Dr. Tony Cerella: Reflections on Retiring from a Career in the Army

My guest today is Lieutenant Colonel Tony Cerella.

Tony was born in Texas, raised in Colorado, Germany, and Virginia, and currently lives in Como, Italy.  

Tony graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 2000, after which he was commissioned as an Army officer and later transitioned to the Ordnance Corps.  He swore he would serve just for 4 years and be done.  Twenty-three years later, time that included multiple tours to Iraq, and service in Australia, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and the United States, he’s now about to retire from the Army.

Along the way, Tony’s military education included the Armor Officer Basic Course, the Combined Logistics Captains Career Course, and the Command and General Staff College.  Along with that, he holds a Masters in International Political Economy of Resources from the Colorado School of Mines and a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California.

Tony’s resume includes a long list of accomplishments during his career and almost a dozen military awards including the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and many others. 

Tony is married to Bethany and they have fourteen-year-old twins.  He enjoys reading, running, and traveling.

I first met Tony through our mutual friend, Russ Watts, who has been on the podcast episodes 4, 26, 45.  We connected through the shared interest in the power of storytelling.  I’m so grateful that Tony agreed to share pieces of his story here, especially during a time of preparing for a major life transition – retiring from the army after 23 years.  In our conversation, he courageously shares his reflections, his questions, his concerns.  What will life look like after retirement from a career that came with quite a structured lifestyle and in a way, a built-in community.  

Tony shares glimpses into his journey of personal growth and development, learning to take care of himself, addressing combat trauma, and uncovering ways to make major transitions less difficult.

Tony, thank you for this conversation.  Thank you for sharing these insights into your life, thank you for sharing the wisdom you’ve gained, and thank you for your candidness as you continue to sort out this major transition that is before you.


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