Testimonials
I was at a point where I was looking for a job for 3 months before getting out of the Marines and nothing was panning out. It wasn’t due to a lack of effort, but finding the contacts necessary to get an interview. At the retreat I devised a detailed resume which gave me direction and new perspective for finding a job. Not only was I able to meet incredible professional contacts, but also develop myself mentally for the adjustment. As a result of networking at the event, I am now a branch manager for a staffing company in Los Angeles. I have my own apartment, a cat, and really enjoy my life at this point. Once you serve in the military and make the commitment to your country, its hard to walk away and transition to a whole new life. I do enjoy it though, and I just wanted to tell you again how thankful I am for the opportunity – your program is working.
Matt H., June 2008 participant
Being a member of the first COMPASS Class I was afforded many opportunities to gain successful employment. The mentors there not only taught me key networking skills but afforded me the opportunity to use those skills on prospective employers. The time I spent working through COMPASS was a great experience, it is always a good thing when likeminded individuals with similar life altering experiences can come together and share their experiences and lessons learned. Being around those people feels like home and it’s easier to accomplish goals when everyone is working off the same page.
Josh Krueger, Cintas Fire Protection
The push to get out and land a career – that’s what I got most from COMPASS. Follow up support has been impressive. Whenever I email or telephone the VET Foundation, I get a response right away. If I hadn’t attended COMPASS, I would not be this motivated.
Tonya Sell, Petty Office First Class, U.S. Navy
The interviewing and resume skills at COMPASS were particularly valuable to me. As a former practicing attorney, these were not things I needed to be concerned with, and I was pretty rusty.
Rodney Foushee, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army
COMPASS helped me get back into life. I was able to see the perspective of others who have had similar experiences.
Chase Savage, LCpl, U.S. Marine Corps, B.S. Candidate, Mississippi State University
Networking, networking, networking – that’s Operation Real Transition biggest plus. ORT also gave me considerable perspective on benefits. Too often, veterans aren’t aware of what they’re entitled to until it’s too late.
Todd Rohr, Sergeant first class, U.S. Army (Special Forces)
Operation Real Transition opened my mind. The biggest positive was the camaraderie among the participants and mentors.
Luis Carlos Montalvan, Graduate student, Columbia University, New York City
I’ve had the good fortune of being a part of three COMPASS events as a mentor, and have grown tremendously from both the participants and my fellow mentors. COMPASS has a common thread: there’s an immediate bonding of military men and women, whether they’re active duty awaiting separation or veterans of many years. The agenda, the exercises, the information and resources – they’re all shared in a culture of genuine concern. The COMPASS experience is nothing short of enriching.
Rory O’Connor, AAMS, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments, Safety Harbor, FL
CINTAS is pleased to be working with The Vet Foundation and the COMPASS camps to help our veterans find civilian employment. It is the very least we can do after what they have done for us. Not only is it the right thing to do, but this resource provides employers with some of the best, most passionate-about-what-they-do, committed, hard-working leaders you will find anywhere.
Sally L. Hart, National Military Recruiting Director, CINTAS Corporation
The time I spent as a member of the first COMPASS Class was a great experience. I was afforded many opportunities to gain successful employment. The mentors taught me key networking skills and gave me the opportunity to use those skills with prospective employers. It is always a good thing when like-minded individuals with similar life-altering experiences can come together and share lessons learned. Being around those people feels like home and it’s easier to accomplish goals when everyone is working off the same page.
Josh Krueger, Cintas Fire Protection
COMPASS afforded me valuable networking. I was encouraged by the examples of successful vets, and the VA information was very useful.
John Holman, Sergeant, U.S. Army (82nd Airborne), Ph.D. candidate in Clinical Psychology, Palo Alto Veterans Hospital, Palo Alto, CA
COMPASS gave me a much-needed confidence boost. I was in a real rut. The experience picked me up and reminded me of my value.
Stephen Kraft, Sergeant, U.S. Army, Project manager, New York City
The interviewing and resume skills at COMPASS were particularly valuable to me. As a former practicing attorney, these were not things I needed to be concerned with, and I was pretty rusty.
Rodney Foushee, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army
COMPASS helped me get back into life. I was able to see the perspective of others who have had similar experiences.
Chase Savage, Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, B.S. candidate, Mississippi State University
Networking, networking, networking – that’s COMPASS’s biggest plus. COMPASS also gave me considerable perspective on benefits. Too often, veterans aren’t aware of what they’re entitled to until it’s too late.
Todd Rohr, Sergeant first class, U.S. Army (Special Forces)
COMPASS opened my mind. The biggest positive was the camaraderie among the participants and mentors.
Luis Carlos Montalvan, Captain, U.S. Army, Graduate student, Columbia University, New York City
I’ve had the good fortune of being a part of three COMPASSes as a mentor, and have grown tremendously from both the participants and my fellow mentors. COMPASS has a common thread: there’s an immediate bonding of military men and women, whether they’re active duty awaiting separation or veterans of many years. The agenda, the exercises, the information and resources – they’re all shared in a culture of genuine concern. The COMPASS experience is nothing short of enriching.
Rory O’Connor, AAMS, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments, Safety Harbor, FL
CINTAS is pleased to be working with The VET Foundation and the COMPASS camps to help our veterans find civilian employment. It is the very least we can do after what they have done for us. Not only is it ‘the right thing to do,’ but this resource provides employers with some of the best, most passionate-about-what-they-do, committed, hard-working leaders you will find anywhere.
Sally L. Hart, National Military Recruiting Director, CINTAS Corporation, Location 10A
