Last month on October 23rd, Georgetown University and ZeroMils, a Veteran-owned social impact organization, co-hosted the first national Military Thriving Change Forum of its kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This groundbreaking event, sponsored by Wells Fargo, brought together senior leaders from across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors and created a blueprint that outlined a path forward to improve military recruitment efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The event was live streamed to the public in collaboration with CVS Health through LinkedIn<\/a> and YouTube<\/a> and spotlighted several dozen preeminent thought and action leaders dedicated to working together to help create a Military Thriving movement and change the broken Veteran narrative and misperceptions about military service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2023, the U.S. military missed its annual enlistment goals by 41,000 recruits, according to data published by the U.S. Department of Defense<\/a>. Following this decline, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Ashish Vazirani testified before Congress that \u201cthe all-volunteer force faces one of its greatest challenges since inception.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help reverse the trend, 160 leaders representing government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, higher education, and the nation\u2019s most impactful nonprofits and think tanks met at Georgetown \u2014 to create actionable, measurable plans to be implemented at community-wide engagements throughout 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The events stemming from the Change Forum next year will welcome thousands of military and veteran employees from business resource groups and small business owners serving alongside young people. Georgetown, ZeroMils and their committed partners believe this whole of nation approach will change the \u201cbroken veteran\u201d narrative \u2014 communicating a positive message of military service and influencing perceptions and propensity to serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe must reestablish trust between our national institutions and the trailblazers of tomorrow,\u201d said CEO of ZeroMils, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Schmiegel. \u201cTogether, the private and public sectors can spotlight the strengths and successes of our military and veteran-connected families. We, as a community, are thriving because of our service, not despite it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sean Passmore, U.S. Army Veteran and Head of Enterprise Military & Veteran Initiatives at Wells Fargo, said military experience and the skills veterans bring to the workplace offer tremendous value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVeterans make our company better,\u201d Passmore explained. \u201cToday\u2019s military service members are the corporate leaders of tomorrow. It is imperative that we resolve these issues impacting our military and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wells Fargo was the presenting sponsor for the 2024 Military Thriving Change Forum. Other corporate partners: CVS Health, RTX, Dominion Energy, Neighborly, DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen, Orion Talent, and Thundercat Technology are teaming up with veteran service and nonprofit organizations like Vehicles for Veterans, National University, American Society of Mechanical Engineers Foundation, Soldiers to Sidelines, Travis Manion Foundation, Five & Thrive, Military Spouse Advocacy Network, Hope For The Warriors, Wear Blue: Run to Remember, Oscar Mike Foundation, America\u2019s Warrior Partnership, Esposas Militares Hispanas USA Armed Forces, Military Family Advisory Network, The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Military Officer Association of America to create a Military Thriving movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a principal advisor and leader of the Change Forum, retired General and 36th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, George Casey said: \u201cOur goal is to create a private sector-led movement that increases propensity to serve among our youth by changing the narrative about Veterans and their families in the workplace and in society, and by projecting positive examples of military service through Veteran employee engagement with best in class nonprofits serving shoulder to shoulder with young people in local communities nationwide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s exactly what we intend to do in 2025 with the help of Wells Fargo, which made a commitment in the closing minutes of the Change Forum to sponsor four community wide events next year, in partnership with ZeroMils and dozens of partner organizations and leaders who came to Georgetown to effect greater change for our military-connected community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To learn more about the Change Forum at Georgetown<\/a> and how you can help create and be part of the Military Thriving movement visit ZeroMils website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n