T-Minus Space Daily: Transitioning from Service to Civilian Life

Host: Maria Varmazes, N2K Networks
Guests: Lieutenant Rob Sarver & Alex Genzior, co-authors of "Warrior to Civilian: The Field Manual for the Hero’s Journey"
Date: November 11, 2025

Overview

This episode focuses on the complex, emotional, and deeply challenging transition veterans and their families face when leaving military service and moving into civilian life. Host Maria Varmazes interviews Rob Sarver, a former Navy SEAL turned businessman, and Alex Genzior, a lawyer with close personal ties to the military. Together, they discuss their new book—a comprehensive manual for veterans and their loved ones navigating the “Hero’s Journey” from service to civilian roles—as well as the critical need for mentorship, preparation, and support for both veterans and their families.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing the Guests and the Mission

[02:46 – 04:03]

• Rob Sarver’s Background:
  • 9 years Navy SEAL (Team 3), 7 deployments (Iraq, Afghanistan).
  • Transition to Goldman Sachs via veterans program; felt “far behind” civilian peers.
  • Pursued MBA at Wharton while working; later transitioned through entrepreneurship, consulting, and eventually private equity.
• Alex Genzior’s Background:
  • Lawyer, motivated to help by son’s military journey.
  • Co-authorship of the book sparked by personal desire to support his son and all veterans facing transition.

2. The “Hero’s Journey” as a Transition Framework

[05:03 – 11:16]

• The book frames military-to-civilian transition as the Hero’s Journey (Joseph Campbell):
  • The Call to Adventure: Leaving home and the known world for service.
  • The Ordeal: Life-changing, sometimes traumatic experiences in service.
  • The Return: The challenging, often incomplete process of reintegrating into civilian life.
• Rob Sarver:
  • “We all had this call to adventure. We all left our homes, this known world… went to this unknown universe and… came back out… What we’re finding and what we’ve seen through hundreds of interviews is over 70% of veterans experience stress… the veteran is unable to return, to make the full return, that last phase of the journey…” [06:35]
• Alex Genzior:
  • “Moving from the military to civilian life is one of the largest [transitions]… it’s like for many, it’s like falling off a cliff.” [08:23]
  • “You can look at your life as a tremendously powerful, noble, epic story. That’s what it came down to.” [10:41]

3. Stories of Struggle and Transformation

[11:51 – 16:38]

• Rob:
  • Stresses the need for “self-realization”—address yourself honestly before rejoining family or community: “If you’re not honest with yourself, if you’re not willing to go take the hard look that and fix yourself or go seek the help, you’re never going to be able to function within the family environment…” [12:15]
• Alex:
  • Tells the story of Derek Herrera, a paralyzed Marine Raider who got his MBA and built medical device companies from his hospital bed:
    • “He’s in a wheelchair. He’s one of the most inspiring, noble, funny, great people I’ve ever met in my life… This is a life inspiring story.” [14:20]
  • Other stories: Vietnam vet carrying survivor’s guilt since 1967; military women overcoming sexual assault and now empowering others.
    • “Their endorsements literally knocked me off my couch in tears about how they felt about contributing and giving a voice to themselves in our book.” [16:20]

4. Mentorship, Preparation, and Resources

[18:13 – 22:56]

• Maria: Acknowledges civilian difficulty in supporting veteran friends and asks how to help.
• Rob:
  • Highlights importance of mentorship—being honest, listening, and guiding.
  • “You don’t have to have every resource in the world… The true mentorship… is having those very honest conversations with them, like, hey, you really need to go speak to someone… True mentorship.” [19:41]
  • Advocates for 12–24 months of preparation before leaving service: “Everything we did in the military was in preparation of training… But we do nothing to train to get out.” [20:32]
• Alex:
  • Stresses taking the transition “seriously,” including healing, reintegration, finding new purpose.
  • “If you are not whole, it is as if you are carrying around a rucksack every day when you wake up with an extra 50 pounds you don’t need to carry… Take seriously the idea that you can refind purpose in life…” [21:29]
  • Civilian “missions” can be as tough as military ones: “The challenge on civilian terrain, the difficulty is no less challenging than in the military.” [22:37]

5. The Critical Role of Military Families & Spouses

[22:56 – 27:01]

• Rob:
  • Military families “served the country as well.”
  • Transition impacts spouses’/children’s identity and community.
  • Importance of early, family-wide communication: “You have to start having these conversations very early as a family unit to just reduce that stress…” [24:12]
  • Created website and consolidated resources for families: heroes-journey.net
• Alex:
  • “Your transition is as momentous, as important as that of the veteran. It is parallel, but different… There is such a thing as secondary PTSD… it’s a big adjustment for the family unit when the veteran is no longer active duty.” [25:44]
  • The book includes annexes and lessons specifically for spouses and families.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rob Sarver [06:35]:
  “We all had this call to adventure… but what we’ve seen through hundreds of interviews is over 70% of veterans experience stress… there is lying Alex and I call it the fog. The veteran is unable to return, to make the full return, that last phase of the journey…”
• Alex Genzior [08:23]:
  “Moving from the military to civilian life is one of the largest [transitions]… it’s like falling off a cliff.”
• Rob Sarver [12:15]:
  “If you’re not honest with yourself… you’re never going to be able to function within the family environment or the family unit.”
• Alex Genzior [14:20]:
  “[Derek Herrera] is in a wheelchair. He’s one of the most inspiring, noble, funny, great people I’ve ever met in my life… This is a life inspiring story.”
• Rob Sarver [20:32]:
  “Everything we did in the military was in preparation of training… But we do nothing to train to get out.”
• Alex Genzior [21:29]:
  “If you are not whole, it is as if you are carrying around a rucksack… Take seriously the idea that you can refind purpose in life…”
• Rob Sarver [24:12]:
  “You have to start having these conversations very early as a family unit to just reduce that stress, because there is a stressor coming.”
• Alex Genzior [25:44]:
  “Your transition is as momentous, as important as that of the veteran. It is parallel, but different.”

Final Reflections and Takeaways

[27:01 – 29:18]

• Rob Sarver:
  • Cherishes the Winston Churchill quote, “When you’re going through hell, keep going.”
  • “There will be stress. It is coming… But when you’re finding yourself… stepping off that cliff to the abyss, there are resources out there… Don’t ever give up.” [27:45]
• Alex Genzior:
  • “Never give up. There is hope. There is inspiration. There are therapies… that didn’t exist a year ago… Don’t lose hope. Reach out.” [28:07]
  • Encourages listeners to visit the website heroes-journey.net and share their stories.

Useful Links and Resources

• Book: "Warrior to Civilian: The Field Manual for the Hero’s Journey"
• Website with Resources & Annexes: heroes-journey.net
• Preparation and transition resources for both veterans and families

Segment Timestamps

• 02:46: Guest introductions and genesis of the book
• 05:41: The “Hero’s Journey” explained as a transition lens
• 11:51: Stories of transition, trauma, and purpose
• 18:13: On mentorship, resources, and how civilians can help
• 22:56: The overlooked transition of military families and spouses
• 27:31: Final thoughts, advice, and calls to action

This episode thoughtfully details the real struggles and triumphant stories of people making this huge life shift—offering both practical advice and heartfelt encouragement to veterans, families, and those wishing to support them. The dialogue is frank, supportive, and laced with hard-won wisdom, making it essential listening (or reading) for anyone concerned with the well-being of service members and their loved ones.