At Ease: Enjoying the Freedom You Fought For -- A Soldier's Story and Perspectives on the Journey to an Encore Life and Career Paperback – April 29, 2020

Add this to "Out of Uniform" by Tom Wolfe and the sum of a personal mil-specific transition reading experience is two books with several more in the cue even after three years "out of uniform". Now, this ought to be the first read in your repetoire as Rob Campbell does an amazing job making the book personal. Yes he comes from a certain experience in the military, so surprisingly the junior officer or enlisted may not get the same value out of the book as a person with similar experiences as Mr. Campbell.With that said, you can find commonalities and it reads lighter than "Out of Uniform" so of course it really helps to jumpstart the process of your transition journey and offers resources as you take the next step. A very worthy door opener to a life-long evolution and a book you can come back to again and again too give you another kickstart.Rob begins the first half of the book sharing his walk on the road to military retirement (and beyond) and uses the second half to offer specific recommendations. It really flowed so well together and helped me take stock of what matters now and where I need to get moving to next. This is a great book for reflection! Thank you!

This is the best book I've read on transitioning out of the military. Rob not only talks about what he did successfully (and not so successfully), but how he felt and how he struggled with some of the decisions he had to make. That's where I really connected with the book- knowing we have a common experience and we felt the same while going through it- I wasn't alone. I now hand this book out to others at work who are in my situation. It doesn't matter if you're an officer/NCO/Solider, you'll relate to the fear of uncertainty and take solace in the hope that there are others out there who have successfully navigated this process.

Well done and appreciatedHighly recommended

COL Campbell’s book is the perfect read for anyone transitioning out of the military or even changing industry/careers. The book walks you through the challenges of starting over and provides a unique perspective on overcoming the hurdles into a civilian career. As an added bonus, the writer has a great sense of humor and sprinkles comical anecdotes throughout each chapter.

Good story of a soldier's transition from military life to civilian life. Contains excellent tips on networking. I have met Rob a couple of times through Rotary and Chamber. He practices what he preaches by networking and serving in the community.

Everyone's transition will be personal to them, and this book does a great job helping retiring leaders a framework which to think about your own transition after 20+ years of service. In it, the author shares his own experiences, the good and the "could've done that better." I found this helpful as more often than not, we only hear about the successes and little of the trials and tribulations. The reader also gets perspective into the impacts of transition on Family.Great book, easy read - it's one to add to the rucksack as you prepare to make your transition from service.

Although this is a book about a military officer's retirement experience, its also a book for every individual transitioning in life. So many of us think of retirement as the end instead of beginning. Love the term "Encore Life". We all have encore lives. Graduates, relationships, empty nesters, loss of loved ones, and retirements. This book helps you understand yourself and to embrace the changes. Loved the book but especially because of Robert Campbell.

Absolutely speaks to the struggle of military-to-civilian transition. Campbell is a retired colonel, so some of his perspective won’t land as well with young service members leaving before 10 years in. But I’d recommend it to them—the military assimilates is quickly (with good reason) and no matter what job you did or what part of the world you were stationed, there’s so much to learn about the “real world” that no one tied to DoD teaches or prepares you for. TAP is useless; little more than a checkbox. This book (and others like it) do far more to help you adjust your mindset and prepare for the leap.