Celebrating 15,000 Fellows: Building Careers, Confidence, and Community Beyond the Uniform
“What I’ve learned in this transition is the importance of finding people who believe in you before you even believe in yourself. And that’s exactly what the Corporate Fellowship Program has done. This program showed me that I’m more prepared than I thought. I learned how to translate my leadership, resiliency, and experience into continued impact. I gained confidence, clarity, and most importantly, a community. The fellowship was an environment where I could grow, find direction, and start to see what’s possible beyond the uniform. I would recommend the Corporate Fellowship Program to every transitioning service member because it works, it matters, and it changes lives.” – Mildred Lara, USAA Fellow, 26-1 Cohort Graduate
As the Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) Corporate Fellowship Program (CFP) prepares for its final cohort of 2026, an incredible community of 15,000 transitioning service members has now walked this path. That number represents 15,000 individual career journeys and 15,000 service members who took an important step towards their next chapter in the civilian workforce.
Together, these fellows represent the impact of giving transitioning service members the opportunity to apply their military experience, explore new industries, and build meaningful civilian careers. Their stories are a testament to what happens when highly skilled leaders are given the bridge they need to cross into the corporate world.
Navigating the Unknown
Leaving the military is a huge life shift. For many, it means stepping away from a highly structured environment and learning how to navigate an unfamiliar civilian workplace.
“Transitioning from the military back to the civilian world can be a scary, but exciting, time. There was no boot camp to drill the civilian way of life back into you, no instructions, no checklist, no one to grab you by the hand and show you the way until programs like the Corporate Fellowship Program came along. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone while learning the civilian way of life without the pressure of knowing how I’m going to feed my family.” – Luis Rivas, Kellogg’s Fellow, 20-1 Cohort Graduate
In 2014, HOH began shifting its focus “left of transition,” reaching service members before they left the military. The launch of the Corporate Fellowship Program, a Department of War SkillBridge opportunity, was an important part of that shift, giving transitioning service members an opportunity to gain real-world civilian workforce experience during their final months of service.
Bridging the Gap Through Exposure and Community
By connecting highly skilled military talent with American businesses across a wide range of industries, the fellowship creates opportunities for both service members and employers. Employers can leverage the fellowship to connect with, evaluate, and hire military talent, while fellows receive on-the-job training, build professional networks, experience the civilian workplace firsthand, and participate in professional development.
Beyond hands-on training, the fellowship also provides something that can be difficult to gain before leaving the military: industry exposure.
“As we move forward to the next chapter of our careers, I think the 3 E’s apply – experience, education, and exposure. Veterans and transitioning service members all come with a wealth of knowledge for the first two, but having exposure is what makes or breaks the move from the first look at the resume to the final interview. This fellowship has been very enlightening and productive in that sense.” – Jimmy Chen, Disney Fellow, 23-3 Cohort Graduate
The exposure wouldn’t be possible without a network of dedicated host companies willing to open their doors and invest in military talent.
“I want to thank all the host companies for their participation, their time, and the opportunity they have provided to peek behind the curtain and learn as much about the corporate world, respective industries, and specific companies.” – Sunny Montas, Amgen Fellow, 20-3 Cohort Graduate
Related: Learn more about The Business Advantage of Hiring Veterans and Military-Connected Talent and find out how your organization can participate in HOH Fellowships.
Translating Skills and Rediscovering Purpose
Ultimately, navigating a successful transition is about far more than updating a resume. It’s about recognizing that the skills built through military service, including leadership, adaptability, and mission focus, continue to hold value long after service ends.
“This transition from military service has been one of the most significant missions of my career. I swapped my uniform for business attire, my military acronyms for corporate jargon, and my command structure for cross functional teams. The lessons learned were less about acquiring entirely new skills and more about translating the immense skills I already possessed. Perhaps the most profound lesson was the rediscovery of purpose.” – Kristopher Lentz, Google Fellow, Cohort 25-3
When the uniform comes off, finding a new sense of identity can be just as important as finding a new career.
“This fellowship was never about just finding a job. It was about rediscovering who I am when the uniform comes off. The program is proof that purpose always finds its next destination.” – Dr. Jermaine King, Baylor, Scott & White Fellow, 25-3 Cohort Graduate
“This fellowship has been more than a program. It’s been a transformative experience shaping me into a stronger, more capable individual.” – Jarrett Vereen, Boeing Fellow, 24-2 Cohort Graduate
Stepping Forward with Confidence
Across 15,000 fellowship journeys, the impact extends beyond employment. Fellows leave the program with greater confidence, clarity, and a stronger sense of what they want their next chapter to look like.
“I could say the goal is just to have a job. But the real goal is to transition to the civilian world with confidence and wisdom. The fellowship helped me achieve those goals.” – Jonathon Cardona, Merck Fellow, 24-2 Cohort Graduate
“Thanks to the program, I now have a better direction of what I want to be when I ‘grow up.’ Shifting from military to civilian life is challenging, but we did it!” – Leonor Branch, Microsoft Fellow, 22-2 Cohort Graduate
Paving the Way for the Next 15,000
To the 15,000 individuals who have embraced this challenge, translated their skills, and built a new community in the corporate workforce, thank you for trusting HOH during your transition. Your success lays the groundwork for the next generation of service members preparing to navigate the unknown.
As these alumni have shown, taking that first step can help set the direction for a successful and fulfilling next chapter.
“I can wholeheartedly say participating in the HOH Corporate Fellowship Program was the best decision I made during my transition.” – Kevin Bigelow, Tesla Fellow, 21-3 Cohort Graduate
