This July 25th is National Hire a Veteran Day. Instituted in 2017, the day serves to highlight the value veterans bring to the workplace. It’s also a call to action for government agencies and businesses nationwide to look at their workforce and consider ways to give veterans more opportunities.
At IVMF, our entire mission is to serve transitioning servicemembers, veterans, and military families. Our programs and services are built to help our community of over 18 million veterans, their families, and the nearly 200,000 newly transitioning servicemembers build a life they can be proud of. Much of that starts with finding the right career, or creating your own path through entrepreneurship.
We treat every day like it’s Hire a Veteran Day.
Career Readiness & Training
According to IVMF research, 75% of transitioning service members identify employment as a key priority in their re-entry to civilian life. The path from military service to civilian job isn’t always clear, even when servicemembers seek jobs that are the civilian-equivalent of their military specialty. What’s more, 55% of veterans seek careers outside of their military roles.
Onward to Opportunity (O2O) is a no-cost career training program that connects veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses to in-demand certifications and skills that match employer needs. Evaluators from Penn State’s Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness found that O2O has statistically validated positive impacts on post-service employment, including starting salary, and characteristics of 6-month job retention. Since its inception in 2011, O2O has helped over 100,000 participants seeking relevant qualifications and meaningful civilian careers.
Actionable Research for Employers
IVMF further supports our community of job-seekers by supplying potential employers and other veteran support organizations with data-driven research to help better understand how to attract, hire, and retain veteran talent. To truly support veterans in the workforce, employers need more than good intentions—they need insight.
Our findings indicate veterans possess many of the most in-demand qualities sought by today’s employers: resilience, agility, self-awareness, and analytical thinking. These are documented veteran skill advantages that bring measurable value to workplaces. Through partnerships with corporations, government agencies, and academic institutions, we turn this research into practical hiring strategies that work for both veterans and employers alike.
Entrepreneurship & Procurement readiness
Many veterans gain almost superhuman resilience, initiative, and comfort with risk and ambiguity during their time in the military. This makes veterans naturally suited for careers in entrepreneurship. In fact, veterans are more likely to start businesses than their non-veteran peers, and nearly 47% of veteran business owners have engaged in federal procurement contracting.
IVMF has a broad portfolio of entrepreneurship programs and events to support the veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs trying to build something for themselves. Programs like Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV), Veteran EDGE, and Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE), among many more, equip veteran entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networks, and tools they need to grow sustainable businesses and compete in procurement markets. IVMF is dedicated to empowering veteran- and military spouse-owned small businesses to succeed in today’s complex, rapidly shifting economy.
Alumni Support for Veterans
Transition doesn’t end with a job offer or a business launch. The journey to success is long and winding, and IVMF is committed to walking that path alongside our alumni. Research shows that veterans who access support services beyond the traditional Transition Assistance Program (TAP) are 29% more likely to secure employment.
That’s why we offer continuous support through alumni-exclusive webinars, professional development opportunities, and a robust peer network. Whether it’s navigating career changes, exploring business growth, or building long-term stability, our alumni stay connected to a community designed to lift them up, not leave them behind.
Join Us in Celebrating Veterans
At IVMF, National Hire a Veteran Day isn’t about supporting veterans 1 day out of 365, it’s a chance to remind ourselves why we do it every day. Every day, we’re working to open doors, remove barriers, and build systems of support that empower transitioning servicemembers, veterans, and military families to thrive in the civilian world.
As you recognize National Hire a Veteran Day, we invite you to join us in making that commitment part of your daily practice. Not just today, but every day.