Belonging After the Uniform: How Greg Sisa Rebuilt Community Outside the SEAL Teams

When former Navy SEAL Greg Sisa left the military in 2016, his transition looked great on paper. He landed a dream job at a commercial real estate firm in Beverly Hills. The position was high-profile, the company supportive, and the offer even came before he officially separated from the Navy.

But beneath the surface, something essential was missing.

“You have a good job, but it doesn’t solve all of life’s problems,” Greg said on a recent episode of the Vector Accelerator podcast. “You don’t realize how much you miss that sense of community until it’s gone.”

That sense of community — the belonging that comes from being part of a tightly bonded team — wasn’t something Greg could replicate overnight. Like many veterans, he found himself navigating a new environment without the daily camaraderie, shared mission, and built-in support system he’d known in the SEAL teams.

The Real Loss in Transition

The military provides three powerful psychological anchors: identity, purpose, and belonging. And when you leave service, even if your next role is lined up, all three can take a hit.

Greg found that out quickly. The people he worked with were kind and competent — but the connection wasn’t the same.

“Even when work was done, in the teams, you’d still be there telling stories for hours,” he said. “You just don’t have that kind of camaraderie in most civilian jobs. It took a long time to really find it again.”

As that realization set in, Greg didn’t retreat. Instead, he reached out.

From Isolation to Action

He started calling fellow teammates who had also transitioned. Each one echoed his experience. That’s when Greg decided to do something about it. While still at the real estate firm, he began helping build a network of job opportunities for veterans in Los Angeles.

That small project became something much bigger — eventually leading to the launch of With Your Shield, a USC-based program focused on strengthening the entire military family through the transition. Veterans attended alongside their spouses, digging into the emotional and relational side of change, while also preparing for meaningful civilian careers.

The key? Real connection.

“When I didn’t have that sense of community to lean on, I worked on building it,” Greg said. “That picked up my spirits and gave me motivation.”

Building a New Tribe

Today, as the Chief Development Officer at the Warrior Heritage Foundation, Greg is still focused on restoring that sense of belonging — not just for himself, but for the 200,000+ veterans across Los Angeles County. Whether it’s revitalizing historic spaces like Bob Hope Patriotic Hall, launching a new transition program, or amplifying success stories, his mission remains clear: empower veterans to become visible, valued leaders in their communities.

How You Can Rebuild Belonging

If you’re a veteran navigating post-military life, Greg’s journey offers a playbook. Here are three steps to start rebuilding your own sense of community:

1. Say Yes to Invitations
   That golf round changed Greg’s life. “You can always say no later,” he says, “but you never know what could come from saying yes.”

2. Initiate Connection
   Don’t wait for others to reach out — make the call. Grab coffee, attend a local veteran event, or message someone on LinkedIn who’s walked your path.

3. Serve Again, Differently
   When Greg felt lost, he started serving again — this time through building networks, mentoring peers, and creating programs. Service doesn't end; it just changes form.

You may not wear the uniform anymore, but your mission continues — and so does your need for belonging. Build it. Share it. And don’t do it alone.