The Honor Foundation helps members of the US Special Operations, such as Navy SEALs, transition back into civilian life. While Special Ops personnel have many skills that transfer easily to civilian life, such as innovation and leadership, they need to learn how to apply those skills to “killing it” in the business world instead of what they do downrange.
Partnering with world-class educational institutions, as well as the nation’s finest business leaders, the Honor Foundation (THF) provides all the support and preparation these heroes need to maximize their potential in whatever industry they choose to work. From helping them choose a career they love and utilizing their unique gifts to learning how to land a job in their new career, the Honor Foundation is there to help.
About the Honor Foundation
Founded in 2014 by Joe Musselman, a US Naval Special Warfare Command, the THF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable foundation. Its mission, “to serve others with honor, for life,” helps Special Ops personnel carry on the impact they have already made on the world.
Musselman is no stranger to the transition from Special Ops service member to a successful career in the civilian world. With experience in venture funding and business consulting, he and his staff have the experience and connections to help in a service member’s transition. Three campuses located throughout the US provide regional support.
Why Special Ops?
Special Ops personnel don’t only put their lives on the line in some of the most dangerous spots on earth. They also have an amazing set of skills, such as the ability to innovate on the fly, an agile mentality, and leadership under fire.
However, those skills often go unnoticed by potential employers unless these former service members go through a transition period in which they can learn to apply their skill set to a civilian career. With the Honor Foundation’s wide network of mentors and partner organizations, these valuable veterans enter civilian life with a set of business-tailored skills to last them a lifetime.
The Honor Foundation Program
Based on “the way Special Operators work in the field,” the Honor Foundation’s transition program helps Special Ops veterans use that field-honed methodology to learn new skills and apply them in civilian life. Through research and feedback, the curriculum leads these veterans to become outstanding performers in their new careers.
The program takes place in several phases:
- The recruitment and application process: The program recruits from a base of high-performing Special Operators that are about 12 to 15 months from leaving the service. They look for committed, enthusiastic participants who will work as a team to enrich each other’s transition. They must also commit to a 15-week course of intense career coaching, professional development, and executive education.
- The selection process: Created by a partnership of military and business leaders, the selection process singles out applicants with outstanding professional achievement, personal accountability, and responsibility to their organizations.
- The admission process: The Honor Foundation chooses those applicants whose experiences, skills, and competitive level matches the requirements of their partner businesses.
- Skills assessment: Not only does THF assess specific vocational skills, it also identifies soft skills, such as emotional intelligence, strengths, personality characteristics, and transitional readiness. That way, they can tailor each veteran’s experience to his or her specific needs.
- The “You” phase: Participants learn to talk about themselves and their military experience through the same kinds of tough questions they’ll face during interviews and presentations.
- The “Your Gear” phase: The transitioning veterans further hone their ability to frame their military experience in a way that demonstrates the benefits they will bring to potential employers. Learning how to pitch themselves and ace an interview demonstrate the participants’ mastery of this phase.
- The “Your Workup” phase: During this phase, participants research various industries and businesses that look like a good fit for their skills and interests, as well as learning entrepreneurship skills. This phase culminates in the participant’s graduation.
With a wide network of civilian partnerships looking to hire THF graduates, the Honor Foundation contributes not only to the Naval Special Ops community but also to the nation and the world. To learn more, contact the Honor Foundation online or at one of their regional campuses.
