About 500,000 veterans lack jobs in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Brian Stann, a mixed martial artist and Iraq War veteran, wants to change that. His non-profit Hire Heroes USA helps veterans find regular employment, chiefly by recognizing that many former service members have trouble translating their military skills to the marketplace.
Specifically, the organization helps veterans through a combination of online and in-person career counseling, workshops and training programs, as well as connections to large corporate employment partners such as Amazon, Home Depot, and Walmart. Hire Heroes’ services include coaching, resume writing, honing interview skills, and networking. That work is paying off. Hire Heroes says it’s helped 11,000 vets find jobs since 2005, and it’s on track for an additional 2,000 hires by the end of 2016.
Stann, who played football when he was at the U.S. Naval Academy and who received the Silver Star for valor during the second Iraq war, says he was motivated to join the organization because he wants to give back.
“I owe those men and women, my brothers and sisters who put the uniform on, who deserve the same opportunities at the American Dream that they chose to defend,” Stann says.
Hire Heroes is likely to get some attention Friday, which is Veterans Day, when the nation commemorates the efforts and sacrifices of citizen who have served in the country’s armed forces.
Check out the video above to learn more about Stann and how Hire Heroes helps veterans.
