One of the hardest things to know when transitioning from the military is where to look and who to contact with all of the many questions we have.
And after we get out of the military it doesn't necessarily get easy to know who to contact.
These websites exist to connect Veterans to all kinds of professionals that want to help - whether that means career counseling, networking or helping you expand a business idea. This is especially important when moving abroad, where there is actually a HUGE Veteran community willing to support any kinds of questions you might have.
1. Veterati (simliar to eMentor) - this website started in 2015 by two Veterans looking to support 1.5 million service members coming home from post 9/11 wars. Over the following years it became one of the largest sites to link real veterans and real military spouses directly to people who can mentor them to the careers they want, making veterans and their families stronger.
You can be a mentee and receive information from industry leaders, like those at Deloitte -- and/or join as a mentor and help other Veterans looking for information you have.
2. eMentor (similar to Veterati) - this website puts veterans and military spouses in virtual touch with corporate and career mentors for guidance and support to assist in the specific challenges our Veterans and Military Spouses face today.
3. Vets in DS and ML - this data science (DS) and machine learning (ML) group is a valuable and supportive community for current and aspiring data professionals with U.S. Military experience. Their aim is to further the careers of fellow Veterans through intentional sharing of collective knowledge and experience. We support this goal through the following initiatives:
- The Veteran DS & ML Mentorship Program: A valuable and supportive mentorship program for current and aspiring data professionals with U.S. military experience.
- The Data Canteen Podcast: Ted Hallum dives into the stories of Veterans in data science/machine learning and the institutions that support them. The Data Canteen weaves a narrative journey about veterans transitioning into data science and the roads they took to enter the profession.
- Articles: A curated library of professional articles by members of our data science and machine learning community focused on technical insights and professional development.
- They also have mentoring and a slack channel for members who donate, with daily/weekly events.
3. VetSec Inc - A Veteran Cyber Security Community - they strive to offer resources to help transitioning service members and veterans move into the cybersecurity realm. They have a Slack channel, the people volunteering for this organization are international and currently, they offer the following:
- Mock Interviews
- Resume Assistance
- Mentorship
4. Defense Entrepreneur Forum (DEF) - The seeds of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum were planted in 2012 with the publication of The Military Needs More Disruptive Thinkers in the Small Wars Journal. This call to arms started DEF on the path to promoting a culture of innovation in the national security community. Originally identifying as “disruptive thinkers,” a likeminded tribe of junior Service members quickly came together through virtual asynchronous interactions, leveraging Twitter and other social media platforms to facilitate critical discourse. Essays and commentary covered topics like the state of affairs in Village Stability Operations, Air Force social media practices, and even implications of military culture for innovation more broadly.
The group has a Slack channel and is open to Veterans and current military service persons.
Keeping the legacy alive through helping our Veterans.