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How two WWII veterans built Waffle House into an empire

BusinessGovernment

Waffle House restaurant image with veteran owners superimposed

By Sarah Sicard

Nary a soul has been stationed at a military base or made it through four years of college without stumbling one drunk Saturday night into the 24-hour greasy spoon chain known lovingly as “Waffle House.”

With more than 2,000 locations across 25 states, it’s safe to say that the humble breakfast haunt is really more of an empire than a mom-and-pop shop. But it wasn’t always that way. The first Waffle House was actually opened by two veteran neighbors in the small town of Avondale Estates, Two World War II veterans opened the first Waffle House in 1955. (Sarah Sicard/Waffle House via Canva)

Georgia, in 1955. “Tom Forkner joined the military and served in military intelligence and security based out of Oak Ridge, TN,” according to Njeri Boss, Waffle House’s vice president of public relations.

Drafted into the Army in 1941, he covertly worked to transport valuable products from a “Tennessee facility to Los Alamos,” according to the Atomic Heritage Foundation. He eventually was sent to work on the infamous Manhattan Project, where he served until heading home and taking his place with his family’s real estate business.

His eventual partner, Joe Rogers Sr., enlisted with the Army Air Corps at age 16.

“The bulk of his service was in the Army Air Corps where he trained to fly BT-9s, B-29s, AT-17s and B-24s,” Boss said. “When his military service ended in 1945, I believe he was a B-24 pilot instructor with the Eighth Air Force at Smyrna Airfield. He achieved the rank of at least Captain during his service.”

The pair met in 1949 when Rogers moved to Georgia. Wanting to do something different and create an environment where friends and family could come together and eat, they opened a 24-hour diner-style joint in their Atlanta suburb and painted the sign bright yellow to attract the eyes of drivers.

Its reputation for being the best place for late-night food and overall popularity led Forkner and Rogers to begin franchising Waffle House in 1960.

And while the times have changed greatly since that first greasy spoon opened in the 1950s, much of the Waffle House aesthetic and menu has stayed the same.

“We serve the basic foods, and the basic foods never change,” Rogers told NBC.

Alas, the iconic restaurateurs both passed away in 2017, but their waffle legacy lives on in the hearts of troops in dire need of hash browns and syrup boats after a night of barracks shenanigans.

Click here to read the original article posted on Military Times.

$3.5 Million in Grants to Support Veteran Small Business Owners

BusinessFinance

Slightly upward curved hundred us dollar bills lying on the us flag

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced $3.5 million in grant awards to support outreach organizations focused on veteran small businesses. The grants provide critical funding to create new Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs) in Alaska, California, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada and South Carolina, strengthening training and counseling services for aspiring and existing veteran and military spouse small business owners. In the U.S., there are nearly two million veteran-owned small businesses, employing over five million people and generating over $1.3 trillion in annual revenue.

“Our service members have protected our nation with selfless honor and sacrifice, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting them with resources and opportunities as they pursue their American dreams of business ownership,” said U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “With this expansion of our veteran-focused network of small business centers, we can help more transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses start and grow their businesses and advance our economy.”

VBOCs are responsible for conducting Boots to Business classes for transitioning members and their spouses, aiding in putting together business plans, they provide mentorship and resources, and so on. These centers are available in nearly every state.

“VBOCs are a one-stop shop for business training, counseling and resource partner referrals to transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses interested in starting or growing a small business,” said Timothy Green, acting associate administrator for the Office of Veterans Business Development. “The new centers will provide additional resources to increase support and access for nearly two million veteran-owned small businesses. The expanded locations aim to enhance the veteran small business owner experience with more opportunities for training and less appointment wait times.”

Organizations receiving grants from the SBA have demonstrated a commitment to addressing challenges that veteran-owned small businesses face and helping them succeed through the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program. The VBOC program has expanded from 22 to 28 locations, fully servicing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa. Grants will support a range of services, including:

Business planning: Provides veterans with training and counseling on accounting, financial planning and management.
Accessing capital: Helps veterans understand the multitude of sources of capital available to them, as well as helps them access financing, loans and grants.
Marketing and outreach: Provides marketing and outreach services to promote veteran-owned businesses in their communities and beyond.
Transitioning: Provides Boots to Business instruction to help active-duty service members transition out of the military.

Grant recipients and the areas impacted:

Seattle Economic Development Fund- Business Impact Northwest: Seattle, Washington. Covering area: Alaska.
University of Texas Arlington College of Business: Arlington, Texas. Covering area: Nevada.
Carmel Veterans Service Center: Colorado Springs, Colorado. Covering area: Colorado.
Nebraska Enterprise Fund: Oakland, Nebraska. Covering area: Nebraska and Iowa.
The Citadel: Charleston, South Carolina. Covering area: South Carolina.
Long Beach City College: Long Beach, California. Covering area: California’s LA County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Orange County, Santa Barbara County and Riverside County.

For more information on these and other local VBOCs, visit sba.gov/vboc.

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration

The Hiring Guide for Small Business Owners

Business

Hiring employees is more than just a job ad and some interview questions. You’ll want to make sure that your future employees are being properly cared for according to federal and state laws. Here’s what you need to know:

Hire and pay employees

Before finding the right person for the job, you’ll need to create a plan for paying employees. Follow these steps to set up payroll:

Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Find out whether you need state or local tax IDs
Decide if you want an independent contractor or an employee
Ensure new employees return a completed W-4 form
Schedule pay periods to coordinate tax withholding for IRS
Create a compensation plan for holiday, vacation and leave
Choose an in-house or external service for administering payroll
Decide who will manage your payroll system
Know which records must stay on file and for how long
Report payroll taxes as needed on a quarterly and annual basis

The IRS maintains the employer’s tax guide, which provides guidance on all federal tax filing requirements that could apply to your small business. Check with your state tax agency for employer filing stipulations.

File taxes with employees or independent contractors

Distinguishing between employees and independent contractors can impact your bottom line, or your total revenue once expenses have been deducted. Your bottom line ultimately impacts how you withhold taxes and helps you stay legally compliant during tax season. Learn the differences before hiring your first employee.

An independent contractor operates under a separate business name from your company and invoices for the work they’ve completed. Independent contractors can sometimes qualify as employees in a legal sense. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guide breaks things down so you can make a more informed decision.

If your contractor is discovered to meet the legal definition of employee, you may need to pay back taxes and penalties, provide benefits and reimburse wages stipulated under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Plan to offer employee benefits

Health care and other benefits play a significant role in hiring and retaining employees. Some employee benefits are required by law, but others are optional. Required employee benefits include:

Social Security taxes: Employers must pay Social Security taxes at the same rate as their employees.
Workers’ Compensation: Required through a commercial carrier, self-insured basis or state workers’ compensation program.
Disability Insurance: Disability pay is required in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico.
Leave benefits: Most leave benefits are optional outside those stipulated in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Unemployment insurance: Varies by state, and you may need to register with your state workforce agency.

Optional employee benefits

Your small businesses can offer a complete range of optional benefits to help attract and retain employees. Even if a benefit you offer is optional, it might still have to comply with certain laws if you choose to offer it.

Businesses that offer group health plans must comply with federal laws. You can read more about those laws in the Department of Labor’s advisory guide.

Employees can expand coverage through the Affordable Care Act and some may qualify for benefits via the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Businesses must extend the option of COBRA benefits to employees who are terminated or laid off. For more information and resources to help small businesses make decisions about health insurance coverage, visit HealthCare.gov.

Retirement plans are a very popular employee benefit. Consider offering an employer-sponsored plan like a 401k or a pension plan. The federal government offers a wide range of resources to aid small business owners in choosing their retirement plan and pension.

Employee incentive programs

Employee incentive programs can boost morale and create more draw for open positions. Common incentives include stock options, flex time, wellness programs, corporate memberships and company events.

If your budget allows, you may want to consider investing in benefits administration software to make your accounting process easier and more efficient. Detailing these benefits in the employee handbook helps your staff make decisions, and they can use it as a reference for workplace requirements.

Follow federal and state labor laws

Protect workers’ rights and your business by adhering to labor laws, which means you must ensure that business practices align with industry regulations.

This includes learning applicable laws for hiring veterans, foreign workers, household employees, child labor and people with disabilities, among others groups. You must also comply when terminating an employee, laying off workers or downsizing the company.

Consult the Department of Labor’s federal and state law resources for more information.

Source: Small Business Administration

Next Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force: Chief Master Sgt. John Bentivegna

Government

After an in-depth evaluation, the U.S. Space Force has selected their next Chief Master Sergeant. In early May, Chief Master Sgt. John F. Bentivegna was selected to fill the position. He comes to the role with more than 25 years of space operator experience after beating out four other candidates for the role in an extensive selection process.

The four-day evaluation, including personal interviews with each candidate, helped Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman make his final decision by giving him data on how the chiefs performed in various exercises and assessments that vetted their skills and leadership capabilities. “I needed someone that would bring a perspective on our future that was articulated differently from mine,” Saltzman stated of the position. “Chief Bentivegna brings a wealth of operational experience, a dedication to caring for our Guardians, and the spirit needed to take our service to the next level.”

Bentivegna joined the U.S. Air Force in August 1994, where he served for 26 years before transferring to the U.S. Space Force. He started his career as a precision measurement equipment lab technician at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, before cross training to become a space operator in 1998.

Bentivegna has served in both maintenance and space operations career fields; and has held positions at the squadron, division, group, wing, Numbered Air Force, Field Command and Headquarters Air and Space Force levels. He served as the Senior Enlisted Leader of Space Operations Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, where he advised the commander on matters of health, welfare, morale and readiness of approximately 5,100 combat-ready intelligence, cyber, space and combat support forces responsible for providing space capabilities to the Department of Defense.

Soon after entering the Space Force in September of 2020, Bentivegna served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief Operations Officer and is the Enlisted Space Systems Operations Career Field Manager at Headquarters Space Force, Washington, D.C. He was the primary advocate for the career field, addressing force development and training issues and coordinating functional concerns across various Space Force and joint staffs and shaped career field policy and guidance to ensure the career field is responsive to current and future Space Force needs.

During his service thus far, Bentivegna has received numerous awards and decorations for his work, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and many others.

“It’s overwhelming and incredibly humbling to be offered the opportunity to become the next Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force (CMSSF),” Bentivegna stated of his new role. “I am really excited to have that opportunity to work next to Gen. Saltzman to help fulfill his vision for where the service needs to go. We have run really fast to develop the service and shape what it’s going to be,” Bentivegna continued. “We have charted a vision for the future, and I want to deliver that vision to our Guardians and the joint force. I know this is going to take collaboration, communication, policy and processes to make that happen. I am humbled that I get to be the one to champion these efforts for them in the future.”

As the CMSSF, Bentivegna will be appointed as the Space Force’s highest noncommissioned officer position, making him the second person in history to hold the title. He will act as the personal advisor to the CSO and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, proper utilization and development of the Space Force. He will also provide direction for the enlisted force and represent their interests, as appropriate, to the American public and those at all levels of government.

Source: U.S. Air Force

NVBDC Conference Elevates Businesses

BusinessEvents

Another year is in the books for the annual NVBDC Reserving Veteran Business Connections Conference, a collaborative effort held in partnership with the prestigious Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

The Reserving Veteran Business Connections event is designed to foster connections and opportunities for veteran business owners and showcase networking and collaboration’s power in driving economic growth and diversity for NVBDC-certified service-disabled and veteran-owned businesses.

Attendees had the opportunity to connect, learn and propel their veteran-owned business to new heights by engaging with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the state of Michigan’s Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Small Business Association (SBA), Toyota, Rocket Companies, Kohler, Flagstar Bank, Comerica Bank, Tenneco, Stellantis, DTE, Freddie Mac, Cornerstone Consulting Organization LLC (CCO), Consumers Energy and Dell.

The 1:1 matchmaking sessions were the event’s highlight. They enabled veteran business owners to interact with supplier diversity professionals and transition from relationship building to contracts with NVBDC corporate members.

From Left to right: Chris Sim, Keith King, Leonie Teichman

From Left to right: Mark Hands, Genevieve Hayes, Keith King

From Left to right: Mark Hands, Dr. Fred McKinney, Keith King

From Left to right: Mark Hands, Sheila Harton Montgomery, Teresa LeFevre, Keith King, Cameron Boli

From Left to right : Leonie Teichman, Keith King, Mark Hands, Dr. Fred McKinney, John Taylor, Annette Stevenson

From Left to right: Mark Hands, Dr. Fred McKinney, John Taylor

Conference attendees heard from a renowned economist, academic leader and advocate, Dr. Fred McKinney, who presented on Revitalizing Supplier Diversity Opportunities and Challenges. Moreover, attendees also had the opportunity to hear from supplier diversity professionals who provided insights into procurement opportunities, financing strategies and best practices for business growth.

The seventh annual NVBDC-Federal Reserve Matchmaking Conference leaves a trail of educated, inspired and motivated veteran entrepreneurs armed with insights, connections and strategies to elevate their businesses to new heights.

We invite you to register for our upcoming National Veteran Business Matchmaking Conference to be held live in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 8-9, 2023, by visiting NVBDC.ORG/EVENTS.

Photo credit: NVBDC Staff

How the DoD is Teaming Up with Small Businesses

Business

By C. Todd Lopez

The Defense Department’s Office of Small Business Programs has several efforts underway to make it easier for the U.S. small business community to become more involved in providing goods, services, technology and research to support our nation’s defense.

At the Professional Services Council in Arlington, Virginia, Farooq A. Mitha, the director of the Office of Small Business Programs, spoke to representatives of small businesses about his office’s most recent efforts, including the department’s newly released Small Business Strategy.

About 96% of the department’s Procurement Technical Assistance Centers have been rebranded as APEX Accelerators in the past few months. Those APEX Accelerators have an enhanced mission of helping existing and new businesses strengthen the defense industrial base by accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains.

“We’re going to be doing a lot of market research using these entities,” Mitha said. “We’re going to connect them closer to our other prime contractors that are looking for subcontractors to be part of their supply chains.”

The APEX Accelerators will also do more training with small businesses on issues related to cybersecurity and foreign ownership, control or influence that might affect their ability to work with the federal government. Efforts are also underway to reinvigorate the Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF), which hasn’t been funded since 2019. That program was designed to help small businesses get their technology from the prototype stage to the production stage—a period when many companies fail, commonly called “the valley of death.”

“We’ve gone four years without money into this program,” Mitha noted. “That is a big, big problem at a time when we’re spending more dollars doing prototyping. We need to support more companies to go into production and transition their technologies.”

The RIF will support streamlining entry points into the defense marketplace for small companies and enable better long-term planning for small business programs. Recently, Mitha advocated for the permanency of the Mentor Protégé Program (MPP)—a pilot for over 30 years. This led to Congress making MPP permanent in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

Additionally, two new programs have been implemented under Mitha’s leadership: The Small Business Integration Group and a new credential with the Defense Acquisition University (DAU).

The Small Business Integration Group, under Mitha’s leadership, will include services, the defense agency, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the industrial base and small business stakeholders. This group will work together to form a stronger industry and communicate the needs amongst departments in a more organized fashion.

The DAU will also offer a new credential that will help anyone in the acquisition workforce earn their small business credential. Mitha says of the program, “We’ve now established common courses, curriculum and training for all these professionals. But we’ve made it a credential, not a career field. So, what that means is that anybody in the acquisition workforce can get the small business credential.”

Mitha said he expects more instructors and capacity will be needed to help the thousands of acquisition professionals across the department who may want to get the small business credential.

For more information on how the Office of Small Business Programs and the Department of Defense can help your business ventures, visit va.gov/osdbu.

Source: Department of Defense

Your Next Mission (Critical)

BusinessCareer

man holding laptop in data center setting

By Carrie Goetz

Many veterans may not be exposed to the mission critical industry—aka—the data center industry. Veterans serving on the IT side will undoubtedly understand the concept of a data center. For those that didn’t serve in the technology sectors, don’t think this industry is not for you. As a brief explanation, the mission critical industry is responsible for constructing, operating and maintaining data centers. By way of explanation, every known digitally documented thing “lives” in at least one data center. Every bit, every byte, every conversation and even transitory data will have some stint in a data center.

According to Arizton, the global data center market is set to reach 288.3 billion by 2027, up from 215.8 billion in 2021. Plainly put, the industry is not going away. The depth and breadth of jobs within the industry are vast. While some veterans will have directly transferable skills, other skills map well to skills needed to fill the over 300,000 open jobs requiring people over the next couple of years. The industry is a bit of an enigma for those without an IT background. At a recent Heroes in Transition event in San Diego, the overall theme was to show transitioning Soldiers some of the industry’s opportunities and the purpose surrounding the industry.

As we discuss the industry, let’s tie this back to the “every known digitally documented thing” statement above. That one sentence discusses the need for diversity within the industry. If everyone’s data is in them, shouldn’t everyone be represented in the industry that supports that data? The need for TRUE diversity is vital. We haven’t reached gender parity (not even close). We aren’t in every country on the planet. We don’t represent everyone yet. But we do have jobs for every background, skill level and education level. In fact, the majority of the positions within the industry are learned on the job. Veterans are in great demand.

Site Selection

Building a data center starts with site selection. Telecommunications, power and latency are the prime considerations for the site. Not that these necessarily need to be in place, but the ability to get them to the site is critical. Envision a piece of land somewhere. Everything you can imagine that needs to be at a home site is required here, at a much grander scale. Site selection involves real estate, logistics and liaising with telecommunications carriers, power companies, municipalities and the state or country. These jobs exist with all data centers, and many cities with large data center allies have their own liaisons, too.

Construction and Build

Careers in construction and building design are private commercial versions relatable to anyone in construction from the military. Jobs range from engineering and drafting to hands-on trades. In fact, we owe the trades everything! If it weren’t for the trades, nothing would be built. There are many construction firms out there that specialize in mission critical buildings. Some are design-build, and some are just construction. Some larger colocation (colo) data center builders that lease space have in-house construction arms. While others rely solely on contractors. Regardless, the building, power, cooling, telecommunications, generation, electricians, plumbers, masons, carpenters and heavy machine operators are just a few of the skills in demand for construction.

It’s Built, Now What?

Once constructed, the building becomes an ecosystem supporting information technology and systems within the space. Every single thing that gets installed must be maintained within the ecosystem. The information technology systems also must be installed, maintained and at some point, replaced. Many jobs in operations lend well to skills obtained in the service. Operations personnel must think fast on their feet and react calmly to find a solution. And while you may be thinking, “I don’t understand the ecosystem,” there are books to help and certifications that will fill in your skills gap. In fact, many college-trained individuals get the exact same certifications to learn to support the data center.

Operations jobs can be chaotic, so if you thrive on chaos, operations could be right up your alley. If you don’t thrive on chaos or have had enough, thousands of jobs in and around the industry support operations without the frenzied pace. Vendor companies need sales, systems engineers, designers and customer service personnel. Human resources, marketing, accounting and logistics are also in demand.

Where’s the Purpose?

The purpose is yours for the taking. Whether you find purpose in helping others or being a guardian within the industry, there are plenty of ways to gain fulfillment. For those in the military that crave working as a team, this entire industry is a team. People here are helpful. This industry is one of the most extensive ongoing apprenticeships ever. People learn from each other. We need diversity to keep groupthink in check and ensure that our platforms are kind, serve all and, most importantly, are safe.

The stark reality is that the internet isn’t completely safe. Our children are not inherently safe on the internet. We simply can’t assume it’s always someone else’s job to foster safety. But then, veterans don’t. Veterans have stepped up and shown character through their service. We need these guardians in our industry, from construction to the cloud and everything in between. If travel is a passion, many of these jobs lead you around the globe. Want to be a homebody? These jobs are everywhere. You probably look at data centers every day and don’t even realize it. Most every company either has one or uses one someone else runs. The cloud is technically a data center that provides services to users.

If you are transitioning or a prior service member, rest assured you are in demand. Training is available. Organizations such as Salute Mission Critical, Overwatch, iMasons and others will help you find your path. I, too, am happy to help and make introductions. Lastly, thank you for your service. We are all in your debt. It’s time to pay it forward, and our industry is working to do just that!

Carrie Goetz is an Amazon best selling author of Jumpstart Your Career in Data Centers and associated educator’s reference with an extensive career in the data center industry. She is published in 69 countries. She is the inaugural AFCOM/ Data Center World Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, 2023 Top 25 Women in Mission Critical and 2023 ICT Woman of the Year recipient.

First Palauan Marine to Achieve the Rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant

Government

Palauan Marine at Camp Blaz becomes first to achieve the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant

By Gunnery Sgt. Rubin Tan

In a historic moment for the Republic of Palau, an island country republic of the United States, one of its own has achieved the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant (E-9) in the United States Marine Corps. This achievement marks the first time a Palauan has attained the highest enlisted rank in the Marine Corps.

On May 12, 2023, Master Gunnery Sgt. Milton Donatus was frocked at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Blaz, Guam, in front of a formation of Marines, family, Marine veterans and the Consul General of the Republic of Palau on Guam.

Donatus was born and raised in Ngkeklau in the state of Ngaraard.

“I remember growing up, and before going to bed, we would ask our grandmother to tell us stories about what it was like on the island during World War II. We didn’t have a TV back then,” said Donatus. “She would tell us stories about the Marines and how they saved groups of people who were going to be killed by the Imperial Japanese Forces. That’s when I knew all I wanted was to be a Marine.”

At 18, Donatus traveled 805 miles from Palau to Guam in hopes of joining the Marine Corps. Unfortunately, he was a couple of years too early as the Guam Marine recruiting station was closed down. He lived with his aunt and uncle and worked various jobs around the island until the recruiting station opened. Finally, on April 28, 2000, the recruiting station reopened, and Donatus was the first and only young man to enlist during the reopening ceremony.

At MCB Camp Blaz, Donatus serves as the operations chief and is responsible for the establishment, management and operation of the base’s current and future force laydown. He is also the base’s Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructor.

“Master Gunnery Sgt. Donatus is a Marine’s Marine, and there’s no other Marine I would want as my operations chief,” said Lt. Col. Colter Bahlau, MCB Camp Blaz operations officer. “He exudes the patriotism that is rich within the Republic of Palau, and he sets the finest example when it comes to work ethic, physical fitness and leadership.”

This summer, Donatus moved to Twentynine Palms, California, to serve as the operations chief for 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. Since joining more than 23 years ago, he’s served in various locations around the world. He deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, and he deployed twice to Afghanistan with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines.

The calling to be a Marine is now entrenched in Donatus’ family. He is the oldest of four brothers who all joined the Marine Corps, and one of those brothers is a staff sergeant who continues to serve as a bulk fuel specialist. Donatus’ son, following in his father’s footsteps, is also a mortarman and an active-duty sergeant serving with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. Donatus’ daughter plans on joining the Marine Corps when she turns 18.

“I strive to live my life in a manner that inspires others to challenge themselves and take action to change their future. If I didn’t take action and listen to my grandmother, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Donatus. “Every day I strive to be like my mentors who inspired and continue to inspire me.”

Donatus recognizes that the rank he now wears is not a personal achievement but a reflection of his mentors and the community that raised him.

“There are only a handful of Palauans who have achieved the rank of E-8 in the Marine Corps,” said Donatus. “They paved the way for men like me, and when they return to the islands, they carry the pride and leadership qualities ingrained in Marines.”

As Donatus continues his service in the Marine Corps, he hopes his accomplishments will inspire future generations of Palauans to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.

“I plan on staying in the Marine Corps until they are ready for me to get out,” explained Donatus. “I came here to do 20 years, and that flew by in a flash. I have seven more years that I can serve, and I’m intending to stay for the whole 30.”

Sources: DVIDS, Wikipedia

2023 Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA) Conference Recap

EventsGovernment

award recipients at NCOA hold plaque together smiling

The San Antonio heat fueled the enthusiasm of NCOA members who gathered at the Holiday Inn San Antonio Riverwalk on July 18-21 for the 58th Annual NCOA Conference and Vanguard Awards Banquet.

The Resolutions Committee met to help set the Association’s legislative course for the coming year. NCOA’s Director of Government Affairs, Levi Sadr, facilitated the meeting. The Committee reviewed the Association’s resolutions for relevance and continued need.

The theme for the opening icebreaker was “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.” Delegates donned their favorite team colors, jerseys and T-shirts, mixed and mingled, competed in a variety of Auxiliary-hosted games, and enjoyed plenty of Mexican-style fare—the perfect recipe for a night to remember!

Accomplishing the business of the Association kicked off on Wednesday with the opening ceremony. NCOA President Paul Kingsbury welcomed the delegates, as did Brigadier General Russell Driggers and CMSgt Casey Boomershine, the Commander and Command Chief Master Sergeant of the 502nd Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio. Mrs. Janet Driggers briefed the delegates on the Five & Thrive Program, which aims to improve the Quality of Life challenges in five focus areas (childcare, education, healthcare, housing and spouse employment) by highlighting preventative measures, promoting best practices and fostering community partnerships.

Richard Schneider, NCOA’s long-time Director of State and Veterans Affairs, was inducted into the NCOA Hall of Fame with his four children—Rich Schneider, Kristin Bond, Leslie Schneider and Fiona Schneider—proudly in attendance.

As always, we are grateful to the Senior Enlisted Leadership Panel participants who took time from their busy schedules to attend the conference and update our delegates on what was happening in their respective services. Representing the Sergeant Major of the Army was CSM Brian Hester, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Futures Command; representing the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was SgtMaj Michael Pritchard, Command Senior Enlisted Leader FMFLant, MARFORCOM, MARFORNORTH; representing the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy was FLTCM Delbert Terrell, Fleet Master Chief, Personnel, Manpower and Training; representing the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force was CMSgt Edwin Ludwigsen, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Air Force Personnel Center; and representing the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force was CMSgt Jacqueline Sauve, Advisor to the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force. SSG Martha Erosa, President of the Fort Sam Houston Audie Murphy Club, was moderating the panel.

NCOA collage of event attendees and award recipients

Photos left to right: Senior Enlisted Panel; NCOA Board of Directors; NCOA Auxiliary Board of Directors; Vanguard Award recipients, MSG Andrew D. Chapoton, USA, Sgt Shawn B. Henson, USMC, IT2 Thomas D. James, USN, and SSgt Austin S. Kier, USAF. ET1 Kurt P. Woodhouse, USCG recipient , was unable to be in attendance; Chairman of the Board CMSgt Gerald Morey and Banquet keynote speaker SgtMaj Michael Pritchard; Vanguard Banquet Master of Ceremonies James Sullivan, CMSgt, USAF (Ret); Hall of Fame Inductee Richard Schneider’s children with NCOA Grand Knight Sir Paul Siverson; Robert Barnett accepts the NCOA Chairman’s Award from Chairman of the Board CMSgt Gerald Morey.

Small and Large Regional Chapters of the Year were recognized during the awards luncheon. NCOA’s Military Vanguard recipients were presented with life memberships in the Association. Chairman of the Board Gerald Morey presented the NCOA Chairman’s Award to Robert Barnett. NCOA’s Executive Director, Joe Terry, presented Appreciation Awards to a number of sponsors who have been instrumental in supporting the Association—USAA, Doc-Development, United Healthcare, Korean Defense Veterans Association and KATUSA Veterans Association. The Awards Luncheon wrapped up with the traditional Parade of Checks. Thank you to the individuals and chapters that made donations to support the Association’s benevolent programs and membership development program.

Wrapping up a full day, delegates convened for the NCOA Annual Business Meeting where SMSgt Gerald Morey of Great Falls, Montana; Marine Corps veteran Vicky Hensley of Wingate, Texas and 1LT Ashley Gardner, USAFR, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, were elected to serve on the NCOA Board of Directors.

Meanwhile, members of the International Auxiliary attended the Auxiliary’s Annual Business Meeting, where Lee Fike of San Antonio, Texas, and Tammy Sullivan of Mather, California, were elected to serve on the Auxiliary Board of Directors. The Auxiliary’s Outstanding Performers were recognized, the Betsy Ross Top Recruiter Award for 2022 was presented to the Spirit of Sacramento Auxiliary, Barbara Weatherill received the Auxiliary Top Supporter Award, and the Auxiliary’s President’s Award was presented to Scott Rodowick.

Thursday kicked off with a variety of informative briefings by Tuesday’s Children, AAFES, USAA and Women Veterans Concerns; the Honorable James Rodriguez, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Labor VETS; Doc-Development; CMSgt Tanya Johnson, Senior Enlisted Leader of the Defense Health Agency; and Ms. Maureen Elias, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Knights of the Square Table held their annual assembly to accomplish the business of the Knights of the Square Table—new Knights were dubbed, existing Knights were elevated, fallen Knights were honored, and the course for the upcoming year was set.

The stars shined brightly on Thursday evening during the Vanguard Awards Banquet, where CMSgt (Ret) Jim Sullivan, chairman of the Central Valley Chapter, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Hats off to Jim for a job exceptionally well done!

NCOA’s superstar chapters were recognized. The Rogue Chapter from Medford, Oregon, was recognized as the 2022 Outstanding Large Chapter of the Year and the Magnum Force Chapter from Bridgeport, Michigan, was named the 2022 Outstanding Small Chapter of the Year. The Trails End Auxiliary from Portland, Oregon, received the 2022 Auxiliary Chapter of the Year Award.

The guest speaker for the evening was Sergeant Major Michael Pritchard. Then the focus turned to the reason for the evening—honoring this year’s heroic Military Vanguard Award recipients.

The amazing stories of MSG Andrew D. Chapoton, U.S. Army; Sgt Shawn B. Henson, U.S. Marine Corps; IT2 Thomas D. James, U.S. Navy; SSgt Austin S. Kier, U.S. Air Force; and ET1 Kurt P. Woodhouse, U.S. Coast Guard, had delegates glued to their seats with tears in their eyes. The Vanguard stories appear on the NCOA website.

Friday morning was the Breakfast with the Boards—nothing like a hot, hearty breakfast to start the day off right as delegates prepared to depart amid promises to keep in touch and choruses of “see you next year.”

We would be remiss if we didn’t thank our generous affinity partners and sponsors whose support helped make this year’s conference a resounding success. A huge THANKS to our Conference Partner: USAA; Platinum Sponsors: Korean Defense Veterans Association and KATUSA Veterans Association; Gold Sponsor: GEICO Military; and our Vanguard Sponsors: USAA, United HealthCare, Doc-Development, BlueCross BlueShield FEP Dental and Vision Programs, and the NCOA JROTC Program.

Special thanks to Army Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), BeneFeds, Columbia Southern University, Conviva Care Center, Dixie Flag and Banner Company, Doc-Development, Excelsior University, GEHA, Grand Canyon University, Robert Haltiner, Humana Military, HEB, Jordan Ford, National Cemetery Administration, NCOA Air Academy Chapter, NCOA Knights of the Square Table, NCOA International Auxiliary, NCOA Mountain Post Chapter, NCOA Oregon State Advisory Council, Operation Gratitude, PGK Sir Ted Pilihos, Quilts & Crafts, Grand Knight Sir Paul Siverson, Southern New Hampshire University, PGK Sir Richard Steinberg, Sir Joseph Terry, NCOA Trails End Auxiliary, U.S. Veterans Magazine, The Wash Tub, Lady Barbara Weatherill, Western Governors University and Xpert Media Management.

Are You a Veteran Entrepreneur? Get Certified and Connect with Top Companies

Business

If you’re a small business owner who belongs to an underrepresented group, you may be eligible for certain business certifications that can help you access more government contracts and private-sector opportunities.

Certifications for groups like veterans, service-disabled veterans, disabled veterans, milspouses, minorites and more promote supplier diversity, which encourages the use of diverse businesses as suppliers. These certifications also come with access to exclusive resources and networks, leading you to new business opportunities.

Here’s an overview of different types of business certifications and how to begin the application process if you’re eligible.

The following organizations offer many of the business certifications currently available to diverse small business owners:

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): The SBA is a government agency that provides support and opportunities to entrepreneurs and small businesses. This organization offers certification programs like the Veteran-Owned Small Business Program (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program (SDVOSB) and Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Programs, HUBZone Program and 8(a) Business Development Program, which make businesses eligible for certain government contracts.

Minority-centered organizations: Some minority-centered organizations, such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), offer certifications that helped minority entrepreneurs gain new business from the private sector.

Other government and industry organizations: There are also certifications that are provided by state and city governments. The contracts they award are smaller and typically only within their jurisdiction.

Why Become a Certified Business?

Business certifications come with various perks and resources that can help your company stand out among competitors and scale your business faster.

Access to contracts: The federal government, as well as certain private sector corporations, set aside contracts to be awarded to businesses with certain verified certifications. These contracts are only given to businesses with these certifications in order to ensure equal opportunity.

Ability to form joint ventures: Once you become certified, you often can join other businesses within your certification in order to compete for certain contracts.

Additional management and technical assistance: Many of these certification programs also offer management and technical assistance to help their businesses grow and succeed.

Types of Business Certifications

Veteran-Owned Business Certification

As a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, there are two different certifications you can apply for if you’re starting a business. The Vets First Verification Program is a federal government program that grants certification for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB). With these certifications, you’re granted competition for certain contracts that are set aside for veterans and veterans who became disabled while in the act of service.

To qualify for these certifications, you must be a small business that is at least 51% owned by one or more service-disabled veterans who manage the business daily. To apply for SDVOSB, you also must have a service-connected disability.

For business certification in the private sector, the National Veteran Owned Business Association’s Certified Veteran’s Business Enterprise (VBE) is a program that offers certifications as a marketing tool for businesses that want to work with VBEs. Like its federal government counterpart, your small business must be at least 51% owned by one or more service-disabled veterans.

While there are a wide range of business certifications and certifying bodies available to small business owners, here are some of the most well-known types:

Small Business Certification

The 8(a) Small Business Certification was designed to help create equal opportunities for small business owners who are “socially or economically disadvantaged.” The federal government awards at least 5% of contracting dollars for 8(a) businesses and allows them to compete for set aside and sole source contracts.

To be eligible for the 8(a)program, your small business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are economically and socially disadvantaged. Additionally, the owners must manage day-to-day operations, make long-term decisions and have a personal net worth that is less than $750,000 and a three-year average adjusted gross income of $350,000 or less.

If you meet these certifications, you can apply to become an 8(a)business by registering on the SBA’s website. Once you complete the application, you will receive a letter informing you of your approval or rejection. If you were approved, your certification lasts for a maximum of nine years. However, you’ll be subject to annual reviews in order to maintain your standing in the program.

HUBZone Business Certification

The Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) is a program with the goal of growing businesses in historically underutilized areas by awarding them at least 3% of federal contract dollars each year.

To qualify for the HUBZone program, your small business must be located in a HUBZone, have at least 30% of its employees living in a HUBZone, and be 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, a Native Hawaiian organization or an Indian tribe.

You can apply for your HUBZone business certification on the SBA’s website. While there is no limitation to the length of how long a business can have a HUBZone certification, they will have to recertify for the program once a year. Additionally, an examination of your business will be required every three years.

Women-Owned Businesses Certifications

If your business is majority-owned and operated by one or more women, you may be eligible for the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business program.

This program was created to aid female business owners by awarding them contracts within specific industries where women are underrepresented. A minimum of 5% of contracting dollars are given to woman-owned businesses each year by the federal government.

There are two types of woman-owned business certifications offered by the National Women’s Business Council: Woman-owned small business (WOSB) and economically-disadvantaged woman-owned small business (EDWOSB).

To qualify as a WOSB, your small business must be for profit and 51% owned and operated by women who are U.S. citizens and work within the business full-time.

If you’re looking to qualify as an EDWOSB, your business must meet all of the above requirements for a WOSB, as well as the economic requirements of an 8(a) certified business. If you already have an 8(a) certification, you can also apply for an EDWOSB certification as well. You can apply for both woman-owned business certifications through the SBA’s website.

Minority-Owned Businesses Certification

The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) is an organization that is committed to integrating Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) equally in the public and private sector. This organization provides MBE certification for minority-owned businesses.

The NMSDC network consists of over 12,000 certified MBEs that are connected to over 1,400 large corporate members. Not only is it a significant certification within the NMSDC but being MBE-certified helps in government circles to gain federal contracts as well.

To qualify for MBE certification, your small business must be 51% minority-owned and operated, and the owners must be involved in daily management. The NMSDC defines a minority as “an individual who is at least 25% Asian, Black, Hispanic or Native American.” This is established and proven through a combination of screenings, interviews and site visits.

If your business meets these criteria, you can apply to be an MBE through the NMSDC’s website. Once you’ve submitted all the required documents and paid the application fee, you’ll get an email and letter if you’ve been approved. If your application was not approved, you may submit a letter of appeal.

B Corp Certification

A B Corporation is a for-profit business that is driven by a social mission. These companies use their profits as a means for positive impact for their employees, communities and the environment. They are certified by the SBA and are overseen by the B Lab, a governing body that ensures B corps are meeting their standards for impact.

Becoming a B Corp requires your company to have a positive social impact. For a business to certify as a B Corp, they must complete the B Impact Assessment (BIA) and meet the legal requirements. The BIA evaluates the applying company and their impact on their employees, consumers, community and the environment. Once you complete the BIA, you’ll pay a fee. Once approved, your certification will last for three years, after which you’ll be subject to a reassessment to determine if your company still means the criteria.

Source: NMSDC.org

U.S. Veterans Magazine Announces Its 2023 Best of The Best Early Results Lists

BusinessCareerEducationGovernment

Top Veteran-Friendly Companies, Top Supplier Diversity Programs, Top Government & Law Enforcement Agencies and Top Veteran-Friendly Schools.

U.S. Veterans Magazine (USVM) recently released the early results of its highly anticipated evaluation of the nation’s Best of the Best. The annual review is an evaluation of the nation’s employers, initiatives, government agencies and educational institutions.

The goal of the annual evaluations is to not only bring the latest information and guidance to our readers, but also encourage active veteran outreach and diversity policies among corporations and government agencies.

This year’s winners include the following, in alphabetical order:

Top Veteran-Friendly Companies:

AAR Corp
Academy Securities Inc.
Accenture
ADP
ADS, Inc.
Advance Auto Parts
Advanced Disposal Services
AECOM
Aetna
Air Force Reserve Command
Aldevra LLC
Allstate
Amazon
Amentum
Ameren
American Airlines
American States Utility Services, Inc.
AMERICAN SYSTEMS
American Water
Amgen
Amica Insurance
Amtrak
Applied Materials Inc.
Archer Daniels Midland
Areva
Arizona Public Service
Associated Bank
AT&T Inc.
Aviall Services Inc.
Aviation Training Consulting LLC
BAE Systems
Bank of America
BASF
Baxter
Bayer
Baylor Scott & White Health
Becton Dickinson
BeneLynk
BGIS
Blue Shield of California
Bluehawk LLC
BNSF Railway
Boaters Exchange
Booz Allen Hamilton
BP America
Bristol Myers Squibb
Brown-Forman Corporation
C.R. England
CACI International, Inc.
California American Water
Capital One
CarMax
Caterpillar
CBRE
CDW
Centene
CenterPoint Energy
CGI
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
Chevron
Cigna
CINTAS Corporation
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Citigroup, Inc.
ClarkDietrich
Colorado Springs Utilities
Combined Insurance, A Chubb Company
Comcast-NBCUniversal
CON EDISON
Concurrent Technologies Corporation
Consolidated Edison Company
Consumers Energy
Cruise Planners
CruiseOne/Dream Vacations
CSX
Cushman & Wakefield
CVS Health
DaVita, Inc.
Dell EMC
Deloitte
Devon Energy Corporation
Dollar General
Dominion Energy, Inc.
Dominion Resources, Inc.
Drexel Hamilton, LLC
DXC Technology
DynCorp International
E. & J. Gallo Winery
Eaton Corporation
Ecolab Inc.
Enterprise Holdings
Ernst & Young LLP (EY US)
Exelon Corporation
Exide
Express Scripts
FDM Group
FedEx
Fidelity Investments
First Command Financial Services Inc.
Fiserv, Inc.
Fluor Corporation
Ford Motor Company
Fortinet Inc
FOX Corporation
Fugro
G4S Secure Solutions (USA)
G6 Hospitality
General Dynamics Information Technology
General Electric
General Mills
General Motors Company
GeoStabilization International
Grunt Style
Gulfstream Aerospace
Harris
HCA Healthcare
Hertz Corporation
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Hilton
Honeywell
Hormel Foods
HP
HPE
Humana
Huntington Ingalls Industries
Hyundai
Ingersoll Rand
Intel
IntelliGenesis LLC
Intuitive Research and Technology, Inc.
J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc.
Jacobs
JLL
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson Controls, Inc.
JPMorgan Chase
Kellogg Company
KeyBank
KPMG LLP
KSA Integration
L’Oreal USA
L’Oreal USA
La Quinta Inns & Suites
Leidos
Level 3 Communications Inc.
LMI
Lockheed Martin
Logistics Health Incorporated
Lowe’s Companies Inc.
Lumen Technologies
Macy’s Inc.
ManTech International
Marsh & McLennan Companies
Matheson Tri Gas
Maverick Transportation LLC
MAXIMUS
McKesson Corp.
Merck
MGM Resorts International
Michelin
Microsoft
Morgan Stanley
Motel 6 / Studio 6
MSA Security
MUFG Union Bank, N.A.
National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)
National Grid USA
Nationwide
Navy Federal Credit Union
New York Community Bank
New York Power Authority
Newport News Shipbuilding, A Division of Huntington Ingalls Industries
NEXCOM
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Northern Trust
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Northwell Health
Nutanix
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Omaha Public Power District
OMNI Technologies
OshKosh
Pacific Architects and Engineers
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Parker Hannifin
Parsons Corporation
PenFed Credit Union
Peoplescout, a TrueBlue Company
Peraton
Performance Contractors Inc.
Phillips 66
Pike Corporation
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
Power Home Remodeling
Precise Systems Inc.
PRIDE Industries
Procter & Gamble Company
Progressive Insurance
Prudential Financial, Inc
Public Service Enterprise Group
PwC
Quicken Loans
Rackspace
Randstad
Raytheon Technologies
Robert Half
Roboteam Inc.
Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans
Roehl Transport
Roush
Salesforce
Salt River Project
Samaritan Health Services
Sanford Health
Schneider National, Inc.
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
Shell Oil Company
Siemens
Signature Performance, Inc.
Smithfield Foods
Sodexo, USA
Sonoco Products Company
Southern Company
Southwest Airlines Co.
Sprint
Starbucks
State Farm
Strategic Staffing Solutions
Stryker
Summit Materials
Sunrun
Synchrony
Teleperformance
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
The Boeing Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The GEO Group, Inc.
The Hartford
The Hershey Company
The Home Depot USA, Inc.
Timken
Trane Technologies
Travelers
TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Tsys
U.S. Bank
U.S. Cellular Corporation
U.S. Xpress
U-Haul International
Unilever
Union Pacific Railroad
United Rentals
United Services Automobile Association
United Site Services
United States Military Educators Association
United States Postal Service
USAA
Vanguard
Vectrus Systems Corporation
Veolia North America
Verizon Communications Inc.
Walgreens
Walmart Inc.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Wellmark BCBS
Wells Fargo
Werner Enterprises Inc.
Western & Southern Life
Windstream Holdings
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Xcel Energy
Xerox Corporation
Zeiders Enterprises Inc.
Zurich North America

Top Supplier Diversity Programs

22Vets LLC
7-Eleven
AAR Corp
Abbott
Accenture
Adecco Group
ADP
ADS, Inc.
AECOM
AIG
Albemarle Corporation
Aldevra LLC
Alight Solutions
Allstate Insurance Company
Amazon
Amentum
Ameren
American Airlines
American Family Insurance
American Red Cross
American States Utility Services, Inc.
American Water
Anthem
Apex Systems
Archer Daniels Midland Company
Armed Forces Insurance
AT&T Inc.
Ateios Systems
Athene
Avis Budget Group Inc.
Badlands Tank Lines
BAE Systems
Bank of America
Baxter Healthcare Corporation
Bayer
Bechtel
Bex Voice Data Services, Inc.
Bison ProFab, Inc.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Shield of California
BNSF Railway
Boeing
Booz Allen Hamilton
Bristol Myers Squibb
CACI International Inc.
California American Water
Capital One
CBRE Group, Inc.
CDA Technical Institute
CDW
Centene
Cigna
Cintas
Cisco
Citigroup, Inc.
Citizens Bank
ClarkDietrich
Cognosante
Combined Insurance, A Chubb Company
Comcast-NBCUniversal
ConAgra Brands
Corizon Health
Cummins
Cushman & Wakefield
CVS Health
Darden Restaurants Inc.
DaVita, Inc.
Dell
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
DEPCOM Power
Dominion Energy, Inc.
DTE Energy
Duke Energy
DuPont
DXC Technology
DynCorp International
Eastman
Eaton
ECC
Elevance Health
Eli Lilly and Company
Enterprise Holdings
Ericsson
eval.com
Exelon Corp.
EY
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
FirstEnergy
Ford Motor Company
Freddie Mac
Frontier
Fuse Integration Inc.
GE
General Dynamics Information Technology
General Dynamics Mission Systems
General Motors Company
Guidehouse
Haywood Vocational Opportunities
HCSC
Herc Rentals
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Hilton
Honda North America
Honeywell
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
HP
Humana
Hyundai
IBM
Ingersoll Rand
iostudio, LLC
Jacobs
JCPenney
JetBlue
JLL
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson Controls Inc.
JPMorgan Chase
Kaiser Permanente
Kelly
Koch Industries, Inc.
KPMG
Kwest Group
La Quinta Inns & Suites
Labcorp
LAUNCH Technical Workforce Solutions, LLC
Leadec Corp
Leidos
Lexmark International, Inc.
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Lockheed Martin
Lowe’s
Mack Trucks
Magellan Federal
ManTech International
Marriott International Inc.
Marsh & McLennan Companies
MassMutual
Mayo Clinic
McKesson Corporation
Mears Group, Inc.
Merck
Messer Construction
Methodist Health System
MetLife, Inc.
Micron Technology
Microsoft
Milliman
Monsanto Company
Morgan Stanley
MSC Industrial Supply
Navient Solutions LLC
NC Department of Transportation
Nestle U.S.
Newport News Shipbuilding, A Division of Huntington Ingalls Industries
Nielsen
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Northwell Health
Northwestern Mutual
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (subsidiary of Novartis AG)
Olympus Corporation of the Americas
Omni Financial
onsemi
Oshkosh Corporation
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
PeopleTec, Inc.
PepsiCo
Peraton
Pitney Bowes Inc.
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
Precise Systems Inc.
PRIDE Industries
Principal Financial Group
Procter & Gamble
Pro-Sphere Tek, Inc. (ProSphere)
Prudential Financial, Inc.
PSA Airlines
Public Consulting Group
Public Service Enterprise Group
PwC
Qualtrics
Ranco Response
Randstad
Raytheon Technologies
Regions Bank
Riverside Healthcare
Robert Half
Rockwell Collins
RTI International
San Diego Unified School District
San Jose Water
Sanofi
Schneider Electric
Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.
SEI Investments
Sempra Energy
Shell Oil Company
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
Silver Eagle Distributors Houston, LLC
Sodexo, USA
Southern California Edison
Southwest Airlines Co.
SpartanNash
Sprint
Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
Starbucks
State Farm
Strata-G, LLC
Strategic Staffing Solutions
Stryten Energy
TALENT Software Services, Inc.
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
The Adecco Group
The Boeing Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Friedkin Group
The GEO Group, Inc.
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Hartford
The Home Depot
The Kroger Company
The Procter & Gamble Company
Thermo Fisher Scientific
TMC Transportation – An Employee Owned Company
T-Mobile US, Inc.
TMX Finance Family of Companies
TotalTek
Toyota Motor North America Inc.
Trane Technologies
Travelers
Turner Construction
UCHealth
Union Pacific
United Concordia Companies Inc
United Rentals, Inc.
United States Postal Service
UnitedHealth Group
UPS
US Autologistics
USAA
Vectrus
Verizon Communications
VISIMO
Volkswagen Group of America
Vontier
VyStar Credit Union
Walgreens
Walmart Inc.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Waste Management
Wells Fargo & Company
Werner Enterprises
Whalls Group LLC
Windstream Holdings
Worthington Industries
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
Xcel Energy
Zeiders Enterprises
Zimmer Biomet

Top Veteran-Friendly Schools

Academy of Arts University
American InterContinental University
American Military University
Angelo State University
Arizona State University
Arkansas State University
Ashford University
Auburn University
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
Austin Peay State University
Baylor University
Berkeley College
Binghamton University–SUNY
Black Hills State University
Boston University
Brown University
California Southern University
California State University, Chico
California State University, San Bernardino
California State University, San Marcos
Capitol Technology University
Carnegie Mellon University
Central Baptist College
Central Community College
Chapman University
Clarion University
Clarkson University
Clemson University
College of William & Mary
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University
Colorado Technical University
Columbia College
Columbia Southern University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Creighton University
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
D’Youville College
Dakota State University
Dartmouth College
DePaul University
Drake University
Drexel University
Duke University
Duquesne University
East Carolina University
East Tennessee State University
Eastern Kentucky University-EKU
Eastern New Mexico University
ECPI University
Elizabeth City State University
Emory University
Excelsior College
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Florida Atlantic University
Florida International University
Florida State University
Fordham University
Fort Hays State University
George Mason University
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology–Scheller College of Business
Georgia State University
Gonzaga University
Governors State University
Grantham University
Hawaii Pacific University
Howard University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Indiana State University
Indiana Tech
Indiana University–Bloomington
Indiana University-Purdue University
Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa State University
Jacksonville University
Kansas State University
Lewis University
Lipscomb University
Long Island University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola University Chicago
Marquette University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mercy College
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Miami University–Oxford
Michigan State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Mississippi State University
Morehead State University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New York Film Academy
New York University
Niagara University
North Carolina State University–Raleigh
Northern Arizona University
Northern Kentucky University
Northwest Nazarene University
Ohio State University
Ohio State University–Columbus
Old Dominion University
Oregon Institute of Technology
Park University
Paul Smith’s College
Penn State World Campus
Penn State-University Park Campus
Pepperdine University
Pierce College
Princeton University
Purdue University Northwest
Purdue University West Lafayette
Quinnipiac University
Regis University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rice University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Rutgers University–Newark
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Saint Leo University
Saint Louis University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University Fowler College of Business
Santa Clara University
Savannah State University
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota State University
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Southern Methodist University
St. Cloud State University
St. Petersburg College
Stanford University
Stockton University
Stony Brook University–SUNY
Stratford University
SUNY College of Plattsburgh
SUNY Oswego
Syracuse University
Temple University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Texas Christian University
Texas State University
Texas Tech University
The Catholic University of America
The College of Saint Rose
The New School
The Ohio State University
The University of Kansas
The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Texas at El Paso
Trevecca Nazarene University
Troy University
Tulane University
University at Buffalo–SUNY
University of Alabama
University of Alabama-Birmingham
University of Arizona
University of California San Diego, Rady School of Management
University of California, Berkeley
University of California-Davis
University of California-Irvine
University of California-Los Angeles
University of California–Riverside
University of California–San Diego
University of California–Santa Barbara
University of California-Santa Cruz
University of Central Oklahoma
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Denver–Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado-Denver
University of Connecticut
University Of Dayton
University of Delaware
University of Denver
University of Dubuque
University of Evansville
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Illinois–Chicago
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
University of Iowa
University of Kansas
University of Kentucky
University of Maryland
University of Maryland University College
University of Maryland-College Park
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan-Flint
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Missouri-St. Louis
University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of New Hampshire
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina-Pembroke
University of North Carolina-Wilmington
University of North Georgia
University of North Texas
University of Notre Dame
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Redlands
University of Rochester
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
University of South Carolina
University of South Dakota
University of South Florida
University of Southern California
University of St. Thomas (MN)
University of Tennessee Knoxville
University of Texas at Arlington
University of Texas-Austin
University of the Incarnate Word
University of the Pacific
University of Tulsa
University of Utah
University of Vermont
University of Virginia
University of Washington
University of West Florida
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wyoming
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
Virginia Tech
Washington University in St. Louis
Weber State University
Webster University
West Virginia University
Western Illinois University
Western Kentucky University
Western Michigan University
William & Mary
Wisconsin School of Business
Xavier University
Yale University

Top Government & Law Enforcement Agencies

Air Force Civilian Service (AFCS)
Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)
Army National Guard
Brevard County Sheriff’s Office
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Cincinnati Police Department
City of Dallas Police Department
Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
Denver Police Department
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
General Services Administration (GSA)
Harris County Sheriff’s Office
Henrico County Police Division
Intelligence Community
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Los Angeles Airport Police Department (LADX)
Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD)
Louisville Metro Police Department
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
National Health Service Corps (NHSC)
National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Security Agency (NSA)
NAVAIR–U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command
NAVSEA–Naval Sea Systems Command
New York City Police Department (NYPD)
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
San Antonio Police Department (SAPD)
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Orlando Florida
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
U.S. Agency for International Development
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Army
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard Civilian Careers
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Treasury
U.S. Department of Transportation
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. National Guard
U.S. Navy
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
U.S. Secret Service
U.S. Small Business Administration
United States Marine Corps
United States Postal Service

The goal of the annual evaluations is to not only bring the latest information and guidance to our readers, but also encourage active outreach and diversity policies among corporations and government agencies.

The final results are published in the fall issue of U.S Veterans Magazine and available on print and digital newsstands mid-August.

For more information about the annual Best of the Best survey or U.S Veterans Magazine, please contact the research department, at surveys@diversitycomm.net.

Click here to read the complete Press Release.