Listen: Brigadier General Mike Eastman, Executive Director of Onward Ops, and Andrea McCarren, President of the PenFed Foundation
Nearly 200-thousand men and women leave the U.S. Military service each year. The transition out of uniformed service can be difficult.
Onward Ops and The PenFed Foundation, both veteran nonprofit organizations, are teaming up to empower service members as they transition from military service to civilian life. Onward Ops pairs new veterans with mentors from their community, focusing on the 12 months before leaving the military and reintegrating into civilian life. The program helps service members begin new lives and stay ahead of serious issues like suicide, PTSD and homelessness. 10-thousand service members were enrolled in the program last year.