When Preparation Meets Partnership: How One National Guard Member Found Civilian Career Success

Damion Tomlin, an Air National Guard Airman First Class, found himself in that exact place. What changed his path wasn’t luck. It was preparation, trust, and the decision to lean into the organizations designed to help.

Tomlin’s story is proof that when you use your resources, trust the process, and partner with the right people, momentum follows.

“The assistance from RCTAA and RecruitMilitary truly made a difference in my career search.”
— Damion Tomlin

A Mission-Ready Background

Tomlin serves in the Air National Guard, working in the 2T0X1 Traffic Management Operations career field. His role focuses on logistics, supply chain coordination, freight movement, and transportation management, ensuring people and equipment arrive where they need to be, on time, and in compliance.

On paper, Tomlin had strong, in-demand experience. But like many National Guard members and Reservists, translating that experience into a civilian career path wasn’t straightforward.

The Challenge: Fragmentation and Uncertainty

Before connecting with the right resources, Tomlin described his job search as fragmented and inefficient. Opportunities were scattered across multiple platforms. There was no central place to search, no clear direction, and no way to know if his resume was truly competitive for civilian employers.

He also faced a common challenge: translation. He wasn’t confident his military experience was being communicated in language that civilian hiring managers or applicant tracking systems would understand.

Like many job seekers, Tomlin wasn’t lacking motivation. He was lacking a system.

The Bridge: RCTAA

That changed when Tomlin connected with the Reserve Component Transition Assistance Advisor Program (RCTAA).

RCTAA exists to ensure National Guard and Reserve members are supported after deployments or during life transitions. For nearly 20 years, the program has provided guidance, trusted referrals, and a pathway to vetted resources.

Tomlin connected with his local RCTAA advisor, David Earsing. Earsing provided Tomlin several resources, including RecruitMilitary, an RCTAA partner with firsthand, proven experience connecting veterans to meaningful employment opportunities.

For RCTAA, these connections aren’t just referrals. They are transfers of trust.

The Solution: RecruitMilitary

Once connected, Tomlin didn’t wait. He took action.

After a brief call with a RecruitMilitary representative, he used resume tools to redesign his resume using civilian language and standards. He also completed his RecruitMilitary profile, an essential step that increased his visibility to employers and allowed for better job matching.

From there, he leaned into everything available:

Instead of navigating alone, Tomlin now had a centralized ecosystem supporting his search.

When Trust Meets Effort, Momentum Follows

One of the most important parts of Tomlin’s story is that he didn’t expect someone else to do the work for him.

“Some job seekers say, ‘Here’s my stuff, find the job for me,’ or they will ask for help but never reply or take action. Tomlin was different. He responded to emails. He asked questions. He followed up. He applied. And he stayed engaged.”
— David Earsing, RCTAA Advisor

That combination, trusting the process and putting in the effort, is what made the difference.

Step-by-Step: How Tomlin Took Control of His Job Search

Once Tomlin was connected to RecruitMilitary through RCTAA, he treated the process like a mission: centralized, structured, and intentional. Instead of navigating the job market alone, he used RecruitMilitary as his primary hub and took consistent, practical steps to move forward:

Updated and modernized his resume. Used RecruitMilitary’s tools to translate military experience into civilian-friendly language.
Completed his RecruitMilitary profile. Increased visibility and improved employer matching.
Searched and applied consistently. Used the job board and applied for applicable roles.
Engaged in virtual job fairs. Connected directly with multiple employers in one place.
Prepared intentionally. Reviewed best practices and developed an elevator pitch.
Stayed engaged. Tracked progress and responded to support check-ins.

Leadership Note

A steady plan matters more than a perfect plan. The goal is to be ready, not to predict every outcome.

This structured approach replaced guesswork with clarity and turned effort into results. Tomlin received multiple interviews and ultimately secured a new position as an Inventory Specialist with Duane Reade Drug (Walgreens).

The Power of Partnership

Tomlin’s success wasn’t the result of a single organization. It was the result of collaboration.

RCTAA provided trusted guidance.
RecruitMilitary delivered tools, connections, and support.
Tomlin stayed engaged and took consistent action.

“RCTAA doesn’t tell job seekers what to do. We provide options. When we refer someone to RecruitMilitary, it’s because we’ve seen real results.”
— Susan Robinson, RCTAA Program Analyst

A Message for Fellow Job Seekers

Tomlin’s story is a reminder that success doesn’t come from one application or one interview. It comes from doing the right things, at the right times, with the right partners.

Are you using the resources available to you?
Are you building a job board profile, updating your resume, and engaging with support?
Are you trusting the organizations built to serve you?

Because when preparation meets partnership, momentum follows.

Take the next step

Learn more about RCTAA’s support for National Guard and Reserve members, and take the first step to civilian career success with RecruitMilitary.

How an Air National Guard Member Secured a Civilian Job Through RCTAA and RecruitMilitary

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