KEVIN SCHMIEGEL ZeroMils
Building a Military-Thriving Movement: The Journey of Kevin Schmiegel and ZeroMils In the heart of Alexandria, Virginia, a social impact
Upon retiring from the Marine Corps in 2009,
company is redefining how corporations,
Schmiegel transitioned to the civilian sector with
foundations, and individuals connect with the
the same mission-focused mindset. He served as
military community. Kevin Schmiegel, a retired
Chief of Staff at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,
Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, is at the helm of
where he founded Hiring Our Heroes (HOH), quickly
ZeroMils, a company committed to creating
transforming it into the largest veteran and military
“military thriving” cultures within organizations
spouse employment nonprofit in the country. His
across America. With a distinguished military
leadership continued at the helm of other national
background and a proven track record of building
military and veteran nonprofits, where he raised
impactful initiatives, Schmiegel’s entrepreneurial
$100 million and impacted over 10 million
journey is as inspiring as it is impactful.
Americans.
From Marine Corps to Mission-Driven Leadership
The Birth of ZeroMils: A New Vision for Military
Kevin Schmiegel’s military career spanned over 20
Thriving
years, during which he served at the highest levels
Kevin Schmiegel founded ZeroMils in response to a
of the Department of Defense. From deploying to
gap he observed in how military-connected families
more than 50 countries to playing key roles in NATO
were supported in the public, private, and nonprofit
and U.S. European Command, Schmiegel’s service
sectors. “In corporate America, terms like ‘military-
was marked by leadership, resilience, and an
friendly’ or ‘military-ready’ are often used to
unwavering commitment to his country. His roles
describe a company’s culture,” says Schmiegel. “But
included serving as Aide de Camp to the NATO and
at ZeroMils, we believe these terms imply a one-
U.S. European Commander and spearheading the
sided value proposition. We aim to build ‘military-
assignment and retention of 172,000 Marines
thriving’ cultures, where both the company and its
worldwide during a time of war. His experience
military-connected employees can grow and thrive
culminated in working on the peace process
together.”
between Israel and Palestine, as the military assistant to the Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security.
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