and travel. No work plan is perfect, but choose what makes you happy and feel on purpose. After years of sacrifice of serving, take the time to do something for yourself.

Leverage your skills

There are many skills I leverage from my days as a Marine in my business, the main one being reinvention. During my 24 years of service, I had to reinvent myself many times depending on my duty station and tailor my leadership style to the unique group of Marines I served. As a media professional, I must adapt to the constant changes in the digital and social media landscape. The flexibility I learned from the Marines is one of my most significant tools. Semper Gumby!

Ask for help

As veterans, we have a big community of people who want to see us win. From veterans to those who honor our service, so many organizations want to see us succeed. One of the most rewarding work I do is as the Latino cohort facilitator for a program called Breaking Barriers in Entrepreneurship by Bunker Labs. Being able to mentor fellow Latino veterans and their spouses and seeing them succeed makes me feel on purpose.