FORT SILL, Okla., Nov. 1, 2018 -- My name is Cpl. Joseph Eanes, and I'm assigned to 1st Battalion, 78th Field Artillery here. I recently attended the Soldiers for Life Transition Assistant Program (SFL-TAP) weekly workshop for transitioning Soldiers at the SFL-TAP Complex, Bldg. 2502 Sheridan Road.
I am being medical boarded from the Army because of an injury I received while on active duty, and this is the reason why I had to attend the weekly workshop. It never occurred to me that Fort Sill had direct access to employers through the installation.
Well, I decided to write in and talk about my experience with the weekly workshop. I recently learned about an internship program Soldiers like myself with little time left on their Army contracts can apply for. Soldiers intern with several companies that are in partnership with the installation. The unique thing is that in about two weeks through a website called MyMapPlan.com I landed an internship with Sysco, a corporation that markets and distributes food to a variety of companies and healthcare and educational institutions. Although the position required a bachelor's degree that I didn't have, the company still decided to bring me on as an intern.
The MyMapPlan website made it easy for me to land the position. In fact, it is being used by partnered employers to connect with us directly. In other words, instead of filling out an application on a company's website, you can directly connect with the people at the company who do the hiring either through a messaging system, email, or just picking up the phone and talking with them. So basically, because I'm military, I get preferred treatment.
My internship starts Nov. 19 and ends Dec. 24. If you're a Soldier who is separating, retiring, or chaptering, I highly recommend visiting the SFL-TAP to learn what programs are available to you. Even if you are a year out, it's in the best interest of your future to take the extra time investing in yourself. Programs such as this one were specially created with service members in mind. To not use these resources seemed silly to me.
I, of course, was a bit skeptical when the process first started because I have never had an opportunity of this level presented itself to me before. But, if there is one thing I can say, without a doubt it's that this would not have been possible without the hardworking people here in the SFL-TAP program as well as the willingness from Sysco to make that exception and take a chance on me.
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