Veterans are Project Managers

I just completed the Project Management Professional (PMP) requirement of 35 hours classroom instruction offered through Vets2PM (Veterans to Project Managers) and learned some things that I wish I knew while I was an active duty Marine. Most importantly there are 2 reasons why you need to know about project management while on active duty: first, it will help you to be a better Marine; second, this could be your civilian “MOS” after active duty. 

The first reason to learn project management while on active duty is you are doing project management already. While active I used the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP) and 5 paragraph order to solve problems (projects) I encountered or was tasked with. Little did I realize but every time I was given a task that was unique and temporary, I was doing project management. Learning project management through the standardized Project Management Institute (PMI) methodology will augment your military skills and give you new tools to help you accomplish commanders intent more efficiently. I believe that if I understood the work I was already doing as project management and who PMI was, I could have utilized many of the tools that already exist, rather than spending countless hours creating my own. This would have made me more efficient and better prepared to manage the multiple projects, Marines, and resources under my charge.

The second reason to know about project management while on active duty is that one day you will be a civilian. After transitioning out of the military I quickly learned that civilians spoke a different language and had no idea what MCPP or 5 paragraph orders were. It was a culture shock that could have been lessened if I was better prepared to make the transition. Project Management certification helps bridge the language and culture gap. Eric Wright with Vets2PM helps veterans realize much of their military service was project management, we just used different terms for the same thing. Project Management is standardized in the Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) handbook, the “MOS” publication for project management. PMP certification has been a desired trait in most of the jobs I have looked at, not just project management specific careers. 

I haven’t taken the PMP certification exam yet but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The requirements to take the exam are 35 hours of education, 4,500 hours of project management experience with a bachelors degree (7,500 hours without), and a 200 question 4 hour long test based on the PMBOK and PMP code of ethics. Everything I learned about project management is knowledge I already had from my Marine Corps experience, it just needed to be compartmentalized into PMI methodology.

In closing, I can’t recommend Vets2PM enough, they have been extremely helpful and proactive. The boot camp satisfies the PMI education requirement, they provide you with professional resume writing services through Cathy Miclat, an interview skills workshop, assistance in submitting the PMP certification application, invaluable networking, and job placement assistance. The greatest advantage they provide is it is a class for veterans by veterans designed to help you realize you are already a Project Manager. After finishing their 3 week boot camp I have only just begun to utilize the resources they enthusiastically provide towards my career in project management.