Íøºì±¬ÁÏ

James Rodriguez:
When I was working at Department of Defense, every job is seven days a week, pretty much right now. Every day is different and every challenge is different every single day. But the beauty of it is you have such a great team that you fortunately get to surround yourself with. One of the most important things you can do as a leader is continue to work with that team to create great policies that you know are gonna support.

The value of that though is you get the greater good outta public service and supporting your fellow service members or your fellow veterans and their families, and you know that you get to make. A lifelong impact on those individuals that you support.

Intro:
Welcome to the Íøºì±¬ÁÏ podcast, unstoppable Stories with your host Lauren Cardillo.

Lauren Cardillo:
Today I am joined by James Rodriguez, most recently, assistant secretary in the Department of Labor, having to do with veteran employment issues. James, thanks so much for being here.

James Rodriguez:
Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure joining you all.

Lauren Cardillo:
We love having you. We love having, you know, veterans Íøºì±¬ÁÏ grads most recently.

I heard you speak at Veterans Day and you spoke about your childhood and sort of where this all started, and I think it's a really great story about, you know, no power shrimp boats, you know, explain how you went from, you know, that childhood to where you are today. Tell us about that.

James Rodriguez:
The reason I started telling that story, 'cause I never really used to talk about my, my childhood until I got into this role. And when I was going through Senate confirmation, I realized when I was writing my, my opening statement, you have five minutes to write an opening statement to present to the senators so they get to know you more so than just what you are vetting process is right. And so I wanted to share my personal story 'cause I knew that it would resonate with a lot of people who were just like me, who grew up either in the inner city, who grew up in the rural communities, small towns across the country, and who, uh, grew up in very modest means like I did. So I wanted to really express that through hard work, through education, things like that, that you could achieve. Senior positions, whether it's in the federal government, academia, or in the corporate world.

So I wanted people to see that. All that to say, I grew up, as I mentioned, a small town in Texas, population of about 7,000. It's probably grown about 200 by now and over the last 30 plus years. And, uh, you know, it was a, by all you know, means, I guess it was, um, your typical small town, um, in Texas. And so. I grew up most of my life.

I lived in the projects. I grew up, uh, my mother was 16 years old when she had me. I was the first of eight. And, uh, by default, I wound up living with my grandmother. So my grandmother's the one who raised me for the majority of my life. And, uh, through that process I did understand that, uh, yeah, education was key to a pathway of success.

And I knew I didn't have the financial means to go to college, but. The military was my next opportunity to make that dream come true. So early on when I was in high school, I decided I was gonna join the military and I was gonna join the Marine Corps. And because of, uh, that commitment personally, I. That, uh, I wound up graduating high school where a lot of my relatives and friends didn't graduate high school. They went on, uh, different paths, if you wanna call it that. And uh, the Marine Corps was my first iteration into looking at how I could build a career for myself. And then eventually as I got married and uh, had a children, that was my next opportunity to build a career for myself. 'cause I started, served 21 years there. And then, uh. Retired in 2009 and went right to the corporate space.

Lauren Cardillo:
So who instilled that education idea in you? Because like you said, lots of people took other paths, you know, you were raised by your grandmother. What sort of pushed you?

James Rodriguez:
You know, the interesting part about it is that I was kind of self instilled, uh, to be completely honest, because, uh, again, in a small town, my family members, I was the first one to graduate high school, the first one to graduate college. Uh, I didn't have a lot of role models. Regarding education or, uh, great careers in, in any major industry. So it was something that I inherently understood as I was going through school and I would, um, see things that I knew seemed impossible in my current situation. But at the same time, I knew they were attainable if I put in the right work and they put in, the discipline. So that's why I always talk about the value of sports. I was really, really good, uh, in my opinion. I was good at sports and uh, that's what kept me in school, to be quite honest, is the ability to continue to play sports and having to pass your courses in order to continue to play every Friday for football.

I played baseball, ran track, and, uh, the discipline that came along with participating in the, uh, in activities and the discipline that was required by the coaches. To be an athlete. Right. I, that's what really set me on the course of the Marine Corps was a good fit for me because all of that culminated in, I know I could do this at a higher level and being a young Marine would allow me to one, maintain my ability to maintain physical fitness, but the drive, get the professional education there and eventually college, uh, when I had the opportunity, that is what drove me as an individual, honestly. I wish I could say I had role models, but at the time I did it. And so when I became a young adult and then the young leader of Marines, that's something I strive to be, was a role model for other people who served with me.

Lauren Cardillo:
What was your favorite sport then?

James Rodriguez:
Football was, football was, and it still is. Uh, and, uh, now, you know, I, I run still when I can and, uh, I watch sports. The beauty of football is that I have two daughters and, uh. Both of my daughters grew up watching football with me, so that was one of the things that we did together. And, uh, they're big football fans. They went to college because of the, the, um, football atmosphere at the University of Texas a and m and or Texas A&M University. I'll get, I have to get that right or my daughter will not let me live. Uh, and then, or Texas Tech University, but they went specifically there because of their football programs and their academic programs.

Lauren Cardillo:
I love that. So take me back just a little bit. I, I was reading through your senate, um, when you testified, um, what was it like shrimp boat, summer, Texas golf hot. Give me, give me like your day. Like what was that lot? 'cause I think a lot of people don't appreciate that.

James Rodriguez:
So that's, that's where I really came to the realization that I was making the right decision by joining the Marine Corps. I had graduated high school. I was working, uh, well, let me backtrack back up a little bit. When I was 16 years old, summer job, uh, I got to go out on a shrimp boat and, uh, I worked on a shrimp boat and that was the hardest work I've ever done in my life out in the Gulf of Mexico, working out there, being seasick. I had never been on a boat like that before in my life, but I was 16 years old making a living, uh, because I needed money.

And, um, so I did that for. About 10 days. And by the grace of God, uh, we broke down. We're supposed to be out for 30 days out there. And by the grace of God, in my opinion, we broke down and we had to come back to port to get to the, the boat fixed. And instead of them fixing it and going back out, I took off and I did not go back out with them anymore. So that was the, that was my first, uh, realization that I did not wanna do this for a living because a lot of my other family members did that. And it was hard work and I knew, again that there was no way I was gonna do that for a living. So then fast forward, I graduated high school and I had already joined the Marine Corps when I was 17, a senior in high school, and by this time I was waiting for my shift date to bootcamp. And so I. Now I'm working in the actual shipyard. So you bring the sh the, uh, shrimp boats up on dry dock. Dry dock, and you, I was a welder's assistant, so I'm in the hole of these steel ships, steel boats rather, and it's 110 degrees in the summer in Texas, but it's even hotter in the hole of this boat. And that quickly realize that I'm not doing this for a living either. And so I remember one about two months into it, I called up my recruiter and I said, look, I'm not doing this anymore. I need a ship date that's sooner than, than what you can get me outta here. And, uh, or I'm not going, I'm gonna go to another service. And, uh, he's like, hold that thought. I'll call you back tomorrow.

And so he called me back the next day and said, can you leave in a week? And I said, yes. So a week later. I joined the Marine Corps, been 21 years there.

Lauren Cardillo:
And, and, and was it ever as hard as that, like, you know, hold in the, on a, on a ship as a welder?

James Rodriguez:
There were, sometimes it came pretty close, sometimes where, you know, I was very, very hot and uncomfortable in places around the world.

But, uh, especially being a young person at that time doing that type of work, the beauty of it when I was older, and I, and I still say this, uh, oftentimes is that. I know I've always been hotter or I've been colder based on my military experiences. So I know I have the resilience to overcome whatever situation it is if I'm in a hot situation or cold situation 'cause I've been in both places to the extreme and that allows me to get through it.

Lauren Cardillo:
Tell us some of the places you've been, you were during your 21 year career.

James Rodriguez:
Oh, I had a great career. So I served in Desert Shield, desert Storm, uh, back in the nine, early nineties. And then, uh, served around the world probably about 15 countries around the world. I was able to, to visit and then, uh, I spent six years as a Marine Corps drill instructor. Three at the Recruit Depot San Diego, training young men to become Marines, and then three years at Officer Kennedy School down the road in Quantico, training young officers, men and women to become Marines.

And then, uh, a year at the basic school. Then I was with the Infantry Battalion, Fox two four outta Camp Belton, where I did my last deployment in 2008, and then retired in 2009. So at one point, uh, my wife and my two daughters, we lived in overseas, in, uh, in Okinawa, Japan, where the University of Maryland global campus actually comes in because that's where both my wife and I started going to college with Íøºì±¬ÁÏ.

And we both got our associates degrees there and eventually our bachelor's degree, it was, uh, interesting. Part of that is that my wife worked for University of Maryland University College at the same time while she was going to college. And, uh, it's. Really interesting when you look at the story of our, uh, education obtaining is because we had two young daughters.

I would go to class Monday and Wednesday. She would go to class Tuesdays and Thursdays, or I would go to class from four to seven, and she would go from seven to 10 or vice versa, depending on the semester. So someone was always with our daughters, and so we'd work all day then go to class at night. But one of us was always with our daughters for about two years straight.

Lauren Cardillo:
Wow. Was she also a Marine?

James Rodriguez:
She was a Marine. She sure was. We met, we met in the Marine Corps, camp Lejeune, North Carolina after I came back from the Gulf War, and she's a Texan. And so because of that we had a, we had quite a lot in common.

Lauren Cardillo:
So what was it that sort of flipped that script for you that said, I need to start going to school?

James Rodriguez:
And this is the value of mentors. And so this is why I said, uh, as I became a young Marine, I, I wound up getting a mentor. There is a, uh, a Marine by the name of Lieutenant Colonel San Flores. I'll never forget it for the rest of my life. Uh, when I was stationed, I reenlisted, uh, in 1992 for my, my first of, uh, a few re-enlistments.

It's the first time I reenlisted in, uh, I got stationed in Marine Corps Air Station in Toro, California. And I was a young corporal and I got, uh, stationed at the commanding general staff working, uh, for Lieutenant Colonel Sam Flores, who by the way was a marine. He was enlisted, joined the Marine Corps during Vietnam and served three tours of Vietnam, three Purple Hearts, and, uh, went from private all the way to Chief Warrant Officer five to Lieutenant Colonel over a 30 plus year career in the Marine Corps. And, um, so one day I was working for him and it was lunchtime and he said, corporal Rodriguez, what are you doing, uh, during your lunchtime? And I said, uh, sir, I go out and I pt. And, uh, he was like, I want you to go down in, uh, enroll in college. You need to get educated, take advantage of the tuition assistance, because if you're gonna make the Marine Corps career, you need to have a college degree. And so that was my first iteration on really going and taking college seriously, I should say, because when I first came back from the Gulf War, uh, we had some downtime of course, before I reenlisted, and then I, uh, took my first college course at, uh, coastal Carolina Community College in, in, uh, North Carolina, Jacksonville.

And then, um. I took about two courses there and then I got, uh, permanent change of station orders to California and that's where I really started investing in my education.

Lauren Cardillo:
How hard or easy was it? I mean, you were in the Marines, you know, trying to go to college, which is a big deal. What was it like?

James Rodriguez:
So yeah, so you have your normal job, and then at this time, of course, I'm married and I have a young daughter. And, uh, going to school at night time. So I would go at lunchtime when, uh, the courses were available because they actually had some, some, uh, uh, instructors that would come to the base. So you could take courses during lunch or sometimes the instructors came to the base in the evening, and so I would go there in the evenings or to the campus, depending on which course I was taking. So it was a big, big time commitment, but one of the biggest challenges throughout my academic career was. Because when I would change duty stations, sometimes I would have to change colleges. And so the biggest challenge was, is that sometimes some of the credits didn't carry over. So I would have to go and retake a couple of courses, English courses, you know, math courses, things like that.

And I think it took me approximately 17 years and five or six colleges before I finally got my bachelor's degree because of, uh, being a Marine, quite honestly. Uh, but the beauty of it's, I never, uh. Thought that I would not obtain my degree.

Lauren Cardillo:
Yeah, I was gonna say, what kept you going then? Because that's a long time, you know, having to take things over again and move around. I mean, what, what kept you going?

James Rodriguez:
Well, I, I told my daughters this. I said, education is a great equalizer and so what are the things that, I always knew that I was gonna retire from the Marine Corps eventually. And if I wanted to get into a good corporate career, being a Marine with all of the. Skills and professional development that I have for Marine Corps wasn't gonna get me to roles that I knew I wanted to, to get into the corporate space because all the roles that I was looking at required a bachelor's degree.

And so I knew in order to get into, uh, senior level roles, eventually in a corporate space, I had to have a bachelor's degree. And that was my, my ultimate goals, getting through the Marine Corps, retiring and getting started my next career, corporate career. I knew having a bachelor's degree was what that first step was gonna be to me, kind of elevate into that next career.

So it was always in the back of my mind and I knew how important it was.

Lauren Cardillo:
How did it feel in Okinawa when your wife and you graduated together and your girls are sitting in the audience? I mean, what was, what was that like?

James Rodriguez:
That was amazing. You know, it was, uh. The funny thing about it's that even though both of our, our last names are Rodriguez, at this time, there was still someone in the middle between us.

And so we're walking on the stage and we go through for, uh, to receive our, uh, our associate's degree. And, uh, I go first 'cause her name's Vanessa. I go first, then I forget whoever the next person was and then she comes up. So I waited for her on the stage and then we, uh. We got our degrees together and then, uh, we went down and got to celebrate with our daughters.

But that was really the, I think, the stamp that our girls needed to show the value of education. And we had talked about that. That was the only reason we actually walked, because we weren't gonna even walk in a commencement ceremony. And, uh, but we wanted to really instill into our daughters that they would see their parents walking across the stage, that they know that they can also obtain a college degree.

And that's what really set them on their path. And I'll probably say one has an MBA and the other one, my youngest daughter has an MBA and my oldest daughter has a, uh, a master's degree in a strategic comms.

Lauren Cardillo:
So clearly it was a big memory though, because, you know, it was both of you together, you know, for them. When, when did you get the bachelor's then?

James Rodriguez:
So I got the bachelor's right when I retired from the Marine Corps. And, uh, it was again, right when I was, you know, making that decision to retire and go into the corporate space. And it was perfect timing because the position I applied for as a program manager in a big defense and aerospace company required a bachelor's degree. So you couldn't even apply for a job without a bachelor's degree. And so I did that, and that was my first iteration until the corporate space.

Lauren Cardillo:
So. Not fast forward, but fast forward for us. You've now, you know, worked in the Department of Defense, the Department of Labor. I mean, did you ever think that would be where that kid from, you know, small town, Texas is gonna end up?

James Rodriguez:
You know, uh, to be quite frank with you, I, uh, I knew I was gonna be successful. I didn't know where I was gonna be successful at, in what industry, but I knew at least in the, at, in the minimum I was gonna be successful in the corporate space. And one because I had that drive from the Marine Corps. And then once I got into, uh, the corporate space, I went from being a program manager to a director in about four years. And so, uh, and part of that was again, the mentorship. I had a good mentor who really helped me understand the value of education and how to grow my career in that specific industry. I. So I knew I was on the right career path, uh, within an industry when I got asked by the White House to become the, uh, deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense in, uh, 2014.

And then after that, it just, uh, fortunately kind of helped grow my career even more. 'cause then right after that I went back into industry after three years in 2017 and went back into the industry. And then in 2021 I was asked again, uh, to come and take the role that I had as the Assistant Secretary of Department of Labor. So, uh, I knew I was gonna be successful. And I'm not saying that, uh, in a way that, uh, tries to make me look like I'm, uh, talking about my personal value. But I just knew that all the investment that I had put into my military career, my education, I knew that I was gonna allow me to be successful in whatever industry I pursue.

Lauren Cardillo:
Well, you had a plan.

James Rodriguez:
I had a plan. That's right.

Lauren Cardillo:
You know, and, and you followed through on it. For, for people who don't know, explain to me what working for a department of the federal government is like. I mean, you said to me just a little bit ago, you know, it's like seven days a week. I mean, what is, it's not the usual job. What's it like?

James Rodriguez:
Yeah, so when I was working at Department of Def, uh, defense, every job is seven days a week, pretty much right now. Every day is different. Every challenge is different every single day, but the beauty of it is you have such a great team that you fortunately get to surround yourself with. And so I had a great team, both iterations of my time in Government, department of Defense, and Department of Labor to really help you meet your mission requirements. And I think one of the most important things you could do as a leader is continue to work with that team to create great policies that you know are gonna support.

In my case at DOD, the active duty service members who were wounded ill and injured. Then when I was assistant secretary, the veterans who were looking for employment, who were potentially becoming homeless, who needed the resources that we could provide them so they could build their own careers as well, and having a team that helps you meet those mission requirements is so inherently important.

But the job is a lot. And so the value of that though is you get the greater good out of public services supporting your fellow. Service members when I was a DOD or your fellow veterans and their families, and you know that you get to make a lifelong impact on those individuals that you support. And what are the things that I, I told my team here most recently before I left, was that oftentimes you don't get to see the benefit of your work with those individuals when you meet them, uh, the first time.

But the impact that you have may be felt a year from now, five years from now. That's all you have to remember. That's why we do this work, because they'll use that resource that you provided them when they are ready. And that's all you have to remember. And so as long as you keep that at the forefront of your mind, you know you're doing good work.

So it is a lot of work. Public services is hard, but the people who do that public service are there most often because it's important to make an impact on your fellow Americans, your fellow citizens' lives, right? That's why we do that work.

Lauren Cardillo:
I noticed one of the things that you were very interested in was generational wealth, you know? And how to make that work for veterans. Tell me about that.

James Rodriguez:
Yes. One of the things I've been speaking about for a while is the impact of generational wealth, and so as I was talking about, it was so important for my wife and I to be role models, if you will, for our dollars, understanding the impact of obtaining an education and how impactful that would be for you.

In our case, our daughters, when they obtained their degree and so they could get into their own, um, line of business, whatever. They chose to do that. And what that allowed them to see is that education creates generational wealth for you. And if an individual has a degree, they have a good career. Most likely their children are gonna follow that, that path as well.

We know that, uh, there's research, plenty of research out there that shows at least if one parent has a degree, there's more likely than not that their children are gonna go to college. And so by default, you're creating generational wealth because you're giving them the opportunity to obtain a degree that at least to in many cases higher earning, uh, career opportunities.

Lauren Cardillo:
Is that a, is that a message that the military has been? Good about spreading, you know, over the years, or did you feel like it was like it needed new initiatives to make it happen?

James Rodriguez:
I'm not sure. It's about the generational wealth so much that the military spreads more so than the commitment to service and doing public good, right? So service above self is always instilled in the people who serve in the military and they join because they wanna do selfless service, right? And so by default, now what we tell them is, while you're in the military, you also get the opportunity to use educational benefits. And then you get to use the GI bill when you leave active duty.

And through that process you can create, uh, generational wealth opportunities for you, right? So I think that's a message that. Historically has not always been the prevailing message, but it is now coming to light that we have all these benefits and resources that can support you, not only while you're on active duty, but post-military service. And that's something that, uh, I constantly try to harp on, is that you have to utilize the benefits because you've earned them, and that is what allows you to. Getting to your next career, and your children can benefit that from that as well, because in many cases, if the service member doesn't use their GI bill, now they can pass it on to their spouse or to their children so they can go to college as well and create their own generational wealth opportunities.

Lauren Cardillo:
How did it feel for you when you would see someone when you were actually in the Marines or afterwards, who you had sort of instilled that idea, that idea in like, and maybe you've been a mentor to them and then see them actually succeed? I mean, how did that make you feel?

James Rodriguez:
Yeah, I mean that's sometimes that was, uh, in many cases, that was some of the most proudest moments when you would see someone, uh, who, uh. Took your advice, took your mentorship, and actually excelled. Because just like with your children, you always want people to do better than you, right? You want your children to do better than you, whether it's professional, personal, whatever it is. It's the same thing for young Marines. When you're a Marine and you are leading younger marines, you want them to do better as well. So you wanna provide that leadership, that guidance, and the access to information so they make the right decisions for themselves and their career. That's something that, uh, is inherently important to all, and I can speak for Marines, but all marine leaders is shaping the future generation of the Marine Corps because you wanna leave it in better hands than when you found it.

And I think that is, uh, probably prevalent across every industry. But because the military is a, is a fighting force that's charged with defending this great nation of ours, that we wanna make sure that we have the best capable people, the most highly educated people. Leading in those circumstances,

Lauren Cardillo:
How was the TRA transition for you from being in the military to actually being out?

I know it's tough for people and I'm sure you've talked to people who, it's been a tough transition. How was it for you and what advice do you give people you know, about how to make that transition easier?

James Rodriguez:
You know, for me it was not as hard to be quite honest because I was ready. I had made up my mind that I was gonna retire and uh, my wife and I had come to the decision that it was the right time. So because of that, I accepted the fact that I was gonna do something completely different for the rest of my life. And so when I made that transition from the Marine Corps into the corporate space, I fully embedded myself in being a better employee to being the best program managers that I could at the time, because that was my job.

And then figuring out how I could continue to grow in that space now because it was my next career. So I fully invested in that. But one of the beauties of, uh, my transition was that I was in defense and aerospace, so I still got to be around service members by nature of our business. And so I was around, uh, Marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and uh, that helped me stay connected to the military community. And then I got involved in supporting some various military nonprofits. And so. Because of that consistent connectivity that allowed me to have a smoother transition, if you will. And that's one of the things that I really, really speak to, transitioning veterans regardless if they did four years, 20 years, or 30 years, is the ability to remain connected to your tribe. The ability to stay connected to your community is so inherently important because oftentimes when people are separated from the military, they wanna get far away as possible and then they realize after six months or a year or two. Maybe I don't wanna be that far away. And so we wanna make sure that they stay connected because we know being around people with like-minded, with same experiences allow us to transition a lot easier.

And staying committed to the mission of supporting your fellow service members or their families, that is inherently important and it does help in navigating an easier transition out of the military.

Lauren Cardillo:
Did you have a, a moment while you were. Assistant secretary that was like your proudest moment that you recall, or just for some reason reminds me, reminds you of why you did it all during those four years?

James Rodriguez:
There's a couple of those and, and you know, and I think, uh, there's, there's, I, I can, I'm thinking back now. There's a couple of stories, uh, that I always really try to share that really emphasizes the work we did is when we had a veteran who was homeless, she was living in her car and through our programs. Our partners, department of Veterans Affairs, we were able to get her house, we're able to get her healthcare, and then now she's working at Department of Veterans Affairs supporting her fellow veterans. Or when we had a veteran who was homeless for 15 years living under their bridge of Washington, DC.

Now as a very first veteran in my role as assistant secretary that I really came in contact with, that showed me that I was in the right job doing the right things for the right people, and we got that veteran house. We got him healthcare. Then he got a job and changed his course of his life from the last 15 years, or veterans who were formerly incarcerated and through the benefits and our, of our partners, they had college degrees while they were in the military and got on transition to new jobs, into housing completely, um, different career paths than what they had from being formerly incarcerated. So those type of stories is what drove me and my team, uh, every single day that we were in office. I was very fortunate. I, I've testified in front of Congress. I don't know if a lot of people would say that's fortunate, but I got to testify in front of Congress, uh, the boast of House and the Senate a few times, and being able to represent my agency and what our mission was and our values that we were, um, utilizing to do our work every single day. And then getting people who, as I mentioned before, maybe are growing up in, in modest means, but getting, getting people to see me on camera now testifying. In front of members of Congress, to me, is inherently important because people need to see that it's possible and I'm living proof that it is.

Lauren Cardillo:
Those stories you just told, this made me think like you were probably just like smiling inside, you know? I mean, you know, the idea that this person was living under a bridge, right? It's crazy. I mean, the satisfaction of that, even though it's long hours, has to be, you know, just so gratifying.

James Rodriguez:
It is, you know, and people ask me that often, like, which one did I do I like better since my retirement? Do I like the the corporate space or do I like the public service space? And I like both. Uh, 'cause they have different requirements, different mission, different goals. But in the public space, you get to see your impact on people's lives. And I got to have numerous conversations with, uh, men and women who served honorably and. Had missteps post-military service because of whatever transition challenges they had, and then we were able to come in and help get them on the right path after that and seeing how our team and the resources that we provide change their lives.

So you can't replace that no matter what you're doing in the corporate space.

Lauren Cardillo:
How did it feel when you, when you left, you know, you administration changes, you go to a new job. How did it feel?

James Rodriguez:
It's always one of those bittersweet moments, and fortunately this is my second time, so it wasn't, uh, to be quite honest, it wasn't as much of a contrast for me this time because I knew what was coming and I knew, uh, that I was prepared for the transition more so this time than the first time.

And the reason I say I was bittersweet because of the fact that I knew all the great work we were doing and the first year of, of my time in office was actually coming outta Covid. And so we didn't get the full start of four years and I felt like. The last two years, we were really hitting the ground running.

We were making a lot of progress in our programs and policies that we had implemented. And then, you know, then it's time to leave. And so, but you know that the work that we did is gonna still be felt this year, the next year throughout this next administration. And so I'm proud of the fact that the, there's a lot of career service member or career service employees who are still in the agency. 97%, 80%. 97%, I'm sorry, of the staff are prior service members themselves. And so they're veterans who are committed to supporting their fellow veterans. So we know that the work is gonna continue, but after four years moving on, doing something else is also inherently important because at the same time, there's gonna be someone that comes in with new ideas and that's gonna help move the agency forward.

And you have to accept that. And then I have to look at what can I do in my next career? To continue to move the ball forward in, in whatever I'm doing. And for me, uh, I was ready to do that as well.

Lauren Cardillo:
So tell us about what you're doing, because you still have that military link, right, in the new jobs. I do. So tell us, tell us about it.

James Rodriguez:
Yeah. So when I was leaving the office, I wanted to do something different than what I've been doing for the last 15 years, but at the same time still figuring out how I continue to support my fellow veterans. And so now I'm the senior vice president for. Government affairs and corporate development at the University of Health and Performance located right out of Bentonville, Arkansas. The focus there is to ensure that veterans come to the university and understand the importance of mental health, physical health, on how you take all of that education to help you process what you're doing to assist in that transition to whatever your next career is. In this case, there are certified personal trainers, advanced nutritionists, or advanced personal trainer courses that they can take.

Then there's a Patriot Pathways program where we help service members learn how to transition to their next career, post-military service, either before they get outta the military or after they've been outta the military and they're in a corporate environment already, they can come back to the university. The beauty of it is that it's all on site, so you. Live together in these, uh, modern cabins. And then you eat together three meals a day in our dining facility, and then you all use all of the facilities. They're all in one campus. So what's really neat about this is that you get back to that military mindset where you train together, you eat together, you sleep together, and you do hard things together.

And so there's a combination of. Uh, academic courses that you take in the classroom, but then it's supplemented by being outside, doing problem solving, doing team activities together. And that's what creates that stronger bond. And what we wanna ensure that they take that and they use that when they go to their next career to create that cohort and that group of like-minded individuals that could help advance themselves in whatever industry they're in. And so, uh, for me. Making sure that we understand how important it's to be focused on our mental health and our physical health, because we know in many cases, when veterans are struggling, oftentimes suicidal ideations come into the picture and we wanna make sure we're addressing that by having a strong mind, strong body, strong spirit, as they say, right? We know that building that resilience mindset helps someone utilize the resources that are afforded to them, but at the same time, it also gives them tools to prepare themselves for that transition. Or, uh, development if needed when they're in their next careers.

Lauren Cardillo:
Sort of sounds like, yes, it gives you structure if you're lacking a little structure after you get out, but also moving you forward. What's the most important thing that can help service members over the next 25 years? You know, what's the next big thing?

James Rodriguez:
To me, the most important thing is, is being able to understand how to navigate all of the resources that are, that are afforded you. This is why you're on active duty. This is after you transition out of the military, is that oftentimes you get inundated with so much information. But how to navigate all of that information to find the right resources to set you on your next career path is inherently important. And it's a challenge I. Having a good mentor help you understand that process is also important because that's what I've had fortunately throughout my Marine Corps career and post-military service, and that's kinda what helped me really understood specific areas of my career growth that I needed to tap into.

For example, when I was a director, my mentor told me if I ever wanted to be a vice president, I needed to have a graduate degree. And so I went to grad school, obtained a graduate degree, and then. I also knew that I was not, uh, proficient enough to, to understand how to really fully run a business if I ever wanted to be a senior leader in a business or in a sweet C-Suite. So I got to go to Babson Business College to learn about business finances. I went to Georgetown Governor Affairs Institute to learn about how congressional operations work. And ironically, all those things paid off for me throughout my career, and, uh, it really helped me. Continuously have career trajectory and career growth.

So understanding where you can utilize those resources to your advantage to help you along your career path, to me is so inherently important.

Lauren Cardillo:
So how did, how did Íøºì±¬ÁÏ fit in that picture of sort of moving you forward? Because recently you were honored with an alumni award. We were there. So tell us about that. I mean, why was it so key to you at that point?

James Rodriguez:
The beauty of what Íøºì±¬ÁÏ offers is the flexibility in your schedules and how you can uh, uh, attend courses online in person and knowing that the university is there to support you. What we didn't talk about is I was actually a adjunct professor for a little while too at Íøºì±¬ÁÏ, and so from 2016 to 2021, I was an adjunct professor in the political science department. And so that was my way to also give back to my military community because I really enjoyed the interactions with the active duty service members who were mostly in my classes or the veterans who were in the classes, because you learn from them as well as you get to provide instruction and mentorship to them when they're going through their academic, uh, journey. And so Íøºì±¬ÁÏ afforded me all of those different things, various levels of career growth. Or education growth at the same time. The opportunity to give back to a university, to the population that I know will really help set the future of our country, uh, on the right path because the programs are so great, they're so innovative, if you will, and creating subject matter that is inherently important to the right time, to the students that really get so much value out of what the professors are providing because of the lived experiences by the professors.

And I get to serve in government. I got to be a political appointee. I got to be in the corporate space. I got to be, uh, an active duty service member. And I was able to take all of that experience into the classroom when I was an adjunct professor. But at the same time, when I was a student, I got to receive all of that experience from professors who had had great careers in whatever industry they were. And that resonated with me. And so I think understanding that the inherent value that Íøºì±¬ÁÏ provides is someone's overall. Educational growth is something that's unsurpassed in my opinion.

Lauren Cardillo:
I have one last question for you. Did your, did your grandmother or your mother ever sort of see what happened, you know, where you went to?

James Rodriguez:
So, unfortunately my grandmother passed away, uh, soon after I retired from the Marine Corps. And I was just starting into my, uh, my corporate career. So she unfortunately never got to see it in my, um, post-military, uh, career accomplishments. But my mother is there. She, she gets to see him and, uh, she understands, uh, that I've been fortunate enough to, to make a good career post-military service. But, uh, the ones who are the most important to me, who really get to, to support me along the way, and based off of my military career, based off my corporate career, my government career, the most important ones to be, has been my wife and my two daughters. And getting to see them, uh, now take up the mantle, as I mentioned.

Uh, uh. Generational education because they both have graduate degrees and thank goodness they're both a lot more, uh, intelligent than I am. So they get that from their mother, fortunately. Uh, but getting able to, to see them grow in their careers, especially for someone like me who grew up in humble beginnings and now getting to see them having good, uh, quality education.

As well as good quality careers. Post education, uh, to me has been the most rewarding thing that I can possibly, uh, even allude to.

Lauren Cardillo:
It's family. Right? It's what you do. Well, James, thanks so much for being with us today and for everybody listening and watching, please remember to like and subscribe if you wanna see more unstoppable stories.

See you next time.