WASHINGTON -- For many Soldiers, the U.S. Army offers not only the chance to serve their country, but also gain valuable leadership opportunities and skills that apply to life outside the military.
For this U.S. Army Career Corner,, we talk with Travis Quinlan, MSW, LGSW, who currently serves as an NCO in the Minnesota Army National Gaurd and works as a licensed social worker at the Associated Clinic of Psychology in Minneapolis. Quinlan shares his experiences and insights on how the Army informs his approach to leadership, both in the National Guard and in his career field.
Q: What is your background with the Army, and what inspired you to join?
A: I enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard, 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment at 17 years old in October 2002 and deployed to the Anbar Province of Iraq as an infantryman at 20 years old, from October 2005 to August 2007. I was deployed with the 34th Infantry Division "Red Bulls" for 22 months. I have 16 years in the Minnesota Army National Guard and am currently serving as a noncommissioned officer, Unit Victim Advocate and Unit Prevention Leader. I have been through rotations at both the Joint Readiness Training Center and the National Training Center. I have also also served as an intelligence analyst (35F) with 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment.
My inspiration to join the military is twofold. I grew up with a father that was committed to serving. His service functioned as the catalyst for my enlistment. Additionally, I was fortunate to hear firsthand accounts of Pacific Theater combat from a WWII Marine infantryman that supplemented my motivation for enlistment.
Q: Where do you currently work and what are your responsibilities?
A: I currently work as a Mental Health Practitioner with the Associated Clinic of Psychology, based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I graduated with a Master of Social Work from St. Catherine University - University of St. Thomas School of Social Work in St. Paul, Minnesota and obtained my licensed graduate social work license, or LGSW, through the board of social work in Minnesota.
My responsibilities include: providing rehabilitative and skills-focused services to enable clients in basic living skills and social skills, community intervention, and transitioning to community living; providing psychotherapy to individuals and families; establishing personal recovery goals, rehabilitative goals, and objectives with clients; coordinate services with case managers, families/guardians of clients, work personnel, medical personnel and school staff as appropriate; and to incorporate multiple therapeutic modalities in social work practice with individuals with mental health disorders including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, strength-based approaches, existential psychotherapy and adult rehabilitative mental health services and children's therapeutic services and supports.
Q: How did your Army service inspire you to go into social work?
A: My Army experience informed my decision to enter social work as I saw the veteran community as one that needs mental health services. To elaborate, my combat deployment created a new sense of belonging and purpose in my life. I have served alongside Soldiers that have experienced combat fatigue and post-traumatic stress disorder. A close friend and fellow platoon member was diagnosed with PTSD in shortly after returning home from Iraq, caused by a near-death combat event. Social work allows me to work with individuals, both veterans and non-veterans, that have been exposed to traumatic incidents that have largely gone unresolved. Social work also has an important mission to execute, not unlike that of a Soldier. The capacity and specific roles are different, but the mission to serve and make an impact in the life of another is certainly present. My Army experience made my transition to social work seem natural.
Q: Why would you encourage other Soldiers or veterans to go into social work as a career field?
A: It's a challenging, but rewarding career field. Providing mental health services using evidenced-based practices may provide purpose and meaning to post-deployment or post-military life, much like the mission we experienced during our service. It is a field worthy of military leadership skill sets, particularly in areas like case management, child protection, individual and family therapy and rehabilitative services, client advocacy, and medical social work. But the veteran community needs more providers with military experience. More schools of social work are realizing this need and have even tailored their programs to educate students on military service. Military-experienced providers help alleviate issues like readjustment concerns, adjustment problems, depressive disorders, PTSD, SUDs, and anxiety disorders among others. Service members have unique talents and experiences making them remarkably well suited for the social work field, where a new purpose can be established.
Q: What Army leadership experiences do you use in your job every day? How have your Army experiences helped you as a social worker?
A: When meeting a new client for the first time, I will conduct an assessment. As an in-home provider, I am accustomed to scanning a client's environment to learn more about a client and conducting a mental status examination throughout the visit, while completing a thorough diagnostic assessment. My military experience supplements my work as I am wired in such a way to incorporate things assessing for risk/personal safety (e.g., scanning and assessing, identifying safety issues, courses of action, etc.), assertive communication, a desire to help and guide those in need and welcoming new challenges. My attained leadership skills from being a NCO has led me to be decisive and to focus on young leader development. I approach Army training with the intention to develop others as best I can; this thought also applies to working with those within my very community. It's no different than leaders focusing on resilience at unit levels -- the same thoughts are applied in the field of mental health.
Also, my Army experiences have complimented my social work training and field work very well. During an initial field practicum at a Hospital in St. Paul, I spent time assisting patients that were military service members, veterans and/or family members of those that served. I helped navigate resources and benefits for the patients all the while using therapeutic modalities with cultural competency in military social work practice. Without having an in-depth knowledge of the military, this position would have proved difficult.
Q: What advice do you have for Soldiers or veterans as they apply for jobs in the civilian sector?
A: Soldiers are trained to fight and win, using years of well-developed leadership training. But transposing the fighting spirit into civilian sector employment can often hinder or completely disrupt successful readjustment. Veterans are well-equipped with experience, but the applicability of this experience should be tailored for the civilian market. Continue being goal-directed or mission-focused, but expect to fail at something as you reach your goals. Leaders are resilient and thrive in adversity. I have seen Soldiers become discouraged post-military life and this emptiness can lead to feelings of meaningless, a dangerous place to find yourself. So my advice is self-reflect on your skills and talents and set achievable, measurable goals in reaching your end-state employment goal.
Consider researching the fields of social services (e.g., social work, psychology) and find applicable schools to use your military educational benefits. The military also has a need for social workers and there are direct commission opportunities in the Army, along with other branches of the armed forces. Do your research first, set goals, objective and achieve. Drawbacks will certainly happen and how you to chose to tackle these drawbacks will make the difference between success and failure.
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U.S. Army Career Corner: An interview with Courtney Dock, Public Affairs Specialist
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