How an Infantry Officer Got Into a Career in Tech

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Episode Description

This week we welcome West Point graduate and U.S. Army veteran George Chewning, who served five years as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer including a deployment to Afghanistan.

In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, George shares details of his time in the Army and his service in Afghanistan; his military transition and what made him realize he needed support with the transition; and his post-military career as a non-technical veteran who transitioned into a civilian career in technology. He shares insights from his transition journey and what he’s learned from making multiple transitions throughout his career. George also discusses how he found his way back to a career serving his community and shares his advice for fellow veterans in transition now.

After his transition out of the military, George earned his MBA from the George Washington University. He served as a Legislative Director for the Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation and then transitioned to a Program Manager role at Facebook before being selected as a Presidential Innovation Fellow at the Department of Veteran Affairs. He just recently began a new role as Deputy Director for the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation.

George is an alumnus of FourBlock’s Veteran Career Readiness Program and also serves as a volunteer member on our National Leadership Council.

About Us

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term “Three Block War” to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, and author of two military transition books. He’ll be representing the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.