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“The American workforce is undergoing one of the most profound transformations in generations. At Hiring Our Heroes, we believe the military community isn’t just ready for the future of work; they’re built to lead it. Our mission has never been more clear or more critical.”
- Eric Eversole, President, Hiring Our Heroes
A Letter from the President
The American workforce is undergoing one of the most profound transformations in generations. Artificial intelligence, automation, and digital technologies are redefining how work gets done, what skills matter most, and how quickly roles evolve. Entire industries are being reshaped in real time. For many Americans, this shift has created meaningful near-term challenges. Jobs are changing faster than traditional training pathways can respond, and workers are being asked to adapt at a pace few anticipated.
At Hiring Our Heroes, we operate at the center of this transformation. Every day, we work at the intersection of employers, emerging technologies, and the military community. This vantage point gives us a clear view of where the labor market is headed and what it will demand next. We see firsthand that while technology is advancing rapidly, the qualities that drive success remain deeply human.
Service members, veterans, and military spouses, when paired with the right training,
guidance, and real-world experience, are not simply navigating this transition. They are excelling. Their resilience, problem-solving ability, adaptability, and leadership make them uniquely suited for the future of work in an AIdriven economy. They bring discipline, mission focus, and the capacity to perform in complex environments where change is constant.
That is why Hiring Our Heroes has prioritized experiential learning, including internships, fellowships, and hands-on training pathways that allow military-connected talent to demonstrate value, build professional networks, and translate service into civilian success. These models are not theoretical. They are practical, employer aligned, and outcome driven.
The results are compelling, and we are only at the beginning. As we scale these programs and expand access to opportunity, we remain confident that the military community will not simply adapt to a changing economy. It will help lead it.
Eric Eversole President, Hiring Our Heroes Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
2025: By the Numbers Branch of Service
2025 Hiring Fairs
2025 Fellowships
2,466 11,469
Fellows
2025 Global Reach
In 2025, HOH served members of the military community in all 50 states and 10 countries. Here is an overview:
3,125
1,821 Total Learners Successful Outcomes Completed Certificates
2,103
promotions,
Evolving to Meet the Moment
From On-Base Events to a National Workforce Solution
Between 2014 and 2019, Hiring Our Heroes made a deliberate investment in building trusted, on-base relationships across the military ecosystem. Because each installation operates independently, expanding access required years of partnership-building with base leadership and transition offices. By 2019, this work resulted in a network of more than two dozen military installations where HOH could connect employers directly with transitioning service members and military spouses.
That foundation proved critical during COVID-19.
As installations began to close in early 2020, Hiring Our Heroes rapidly repurposed its on-base events team and deployed virtual solutions—including virtual hiring events, upskilling programs, and oneon-one career counseling. Many of these offerings were launched within weeks of the pandemic.
At the same time, HOH made targeted investments in digital tools designed to expand access while preserving personalized support. These investments included the launch of a generative-AI tool called Resume Engine, the expansion of Career Forward to provide industry-aligned upskilling opportunities, and the development of a centralized job board to connect talent directly with open roles. Together, these tools extended HOH’s reach and helped individuals move forward at their own pace.
2025 HOH HIGHLIGHTS
January 1 – December 31
Nearly 80,000 unique individuals served by HOH in 2025
35,335 unique individuals attended an HOH event in 2025
18,495 Resume Engine users logged in to their account in 2025
78,757 35,335 1,941 18,495
1,941 unique companies participated in HOH events and programs
“We help military-connected talent translate what they already do best into the skills employers need now.”
- Elizabeth O’Brien, Senior Vice President, Programs & Events, Hiring Our Heroes
By pairing trusted relationships with scalable digital solutions, HOH emerged from the pandemic stronger and more capable, evolving into a comprehensive workforce platform built to serve military-connected talent at scale. HOH now serves nearly 80,000 transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses, representing a three-fold increase in individuals served since 2020.
Connecting with the Military Community
Trust is the foundation of Hiring Our Heroes’ relationship with the military community.
As service members, veterans, and military spouses navigate an increasingly complex employment landscape, timely and credible information is essential. HOH’s communications strategy is grounded in service, delivering clear, relevant content that meets people where they are and supports informed decision-making.
With more than 1M social media followers, HOH is one of the most trusted voices in the military community.
SOCIAL MEDIA/EMAIL REACH
As of December 31, 2025
More than 1 million social media followers on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram
Social media impressions across all platforms in 2025
1.08M+ 9.8M 34.9M | 53%
Today, Hiring Our Heroes connects with more than 1 million social media followers and an email audience of 980,000. In 2025 alone, HOH delivered nearly 35 million emails, achieving an average open rate of 53 percent—a level of engagement that reflects deep trust and sustained relevance.
Veteran, transitioning service member, and military spouse email contacts
HOH communications highlight hot jobs, employers committed to hiring veterans and military spouses, upskilling opportunities, and real-world success stories. Together, these efforts do more than share information: they build confidence, create connection, and reinforce HOH’s role as a trusted guide for the military community at critical moments of transition.
HOH sent nearly 35M emails in 2025 with a best-in-class 53% open rate
Where Experience Becomes Opportunity
The Hiring Our Heroes Fellows Program
At the center of Hiring Our Heroes’ impact is the Fellows Program, an experiential, employer-driven pathway that has become one of the most effective transition models in the country.
For transitioning service members and military spouses, the search for civilian employment is not simply about finding a job—it’s about translating skills, gaining civilian experience, building professional networks, and demonstrating value in a new environment. The Fellows Program was intentionally designed to address all of these needs simultaneously.
Through structured, paid fellowships and internships, participants are embedded directly into civilian workplaces. There, they apply their skills in real time, learn industry expectations, and build credibility with employers. This experiential approach allows talent to move beyond resumes and interviews, replacing uncertainty with performance and potential with proof. The results have been extraordinary.
In 2025, Hiring Our Heroes hosted nearly 2,500 Fellows across industries and geographies nationwide. Eighty-five percent of Fellows received employment offers at the conclusion of their fellowship, with an average salary of $105,660. These outcomes underscore a simple truth: when military talent is given the opportunity to showcase their skills, results follow.
HOH FELLOWS PROGRAM
January 1 – December 31, 2025
2,466 85%
Total number of fellows in 2025
Employment offer rate for HOH fellows in 2025
686 $105K
Average salary for fellows in 2025
Companies that hosted one or more fellows in 2025
“Hiring Our Heroes created a pathway for me to step into the career I have now, and I’m extremely thankful for that.”
- Brandy Coleman, Military Spouse; HOH Fellow, hired by Salesforce
IMPACT OF FELLOWS PROGRAM
By the Numbers
Validated Outcomes
Fellows are nearly 10 times more likely to be hired within 6 months of transition
10 X 75%
HOH Fellows earned starting salaries approximately 75% higher than comparable transitioning service members
94%
94% of Fellows secured employment within 9 months—versus 61% of comparable non-participants
Read more:
Hiring Our Heroes has long been confident in the effectiveness of the Fellows Program—we see it every day from employers and participants alike. That confidence was validated this year by the Penn State University Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness.
The Clearinghouse analyzed the employment results of our fellows between 2021 and 2024 and then compared those outcomes to a cohort of transitioning service members it has tracked over the past decade. After adjusting for rank, gender, education, and ethnicity, the analysis found that Fellows were nearly ten times more likely to be employed within six months of transition. The study also found that Fellows earned average starting salaries that were 75 percent higher than those of the comparison cohort.
These findings provide independent validation of what experience has already shown: when military talent is paired with experiential training and targeted guidance, the results significantly outperform traditional transition outcomes.
Impacting Lives
For Coast Guard veteran Rhys Campbell, transition was not about starting over. It was about charting a clear next mission. With a lifelong interest in technology and years of hands-on experience as an information systems technician, Rhys entered civilian life with strong skills but limited pathways to demonstrate them in a corporate environment. Through Hiring Our Heroes, that gap was closed.
Rhys first connected with the Career Forward program, earning a Google Career Certificate in IT Support in a high-demand field while gaining access to coaching, resources, and a supportive cohort of peers navigating the same transition. That foundation led directly to a 12-week Hiring Our Heroes fellowship with Verizon, where Rhys was embedded in a civilian workplace and able to apply his technical expertise in real time.
Inside Verizon, the fellowship transformed theory into practice. Rhys moved beyond interviews and credentials to demonstrate
“ - Rhys Campbell ”
performance, solving problems, collaborating with teams, and meeting the expectations of a fast-paced corporate environment. The fellowship provided space to learn, adapt, and contribute meaningfully, while giving the employer confidence grounded in experience rather than assumption.
At the conclusion of the fellowship, Rhys was hired full time by Verizon, continuing his career in the telecommunications field he had been building toward for years. The transition was not abrupt or uncertain; it was deliberate, supported, and validated through experiential learning.
Rhys’s journey reflects what the Fellows Program makes possible every day. When military talent is paired with relevant training, embedded workplace experience, and employer-driven opportunity, outcomes change. Participants gain more than jobs: they gain clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose. Employers gain proven talent ready to contribute from day one. This is the power of the Fellows model in action: lives impacted, careers accelerated, and transitions transformed into lasting success.
“The whole team at Hiring Our Heroes was great. They moved mountains to help me on my special journey… and provided tons of resources.”
A National Security Imperative
Military Spouse Employment
Military spouses have long faced persistent challenges with unemployment and underemployment. Frequent permanent change of station moves—often every two to three years—disrupt careers and force spouses to repeatedly reenter unfamiliar job markets. Licensing and credential portability create additional hurdles, while limited access to affordable childcare and fewer employment opportunities in remote duty locations compound the barriers.
The result is an unemployment rate of roughly 20 percent and an underemployment rate approaching 50 percent.
The consequences extend well beyond individual careers. In today’s economy, most American households depend on two incomes to remain financially stable, an option often unavailable to military families. Research indicates that nearly one in four military families experience food insecurity, and about one-third have less than $2,000 in emergency savings, leaving little cushion for unexpected expenses. The strain is not theoretical; it is personal and immediate.
This financial pressure is influencing decisions about continued service. In its most recent survey of military families, the Department of War found that 32 percent of military spouses would prefer their family separate from military service, and fewer than half report satisfaction with military life. Spouse sentiment is one of the strongest predictors of retention. Addressing military spouse employment is a national security imperative.
MILITARY SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT
By the Numbers
20%
Military spouses face an unemployment rate of 20%*
57%
57% of spouses in 2024 indicated their pay was not enough to live on*
32% 25%
25% of military families are food insecure*
32% of military families prefer to exit military service*
Turning Challenge Into Opportunity
Hiring Our Heroes addresses the systemic barriers facing military spouses by meeting them where they are—on military installations, in local communities, and online—and connecting them with employers who understand the realities of military life. The goal is not short-term placement, but durable pathways that support long-term economic stability and career mobility.
On-base events and targeted programs help spouses navigating career gaps and repeated relocations rediscover professional confidence and explore new pathways. Through Amplify, HOH provides focused career preparation, professional development, and direct employer engagement, connecting spouses with employers open to non-linear career
journeys. HOH also expands access to upskilling through Career Forward, preparing spouses for more portable careers that can move with them across duty stations.
HOH has supported the Department of War’s Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot (MSCAP) for the past three years, connecting spouses to paid, 12-week fellowships with employers committed to hiring and retaining military spouse talent. To date, MSCAP has placed more than 1,200 military spouse fellows.
Together, these programs reduce barriers, expand experiential learning, and create employment pathways that move with military families.
Military Spouse Fellows (2023-2025)
Looking to the Future
Building What Comes Next
The future of work is unfolding in real time. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, skill demands are evolving rapidly, and employers are seeking talent that combines technical fluency with judgment, adaptability, and leadership. For the military community, preparation cannot be reactive. It must anticipate where the workforce is headed and equip individuals with the tools to thrive in that environment.
In 2025, HOH began building the next chapter of its work by expanding experiential models into new sectors, strengthening coordination across the employment ecosystem, and integrating emerging technologies directly into career preparation. These initiatives reflect a clear commitment not simply to respond to workforce disruption, but to position military talent to lead in what comes next.
Skilled Trades Academy
In 2025, HOH launched the Skilled Trades Academy with the support of Lowe’s Foundation at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This six-week program equips transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses with industry-recognized credentials and hands-on preparation for careers in the construction industry. Drawing on more than a decade of experiential fellowship programming, the Academy applies an employer-aligned model to
technical pathways where workforce demand continues to outpace supply.
While rooted in construction, the Academy is designed to help address broader labor shortages affecting infrastructure modernization, advanced manufacturing, energy systems, and the expanding data center ecosystem. Participants graduate with a foundational, industry-aligned skillset that lowers the barrier to entry and makes them strong candidates for continued employer investment and advancement.
HOH plans to expand the Academy to 10 locations nationwide, adding tracks in advanced manufacturing, energy, data management, and other critical infrastructure roles. The Skilled Trades Academy provides employers with a scalable pipeline of disciplined talent ready to grow with the demands of today’s economy.
Scan to learn more about the Skilled Trades Academy and where we’re going.
“I knew I was going to need help from an organization like Hiring Our Heroes [to navigate my transition].”
- Lukas Berg, Army Veteran; HOH Fellow, hired by Georgia Tech
AI Training & Integration
Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every sector of the economy, altering how work is performed and which skills are most valued. Hiring Our Heroes is ensuring the military community is not only aware of these changes, but prepared to navigate them with confidence.
In 2025, HOH began integrating AI education into hiring events, career preparation, and employer engagement. Participants gain practical exposure to how AI is reshaping workflows, hiring practices, and skill requirements. Just as importantly, they learn to identify career pathways that are resistant to automation or enhanced by AI—roles that rely on technical proficiency, critical thinking, leadership, and hands-on expertise.
By building AI literacy alongside an understanding of durable, high-demand career tracks, HOH is helping military talent make informed decisions about their futures. The goal is not simply to respond to technological change, but to position the military community to thrive in an AI-driven economy.
AI IN THE WORKFORCE By the Numbers
7X
Demand for AI fluency has increased sevenfold in just two years. AI literacy is now one of the fastest-growing skill requirements across U.S. job postings.1
39%
Of core job skills are expected to change by 2030 as AI and automation are rapidly reshaping how work is done.2
50%+
Of today’s work activities are exposed to AI automation, increasing the value of human judgment, leadership, and adaptability.3
1 https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/media-center/human-skills-will-matter-more-than-ever-in-the-age-of-ai
2 https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/in-full/3-skills-outlook
3 https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/agents-robots-and-us-skill-partnerships-in-the-age-of-ai
Kansas Small Business Roundtable on AI, powered by Google
The Collective
As the veteran and military spouse employment landscape has expanded, it has also become more fragmented. Too often, military-connected talent is left to navigate a complex web of programs, resources, and organizations on their own. Hiring Our Heroes believes that responsibility should not fall on the individual.
In 2025, HOH launched the Collective to address this challenge by bringing together best-in-class nonprofit organizations, employers, and training partners committed to serving the military community. Rooted in
collaboration rather than competition, the Collective works to align efforts, reduce duplication, and improve coordination across the ecosystem so individuals are connected to the right resource at the right time.
By strengthening collaboration and focusing on shared impact, the Collective helps create a more unified pathway to long-term career success, ensuring the military community is supported rather than left to navigate alone.
The Collective Partners
The Collective Founding Partners
Honoring Leadership. Accelerating Impact.
Each year, Hiring Our Heroes convenes leaders from industry, philanthropy, and the military community to recognize excellence and accelerate progress in veteran and military spouse employment.
In 2025, the 15th Annual Lee Anderson Hiring Our Heroes Awards Gala, sponsored by Deloitte, brought together national leaders to honor employers and changemakers expanding opportunity for the military community. HOH presented the President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement to Wayne Peacock, former President and CEO of USAA, recognizing his enduring commitment to service members, veterans, and military families.
At the 9th Annual Military Spouse Employment Summit, sponsored by T-Mobile, HOH presented its Impact Awards to companies and leaders advancing sustainable, meaningful careers for military spouses.
Holly Dailey, spouse of the 15th Sergeant Major of the Army, received the Bonnie Amos Impact Award for Lifetime Achievement.
HOH also highlighted the critical role of veteran- and military spouse-owned small businesses. The 2025 Small Business Awards, powered by FedEx Founder’s Fund, awarded five businesses $10,000 grants to fuel continued growth and community impact.
Finally, through Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence, HOH partnered with Kenworth and FASTPORT to present a new Kenworth T680 truck to a veteran driver, recognizing excellence and expanding economic opportunity.
Together, these convenings celebrate leadership, strengthen partnerships, and drive measurable impact across the veteran employment ecosystem.
WINNERS OF THE 2025 LEE ANDERSON AWARDS
November 5, 2025
AMERICAN VETERANS GROUP
Capital One Small Business Award
LOWE’S FOUNDATION
Military Community Nonprofit Leadership Award
WELLS FARGO
Military Spouse Employment & Mentoring Award 20 25
UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
Steve Robinson Post-9/11 Veteran Employment Award
TIFFANY DAUGHERTY
Colonel Michael Endres Leadership Award for Individual Excellence in Veteran & Military Spouse Employment
WERNER ENTERPRISES
Lee Anderson Veteran & Military Spouse Employment Award
WAYNE PEACOCK
President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement
See more about the President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement winner, Wayne Peacock
Thanking Our Generous Supporters
Veteran Employment Advisory Council Chairman’s Circle
Veteran Employment Advisory Council
Military Spouse Employment Advisory Council
Lee & Penny Anderson
Don & Rosie Family Foundation
ABM
ADP
Air Methods
Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
Airstreams Renewables, Inc.
A-LIGN
Ally Bank
Amentum
American Bureau of Shipping
American Petroleum Institute
American Veterans Group
Andersen Tax LLC
Aramark
BAE Systems
Beyond Finance
Bloomberg Industry Group
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Blue Origin
The Boot
Boots2Roots
Box
Bristol Myers Squibb
The Capital Group
Capital One
CarMax
Carolina-CAT / LiftOne
Celebree Schools
Chewy
Clune Construction
Coca-Cola Consolidated
Comerica
Cummins
Cushman & Wakefield
CVS Health
Docusign
Dover Corporation
Elara Caring
Friends of HOH
Encore
Equinix
EquipmentShare
Freeport-McMoRan
GDIT
GE Aerospace
Guild Education, Inc.
The Haskell Company
HEI Hotels
Helmets to Hardhats
Heidelberg Materials
Henkel Corporation
Hilton
HP, Inc.
INVets
JobsOhio
John Deere
Johnson Controls
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc.
Juniper Networks
KBR
Kiewit Corporation
Komatsu
KPMG
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
Liberty Mutual
Linde Gas & Equipment
ManTech
Maxim Healthcare
Merck
Micron Technology
Military Talent Pipeline
Morgan Stanley
National University
Nationwide
Navy Federal Credit Union
Become an HOH Partner
NextEra Energy
Nucor
Oracle Corporation
PAC Group
Paragon Systems
Penske
Power Home Remodeling
Republic Services
RSM US LLP
RTX
SavAtree
Securitas Security Services USA
SEMI Foundation
Southeast Lineman Training
Center
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
SRS Raise the Roof Foundation
Still Serving Veterans
Sysco
Systems Planning & Analysis, Inc.
TMC Transportation
Travelers
U.S. Bank
US Foods
USIC
Visa
The Walt Disney Company
Werner Enterprises
Westat
Williams Companies
Wipfli
WithMe
Workday
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Zebra Technologies Corporation
Zermount
The support of our sponsors allows HOH to empower tens of thousands of veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members to find meaningful employment opportunities each year. Scan the code to connect with our Corporate Relations team.
