Navy Reserve PAO - The Ultimate Side Hustle?

There's nothing like the freedom and independence you enjoy as a business owner. Before starting my public relations consulting business, I was a civil servant – a federal employee. For the first eight years in business, I was living the dream. I build my consulting business into a small public relations agency. I worked for clients whose products and services I admired and enjoyed building a team of professionals that made the workday a pleasure. I felt like I was on top of the world.

Things in my career were going well - but something was missing. As a business owner, my identity was wrapped up in my company. We served our clients well and built an excellent reputation for the business. I was proud of being the president of my company, but I felt a strong desire to be a part of something bigger.

In the fall of 2007, I visited San Diego to see the air show at Miramar Naval Air Station. There, I discovered what I felt was missing in my life – I decided that I wanted to become a Navy officer! Being an officer in the Navy Reserve would be the perfect side hustle!

Join The Navy?!? But I Get Seasick!

After researching, I learned about the Direct Commissioning Program in the Navy Reserve. I knew this was meant to be because this program allows individuals to apply for a direct commission as a public affairs officer based on the professional experience they bring to the Navy!

This was the Navy, though. Yes, I was prone to get seasick - even looking at the ocean from a pier would give me vertigo! But this sounded like a fantastic opportunity to serve our country, doing something I love! I was selected by the board on the first pass, and my dream came true when I was sworn in as an ensign!

I found serving as a Navy Public Affairs Officer a gratifying career! The most enjoyable assignment was working for the Navy Office of Community Outreach. My missions included planning and executing week-long Navy Week community outreach events in various cities nationwide. I also planned and managed multi-day executive outreach activities for senior Navy leaders. Later in my career, I had the opportunity to serve as a Navy outreach officer for the Los Angeles Fleet Week, an event I still support post-retirement.

I had many opportunities to participate in multinational exercises, allowing me to collaborate with military personnel from other countries, including Japan, Australia, Canada, and Korea.

A Unique Career for the Service-Minded Professional

A career as a Navy Reserve PAO is rewarding, but it is definitely not for everyone - after all, you're in the military. That means physical readiness tests twice a year, maintaining weight standards, mandatory service of AT LEAST one mandatory weekend each month and two weeks during the year, maintaining grooming standards and, of course, the real possibility of being deployed anywhere in the world for months at a time in support of a wide variety of missions in any environment.

So What Did I Get Out of the Service?

Being a Navy PAO was the most empowering position I've ever held. Being given responsibility for major projects at a junior rank was often stressful but genuinely amazing and really allowed me to grow my skills and confidence.

My ability to work with the Navy continues even after I retired. My support of Los Angeles Fleet Week, which began when I was in uniform, transitioned seamlessly into my civilian life. Each year, I have the privilege of planning and executing community outreach projects and activities for hundreds of active duty sailors and Marines stationed aboard the ships

visiting San Pedro for LA Fleet Week. I also have the honor of serving on the board of the Battleship USS IOWA Museum and the National Museum of the Surface Navy.

The biggest benefit, however, was the ability to serve with some of the finest professionals I've ever met. Our shared values and commitment to service have created cherished, lifelong friendships.