Prior to his appointment as city manager in 1998, Clint Holmes (CH), city manager of Brown City, Michigan, served three years in the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division in the U.S. Army and another 17 plus years as a naval intelligence officer. He also serves as executive director of the Brown City Downtown Development Authority and advisor to the Planning Commission, Park Board, Cemetery Board, and Festival Commission. He is a member of the Michigan Local Government Management Association.

Q1: After serving in the military, what interested you in having a career in local government?

CH:  I developed an interest in local government while serving on active duty in the Navy and attending Auburn University to obtain an MPA. My interest was confirmed by a brief internship in Layton, Utah (pop. 67,311). Shortly thereafter, I read a letter to the editor in PM magazine about an individual who had followed the standard career path and had transitioned from a department in a larger organization to city manager of a small community, only to be surprised at how his previous experience had not fully prepared him for his new role. After reading the article, I decided that I wanted to start work in a smaller community, rather than trying to move up through a larger organization. Accordingly, upon my retirement from the Navy, I conducted a six-week job search for a management position in a small community, which resulted in to my appointment in Brown City. Then, as now, I believed municipal management would be an optimal way for me to make a difference. 

Q2: What skills/knowledge/background from your military career have you been able to apply to your local government career?

CH: I believe my military background helped distinguish me from other job applicants since it had provided me with the necessary skills--including the ability to take charge of situations, prioritize, and focus on the mission--necessary to transition into a management role in a smaller community.

The military also trains its people to research and analyze a situation, coordinate a reasonable response, and then resolve the issue in response to the demands of the situation and to very quickly gain a level of expertise on a very wide range of issues and concerns. Which is, after all, an excellent city manager job description.

While acclimating to the local government profession, however, I did experience challenges in identifying the informal chain of command (also known as figuring out who really runs the department and who is the actual subject matter expert), determining the competency and reliability of contractors and engineers, and adapting to the governmental budgeting process, which initially demanded many very long days. Since my military career consisted almost exclusively of staff work and situation analysis in multiple organizations, my transition from military to civilian was relatively smooth. Military service also provides the opportunity to work with and for highly diverse groups of people and thus aids in the rapid assimilation of the local municipal culture. One big difference, however, is that projects tend to move much faster in the military. But the slower speed of progress in municipal government is counterbalanced by the fact that few other occupations have results that are potentially as long lasting, such as street and bridge projects. Also, military experience provides the requisite skills to serve as a facilitator of communication between interest groups and stakeholders in a government environment in which building relationships can be easier than fostering long-lasting relationships in the military. These communication skills are critical to responding to elected officials and residents, who can be adamant and vocal in their concerns. Finally, it turns out that the forms and procedures for acquiring a satellite photo are very similar to applying for a grant.

Q3: Do you have any tips/advice for active duty personnel or veterans who are interested in a career in local government?

CH: Notwithstanding the differences between military service and municipal management, I believe that the fit for prior military in retail government is a good one, and that any individual with military experience who is considering the local government profession should do the necessary due diligence and then give it a try.

For example, staff work is staff work and both professions consist of similar core challenges: responding to complex challenges in visible roles in condensed spans of time; determining and supporting the overall needs of the organization based on the mission; and contributing to the betterment of society in a lasting, tangible manner.

Ultimately, however, I would encourage any individual with a military background to consider local government, since being a city manager is like being a unit commander, the goal of virtually every officer and senior NCO.

However, as with any profession, the military has its own language and buzzwords. Whenever transitioning from a military career to a civilian one, it is necessary to translate cover letters, résumés or applications listing job history, skills, and experience into language readily understood by a prospective employer. I also found it most helpful to have taken some vacation time while still on active duty to do a short internship with a municipal government. This provided both an introduction to the type of work and skills actually required, as well as initial access to mentors in the profession. Overall, I was amazed at the amount of overlap between the military and municipal management. However, there will always be those “they didn’t mention this in graduate school” moments.

Q4: With veterans returning home to a weak and challenging labor market, have you implemented any sort of veteran’s program in your community, such as: employment, health, housing, education, and the transition to civilian life?

CH: In order to reach individuals with a military background, I feel that ICMA and the state-based organizations should focus on providing educational materials to individuals with military experience who are nearing separation or retirement and entering transition training, a final stage of service that occurs prior to reentry to civilian life.

In reaching out to such individuals in the same manner that ICMA may reach out to students or young professionals, I think that program coordinators for these military transition resources would welcome the opportunity to receive and implement the use of such materials.

In doing so, ICMA and the local government profession may further strengthen our ranks by recruiting individuals who have already contributed to a service ethic rooted in the American ideal of providing a brighter future for those who will inherent our work product.

Q5: Are there any educational/professional development programs that you would recommend to veterans who are transitioning from a career in the military to a career in local government?

CH: Obviously, a graduate degree in public administration is increasingly mandatory; however, many very small communities still require little or no college if an applicable work history exists. But at a minimum, anyone seriously thinking about local government should attend the ICMA Annual Conference and / or the state-level equivalent. This is particularly important to meet those who can serve as mentors and those who can provide background and expertise in the profession.