by Sabrina Chou
On my first day as a summer intern at HJF, I claimed the last open cubicle in the center’s office space—tucked away from the windows, doubling as office storage, and riddled with constant Wi-Fi drops. I enthusiastically plopped into my office chair, absolutely thrilled to call this my Monday–Tuesday–Wednesday home for the next 10 weeks.
Sabrina’s Cubicle at HJF Bethesda Home OfficeIt didn’t take me long to figure out that many people perform many different types of jobs within ARMORR. Every week in the office brought a new group of faces, each with their own roles and distinct career paths. While I initially found the constantly changing office dynamics a little daunting, they quickly became something I appreciated.
Entering this internship stressed about having only a vague idea of what I want to do after graduation, I felt this was the perfect opportunity to learn from the people around me. I wanted to know what brought everyone to ARMORR with the hope of realizing “That’s what I want to do!” I planned to do informational interviews with 12 ARMORR staff members from a range of jobs and projects, not only to learn how this diverse group of people supports ARMORR but also to see which career paths aligned with my own interests and goals. Spoiler: I didn’t have my “aha” moment, but I walked away with much more valuable knowledge. The following are my takeaways about career paths, shared purpose, collaboration, and lessons I’ll remember, no matter what comes next.
Turns Out Nobody Knows What They’re Doing (At First)
I dove into the ARMORR directory and corresponding LinkedIn profiles to pick out a well-rounded group of interviewees. Seeing such a wide mix of academic, corporate, and clinical backgrounds, I went into my first conversation eager to learn how people navigated their careers. My hope was that their stories would give me clarity on my next steps. I expected 12 completely unrelated career stories, and that’s exactly what I heard. Every interview was different, but by the 3rd or 4th conversation, I started noticing that people talked about their career paths in remarkably similar ways; no one had a strictly mapped-out plan. Instead, they embraced unexpected opportunities, said yes to new paths, and discovered passions through trial and error. Ultimately, every experience provided valuable lessons they still carry into their work today.
One interviewee laughed as they explained that impossible chemistry classes tanked their GPA, derailing their plans of going to dental school and leading them to do a Master of Public Health instead. Another stumbled into a conference session that sparked an interest in Army occupational therapy, even though it had never been a part of their life plan. A few found themselves unexpectedly changing course after layoffs, using those moments to pivot and try something new. Some knew that they wanted to be athletic trainers or in editing and design since high school and college, but grew their careers in unexpected ways, such as project management and social media niches.
Many career pivots were made through relationships. One interviewee worked in corporate America for many years before learning about a new role in Veterans research through a babysitting co-op. Another was invited to join a new venture by a colleague. Others found mentors who connected them to research projects across the world or offered honest, sometimes conflicting entrepreneurial advice.
There is no one “correct" way to go about your career, whether you knew what you wanted to do from a young age, changed directions halfway through, or are still figuring it out. However, what was similar was the laughable way that all the interviewees regarded what they did in the past and their gratitude for where it led them. It’s crucial to keep an open mind when looking where to go next in your career and reflecting on your past experiences.
Lost in Translation (But in a Good Way)
While my first set of questions revealed how people arrived at ARMORR, my next question focused on the bigger picture: How do all of these wildly different backgrounds and roles actually work together? ARMORR brings together scientists, clinicians, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, project and program managers, curriculum designers, educators, research coordinators, communications specialists, data experts, and operational leaders under one center. This diversity is purposeful; each perspective and skill set enables the center to tackle military readiness from multiple angles.
As different as all these roles are, I kept hearing the same word in my interviews: “translate.” An epidemiologist translates statistical findings into evidence that clinicians and researchers can use to advance patient care and research. A curriculum designer translates that growing body of research into a cohesive narrative that students can use to improve their brigades. A dietitian translates research into guidance that helps Service Members make informed decisions about their health. A communications specialist translates scientific language into engaging content that encourages healthier behaviors for audiences on social media.
I used to assume that expertise meant simply knowing the answer. After these interviews, I realized that it is actually built through years of continual learning, and it becomes most valuable when you translate what you know into something others can easily understand and apply. Translation is a way of thinking at ARMORR, with everyone asking “How do I take what I know and make it useful for someone else?” The shared goal is to turn knowledge into meaningful action.
That shared commitment also explains why so many people with different backgrounds choose to work at ARMORR. Across many career paths, a shared thread that unites the team is a desire for broader, systemic change. Many staff members started their careers working directly with individual patients, civilians, or Soldiers and later moved into health education and research. The direct work hadn't stopped mattering to them; rather, they wanted their results to extend beyond one person. In many ways, this shift reflects ARMORR’s broader mission: optimizing individual performance within the Armed Forces to create a positive ripple effect that benefits families, fellow Service Members, and civilians alike.
I also began to understand why certain people gravitated toward certain projects. One team member was drawn to the mental health side of readiness through a personal experience of their own. Another chose to focus on chronic illnesses, having seen how they affect people over the long term. Another wanted to work in preventative care after watching a family member navigate a difficult health care system. For many, the work is not simply something they are good at but something they believe in. So when I asked what brought 12 people, in 12 very different roles, to the same place, this is the closest thing to a single answer: a shared feeling that their work matters and has a widespread effect on improving lives.
Creating a broader outcome also requires continual growth. I noticed that people didn’t stop learning once they found their place at ARMORR. In an organization where research, military priorities, technology, and public health are constantly evolving, people must continually adapt and rethink how they approach their work. What surprised me most was that the people furthest along in their careers were often the ones still learning the most. Some teach as adjunct professors, pursue PhDs, consult, build startups, take extra classes, or spend their free time developing new ideas in their respective fields. They don’t do this out of obligation but because they genuinely love to learn. Others stay on top of AI, emerging research, remote team efficiency, health trends, or new ways of communicating. By the end of my interviews, I got the sense that I had stumbled into a collective group of people who were energized by continual learning, always asking “What’s next?” Rather than staying within the boundaries of their job descriptions, they continually bring those ideas back to their work, shaping both their roles and the organization around them.
It Takes a Village (And Lots of Google Chats)
Another thing I took away from my interviews and day-to-day office observations is that nobody works alone. Most staff members juggle multiple projects and teams at once, tackling nearly every corner of military readiness including injury prevention and rehabilitation, nutrition, mental performance, human optimization, and education. Teams range greatly in size, how remote or in-person the members are (or a mix), and in scope. But across all of that variation, the same pattern kept showing up in how people described working together.
Feedback, as it turns out, is how the work actually gets done. It’s built into ARMORR’s culture as a basic assumption: If you’re not getting told what you’re doing well and what needs to change, your job gets a lot harder. Early in a project, work looks like what one interviewee called “wandering in the desert”—open-ended brainstorming with every possibility on the table. Once a first draft exists, the focus shifts to iteration through sharing it and finding out what is not working. Toward the end, it becomes a back-and-forth process of reviewing edits and negotiating changes. I am currently experiencing this through the process of writing this blog. Every draft has been shared with different members of the team to offer new perspectives and comments to strengthen the final product. From start to finish, it is a process that relies on constant teamwork and open feedback.
When CHAMP, CRSR, and MIRROR merged into ARMORR, that same feedback-driven approach helped the team navigate new systems. Everyone had a seat at the table. When deciding how to move forward, the team together considered whether to adopt an existing model from one of the programs, blend current resources, or create something new altogether.
This kind of collaborative decision-making and open feedback only works because there is a baseline of psychological safety and respect. ARMORR’s culture leans toward growth and learning rather than fear of failure, and people described genuinely feeling safe to ask questions, try something new, get things wrong, and keep improving. That safety extends to how people treat each other's roles and areas of expertise. As one staff member put it, no one can be the expert on everything, the real skill is knowing whom to ask—and being available when someone else needs to lean on your expertise in turn.
Final Notes for the Career-Confused
As I leave this internship and continue my career journey, I’m still unsure what the future after graduation looks like. I’ll leave with my question of “Where do I want to be in 5 years?” still unanswered. During one interview, an interviewee told me flat out that they hated that question—they didn’t know, and they’d made peace with not knowing. Little did they know, that was exactly the next question I was about to ask them, so thankfully I got lucky and did not. But that stuck with me. I realized I’d spent the internship so stressed with finding the “right” answer that I risked missing out on the opportunities that come from staying open-minded. Nearly every person I interviewed happily ended up somewhere they never expected because they were willing to follow their curiosity and the paths that opened up to them. The goal is to keep learning, keep saying yes to new experiences, and trust that, like the people I interviewed, the path will make more sense looking backward than it could looking forward.
At the end of every interview, I asked my favorite question: “What would you tell your college self today?” Almost everyone laughed before saying, “Honestly, I wouldn’t change anything.” Once I clarified that I was looking for advice rather than regrets, they shared thoughtful, honest, and occasionally cheesy reflections—the kind of reassurance I think anyone content, curious, or somewhere in between about their career needs from time to time:
Embrace the unknown:
- Take opportunities as they come. Keep following what genuinely interests you because the things that make you think, “Huh, that looks interesting,” often lead you somewhere you never expected.
- I hate the question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Do you know? Very few people do.
- Things work out and don’t work out for a reason.
Invest in people:
- Be vulnerable. It’s so hard, but vulnerability is what builds the strongest relationships.
- Relationships are what get you through the door, but your work ethic keeps you there.
- Learn and understand how people work. Technical skills can be learned, but understanding people will help you succeed anywhere.
Take ownership of your path:
- Be confident in your skills because you’re good at what you do.
- Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. Just do it. Think independently, bring solutions instead of problems, and use your manager as a consultant rather than someone who gives you every answer.
- You’re interviewing employers as much as they’re interviewing you.
- Culture is important, especially how much a company is willing to support you.
- Keep pursuing your passions, even outside work.
And finally…
- Don’t live your life as a stressed-out cookie :)
