# #117 - Finding Your Focus: Chris Lancia on Resilience, Community Service, and Navigating Transition Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/military-retirement-podcast-5828412/117-finding-your-focus-chris-lancia-on-resilience-community-service-and-navigating-transition Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/military-retirement-podcast-5828412/117-finding-your-focus-chris-lancia-on-resilience-community-service-and-navigating-transition.md Podcast: [Military Retirement Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/military-retirement-podcast-5828412) Published: 2026-01-01T23:47:00+00:00 Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/militaryretirementpodcast/episodes/117---Finding-Your-Focus-Chris-Lancia-on-Resilience--Community-Service--and-Navigating-Transition-e3d1v4k Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/c45efb18/podcast/play/113359444/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-0-1%2F415310485-44100-2-8c2af60c18b01.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/military-retirement-podcast-5828412/episodes/117-finding-your-focus-chris-lancia-on-resilience-community-service-and-navigating-transition Duration seconds: 6619 ## Resource John and Vic are joined by Chris Lancia, Chief of Staff for Tennessee's Department of General Services and a retired Army Public Affairs Officer. Chris shares his unique journey from crew chief to journalist to senior state leader, providing a masterclass in networking and finding a "new mission" after military service.We dive deep into the first-of-its-kind Tennessee Governor’s Veteran Fellowship Program, the value of trade skills, and why the "grass isn't always greener" without a solid plan.Key Topics and Timestamps:[03:04] Veterans Education & Career Resources: Highlighting the VECT training center in Georgia and Operation Stand Down Tennessee for resume workshops and networking [05:14].[07:36] The Power of the Handshake: Why 70% of jobs come from relationships and how "getting out of your shell" at job fairs can lead to unexpected offers [08:05].[15:37] The Tennessee Governor’s Veteran Fellowship: A detailed breakdown of this unique 12-month paid program that allows veterans to explore different state agencies before hiring [19:00].[29:42] Networking Outside the Box: Why volunteering for youth sports or community organizations is the best way to build a non-military network [31:05].[33:46] The Value of Vulnerability: Chris explains why admitting "I don't know" is a critical first step in learning the language of Corporate America [34:24].[44:48] Resilience & Positive Psychology: How "hunting the good stuff" and maintaining a growth mindset turns transition speed bumps into opportunities [46:26].[56:06] The "Grass Isn't Always Greener": Chris shares his personal lesson of leaving and returning to the military, highlighting the true cost of healthcare and civilian benefits [59:52].[01:13:24] White C… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/military-retirement-podcast-5828412/episodes/117-finding-your-focus-chris-lancia-on-resilience-community-service-and-navigating-transition/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/military-retirement-podcast-5828412/117-finding-your-focus-chris-lancia-on-resilience-community-service-and-navigating-transition.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.