Foreign Area Officer, Embassy Parties, and Service2School | LCDR Alec Emmert

Description:

How do you know when gaining a higher education will bring you success in your military career?My special guest—and the first non-Army guest on the show—Alec Emmert, CEO of Service to School, answers this question and shares his Navy experiences. You’ll also discover career-enhancing opportunities within the Navy Reserve and learn how education can open doors to new professional pathways.  

Alec Emmert’s Background

• Alec discusses his journey from growing up in Brazil to attending the Naval Academy after 9/11. 
• He highlights his time in the submarine force, deployments to CENTCOM, and how assignments in Bahrain and Italy ignited his passion for foreign affairs. 
• Transitioning into the Navy Reserve allowed Alec to blend his military expertise with private-sector opportunities.

The Navy Reserve Advantage

• Alec highlights unique opportunities within the Navy Reserve, including his role as a mission planner with Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), a position rarely accessible to junior officers on active duty. 
• He also discusses working with Combined Task Force 56 (CTF-56) in Bahrain, where he supported civil affairs teams and planned international maritime security exercises. 

Advocating for Reservists: Changing Corporate Policies

• Alec recounts his efforts to improve McKinsey’s military leave policies after encountering challenges during a deployment. 
• By leveraging veteran networks and internal advocates, he successfully secured better support for reservists. This ensures service members receive equitable treatment while balancing careers and military obligations.

Service to School: Supporting Veterans in Higher Education

• Service to School is a program that helps veterans achieve academic success. Veterans can receive assistance with undergraduate degrees, MBAs, or law school. 
• The nonprofit matches veterans with mentors who provide guidance tailored to their backgrounds and aspirations. 
• Alec shares how the program can help servicemen gain admission to various schools and the mentorship they receive throughout.

“The big thing I always tell everybody is don't self-select out. At the end of the day, we have seen so many success stories at Service to School. And people are often, they often doubt themselves and say, ‘Do I have what it takes to go to a top college?’ And the answer is you do.” - Alec Emmert. 

Resources

Service To School

Part-Time Hitter is a collaborative initiative by Friendly Forces and The Fratty Guard.

http://friendlyforces.com

http://thefrattyguard.co