Background

This fall I had the amazing opportunity and privilege to participate in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC). My “class” was the 93rd JCOC – see #JCOC93 across social media. I was nominated by the U.S. Navy and was part of #TeamNavy throughout the experience.

What Is JCOC?
The JCOC is DOD’s oldest and most prestigious public liaison program. Established in 1948, it is the only Secretary of Defense-sponsored outreach program that enables American business and community leaders to have a full immersive experience with their military.

What Is The Benefit?
Americans learn more about their military and the men and women who serve. Participants are fully immersed with the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.

https://www.defense.gov/jcoc

What made the #JCOC93 experience amazing? THE PEOPLE! The activities, the technology, the travel, the tours, the challenges…all were incredible. I’ll share more about all of that in future posts. But what truly made the experience unforgettable was THE PEOPLE! And that’s where I begin my sharing about #JCOC93…

The People of the Military

• A young man who had to have his mother sign off for him to join the military because he was not 18 yet led us on an incredible tour of the Pentagon all while walking backward, spewing off Pentagon and military facts, sharing his personal stories, and answering our crazy questions. See a great article, Backward is the Way Forward, that describes the Pentagon tour and tour guide experience.
• A Marine who already has a BS in Environmental Science and is working on his Master’s Degree. He wants to relocate to Texas, probably Austin, upon retirement to work in the environmental field. He was also my texting encourager as we rappelled from a 60-foot tower at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. “Listen to the instructions, relax, and enjoy yourself. They know what they’re doing. It’s 100% safe.” (Maybe some life lessons within that!)
• An “Airman” who was actually an “Air Woman”, or in military terms “female airman”, who shared about the challenges of being a woman in the Air Force – from the culture (see the terminology just shared of “airmen“) to the attire (adjustments just recently made to women’s attire – from migraines to back pain to attire not designed to allow women to best do their job) to height requirement (see recent changes based on updated research vs using decades-old research observing almost entirely white male pilots – bias in science and research is everywhere!)
• Our team lead for “Team Navy” in the JCOC who loves the Navy, loves sports, and loves showing off his wife’s baking (which is amazing…and she’s a STEM woman!). He answered questions, demystified some of the Navy systems and processes, and worked hard to make our experience incredible. He’s working on his Master’s in Sports Industry Management.
• And so many more….the people and their stories are what make our military strong.

The People Participating in the JCOC

“What is amazing, is that no one was an asshole!” That quote from one of my JCOC peers 1) made me laugh and 2) was absolutely true. It feels rare to be in a space with a bunch of Type A people who are leaders in all kinds of industries, organizations, and spaces where everyone wants to learn, absorb, listen, and grow. Everyone gave up a week of their lives and work to immerse themselves in the JCOC experience. There was little to no time to catch up on emails, address work issues, or even call home. So we bonded. We made new friends. We learned from each other.

Who made up the people of the JCOC? Leaders from Texas favorites H-E-B and Whataburger plus other companies such as Chick-fil-A, Honeywell and General Motors. Leaders from non-profits and organizations such as World Affairs Council, Business for America, Entertainment Industry Foundation, and Transportation Institute. Leaders in sports organizations such as the NBA, United States Football League, and Iditarod. Educators and leaders from Carnegie Mellon, Villanova, Tennessee STEM Innovation Network – Battelle Education, University of Virginia, and Illinois Math & Science Academy. Leaders and creators across the entertainment industry. And so many more! 39 amazing individuals and leaders with stories to tell and experiences to learn from.

My biggest regret from the week? Not getting to spend more time with each person and learning more about each and every one of them. There just wasn’t enough time!

The People Leading the JCOC

Each branch of the military was represented by amazing women and men who led teams of JCOC participants throughout the week. Along with the JCOC Program Manager and leaders from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, these leaders created experiences that showcased their branch of the military, gave us insights into their personal experiences and expertise, and generated excitement and interest in each branch of the military through their energy and enthusiasm. They challenged and inspired us. They were curious and learned along with us. And they had fun with us.

Again, my biggest regret from the week? Not getting to spend more time with each of these amazing people and learning more about each and every one of them. There just wasn’t enough time!

More to come as I share the experiences, one by one, just as we navigated across the country and through each branch of the military.