Continuing the Mission: How a U.S. Army Veteran is Paying It Forward

Listen and Subscribe

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

The Northeast Regional Director for FourBlock and a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, Eric Stetson has a passion for supporting fellow veterans and helping others realize their full potential.

This week, Eric joins co-host Mike Abrams on the podcast to share his story of continued service, providing insights on the military transition process and advice for veterans going through it. In a dynamic discussion with Mike, Eric talks about his time in service, what made him want to join the Army, and his experiences on active duty. He shares lessons learned from his own transition and some of the biggest missteps he’s seen from fellow veterans during their military transitions. Eric also gives invaluable advice for veterans who are preparing to transition and talks about why he continues to serve and pay it forward to other veterans and the military-connected community.

A native of Haverford, PA, Eric graduated from Lafayette College and served on active duty in the Army for 24 years. His final military assignment was as the Professor of Military Science at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Eric earned a master's degree in Human Resources Education from the University of Louisville and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC).

His military experience included a wide range of assignments including Battery Commander, Brigade Rear Detachment Commander, Biometrics Team Chief for Regional Command East – Afghanistan, and Deputy Brigade Commander for a separate Infantry Brigade. Eric deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo, Qatar, Iraq and Afghanistan in various leadership positions. Upon retiring from the service, he founded his own consulting company specializing in leadership and team performance development and he consults for Ennea International as an Executive Faculty Lead for North America. He is a member of the Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network (GPVN) and the Delaware Valley Veterans Consortium.

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.

Get the best of FourBlock in your inbox