The picture above is the day that I left the military. When I left the military, I had a choice to transition to the civilian sector for either a role within the DoD civilian, DoD Contractor, or Civilian sector. Along the way, I have learned to ask key questions to help myself progress through the “ranks,” and…
Basic Operating Procedures for Seeing the World
I have been to thirteen different locations in the past four months, including multiple countries. In all places that I have been to, there are basic operating procedures that have served me well. One is basic manners. The power of Ma’am, Sir, Thank you, and Welcome will open more doors than not. Two, a firm handshake and…
A Multiphase Approach To Killing the Living Dead
Here is an article that I originally did for AFCEA Signal Magazine in October 2022. Enjoy. The U.S. Space Force is going through technological evolution as it continues to grow from its U.S. Air Force roots. One of the major challenges it is encountering is that much of the enterprise relies on legacy technology, which…
Life Lessons as a CIO
I have spent the past two years as a Chief Innovation Officer and Director in the hope of making the deputy general manager role. This resulted in spending long hours at work, often sixty-five to hundred-hour work weeks, doing undesirable work, and a lot of time without the family. What did it get me? An…
Pueblo Lake State Park
I decided to get away this weekend to do some camping, hiking, and fishing at Lake Pueblo State Park in Southern Colorado. Lake Pueblo is a reservoir that damns the Arkansas River for hydroelectricity and agricultural use, along with providing recreational fishing. With several trails along the park, I decided to hike 13 miles of…
Apple Tree Fable
Apple Tree Fable A farmer worked day and night to carve out a living for his family. On his farm was an apple tree that the farmer relied on to feed his family. During the spring, the tree blossomed, bringing joy to the farmer’s wife. By fall, the farmer’s son would pick apples so the mother…
The World Is Yours
This election has brought out the worst in people. Family, friends, and strangers insult each other because their ideology does not align. If you are serious about making the world a better place, educate yourself. Pick up a book and read. Read books with different views than yourself. Challenge your understanding and understand the opposing argument.…
L.I.O.N or Not
I am contemplating this idea with LinkedIn lately, and I want to ask the community’s opinion. Within LinkedIn, there is a LinkedIn Open Networker or L.I.O.N movement in which members are willing to accept invites from anyone. The proposed benefits of being an L.I.O.N is that it increases an individual’s business network in which they…
Life Experience versus School
As my son starts his education journey, I am starting to identify the same issue in the current public education system that turned me off from school. Instead of speaking to the student, school speaks down to the student. Instead of being spoken down to, early in life I decided to pursue life experience over…
New Direction
I am going to separate the IT articles from my personal blog, ClintonAustin.com and move the tech-centric articles to AustinITConsulting.com/blog. When I first made this decision, it comes with some reservation. Information Technology has long been an intellectual pursuit of mine that has carried me far, but I am trying to separate the two from…