[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Ask Justine Evirs what “Military Friendly®” means to her, and she’ll tell you about the post-military education experience she DIDN’T have after a medical discharge cut short her Navy career in 2003. “As the first person to graduate college on either side of my family, I had no idea what I was doing,” she recalls.
Evirs figured out the admissions process and enrolled at Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Va. She waited tables at night since the Post-9/11 GI Bill and its housing allowance didn’t exist yet.
Those weren’t the only challenges. Adjusting to campus was tough for Evirs, who married an active duty sailor a year after her transition. She felt detached from the civilian students around her; more comfortable around military than in the civilian world. “I remember feeling like the oldest student on campus. I know that sounds crazy because I was only 19, but I truly did feel that way,” she says. “I literally buried my head in the sand, went to class, and then went directly home to study and get ready for work.”
Today Evirs, 32, is channeling the frustrations she experienced into a new personal mission. She’s determined to be the person she needed when she was in college. Evirs is building a first-class veterans program at the College of San Mateo, a community college on the northern rim of California’s Silicon Valley. The college with a sweeping view of San Francisco Bay has 10,000 students, and 300 are self-identified veterans. To help them avoid the awkwardness she felt on campus, Evirs has streamlined the admissions process and transformed the Veteran Resource & Opportunity Center into a one-stop shop. It has become the cultural center of campus for veterans.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”3″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]What would you expect from a Military Friendly® School?[/title][/one_full][one_fifth last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”20px” bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/one_fifth][four_fifth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][testimonial name=”Andrew Holbert” avatar=”none” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”Veteran Services Coordinator, Western Oregon University – Marine Corps/OIF Veteran” link=”” target=”_self”]I expect that when claiming the title Military Friendly®, an institution has taken steps to educate faculty and staff of the unique and diverse needs that a military student might be bringing with them. Faculty and staff are aware that a student veteran is the non-traditional, non-traditional student … A military student does not want to be treated with a ‘handicap,’ rather, they want to find ways to successfully engage in campus culture to enable the transition process. This process can be assisted by a strong, supported veterans program on campus.[/testimonial][/testimonials][/four_fifth][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
“I think there is a difference between having a vet center on campus and having a vet center on campus that has purpose,” Evirs says. “I think it’s time that schools across the nation take the time to re-evaluate their veteran services program and take the proper steps to build it with purpose for student veterans on their campus.”
Defining Military Friendly®
America’s veterans have helped Victory Media define Military Friendly® since the beginning. The publisher of G.I. Jobs, Victory Media first coined the term Military Friendly® when it published the Military Friendly® Employers list in 2003. Long before government, nonprofits and celebrities put the spotlight on veteran hiring, the Military Friendly® Employers program identified employers that recognized the value of America’s veterans and actively recruited them. When the Post-9/11 GI Bill was implemented in 2009, the Military Friendly® Schools list was added to help veterans find the schools that best fit their needs. The Military Friendly® program also creates demand for recruiting veterans. When Carnegie Mellon University, GE, Stanford University and Microsoft invest in marketing to veterans, that’s a good thing.
The Military Friendly® program provides veterans a long-term, sustainable benefit that will outlast the spotlight cast by recent trendy initiatives. “Veterans are graduates of the premier training institution in the world, but they need a consistent and predictable standard that lets them make good choices for major life decisions like where to work or where to enroll in school,” says Chris Hale, chairman and co-founder of Victory Media and a Navy veteran.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”3″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]What would you expect from a Military Friendly® School?[/title][/one_full][four_fifth last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][testimonial name=”Justine Evirs” avatar=”none” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”Veteran Services Program Coordinator, College of San Mateo – Navy Veteran/Military Spouse” link=”” target=”_self”]I think there is a difference between having a vet center on campus and having a vet center on campus that has purpose for your student veterans … I think it’s time that schools across the nation take the time to re-evaluate their veteran services program and take the proper steps to build it with purpose for student veterans on their campus.[/testimonial][/testimonials][/four_fifth][one_fifth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/one_fifth][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
That’s why Victory Media is now asking all veterans to rate their schools and employers. Planned for years, their feedback will help determine which organizations are designated Military Friendly®, and which employers and schools earn top honors. New this year, Victory Media is introducing a Military Friendly® Awards Program that will showcase the most powerful and impactful programs supporting veteran and military students and employees. The designation and awards have evolved over the last decade, but one theme has remained constant: providing the most comprehensive set of resources based on personal veteran feedback, publicly available data and proprietary survey information.
Military Friendly® provides an important and independent view of an institution’s commitment to the military and veteran community, says Daniel Nichols, chief product officer for Victory Media and a Navy Reserve veteran who served in Iraq.
“There’s nothing wrong with federal compliance programs, public agreements and declarations, or federal funding eligibility programs, but those initiatives aren’t the best source for determining the right fit for you and your family,” he says.
Military Friendly® goes beyond the pomp and circumstance to measure and then benchmark the impact and results of an organization’s total commitment to military students, job seekers, employees and consumers. The Military Friendly® standard is not static, it is an ever-increasing measure of performance: constantly adapting to changes in the marketplace, advances in technology and reflecting the realities of the broader economy.
“Ultimately, our benchmarks and standards are not set by legislation, average performance, or the lowest common denominator; they are set by the industry leaders, and in 2017 will be further enhanced with the voice of veterans themselves,” says Nichols.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”3″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]What would you expect from a Military Friendly® School?[/title][/one_full][one_fifth last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”20px” bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/one_fifth][four_fifth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][testimonial name=”Tiannia Romero” avatar=”none” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”SVA Chapter President, College of San Mateo – Navy Veteran” link=”” target=”_self”]A veteran’s center needs a heart to survive and function correctly. The center needs to have a purpose: Why would student veterans take time out of their day to come in? Here at the College of San Mateo Veterans Resource and Opportunity Center, we have a heart. We are more of a family than friends, just like we were with those we served with. It can completely change a college experience for a student veteran when they have somewhere to go where they can ask questions about benefits, school or any other issues that come up while they’re going through higher education.[/testimonial][/testimonials][/four_fifth][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][four_fifth last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][testimonial name=”Michael Desrosiers” avatar=”none” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”New York City Police Officer & Student Veteran, Farmingdale State College SUNY – Marine Corps/OIF Veteran” link=”” target=”_self”]It starts with the first process of signing up and asking you: ‘Are you a veteran or military member?’ It means policies that send veterans to the front of the line when applying, and also waiving the fees of applying, parking and the gym. Military Friendly® Schools offer orientation for veterans only. They offer a place like the SVA or a lounge for student veterans to meet and conduct school work. They educate faculty members on veteran issues and recognize veterans on campus. They employ a Director of Veterans Affairs on campus. They help veterans get jobs or intern positions.[/testimonial][/testimonials][/four_fifth][one_fifth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/one_fifth][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Home Away From Home
For Navy veteran Tiannia Romero, 26, Military Friendly® means a veterans center that’s more than just a place to grab coffee. A former “gear rat” on the flight deck of the nuclear carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, Romero is the president of the Student Veterans of America chapter at the College of San Mateo. She says veterans centers at Military Friendly® Schools should be home away from home. “We are more of a family than friends, just like we were with those we served with. It can completely change a college experience for a student veteran when they have somewhere to go where they can ask questions about benefits, school, or any other issues that come up while they’re going through higher education.”
Romero plans to become a congresswoman so she can continue to advocate for veterans.
Andrew Holbert, a Marine combat veteran intent on building a world-class veterans program at Western Oregon University, says Military Friendly® means a veterans resource center with a well-trained staff that understands the intricacies of the GI Bill. But it doesn’t stop there. “I also expect that when claiming the title Military Friendly® an institution has taken steps to educate faculty and staff of the unique and diverse needs that a military student might be bringing with them,” he says. “Faculty and staff are aware that a student-veteran is the ‘non-traditional, non-traditional’ student. They are even more unique than a typical non-traditional student, and the school has taken measures to be more aware of this.”
Romero, who has attended two different colleges, agrees. “I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a problem so simple turn into a bigger problem, all because the staff didn’t understand what the veteran was talking about,” she says.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”3″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]What would you expect from a Military Friendly® Employer?[/title][/one_full][four_fifth last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][testimonial name=”Arturo De La Garza Jr.” avatar=”none” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”Truck Load Driver, Averitt Express – Army/OIF Veteran” link=”” target=”_self”]An employer who understands the commitment, potential and loyalty that comes from an individual who has served in the military. And an employer who represents the character and values embraced by the military.[/testimonial][/testimonials][/four_fifth][one_fifth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/one_fifth][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
What About Employers?
Understanding the military environment applies to employers as well, says John Frugé, 44, a cyber security consultant for Xcel Energy who enlisted in the Air Force before becoming an officer. “‘Military Friendly® to me means a company understands the environment from which individuals are shifting and works to ease and assist in that move. There are many differences between private industry and the military, yet some of these differences, upon closer examination, are superficial and can be turned to similarities,” he says.
Military Friendly® also means recognizing the experience veterans bring to the table. “New to the private sector doesn’t mean new to working, and these companies understand this idea,” he says.
Grant Borgelt, a cyber security and privacy specialist for PwC who served in Afghanistan with the Marine Corps Reserve, says being a Military Friendly® Employer goes beyond understanding the value that veterans, Reservists and military spouses add to a company. “Representing less than 1 percent of the population, we’re a unique subset. A Military Friendly® Employer takes that into account at every step of the recruiting process and employee experience,” he says. “They understand that a veteran with four years of related military experience is just as qualified as someone with direct industry experience, or that a Reservist needs flexibility to deal with training or drills.”
Understanding and recognizing the value of the military community and knowing how to help veterans succeed after their service is the best gift America can give to its returning veterans. It helps them excel in the civilian workforce long after the spotlight has shifted to the latest, trendiest cause du jour. That’s Military Friendly®!
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”3″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]What would you expect from a Military Friendly® Employer?[/title][/one_full][four_fifth last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][testimonial name=”Chris Yeazel” avatar=”none” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”Sustainability Associate, The Bozzuto Group – Army/OIF Veteran” link=”” target=”_self”]An employer that recognizes the value veterans can add to their organization and actively recruits them accordingly.[/testimonial][/testimonials][/four_fifth][one_fifth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/one_fifth][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][one_fifth last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”20px” bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/one_fifth][four_fifth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][testimonial name=”Grant Borgelt” avatar=”none” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”Advisory Senior Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services LLC – USMC Reserve Veteran/OEF” link=”” target=”_self”]There are two things that make a Military Friendly® Employer stand out from other employers: Their entire approach to recruiting is different, and they understand veterans, Reservists and military spouses will have different needs as employees. Representing less than 1 percent of the population, we’re a unique subset. A Military Friendly® Employer takes that into account at every step of the recruiting process and employee experience. They understand that a veteran with four years of related military experience is just as qualified as someone with direct industry experience, or that a Reservist needs flexibility to deal with training or drills.[/testimonial][/testimonials][/four_fifth][/fullwidth]
