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Many transitioning service members and veterans face doubts from civilian employers, even when their potential is obvious. Companies often hesitate over the time and cost needed to train them. "One of the big hurdles is the 30- to 90-day ramp-up period many positions require," Bethmann says. "at's a lot of money in salary." Another challenge, he says, is that veterans often undersell themselves. When applying for jobs, they stress the success of the team and their willingness to wear many hats to get the job done, which is very different from the corporate world which prizes individual contributions. "I coach them to stress their own work, what they did personally to enable the team's success," says Bethmann, who, like his father, graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis. It was there Bethmann learned he was colorblind, the reason he ended up in the Supply Corps, the Navy's business and logistics arm. At the time, it seemed like a setback, but in fact it turned out to be a defining opportunity. In the Supply Corps, Bethmann gained a deep understanding of planning, operations, and financial systems. He served aboard a destroyer before returning to Annapolis as a dispersing officer, overseeing financial operations for midshipmen, including everything from pay to daily expenses such as food, laundry, and tailoring. e role also exposed him to a big problem: most midshipmen had almost no understanding of personal finance. "I'd get questions like, 'Is a 12% interest rate on my car bad?'" I know you can deliver parts from land to a moving ship in the ocean using a helicopter, but I don't know if you can run our warehouse." xxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx omas Bethmann, an 11-year Navy veteran and founder of Redeployment, a recruiting and executive search firm focused on defense technology and life science startups, still remembers the skepticism. "at's very frustrating to hear," he reflects. COURTESY PHOTOGRAPHY Redeployment Focus military Finding a new mission in the civilian world BY BILL ABRAMS Thomas and Kat Bethmann with Georgia (left) and Tripp (right) ranchandcoast.com 52 JUNE 2026 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE Thomas and Kat Bethmann with Georgia (left) and Tripp (right)