Military to Civilian Transition: Handling Freedom Shock

  • 32 min

From Tanks to Tech: Brian Tien's Transition from the Army to Google

Veterans in the Park

Play

What's harder than commanding an Abrams tank? For Brian Tien, it was hearing his manager at Google ask, "When do you like meetings? How do you like to work?"

In this episode of Veterans in the Park, host Charles sits down with Brian Tien, a West Point graduate and former Army Armor Officer who's now an Account Strategist at Google. Brian opens up about "freedom shock" — the disorientation of trading clear orders, uniforms, and formations for flexible schedules, casual coworkers, and a boss who asks for your preferences instead of giving commands.

He also shares why networking mattered more than he expected, how missing out on his dream consulting firm led him somewhere better, and why you should leave the military with no regrets.

If you're planning your own military to civilian transition — or still finding your footing in it — this one's for you. Hit play below to listen.

  • 32 min

From Tanks to Tech: Brian Tien's Transition from the Army to Google

Veterans in the Park

Play