Episode 30: Lt Col (Ret) Michael Hudson; Strategic Account Manager, Schneider Electric Federal
Hello and welcome to another episode of Tactical Transition with your hosts Michele Lewis and Cyndi Po. In this episode, Michele and Cyndi chat with Mike Hudson, a speaker from a recent ESEL seminar. Mike Hudson is a retired Lieutenant Colonel who now serves as the Strategic Account Manager for the Intelligence and Special Operations community at Schneider Electric Federal.
Mike shares insights from his extensive military career, including graduating from the Citadel, serving as an Infantry Officer in Iraq during the first elections, serving with the Old Guard and planning state funerals, branching into Military Intelligence, deploying with the 160th SOAR, attending Ranger assessment, and serving as the RS2 for the 75th Ranger Regiment where he helped design the Ranger Regiment MI Battalion. His bio is impressive, but Michele and Cyndi highlight his personable nature.
The conversation focuses on Mike's military transition experience, which he describes as overwhelming and like a full-time job. He felt lost, initially only knowing what he didn't want to do (deploying, being away from family, struggling to find help). Mike shares that he felt he didn't have friends or know who to turn to because his military identity was so tied to his relationships. Cyndi notes that this feeling of loneliness is a common perception for transitioning service members, even if the reality is different.
Mike meticulously planned his transition, creating timelines and checklists, but couldn't anticipate the sheer volume of tasks or the sense of isolation. He found networking difficult at first, feeling inauthentic because he didn't know how to "be himself" in the civilian world. Attending a transition program like ESEL opened his eyes to the process being about finding a new identity and lifestyle, not just getting a job.
A turning point for Mike came after applying to many jobs, when he realized he didn't have to accept compromises (like a 4-hour daily commute) that he would have readily accepted in the military. Saying "no" to that job offer was liberating and brought a sense of peace and confidence in where he was in the moment, even without a clear final plan. This reinforced that understanding what you don't want is a crucial first step in transition.
Key takeaways and advice from Mike for other transitioning service members include:
- Accept that transition affects every facet of your life, including your identity.
- Recognize that it will hit you in unexpected ways; when it does, stop, take a deep breath, be in the moment, and acknowledge it. Give yourself space to deal with these feelings.
- Let go of the mentality that your value is tied to hours worked or being indispensable; the military will move on, and that's okay.
- Seek out structure and accountability through transition programs.
- Be genuine and vulnerable in building relationships. Former military members are often eager to help, understanding the unique challenges. Relationship building is less transactional than some military interactions.
- As in Ranger School, "Don't give up and help your buddy out".
- Be open and honest with your significant other about your struggles; Mike credits his wife, Annie, with keeping him grounded.
- Remember to rediscover your personal identity and hobbies from before your military service, like Mike is doing with the bagpipes.
Mike and the hosts emphasize that worry about finding a job is common but misplaced, as transitioning leaders are highly marketable. Building genuine relationships, not just networking, is key to success.
Mike will join the podcast again to discuss his current role and how he got there.
Connect with Mike Hudson on LinkedIn! His link will be in the show notes. Be sure to subscribe to the Tactical Transition podcast and explore previous episodes to hear from other guests who want to help you with your transition.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-hudson-mba/