I retired from the Navy as Commander in 2006, after 20 years of service. My Naval career included missions flying attack helicopters in Desert Storm, serving as a Navy test pilot, instructing pilots and astronauts at the Navy Test Pilot School, and ultimately retiring from a position as an acquisition professional, responsible for purchasing a new fleet of attack helicopters. In that final role, I managed an $11B program and oversaw a staff of 250.

When I made the decision to retire and began interviewing for positions in the private sector, my experience made me very marketable. But while there was a lot of interest from many different companies, I received offers that I felt did not reflect my value as an employee. In fact, I felt they were insultingly low. I knew my experience was extremely unique; as a Commander, I had been doing the work of a higher rank at a much younger age than is standard—with notable success. But when it came time to assess my value in terms of salary, potential employers were making offers based on my rank, not my true value.