The DRI Foundation created the Veterans’ Outreach Program (VOP) as a way to repay the sacrifices made by military personnel who have given unselfishly of themselves to protect our nation. We concluded that helping veterans with the challenges of transitioning from a military life to a civilian one would ease their anxiety and the uncertainty that many veterans face. We were acutely aware of how lack of employment has created a vast homeless situation for many veterans. Providing education and certification, through our non-profit organization, DRI International, as well as no-cost employment placement help is our approach to improving the lives of veterans.

The program has grown from a single business continuity course in 2016 to a combination of courses – some dedicated to only veterans and others that contain both civilians and veterans.  Having veterans attend classes with their civilian counterparts has helped reassure veterans entering civilian life.  Sharing experiences and understanding the similarities in their day-to-day activities has made veterans more comfortable in addressing the daunting task of applying and interviewing for jobs. It has also provided valuable contacts for job openings within the organizations of civilian attendees of these classes. To date, we have trained and certified thousands of veterans.

The dedicated veterans’ courses are being held at military installations that provide medical care for those who have given the most – Wounded Warriors. By bringing the instruction to them, we can provide the training they need with minimal travel inconvenience, in a setting that caters to their special needs. Additionally, we have opened the classes to the spouses of soon to be mustered out military personnel who are 100% disabled and cannot work, as a means of helping spouses enter the workforce.

As with the rest of the DRI Foundation, this is an all-volunteer initiative which receives no government support. We encourage all interested veterans to apply, and we look forward to even more veterans joining our growing ranks.