This Veterans Day, the entire team at the Schultz Family Foundation wants to express our gratitude to our fellow countrymen and women who have courageously served our nation.

WATCH: Native Americans serve in the military at a rate higher than the national average (USO) and face even greater challenges when they transition to civilian life. Hesperus is the only Veteran Service Organization focusing on supporting and connecting Native American veterans to meaningful employment pathways in the tech industry.

We are proud to announce $4.4 million in new grants in 2023 to improve employment outcomes for young veterans, bringing our total investment in veterans to more than $60 million since 2014.

‍In a report released this month, McKinsey found that of the roughly 150,000 active-duty service members who transition from the military each year, nearly two-thirds earn less in their first year after being discharged than they did on active duty, with junior enlisted veterans at highest risk. In recognition of the unique challenges facing young veterans, the Schultz Family Foundation has partnered with seven veteran service organizations to develop a well-coordinated navigation system to ensure these young people have access to the tailored support they need to succeed in employment in the civilian world. Since this work began in 2021, the Foundation’s grantees have more than tripled engagement with junior enlisted service members.

Our partners in this work to better support junior enlisted service members as they actively transition from the military include:

‍American Corporate Partners aims to ease the transition from the military to civilian workforce for junior enlisted service members by offering one-on-one mentoring, networking, and online career advice.

‍Combined Arms will connect junior enlisted veterans to best-in-class organizations in their communities to enable them to lead the successful civilian lives they want.

‍Hesperus connects Native American junior enlisted veterans with training and employment in the technology industry.

‍Hire Heroes USA helps junior enlisted veterans get hired through personalized support, social capital, and connection to the nation’s top employers.

‍Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) through it's Onward to Opportunity (O2O) program supports junior enlisted service members during their transition to civilian life through training and job placement, and also advocates for strengthened veteran transition policies.

‍Still Serving Veterans empowers junior enlisted veterans to build meaningful lives through connections to fulfilling careers through career and transition counseling services including practical advice for navigating the path to finding meaningful post-military work.

‍United Service Organizations is the nation’s leading organization to serve the men and women in the U.S. military throughout their time in uniform. The USO Transition Program offers junior enlisted service members guidance and connection to best-in-class employment resources suited for the needs and interests of the transitioning service member.

‍VetJobs will help transitioning junior enlisted service members identify a career path, connect their skills and qualifications to apply to their chosen career path, and provide assistance through placement.