MISSOULA – When Katie Martin left the Navy after five and a half years of service, she didn’t expect to find her next calling in accounting. But like many veterans, her path from military life to higher education was one of discovery, resilience and community.
Originally from California, with strong ties to Florida through her Navy service, Martin served as an aviation electrician’s mate. She worked as an aircraft battery technician and reached the rank of petty officer second class.
While in the Navy, she met her husband, Josh, a fellow sailor. Martin’s long-term goal was to become a Navy pilot. But shortly after meeting, Josh finished his contract and decided to leave the Navy. Martin had a big decision to make. Eventually she decided to finish her contract, and then the two set off to build a new life surrounded by mountains instead of ocean waves.
“We were looking for somewhere with mountains and community,” Martin said. “We threw a dart at Montana, and it ended up being the perfect choice.”
Martin grew up hiking in Yosemite National Park and enjoying the outdoors, so UM’s wildlife biology program seemed like a great fit. A fellow student veteran and wildlife biology major suggested she look into a nonprofit administration minor, which led her to her first accounting class – and everything changed.
“I’ve never had anything click like that before,” she said. “Accounting brought me the same structure and security I loved in the military.”
That spark led her to switch majors to accounting in UM’s College of Business, where she discovered mentors, peers and opportunities that helped her translate her military skills into a new professional direction.
“UM’s College of Business focuses not just on academic outcomes, but on preparing you for the real world,” Martin said. “The Student Success Center helped me take what I learned in the Navy and apply it to my resume. They also host Meet the Firms events and have firm members participate in panels in classes. These guided me to my internship and a better understanding of what firms are out there.”
Like many veterans, the transition to student life wasn’t easy at first. But finding the Military and Veteran Services Office and the Student Veterans Organization made all the difference.
“The Military and Veterans Service Office didn’t just help me understand my benefits – they sat down with me and really took the time to go through everything,” Martin said. “I pursued a job in that office, so I could help other student veterans. UM’s Military and Veterans Service Office also helped me navigate life after the military, by supporting me through challenges and connecting me with a community that truly gets it.
“The student veteran community here – it’s a family,” she continued. We all embrace each other, but there’s also a sense of fun competition that many of us had amongst our peers in the military.”
That support, combined with Martin’s drive, has helped her achieve straight As on her path toward graduating this December. It’s also what secured her an internship and a full-time job offer with the international accounting firm Eide Bailly.
Martin soon will begin her role as an assurance assistant, a position that lets her apply her teamwork and communication skills in an audit environment.
“Audit work reminds me of the Navy,” she said. “You’re part of a team, solving problems together.”
For other veterans thinking about college, Martin’s message is simple: “Take the leap. It’s scary, and it’s hard, but the community here will help you through it.”
And one last tip from Martin?
“Go to the football games,” she laughed. “I waited three years, and as soon as I went to one, I realized I’d been missing out!”
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Contact: Tracy Mitchell, assistant director, UM Military and Veteran Services Office, 406-243-2744, tracy.mitchell@umontana.edu.