PURPOSE

“In the U.S., we valorize our vets with words and posters and signs, but we don’t give them what’s really important to Americans, what really [gives purpose and] sets you apart as someone who is valuable to society—we don’t give them jobs… All the praise in the world doesn’t mean anything if you’re not recognized by society as someone who can contribute valuable labor.” - Sebastian Junger

THE CHALLENGE

Many veterans possess unique skills and experiences from their time in service. However, their main obstacle is that they often don’t know how to translate their skills from the battlefield to the private sector. This is much more than learning the vernacular of business. This is a cultural issue, a confidence issue, and a lack of private sector training.

OUR SOLUTION

We provide education, mentorship, and the opportunity for career placement. In some cases we provide capital for selected fellows to start or acquire a small business and help place additional veterans within those businesses.

CAPITAL

Many fellows, especially senior-ranking or special operations veterans, have extensive leadership experience and know how to run teams through complex processes.

Often the best scenario for these individuals is to start or acquire a small business. For example, a small plumbing company in Boise; an already profitable business that is easy to underwrite/diligence and that would be straightforward for a seasoned leader who is new to the business world to run.

The Garrison Foundation provides philanthropic loans in conjunction with oversight from seasoned mentors. After an greed upon term the fellows repay the loans so the Garrison Foundation can reuse those funds for the next cohort of veterans into perpetuity.