When you use veteran and military spouse companies, or hire them, everyone wins. Because they’re looking to build their future with you, and you’re looking for top talent with integrity, leadership experience, advanced education and technical know-how.
That’s why USAA has teamed up with some of America’s leading corporations to we encourage organizations of all sizes to become a part of our mission by:
• Using veteran-owned companies
• Hiring veterans and military spouses
• Supporting local veteran organizations
• Encouraging others to do the same
Join us today and start creating success for your business and America’s military families.
To learn more, contact supplier.diversity@usaa.com
It seems like a lifetime ago that we started this journey. Like so many other small businesses, it all began with a problem. In my case, I was looking for someone to do repair work on our home in San Diego County. After many frustrating hours on Craigslist and Angie’s List, it hit me: how could I find veteran and military spouse-owned businesses to patronize?
If we were going to spend our hard earned money, my priority would be to support a military family-owned company. Turns out I wasn’t alone. More than 70 percent of American consumers were like me. We wanted to patronize these businesses, but finding them was a challenge.
That’s when Rosie’s List was born. It began by talking to almost 150 veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. How can we help you? What are your greatest challenges? Their answers provided us with the framework for The Rosie Network , a publically supported tax-exempt organization whose mission is to support and promote our nation’s military family-owned small businesses.
What we learned along this journey has been remarkable. Veteran-owned businesses are two and a half times more likely to succeed than their civilian counterparts and 10 times more likely to hire other veterans and military spouses. We knew we were on the right track. If we could help these
businesses succeed, we would be creating jobs for other veterans while strengthening our military families and economy. A win-win.
Since its launch in early 2014, Rosie’s List has grown to more than 5,000 verified veteran and military spouse-owned businesses! Our direct financial impact has been over $4.2 million dollars in revenue for our members. Rosie’s List is growing and our goal is to surpass Angie’s List as a trusted source for service/business providers and become the first place American consumers go to “Shop Military Family Owned.”
ME MAG is for you, the military entrepreneur. We hope you enjoy it, share it and provide feedback. If you are a veteran or spouse business owner, join us—membership is free. If not, then support your local military small business owners by using Rosie’s List or consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us meet our mission.
Thank you.
Stephanie Brown Proud Military Spouse CEO & Founder, The Rosie Network
Eli Crane, a former Navy SEAL, started Bottle Breacher in a one-car garage and a gift from his brother that he retooled into his first product. In less than three years, he and his wife, Jen, have been featured on the ABC TV’s Shark Tank, had several patents issued, launched new products and sold millions of dollars’ worth of Bottle Breacher products.
As a military spouse, Patricia Garza has grown accustomed to expecting the unexpected. That ability to adjust to changes has prepared her to navigate the ups and downs of starting and running her own catering business, Bones Kitchen Catering.
Navy SEAL veteran Nick Norris, founder of predator warpaint, has embraced the spirit of entrepreneurship and advocates for the inclusion of veterans in the workplace everywhere.
Navy SEAL veteran Derrick Van Orden’s book is both a “how to” and a “how come” that explores the difference between being a male and being a man.
Deployment doesn’t have to be sad says Bridget Platt, the founder and CEO of Daddy’s Deployed and wife of a Marine Corps aviator. She created a personalized story book in which kids are the star even during a family separation.
The MOUNTAIN UP lifestyle is about living life with a flair for adventure, patriotism, and generosity. It was started by three military veterans: Ryan Hunt, Veronica Hunt and Douglas Schmidt.
Eli Crane, a former Navy Seal, is the founder and CEO of Bottle Breacher, a San Diego company that sells 50-caliber bottle openers hand crafted by active duty service members and veterans.
Bottle Breacher started in a one-car garage with Eli taking a gift his brother had given him from the Philippines and giving it a serious facelift. By painting, polishingand incorporating a sticker of his platoon logo (the Punisher Skull) he created his first Bottle Breacher. He showed his teammates at work, watched their response and knew he was on to something.
In less than three years he has been featured on the ABC TV’s Shark Tank, had several patents issued, launched news products and sold millions of dollars’ worth of Bottle Breacher products. New products include a new wine opener, which has been by far their most successful new product launch to date. They are working on getting into big box retail stores and securing strategic licenses.
Success has not come without its challenges. The company has had to deal with the “Shark Tank Effect” and scaling their business to accommodate demand. It’s meant dividing responsibilities, compromising and adjusting to their post military environment.
Jen and Eli meet with one of their “Sharks,” Kevin O’Leary.
Eli joined the Navy one week after September 11, 2001. Like many Americans, he saw the atrocity of 9/11 as a call to action. His career path led from being stationed aboard the USS Gettysburg to serving on SEAL Team 3 and later NSW TRADET.
He credits his training and service in the Navy with giving him the skills to be a good entrepreneur. In SEAL training, he learned he was insignificant by himself and how important his teammates were to overall mission success. He’s carried that same mentality into day-to-day operations at Bottle Breacher.
He also learned the value of surrounding oneself with people who are smarter and more talented. He made good on that by adding his wife, Jen, as his first team member. She is not only part owner, but an integral asset to the team,
leading marketing efforts, overseeing accounting and ensuring that all administrative ducks are in a row.
When asked what he enjoys about being an entrepreneur Eli responded, “I do not think there are too many jobs where you can directly see real
time results of whether your vision, decisions, and execution are either successful or unsuccessful like being an entrepreneur.”
Jen added, “I love being able to have a flexible schedule to be a mom. I have two daughters, so I want to ensure quality time with making dinner and doing homework with them. Spending time together is very important to us. It is a typical eight to ten hour workday, but I am able to split it up between day/night and be the mom I want to be.”
Eli shared the following thoughts to other military veterans interested in starting their own business:
“Take the lessons that we have learned while wearing a uniform and apply them into your own business,” he said. “Leadership, teamwork, attention to detail, situational awareness, and how to out think and out maneuver your enemy are all lessons that we learn in the military that apply directly to being an entrepreneur.”
Elicredits his success as the CEO of Bottle Breachers to valuable lessons he learned in the Navy:
Every SEAL has no choice but to learn how to lead. One of the mottos on the SEAL Teams is “Leadership at Every Level.” Due to the very small number of operators deployed on their missions, everyone has to be cross-trained to know everyone else’s job and to be ready to step up and take ownership of any situation.
A good decision now is better than a great decision later. There’s not always have time to have a full-blown board meeting for each and every decision. Leaders who fail to be decisive and lack the ability to make quick decisions are always playing catch up and quickly lose the confidence of their staff. Eli says that this concept is especially important in the startup world.
Step 1: Figure out what you want your business to be. Keep in mind: you have to follow the green, not the dream. If your business does not provide value to customers, you will not make it.
Step 2: Find like-minded individuals that also enjoy the risk and excitement that goes hand-and hand with a startup and have skill sets that complement yours. You need a team if you ever want your business to become significant.
Step 3: Divide-up responsibilities and GET AFTER IT. Too many entrepreneurs don’t understand this concept, they try to do everything by themselves and end up doing most things poorly.
For military spouses, Jen adds her own advice: “As a military spouse, do not take the alone time you have for granted,” she said. “Take the time and let it be an advantage to work on a hobby, exercise and start that business that you have had in mind! Take advantage of your support system and resources. Open your door to other military spouses, and be a team with one another.”
Out-think your enemy. Bottle Breacher seeks enthusiastic self-starting staff members who can handle multiple roles and be flexible. SEAL Teams learn to be unconventional as they are always outnumbered whenever they operate. They need to out-think their enemy and make sure that they are always four to five steps ahead of them. Running a startup business is no different, Eli says: “On a daily basis, we compete with huge conglomerate companies that have been doing this much longer than we have. We cannot outspend them so we have no choice but to out think them. Business is war!”
• Eli joined the Navy seeking a SEAL contract; however, he did not make it through SEAL training on his first attempt.
• After two and half years aboard the USS Gettysburg and two deployments in the fleet, Eli finally became a SEAL in 2006 with Class 256.
• Eli spent the entirety of his operational time at SEAL Team 3 in Task Unit 2-Delta Platoon. Eli served directly for Chris Kyle (aka American Sniper) from 2006 to 2008.
thing Eli learned in the SEAL Teams is something that he uses at Bottle Breacher on a daily basis: position your organization to be constantly making tactical moves forward and your competitors will be constantly reacting to you instead of the other way around. Eli says he has people assigned to keeping him up-to-date on what his competitors are doing, but this information is nowhere near the top of his priority list.
“I spend 95 percent of my time focused on creating, innovating and making our process more efficient because at the end of the day I believe that we are our only real competition,” he said. “If we take care of business here, the other guys do not even matter.”
• Eli went on to serve three tours of duty in different parts of Iraq. His qualifications and responsibilities throughout his time in Delta Platoon were lead navigator, automatic weapons gunner, point man, and sniper.
• After leaving SEAL Team 3, Eli went on to join the NSW Recruiting Directorate. His responsibilities here included being a member of the Navy SEAL Scout Team and traveling around the country to raise awareness and find our nations next crop of SEALS.
• Eli finished up his career at NSW TRADET. He quickly became the LPO VBSS (Leading Petty Officer) (Visit Board Search and Seize).
When asked why they would start a premium coffee company during a period of economic decline that has what has now been dubbed “The Great Recession,” Lori and Carl Churchill look at each other and laugh.
Lori, wife of a 21-year Army combat veteran, smiles and says: “We’ve been together for 28 years, through multiple moves, deployments, financial and career challenges, raised two amazing children together, and so I figured what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Added her husband Carl: “It’s been a labor of love—with heavy emphasis on the labor—but neither of us is afraid of hard work.”
They go on to explain that on September 11, 2010, they founded Lock-n-Load Java with the following mission: provide awesome coffee, be a warrior, give back to the military and have fun. So far, they’ve hit their check marks. Customers consistently rave about the quality of their blends. Their business philosophy of integrity, honor, loyalty, pride and service embodies the warrior spirit. They give back by offering a 10 percent military discount (type VETERAN at check out) and sending donated coffee to troops deployed downrange. Anyone who has spent time around them or perused their website (www.locknloadjava.com) can see that they are clearly having fun.
They’ve been featured on the cover of
Vetrepreneur magazine, in INC and Forbes, and Lori was honored last year by AUSA as a top Military Spouse CEO. She’s especially proud that her daughter, Denai, was able to accompany her to accept the award.
“For her to interact with that group of proud, strong, military spouse entrepreneurs was such a great opportunity,” Lori said.
Both Denai and their son, Trevor, are part of the team at Lock-nLoad Java, though they have plans to join the “other family business” next year. They will head off to Army Basic Training as part of the Utah National Guard.
The Rosie Network is proud to support this great military family owned company and encourages you to purchase some of their amazing coffee and cocoa.
From Lock-n-Load Java’s Code of Conduct:
We welcome into our community of customers, all those who support our armed forces, our veterans, and their families and loved ones.
We give back to the military community and its families by making regular donations to charities that support them.
We commit to donating no less than the equivalent of $1 per order to these charities.
We recognize the special sacrifice of those serving in harms way and we commit to a discount for orders shipped to war zones.
Lock-n-Load Java conducts business with professionalism, honor, and integrity – Always!
My military service has shaped me into the person
I am today. Attributes like discipline, loyalty, integrity and commitment are veteran traits that prove valuable to companies, and I owe my career to a mentor who believed in my military service.
Combat has forged this latest generation of veterans into highly capable leaders who have learned to achieve victory in even the most ambiguous and challenging situations. Combat veterans have fought as diffuse elements scattered over a rugged and violent landscape, and they’ve utilized cutting edge technology to win. Executive coaches and leadership organizations have used our modern military as an example of what it means to be an effective and competitive organization in the knife fight that is American business. But few have realized that we stand on the edge of perhaps another golden era of business prosperity not seen since the years after World War II.
The modern combat veteran is perfectly prepared to storm the entrepreneurial stage, and build the next generation of companies that will solidify our position as a global business leader.
Because the modern military is expected to adapt to constantly
By Nick NorrisNavy SEAL veteran Nick Norris is no stranger to a hard-fought battle. His career took him on multiple deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan, conducting counter insurgency ops and training in the War on Terror. Since departing active duty, Norris has embraced the spirit of entrepreneurship and advocates for the inclusion of veterans in the workplace everywhere.
changing battlefields, veterans are perfectly suited to tackle the evolution of the business world. The remarkable thing about these people is that they already thrive in this environment, because they quickly define goals and ultimately build on small victories to achieve big victory. Basically, they figure out how to win without even knowing how to win. They’re adaptive and responsive. Combat is entrepreneurship with a little more at stake, and I have personally witnessed numerous teammates depart active duty only to build successful young companies. These companies aren’t always the most mind-blowing sources of advanced technology, but they consistently score small victories because of the people running them. We’re in the infancy in this era of combat veteran entrepreneurship, and the people starting these small brands are cutting their teeth in business. This initial round of start-
ups will become the foundational experience that will launch the next generation of companies. This talented generation will continue to learn, debrief, adapt, and execute. They will strive to improve their fighting position in order to maintain an advantage over the competition, and in the end, the United States will win. As we always do.
Nick Norris is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and member of Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL (BUD/S) Class 247. As the CEO and Co-Founder of Predator Warpaint, Norris is elevating the standards for camouflage face paint and sunscreen products. His company has developed an extremely durable SPF 50, water and sweat resistant product that will be launching on Predatorwarpaint. com on October 27th. Please support this veteranowned company today and enter to win free product on their website.
Patricia Garza is a military spouse and mother living in San Diego, California. Her husband is on active duty in the United States Navy. She is the owner and founder of Bones Kitchen Catering.
Patricia became an entrepreneur and started her own business three years ago. After working for a meal prep food business doing sales and marketing, she realized her passion for the food industry. Patricia learned to cook the old fashioned way from her mom and grandma and knew she could provide catering services as a way of bringing all different types of people together.
Bones Kitchen Catering has found its niche in wedding, corporate and contract catering. Patricia is in the process of opening up her own 2,500 square foot rental kitchen in downtown San Diego, as she wants to empower others by providing them the stepping-stones needed to open their own foodrelated business.
As a military spouse, Patricia has grown accustomed to expecting the unexpected and that ability to adjust to changes as preparing her to navigate the ups and downs of starting and running her own catering business.
create personal structure and priorities.
WORKING 24/7 DOES NOT GET YOU AHEAD BUT INSTEAD CAUSES BURN OUT FASTER. “Offer your family the best of you first every day and then give the rest of yourself over to your business. You will be happier and your employees will be too. Make time for yourself and set hours.”
pray.
BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR CAN BE A LONELY EXPERIENCE AT TIMES
“Take time to pray and God will bless your business daily.”
Predator Warpaint was born out of a glaring need to make a better product in an industry that has failed to innovate. The problem was obvious: camo face paint should do more than just conceal.
The solution was simple. The Navy SEALS who created Predator Warpaint leveraged decades of innovation in sunscreen technology to provide a superior product that protects the user from the sun and doesn’t need to be reapplied during high perspiration activities. If sunscreen can be designed to stay on in salt water, then camo should stay on during every hunt.
Predator Warpaint is designed to provide a multifunctional camo face paint solution to both military and hunters. Reputation is everything, and
(cont’d)She shares that her greatest challenge so far has been balancing a thriving business with caring for her six-month-old daughter. She balances the demands on her time by using daycare two days a week to knock out clerical work and tastings, and taking her daughter with her to work on the other days. Patricia strives to take two days a week off to focus on family. She believes that organization
Predator Warpoint‘s mission is to produce the best camo face paint that exists in the market.
“THE CAMO FACE PAINT THAT WAS ISSUED TO US NEVER PREVENTED SUN BURNS DURING MULTI-DAY TRAINING EVENTS, AND IT USUALLY ENDED UP SWEATING OFF MY FACE BEFORE WE EVEN MADE IT TO OUR HIDE SITE. I WAS DETERMINED TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS, AND PREDATOR WARPAINT BECAME THAT SOLUTION. WE EXPECTED INNOVATION FROM EVERY COMPANY THAT PROVIDED GEAR TO OUR UNIT, AND FACE PAINT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS INNOVATION DECADES AGO.”
-NICK NORRISand schedules are key elements to running a great business.
The benefits of being an entrepreneur and business owner is that it allows Patricia the flexibility to travel and vacation whenever her husband has holidays or leave. She also loves the opportunity to hire people to work her catering events.
ONE TODDLER HELPED INSPIRE A COMPANY THAT NOW HELPS HUNDREDS OF MILITARY CHILDREN DEAL WITH ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL EVENTS OF THEIR LIVES: SEEING THEIR PARENTS LEAVE FOR DEPLOYMENT.
“It doesn’t have to be sad,” said Bridget Platt, the founder and CEO of Daddy’s Deployed and wife of a Marine Corps aviator. “And that’s what I wanted to do. Create this story where [kids] are the star even if their family is separated at the time.”
Founded in 2012, Platt’s company creates custom-designed children’s books that explain where mom or dad are going, what they’ll be doing and how they’ll stay in touch through tools like Skype. The first book she ever created was for her own daughter, with pictures of the family literally cut out and glued onto the pages.
She had been inspired three years earlier, while working with a two-yearold girl at the child development center on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
“She was perfectly behaved, would eat every meal, play outside and she shared. She was potty-trained and would nap everyday,” Platt said. “And then her dad deployed and all of that changed. I remember thinking that somebody has to do something to help these kids, but I was just too far from it at that point. We were newlyweds. We didn’t have any children so I couldn’t wrap my head around what that concept might be.”
Once she had her own children, and with the
help of her brother, a Harvard Business School graduate, she put together a business plan, copyrighted a logo and brought on a great illustrator to help with creating the book’s artwork.
Now parents can go on the Daddy’s Deployed website (there’s a Mommy’s version as well), put in their custom information (such as name, rank, branch of service and family information) and order their books. In about three weeks, Platt and her team send back a personalized book with the family drawn into their own story.
brightly
“The whole point of it is that when the kids open page one they see their family in the story,” Platt said. “They see themselves in the story. They see their dog in the story. So that they know that it’s this happy, brightly colored vision of what their life could be or is going to be.”
The company is exploring its niche beyond custom books about deployment, launching a book about military moves and looking into selling eBooks and other interactive materials, such as audiobooks where the deployed parent can read the story to their loved ones.
“The most common thing that is said to me is, ‘Why didn’t I think of this?’” Platt said. “That shows me that there was a problem and we are answering it. And that is the best thing.”
“They see themselves in the story. They see their dog in the story. So that they know that it’s this happy,
colored vision of what their life could be or is going to be.”
GENEROSITY:
MOUNTAIN UP is a military apparel and gear line inspired by and founded by veterans of the 10th Mountain Division. The brand is about a lifestyle and a tradition influenced by this unique military unit—from the veterans of World War II and continuing through the today’s veterans of the Global War on Terrorism. The MOUNTAIN UP lifestyle is about living life with a flair for adventure, patriotism and generosity.
MOUNTAIN UP founder Ryan Hunt is active duty and has served both as an enlisted soldier and officer for more than 17 years. Ryan has been deployed to Iraq and Bosnia. When asked how the military prepared him to be an entrepreneur, Ryan shared:
“Over the last 17 years, the Army has provided me with so many opportunities to learn, manage and lead diverse organizations. The military also provided me with opportunities to obtain my undergraduate and graduate degrees. Education is the foundation, but my military experience is paramount to all my successes in and out of the uniform. These leadership opportunities have equipped me to be an entrepreneur.”
Joining Ryan is co-founders Veronica Hunt and
Douglas Schmidt. Veronica served in the Army for three years, including a deployment to Iraq. Douglas served more than four years in the Army with deployments to Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo.
The trio’s greatest challenge in forming their company was fusing their military experiences into a civilian business. They stayed open-minded to new ideas and ways of doing business and made sure they remained flexible and willing to try new things. They also found value in networking and the synergistic opportunities that resulted, helping their business grow rapidly and in new directions.
“Being our own boss is awesome for a lot of reasons—to include having pride and joy in having something to call my own,” said Veronica. “I love the vision of MOUNTAIN UP being a great apparel and gear line, but also reaching out and helping the veteran community. Taking the first step is the most important step. Remember that you have brothers and sisters in the veteran community, such as the Rosie Network, who are here to help you out. And, never give up on your dream to be an entrepreneur.”
For more information, please visit their website at www.10thmountainapparel.com.
Of Man,” A Navy SEAL’s Guide to the Lost Art of Manhood is a wryly written book intertwining practical skills with personal stories and philosophical musings that are equally perfect for today’s men, boys, women, and girls.
The book is both a “how to” and a “how come” that explores the difference between being a male and being a man. A male is a bully who abuses power for personal gain or gratification. A Man is a protector who takes care of his family and contributes positively to his community.
Being a Man is about the choices you make, not what the world makes of you.
Contributors include other former Navy SEALs, studio owners, stunt men, a book publisher, insurance agent, karate fighter, banker, haberdasher, graphic novelist, and actors including the Academy Award winner, Jon Voight.
Author’s Bio: Derrick F. Van Orden spent more than 20 years in the United States Navy SEAL Teams serving multiple tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and other hotspots around the globe.
Filmography includes the hit movie “Act of Valor” and “Azadah,” a short film depicting the brutal choices required of men in combat. He is the recipient of Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and multiple other campaign awards and decorations.
He is based in Minneapolis with his wife Sara; they have four children and one grandchild.
“DERRICK’S BOOK GIVES MAN A KNOWLEDGE OF SURVIVAL IN LIFE’S LESSONS. THERE IS SOMETHING TO LEARN FOR EVERYONE. IT IS A GRADUATION GOING BEYOND THE BOOK FOR BOY SCOUTS. EVERYONE WILL FIND IT VERY EXCITING”
“Supporting the entrepreneurial efforts of our veterans and military spouses is the least we can do for these heroes and those who stand beside them. It’s good for our country, our economy and our military families.”
-Stephanie Brown, CEO & Founder
The Rosie Network’s mission is to build stronger military families by developing entrepreneurial programs and support services that empower military spouses, transitioning service members and veterans, creating financial stability and self-sufficiency for our American families who serve. We host Rosie’s List, the nation’s largest non-profit search tool, featuring only 'verified' veteran & military spouseowned small businesses. But we do much more - our programs help BUILD these businesses, create direct financial IMPACT and ADVOCATE on behalf of our military families across the country. "Shop Military Family-Owned" today!
We are proud to have served over 5,000 veterans and their families - at NO cost to them.
THE ROSIE NETWORK IS A PROUD FOUNDING AFFILIATE PARTNER OF
The Coalition will provide economic opportunity to veterans, their families and the communities in which
SPONSOR OUR PARTNERS
The Rosie Network is a publicly supported non-profit.
SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE, PLEASE CONTACT LEONA SUBLETT AT LSUBLETT@THEROSIENETWORK.ORG
Special Operators have what it takes to succeed in building a career after they transition out of the military, whether it is as an entrepreneur or an employee. RADM Thomas Brown, an avid supporter of The Rosie Network, shares his drive to become a SEAL, his insight on the value of Special Operations Forces and how he‘s used what he learned in his military service to transition into his next career.
Ilearned of the UDT/SEAL program as a freshman at the University of Connecticut. The depth of the challenge appealed to me, so I decided to pursue an NROTC scholarship at the University of New Mexico that would be put in position to apply after I graduated.
Though I didn’t know it at the time, there were only 17 billets a year for officers to attend BUD/S, and NROTC grads only got four of those. I guess I lucked out, and I got one of those slots. By comparison, today, there are around 90 billets a year for SEAL officers.
There has been a massive growth of the SEAL community since 1983, when there were about a thousand active duty SEALs.
At BUD/S, I flirted with the idea of ringing the bell when things were especially painful, but I didn’t let myself give it any serious thought. In Hell Week, they organize you as seven-man boat crews, including a coxswain who steered the boat, and every event is a competition. This was when most of the guys who quit rang the bell. This one member of our team—whom I recall as one of the strongest, fastest athletes in the class— always held back and put a greater burden on the rest of the crew, whether it was lifting the log or rowing the boat. During ‘surf conditioning’ where we spent most of the night staying just on the alive side of hypothermia, this man got the thousand-yard stare. As the boat crew leader, I was supposed to encourage the whole team to stay in the program, but I knew this man was holding us back. I put little
effort into convincing him to stay. The instructors got him to give it one more try, but an hour later he quit. For good.
Regardless of one’s abilities, be it strength, endurance, or intelligence, the SEAL program is not for everyone. And that will never change. So if someone wants to quit, and you see character flaws in a trainee that will make him the wrong person you’d want to rely upon in combat, they should ring the bell. The people who quit, however, are for the most part good and highly motivated young men; it’s just that the program wasn’t meant for them.
The SEALS of the post-9/11 world are better trained, equipped, and prepared than those of my generation. They’ve also been forged in the fire of combat and intelligence and other operations, opportunities that were in short supply during the pre-9/11 times when the military and special operations forces sat on the sidelines of the war
against Islamic extremists. This is a conflict that had been going on for decades prior to 9/11 waking the country up to what very well may be an existential threat to our way of life.
The 80s were a time of reinvestment in special operations, and we saw the beginnings of improved training and equipment, but it was very rarely employed in field operations. The 90s saw the first Gulf War, troubles in Haiti, and conflict in the Balkans, so the investment in improved training and equipment paid off and the SEALs were employed more frequently, though they remained mostly maritime focused. At the time, few military leaders really understood that the light infantry training the SEALs receive is probably the best in the world (although I’m a little prejudiced in my judgment here). But overcoming this idea that SEALs always had to have swim fins in one hand and a gun in the other wasn’t achieved until after 9/11, where the demand was so great that leaders threw out their preconceived perception of the continued next page
L in Sea, Air, and Land. They eventually came around to the understanding that SEALs were highly proficient in land combat ops.
Today’s Naval Special Warfare Community is in the best possible place. We’ve increased the number of combat support personnel, from intelligence analysts that map out enemy networks, SEABEEs that maintain our forward operating bases, aviators that fly our UAVs, supply, gunner’s mates, personnel that operate our tactical ops centers that track missions and can call for fire support and CASEVAC, and a list of other essentials too long for this article. Most importantly, we continue to be seen as the best option for most maritime special operations, but we’ve also proved ourselves as expert light infantrymen, from the precision commando raids to kill bin Laden and rescue hostages, to the battles along the Euphrates River Valley were SEALS supported infantry and armor in operations against radical extremists.
presently in a leadership position with GVP Global Corporation, a Captive Venture Fund focused on clean energy, biotech, firefighting, and water remediation. It’s a very entrepreneurial endeavor where good judgment and leadership values are critical. I hope my experience in the Navy and special operations serve me well here.
I’m also quite involved with my wife Stephanie and her team—Leona, Jill, Robin and others— who make up The Rosie Network. They continue to raise funds for the innovative idea they’ve implemented to help veterans and their families become entrepreneurs or expand businesses. It works principally through the presence of veteran and military family owned businesses where consumers can choose to purchase services or products of veterans and their families. The Rosie Network offers or intends to offer a variety of other services including education, micro-loans, and mentorship.
The nation will increasingly rely on SOF to guide our efforts against the kind of hybrid and political warfare being waged today by Russia and Iran as well as combating increasingly dangerous nonstate actors who use unconventional approaches and tactics that SOF is best equipped to confront. Our community includes information operations, civil affairs, and other capabilities that form a powerful platform to combat the complex forms of aggression our foes wage worldwide. SOF excels at confronting these threats wherever they arise.
If you make it into the SOF community, study the world, learn the languages, and be an expert in military science. SOF excels at understanding countries, regions, sub-regions, building partnerships and unconventional thinking and solutions. You need to truly understand how our adversaries think and operate, just as you need to understand our allies.
I’mRADM Brown (continued)
loyal and relentless in their pursuit to succeed. Employers should leverage these qualities helping to improve their businesses and the quality of their products.
Two and a half million service members completed four million deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan over the last decade. As they begin to transition into civilian life, members of the armed forces and their families bring a wealth of experience and potential to the next phase of their lives and have earned the opportunity to enjoy the success and prosperity of civilian life.
Many employers want to connect with these service members. Additionally, most employers have heard about—but not taken advantage of— government hiring incentives available for hiring qualified veterans. We can help! The Rosie Network is excited to announce the most innovative veteran-focused job board in the world: www. RosiesJobs.org.
Rosie’s Jobs is a traditional job board and it also has an integrated government hiring incentives (aka tax credits) engine. Roughly half of veteran job seekers (and in some cases military spouses) are unaware that their service earned them a tax credit and many companies are not aware of the potential credits available upon hiring a veteran. Rosie’s Jobs solves these problems and provides full service around tax credit processing.
The tax credit application process is arduous and cumbersome so hundreds of millions of dol-
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lars in benefits go unclaimed each year according to the IRS. Rosie’s Jobs completes and files the required federal/state paperwork for employers to maximize their tax credit capture.
Take advantage of our state-of-the-art Job Tax Credit Board and POST YOUR 1ST
FREE. Go to RosiesJobs.org or contact Dayna Klock at dklock@therosienetwork.org
more information.
For each tax credit an employer earns, a percentage of the total goes back to The Rosie Network. So hiring from the military community is good
business and helps us succeed in our mission.
The 2015 “Best Places for Veterans” entrepreneur list, created by USAA and Hiring Our Heroes, identifies U.S. metro areas that offer higher education opportunities for veterans seeking to leverage their education benefits. The top cities for entrepreneurs list includes: 1. Asheville, N.C. 2. Sarasota, Fla.
West Palm Beach, Fla.
Staunton, Va.
Prescott, Ariz.
Wilmington, N.C.
Missoula, Mont.
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Oklahoma City
Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
“Entrepreneurship is one of three avenues that separating service members are encouraged to consider through the military’s Transition Assistance Program, and early planning can help them succeed,” said Eric Engquist, an assistant vice president at USAA and Army veteran. “The cities represented on this list have industries that align with the attributes and skills sets that many veteran entrepreneurs possess, such as service and hospitality.”
USAA, a leading financial services provider to the military community, and Hiring Our Heroes commissioned Sperling’s Best Places and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University to create or provide data for this list. The four organizations worked together to determine measurable variables for 401 major U.S. metropolitan areas,
which are defined as one or more central cities including the surrounding county or counties.
The variables for the Entrepreneur list included:
• Veteran-owned businesses per capita
• Small businesses per capita
• Percentage of very small businesses
• Certification/license transfers
• Presence of colleges
• Retirement tax climate
• Airport nearby
• Stability
• Health resources
Each variable was weighted and each metro area was then ranked based on its total points for all variables. Metro areas with the following attributes were excluded from the list: unemployment rate more than one percent above the 2014 national average, property and personal crime in the top five percentile and median cost of living more than 20 percent above the national average. More information about this year’s criteria can be found at http://www.usaa.com/bestplaces.
USAA is an active supporter of The Rosie Network.
When the community works together, the community works
Bank of America congratulates The Rosie Network for creating the kind of environment where people work together in a community that becomes stronger day by day. Visit us at bankofamerica.com/local
Life’s better when we’re connected®
©2015
While the global media consistently churns out a deluge of reports about “sophisticated” hacks against prominent individuals, organizations and institutions, social engineering remains the leading tool and tactic of choice for many state sponsored agent hackers, cybercriminals and politically motivated hacktivists.
Social engineering is generally a non-technical method of hacker intrusion that relies heavily on human interaction and usually involves tricking one or more people into breaking normal security polices, procedures and protocols. It is one of the greatest threats that organizations today encounter. Our Veteran community is equally vulnerable to these social engineering as non military personnel.
The goal of the social engineer is to get people to physically performing actions or divulge confidential information. These “confidence tricks” allow the social engineer to gather information, implement a fraud to further their purpose or actually access a government or corporate system. Social engineering is both an art and the science of manipulating people so they give up confidential information.
Criminals use social engineering tactics because it is usually easier to exploit our natural inclination to trust than it is to discover ways to hack your software. (It is much easier to fool someone into giving you their password than it is for you to try hacking their password, unless the password is really weak.) Our soldiers and veterans are used to trusting those they believe to be in their trusted network so they may become victim to the well crafted message of social engineer.
Social engineers leverage confidence tricks which differ from a traditional “con” in that it is often one of many steps more complex scheme to obtain an ultimate objective. We know that all social engineering techniques are based on specific attributes of human decision making and biases which are actually “bugs” in human phycology.
The social engineer exploits various combinations to create attack plans using well established and proven techniques. These planned attacks are launched like any other sales or marketing campaign in order to achieve a goal such as stealing an employees‘ confidential information such as passwords, banking information, access to a company Servers, Laptops and BYOD devices and computers in order to secretly install malicious “Command and Control” software which will give the social engineer to access desired information.
One most common type of social engineering happens over the phone and whereby the social engineer poses as someone other than their true self such as network security administrator, company executive, government auditor, a fire marshall, or other public safety officer or service provider which can unnoticed as the steal organizational secrets.
The TOP 5 techniques used by the social engineer and which are hard for companies and or employees to detect include:
changes, get specific balances, etc.
Pretexting can also be used to impersonate co-workers, police, bank, tax authorities, clergy, insurance investigators—or any other individual who could have perceived authority or right-toknow in the mind of the targeted victim.
Phishing. Phishing is a technique of fraudulently obtaining private information. Typically, the phisher sends an email that appears to come from a legitimate business—a bank, or credit card company—requesting “verification” of information and warning of some dire consequence if it is not provided. The email usually contains a link to a fraudulent web page that seems legitimate— with company logos and content—and has a form requesting everything from a home address to an ATM or card PIN.
A related form of phishing or phone phishing (or “vishing”) uses a rogue interactive voice response (IVR) system to recreate a legitimate-sounding copy of a bank or other institution‘s IVR system. The victim is prompted (typically via a phishing email)
Retexting (adj. Pretextual). Retexting is the act of creating and using an invented scenario (aka the pretext) to engage a targeted victim in a manner that increases the chance the victim will divulge information or perform actions that would be unlikely in ordinary circumstances. An elaborate lie, it most often involves some prior research or setup and the use of this information for impersonation (e.g., date of birth, government ID, last bill amount) to establish legitimacy in the mind of the target victim.
This technique can be used to fool an individual at a business to disclose customer information as well as by private investigators to obtain telephone records, utility records, banking records and other information directly from company service representatives. The information can then be used to establish even greater legitimacy under tougher questioning with a manager, to make account
to call in to the “bank” via a number provided in order to “verify” information. A typical “vishing” system will reject log-ins continually, ensuring the victim enters PINs or passwords multiple times, often disclosing several different passwords. More advanced systems transfer the victim to the attacker, posing as a customer service agent for further questioning.
the problem and, in the process, have the user type commands that give the attacker access or launch a malware attack.
If you want to hack a corporation fast, social engineering techniques will work every time and more often than not it works the first time. Securing the information that is in the human mind is a monumental, colossal, epic, task compared with securing digital data.
Diversion Theft. Diversion theft, also known as the “Corner Game” or “Round the Corner Game,” originated in the East End of London. In the diversion theft, a con exercised by professional thieves is normally targeted to persuade the persons responsible for a legitimate action (such as delivery or transport) that the consignment is requested elsewhere — hence “round the corner.”
Baiting. Baiting is like the real-world Trojan Horse that uses physical media and relies on the curiosity or greed of the victim. In this attack, the attacker leaves a infected USB drive or some other form of media in a location where someone will find and use a device out of curiosity or help someone they deem is in need.
For example, an attacker might create a drive featuring a corporate logo, readily available from the target‘s web site, and write “Executive Salary Summary Q2 2015” on the front. The attacker would then leave the device on the floor of an elevator or somewhere in the lobby of the targeted company. An unknowing employee might find it and subsequently insert the disk into a computer to satisfy their curiosity, or a good Samaritan might find it and turn it in to the company.
There is a lot that companies can do to project themselves. The best defense is to start by building “security culture” in your organization. Security culture is all about building awareness and common goals and best practices around security. It teaches everyone in the organization to develop situational awareness and look for possible social engineering attacks. Security assessments, determining your Cyber Value at Risk and preparing for a breech before, during after are all ways for an organization to build resiliency and thwart the social engineers looking to prey on unsuspecting and uneducated employees.
Security is all about “trust verified.” Our soldiers and veterans know the importance of following good protocol and verifying trust. Knowing who and when to trust someone trying to conduct work at your place of business is critical. Knowing when, and when not to trust or take a person at their work is key to protecting the valuable assets or an organization.
Quid pro quo. Quid pro quo means something for something whereby the social engineer calls random numbers at a company, claiming to be calling back from technical support. Eventually this person will hit someone with a legitimate problem, grateful that someone is calling back to help them. The attacker will “help” solve
Darin Andersen is a distinguished Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity professional with over 15 years of experience in the security industry. Mr. Andersen is the Chairman & Founder of CyberTECH, a global cybersecurity and IoT network ecosystem providing cybersecurity and IoT resources, strategic programs and quality thought leader IoT Forums across the nation. Andersen is also the founder of CyberUnited, Inc. a cybersecurity, big data and predictive analytics consultancy firm.
To learn more or to discuss joining the Coalition, please contact: Meg O’Grady at First Data (Meg.OGrady@firstdata.com)
or James Schmeling at IVMF (jschmeli@syr.edu)
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coalition of industry leaders, committed to providing innovative solutions and thought leadership to grow and support veteran-owned businesses in communities throughout the nation. First Data has committed to providing resources to launch the coalition with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF).
AAcoalition of Industry leaders, committed to providing innovative solutions and thought leadership to grow and support veteran and military spouse-owned businesses in communities throughout the nation. First Data has committed to providing resources to launch the coalition with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF).
The Coalition will provide economic opportunity to veterans, their families and the communities in which they live by offering leadership and a national platform to support military spouse and veteran-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and suppliers
The Coalition will provide economic opportunity to veterans, their families and the communities in which they live by offering leadership and a national platform to support military spouse and veteran-owned businesses, entrepreneurs and suppliers.
• Of the more than 27 million Small Businesses in the U.S., more than 2.5 million (9 percent) are veteran owned (SBA)
The Rosie Network (TRN) is honored to be a founding affiliate partner of the CVOB. To participate in the opportunities provided by this coalition, veteran and military spouse business owners need only create a profile page on Rosie’s List (www.RosiesList.org) Profiles and membership are free.
• Veteran-owned businesses generate more than $1.2 trillion in sales per year (SBA)
• Veteran businesses employ more than 5.8 million people in the U.S. (SBA)
• Increase opportunities for veteran and military family businesses within corporate supply chains
o Increase % of spend, % of vendor and access to opportunities and information o Find gaps in Veteran and Spouse vendor supply chain
• Increase opportunities for veteran and military family businesses in the public marketplace o Drive awareness and commerce o Increase loyalty of customers • Increase employment of veterans and military families
• Increase awareness of and opportunities for access to capital by veteran and military family businesses
For more information contact Stephanie Brown at sbrown@TheRosieNetwork.org
We all know that fighting for a parking space and standing in long lines at big box stores tends to take the joy out of the holiday season! What better way to show that special someone how much they mean to you, than purchasing from another military family-owned small business. It is the ideal way to Give Back during this Holiday Season. Here are just a few shopping options for your holiday gift-giving needs. We hope you will take the time to visit their Rosie’s List profiles (just click on the company name or image) and Buy Military Family-Owned.
CUSTOM METAL AND WOOD DESIGNS. We combine various skill sets from wood to steel to set us apart from the competition. Our vision to emulate the most legendary artists of the renaissance period.
Virginia Beach, VA
ACTION SPORTS/ACTIVE LIFESTYLE. KOTA Longboards manufactures longboard skateboards for the action sports enthusiast. Denver, CO
Find thousands of veteran and military spouse-owned businesses on Rosie’s List (www.RosiesList.org).
Hand crafted 50 Caliber bottle openers made by Active Duty Service Members and Veterans. Groomsmen gifts, corporate Ggfts, and one of a kind bottle openers to complete the perfect man cave.
Tucson, AZ
From Downrange to Downtown; timepieces designed for high performance and high class. Coronado, CA
Who is the Homefront Girl? She’s anyone who has ever loved someone serving in our military and “shared her Hero with the world.”
Arlington VA
I love making custom items. My specialties are baby items, totes/purses, and blankets.
Abilene, TX
Lily sweet is a picture book for girls to inspire girls to make the most of every day in order to foster a positive outlook in life at the outset.
Tampa, FL
Find thousands of veteran and military spouse-owned businesses on Rosie’s List (www.RosiesList.org).
NOMADES CHARMING MILITARY INSPIRED JEWELRY, HOME DECOR AND GIFTS. Columbia, SC
LOCK-N-LOAD JAVA VETERAN AND MILSPOUSE OWNED. NO COMPROMISE. PREMIUM COFFEE AND COCOA
Fuel for Warriors - We provide premium coffee and cocoa via our online store delivered right to your front door. We donate 1% of all sales to military charities. Salt Lake City, UT
FRESHLY BAKED CUSTOM COOKIES
Providing freshly baked custom cookies for any celebration or event. Gulf Breeze, FL
PERSONALIZED DOG WALKING, PET SITTING AND HOME-MADE, GLUTEN-FREE TREATS. Caring for your pets as if they’re members of our family because they’re members of your family. Chicago, IL
GOOD LOOKIN’ HOOKIN’-TWISTEDLY VINTAGE
CUSTOM CROCHET AND DESIGNS
Anything Crochet! You dream it...I make it! Taking custom orders for that perfect gift and even designing patterns for those who crochet already!
Villa Grove, CO
It’s not a surprise to small business owners that eCommerce has had a huge impact on our economy and society. It offers the consumer a wide range of information and purchasing options. If you don’t offer your customers the means to learn about your business and purchase your products and/or services online, you are missing the boat.
Most of us are familiar with Etsy and Amazon. Heck, we’ve no doubt purchased products from one or both of these sites. What if there were an eCommerce platform just for Military Family-Owned small businesses?
Well, now there is. It’s a publicly supported non-profit platform that features only verified veteran, active-duty and military spouse-owned businesses called Rosie’s List™ (think Angie and Craig). Now it offers no-cost shopping carts. No gateway fees.
Since the majority of American consumers prefer to shop Military Family-Owned, what better way to capture those sales than by providing a One-Stop Shopping experience featuring those products and services?
Join the national movement to Buy Military Family-Owned and register your small business and get your shopping cart at no-cost on Rosie’s List today!
For more information, contact The Rosie Network at contact@ TheRosieNetwork.org. We are standing by to help you ”get your cart on.”
Rosie’s Marketplace© is brought to you
, a non-profit whose mission is to build stronger military families by providing the tools and services they need to launch and grow their small businesses and by First Data, shaping the future of global commerce by delivering the world’s most secure and innovative payment solutions.
As a veteran, you’ve got drive, tenacity and discipline—traits that will make your business successful. First Data is proud to offer veterans and military spouses a variety of small business solutions designed to support your success.
Running your business is more than a full time job. First Data makes managing your business easier with innovative solutions for everything from tracking inventory and managing employees to building lasting customer relationships and securely accepting all types of payments.
If you are a veteran or a military spouse, come learn how Clover can help you grow your business.** With Clover, you can do more, know more, and sell more—more easily. FREE processing on Veterans Day.
