How did Robert A. McDonald go from the Army to running Procter & Gamble?

Robert A. McDonald. West Point graduate and 82nd Airborne Ranger who joined Procter & Gamble in entry-level marketing, rose to chairman and CEO, then served as the 8th U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

In the military

West Point class of 1975 (top 2%, BS in engineering). Served 1975 to 1980 as an infantry officer in the 82nd Airborne Division; Ranger tab, Expert Infantryman Badge, Senior Parachutist wings; jungle, arctic and desert warfare training. Left as a captain with the Meritorious Service Medal. Earned an MBA from the University of Utah (1978) while serving.

The transition

• Completed his 5-year service obligation and left the Army as a captain in 1980 (.
• Wrote to 130 companies, interviewed with 30, and took an entry-level marketing job at Procter & Gamble in 1980 because he liked its mission and values.
• Rose through P&G over 29 years to become CEO in 2009 and chairman in 2010 (.
• Left P&G in 2013 under board and activist-investor pressure, then was confirmed unanimously as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, serving July 30, 2014 to Jan 20, 2017 (.

What came next

• Chairman, president and CEO of Procter & Gamble (CEO 2009 to 2013), overseeing a $10 billion restructuring.
• Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Obama (2014 to 2017); launched the MyVA initiative and Veterans Experience Office.
• Cut VA disability-claims backlogs to their lowest since 2009; by November 2016 nearly 97% of veteran appointments were completed within 30 days.

In McDonald’s own words

“My time at West Point and as an Airborne Ranger captain in the 82nd Airborne Division instilled in me a lifelong sense of duty to country.” (Interview with John D. Gresham)

“My values are steeped in my experiences at West Point and in the military.” (Defense Media Network interview, Nov 10, 2015)

“Those values are what allowed me to be an effective leader at the Procter & Gamble Company.” (Defense Media Network interview, Nov 10, 2015)

“I am still guided by that West Point cadet prayer, which encourages us to choose the harder right rather than the easier wrong.” (Defense Media Network interview, Nov 10, 2015)

“I liked their mission, to improve the lives of the world’s consumers, and values.” (Horatio Alger Association member profile)

“I think of life as multiple layers of experiences...The thread of continuity, of course, is purpose.” (Horatio Alger Association member profile)

Lessons for your own transition

• Run the job search like a campaign: McDonald wrote to 130 companies to get 30 interviews and 1 offer he wanted.
• Starting at entry level is not a step down; he began in junior marketing at P&G and became CEO.
• Choose an employer whose mission and values match what you served for; purpose is the thread that carries across careers.

More veterans who made the leap

See them all, and practical steps for leaving after a long career: How do I transition from the military to civilian work after 30 years?.