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70 G.I. JOBS | OCTOBER 2016 | GIJOBS.COM "I didn't like working from home all day – it felt like I'd never left Virginia," she said. After weighing her options, Delacruz decided to apply for a position with the Allstate Insurance Company versus an independent Allstate agency and was hired as a claims processor in May 2015 in Woodland Hills, Calif. It was a good fit. "I've since received several promotions to different types of adjuster positions," she says. WORKING FOR HIMSELF For Justin Smitherman, own- ing his own American Family Insurance agency was just what he was looking for. "I wanted a job that gave me the freedom and the op- portunity to generate my own income," he says. "I basically wanted to work for myself." Smitherman served in the Air Force and liked the idea of creating his own schedule. He also liked the idea of continu- ing to serve others. "It is very rewarding to see your clients taken care of in that time of need," he says. As an agent, he provides customized insurance plans for both individuals and busi- ness owners. "It's a challenge – being the owner of your own busi- ness, managing your employ- ees and staff, but is a good fit for me and a good fit for other veterans – we aren't afraid of hard work and know how to handle stress really well," Smitherman said. BORING? NOT A CHANCE Timothy Kessler, a former signals intelligence analyst in the Army, now develops software and maintains code for the health and life division of USAA. "As part of a team, I look for ways to improve pro- cesses and user experiences for members and for our member service representa- tives," he says. Both he and Smitherman scoff at the idea that jobs in the finance industry are boring. "I'm doing what I love. As a software developer it's kind of like having a super power: I can create digital products out of thin air. I also enjoy the complex problem solving," Kessler says. LIVING HIS PASSION Nathan T. Fausnaugh became interested in the stock market and started day trading as a hobby while he was still in the Marines. "I realized that manag- ing money was something I wanted to incorporate into my career moving forward. After separating from the military, I enrolled in college to pursue a degree in con- sumer finance," he said. He was still in college and not even looking for a job when he met a manager from Western & Southern Life. "He quickly had my at- tention, so I did research on the company and learned about the long history and stability of Western & Southern Life," Faus- naugh said. Fausnaugh liked what he learned and accepted a position with the company, then furthered his knowledge by pursuing and obtaining a Series 6 license so he could be legally qualified to recommend investments. "Now I'm living my passion," he said. Timothy Kessler Nathan T. Fausnaugh "I wanted a job that gave me the freedom and opportunity to generate my own income." – Justin Smitherman Justin Smitherman Marie Delacruz