Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Episode 259 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military transition, career planning, and life after service for veterans and first responders navigating the move into civilian careers. Colin Pena addresses leaving the Marine Corps sooner than expected, rebuilding life as a single father, and what it takes to create a meaningful second career after the uniform comes off.
Colin grew up in San Antonio, Texas, with a fascination for aviation, adventure, and military service. After a rebellious moment in middle school forced him to confront the consequences of his actions, he found direction through JROTC and committed himself to becoming a naval aviator. Following 9/11, that commitment became even stronger. He earned an aerospace engineering degree at Texas A&M through NROTC before ultimately choosing the Marine Corps, where he became an F/A-18 Weapons Systems Officer.
Colin shares what it took to master one of the military's most demanding aviation careers, from flight school and the F/A-18 Hornet to deployments throughout the Indo-Pacific, instructor duty at MCAS Miramar, and advanced tactical training. Along the way, he explains the responsibility of operating in a two-seat fighter, mentoring younger aviators, and leading in an environment where precision, trust, and teamwork have no margin for error.
His transition came from circumstances he never expected. While navigating family challenges and becoming a single father, he also faced the reality that his active duty career was ending after being passed over for promotion. Instead of waiting until separation, Colin built multiple transition plans, leveraged his engineering background and operational experience, and networked his way into the aerospace industry. Today, he serves as a team leader and payload integration engineer, helping develop unmanned aircraft while continuing to lead, mentor, and solve complex problems in a different uniform.
This conversation is an honest look at identity after service, preparing before your transition date arrives, and why your greatest mission may begin after military life ends.
CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:
Instagram: instagram.com/paulpantani
WEBSITE: transitiondrillpodcast.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulpantani
SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:
paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com
CHAPTERS
0:00:00 - Intro: Be Open to What Comes Next
0:03:06 - Family, Adventure, and Early Influence
0:04:41 - Aircraft Dreams and a Hard Lesson
0:09:33 - Guitar, JROTC, and a New Direction
0:11:19 - September 11 Changed the Stakes
0:14:06 - Choosing Texas A&M and Navy ROTC
0:24:00 - The Moment He Chose the Marines
0:27:46 - Flight School and Earning His Wings
0:29:54 - Becoming an F/A-18 Weapons Officer
0:34:39 - Deployments, Leadership, and Brotherhood
0:35:44 - Returning to Miramar as an Instructor
0:41:47 - When Flying Could No Longer Come First
0:45:13 - Leaving the Mission and Choosing Another
0:48:07 - Turning Aviation Experience into a Career
0:53:04 - The Strange Silence After Active Duty
0:58:44 - The Skills the Uniform Leaves Behind
1:02:19 - Building Aircraft and Leading Engineers
1:08:28 - Still Not Ready to Stop Being a Marine
1:13:05 - Choosing Family Over the Uniform Again
1:18:47 - Grief, Therapy, and Being Human
1:24:48 - A Blessing Hidden Inside the Transition
1:27:05 - Your Service Is Not All That Defines You
SPONSORS:
GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout
Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10
Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10
#transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders
Episode 259 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military transition, career planning, and life after service for veterans and first responders navigating the move into civilian careers. Colin Pena addresses leaving the Marine Corps sooner than expected, rebuilding life as a single father, and what it takes to create a meaningful second career after the uniform comes off.
Colin grew up in San Antonio, Texas, with a fascination for aviation, adventure, and military service. After a rebellious moment in middle school forced him to confront the consequences of his actions, he found direction through JROTC and committed himself to becoming a naval aviator. Following 9/11, that commitment became even stronger. He earned an aerospace engineering degree at Texas A&M through NROTC before ultimately choosing the Marine Corps, where he became an F/A-18 Weapons Systems Officer.
Colin shares what it took to master one of the military's most demanding aviation careers, from flight school and the F/A-18 Hornet to deployments throughout the Indo-Pacific, instructor duty at MCAS Miramar, and advanced tactical training. Along the way, he explains the responsibility of operating in a two-seat fighter, mentoring younger aviators, and leading in an environment where precision, trust, and teamwork have no margin for error.
His transition came from circumstances he never expected. While navigating family challenges and becoming a single father, he also faced the reality that his active duty career was ending after being passed over for promotion. Instead of waiting until separation, Colin built multiple transition plans, leveraged his engineering background and operational experience, and networked his way into the aerospace industry. Today, he serves as a team leader and payload integration engineer, helping develop unmanned aircraft while continuing to lead, mentor, and solve complex problems in a different uniform.
This conversation is an honest look at identity after service, preparing before your transition date arrives, and why your greatest mission may begin after military life ends.
CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:
Instagram: instagram.com/paulpantani
WEBSITE: transitiondrillpodcast.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulpantani
SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:
paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com
CHAPTERS
0:00:00 - Intro: Be Open to What Comes Next
0:03:06 - Family, Adventure, and Early Influence
0:04:41 - Aircraft Dreams and a Hard Lesson
0:09:33 - Guitar, JROTC, and a New Direction
0:11:19 - September 11 Changed the Stakes
0:14:06 - Choosing Texas A&M and Navy ROTC
0:24:00 - The Moment He Chose the Marines
0:27:46 - Flight School and Earning His Wings
0:29:54 - Becoming an F/A-18 Weapons Officer
0:34:39 - Deployments, Leadership, and Brotherhood
0:35:44 - Returning to Miramar as an Instructor
0:41:47 - When Flying Could No Longer Come First
0:45:13 - Leaving the Mission and Choosing Another
0:48:07 - Turning Aviation Experience into a Career
0:53:04 - The Strange Silence After Active Duty
0:58:44 - The Skills the Uniform Leaves Behind
1:02:19 - Building Aircraft and Leading Engineers
1:08:28 - Still Not Ready to Stop Being a Marine
1:13:05 - Choosing Family Over the Uniform Again
1:18:47 - Grief, Therapy, and Being Human
1:24:48 - A Blessing Hidden Inside the Transition
1:27:05 - Your Service Is Not All That Defines You
SPONSORS:
GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout
Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10
Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10
#transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders
