Biography
James (Jim) Benton is a Supply Chain Professional working in the tech industry. Before he transitioned to tech he was an officer in the US Army. During his time in the US Army he served as a logistics officer in the 173rd Brigade Combat Team in Europe and in the 82nd Airborne Division. Now that he is out he works for IBM and applies skills learned in the Army to help solve Service Supply Chain issues. Additionally, he started the Meaning Forge Podcast. In the podcast he interviews people from all walks of life to determine how to Forge Individuals.
James: You can do it and think forward into your new adventure in life. Don’t forget to pay it forward and help others in their transition!
What is your military affiliation? James recently transitioned from the U.S. Army as an Army Logistics Officer
What is your current role? James is the US Control Tower Program Manager for IBM. Taking part in IBM’s Service Supply Chain with a great team of people!
What was the most challenging aspect of your career search as a Transitioning Service Member:
Dealing with constant rejection and preparing for life outside of the Army. It must be said that making a transition during COVID is extremely stressful, but learning to branch out, improve myself, and network with great people propelled me through the transition.
What advice would you give your fellow Transitioning Service Members?
The first point, get ready to deal with rejection. Be patient and know why you get out of bed every morning.
Then like a tree branch out, meet people, and build a network of people who want the best for you. People want to help and programs like NC4ME got your back! If you are an introvert, don’t make conversation with the entire room or zoom call, meet one person and get to know them.
the Meaning forge podcast
Since his transition, James started his own podcast channel on YouTube, The Meaning Forge.
“Make meaning by finding your why, live your life, and share your story Here we are trying to build a community of people who are seeking to forge their best self and make meaningful contributions to their life pursuits. We will have conversations, debates, and book reviews. We always love to solicit feedback and or have conversations.”
Check out the below video interview with former NC4ME Director of Operations, Sean Cox.