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G.I. Jobs® Announces 2022 Student Veteran Leadership Awards

2022 Student Veteran Leadership Awards

PITTSBURGH, May 25, 2022 – G.I. Jobs® is proud to announce the 2022 Student Veteran Leadership Awards (SVLAs), an annual honor bestowed upon student veterans who are making a positive difference at their school and in their community. 

In its third year, the Student Veteran Leadership Award cohort will be published in the August issue of G.I. Jobs, distributed free in print and digital form to transitioning service members, veterans and their families across the world.

“The 33 veterans on this year’s list exemplify the excellence that military and veteran students bring to learning institutions all across the nation,” said Dan Fazio, G.I. Jobs managing editor. “They go above and beyond expectations in helping their fellow student veterans succeed. They selflessly devote considerable time and energy to making their schools and communities better places. They are the leaders of tomorrow, and tomorrow is in good hands.”

Finalists for the 2022 Student Veteran Leadership Awards were chosen by a selection committee comprising prior award winners and the G.I. Jobs editorial staff. 

This year’s award winners are:

  • Brian Neal, Arizona State University
  • Alex Ortiz, Rhode Island College
  • Desmond Hill, Stillman College
  • Thomas Fetherston, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
  • Manuel Ruano, The University of Texas at Arlington
  • Laura Kuramoto, Stony Brook University
  • Roshard Woolfolk, Professional Golfers Career College
  • Heather Thompson, Everglades University
  • Michelle Robertson, Bellevue University
  • Natasha Dixon, California State University, Fullerton
  • Krystal Merchan, Mason School of Business at William & Mary
  • Colby Milliken, Quinnipiac University
  • Hannah Porter, Southeast Missouri State University
  • Kaedy Puckett, University of Chicago
  • Maurice Henderson, Independence Community College
  • Johnson Li, Piedmont Virginia Community College
  • Tommy Thomas, Assumption University
  • Christopher Sullivan, Los Angeles Pacific University
  • Faith Shrader, William Woods University
  • Thomas Aubee, Community College of Rhode Island
  • Matthew Morris, Clemson University
  • Gregory Seltzer, DeSales University
  • Nicholas Eltman, Drexel University
  • Caleb Ray, University of Georgia
  • Nicklos Alvarado, SUNY Ulster
  • Melvin Rodas, Middlesex College
  • Janice Brennin, Old Dominion University
  • Elayna Bisby, California State University, Northridge
  • Dillon Bradley, Wilkes University
  • Rob Kudratov, Park University
  • Patrick Reagin, Eastern Kentucky University
  • Johnathon Mullins, Arkansas State University
  • Joseph D’Addosio, Elmhurst University

About VIQTORY®

Founded on the belief that veterans are better for their service, VIQTORY® is the leading marketing firm connecting the military community to civilian opportunity. Its hundreds of clients include Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and colleges that use VIQTORY®’s marketing products to promote their employment, education and entrepreneurship opportunities to the nation’s military community of veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members. VIQTORY® is a VA and NaVOBA certified service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001 by three Navy veterans. Its media brands include G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse®, and Military Friendly®. VIQTORY® offers digital and print advertising in its own media as well as managed programmatic advertising, which enables it to reach its audience on virtually any platform and any device, at the precise location and at the right time.

For details visit viqtory.com.

NASCAR Driver Jesse Iwuji Named 2022 Vetrepreneur® of the Year

2022 Vetrepreneur® of the Year

PITTSBURGH, May 25, 2022 – VIQTORY is proud to announce that NASCAR driver and veteran business owner Jesse Iwuji has been named 2022 Vetrepreneur® of the Year, a prestigious honor presented each year to one of the nation’s outstanding veteran business owners. 

Vetrepreneur® of the Year winners exemplify excellence as successful business leaders through sustained business growth, a demonstrated passion for cultivating veteran entrepreneurship and a track record of giving back to the community. 

“I had the honor of presenting the Vetrepreneur® of the Year hardware to Jesse at the Texas Motor Speedway prior to his race on Armed Forces Day,” said Chris Hale, VIQTORY CEO and a Navy veteran. “He arrived in Fort Worth at 1 a.m. on race day because he had three days of Navy Reserve duty in California. That day Jesse and his team honored a couple dozen veteran-owned businesses by designing their logos onto the car for the Texas race. Jesse is such a driven and selfless leader and example who embodies everything we look for in selecting a Vetrepreneur® of the Year.”

Iwuji’s improbable journey from the Navy to NASCAR will be told in the July issue of G.I. Jobs magazine, which features Iwuji on the cover. He began racing in 2015 while on active duty and stationed in Southern California. He has climbed the ranks of stock-car racing, from running late-model stock cars on half-mile dirt tracks to competing on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series before reaching the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2020.

But it’s not his prowess on the race track that earned Iwuji the 2022 Vetrepreneur® of the Year honor. He added the title of NASCAR team owner when he formed Jesse Iwuji Motorsports in August 2021, partnering with NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and sports agent Matt Casto to form an Xfinity Series team that includes drivers Jesse Little and Kyle Weatherman. 

The team represents the latest business venture for Iwuji, whose first entrepreneurial venture was The Red List Group, a drag racing company he formed while on active duty as a surface warfare officer in the US Navy to fuel his NASCAR dreams. In 2018, Iwuji saw another business opportunity in the country’s trucker shortage. He bought a semi truck and JBJE Transportation began hauling goods for Amazon.  

Iwuji continues to use his platform as a NASCAR driver and business owner to champion diversity and military and veteran causes. In particular, he wants to dispel the notion that all veterans return to civilian life with PTSD or other issues. 

“Let’s bring awareness to all the people who joined the military, served their time and then went on and did really cool things as productive people in society. Highlight that too because there’s a lot of those people out there everywhere you look,” said Iwuji, who still serves in the Navy Reserve.

G.I. Jobs® Announces 2022 Employee Veteran Leadership Awards

2022 Employee Veteran Leadership Awards

PITTSBURGH, April 26, 2022 – G.I. Jobs® is proud to announce the 2022 Employee Veteran Leadership Awards (EVLAs), a prestigious annual honor awarded to employees of an organization who are US military veterans and who demonstrate the finest qualities of our nation’s military, including leadership, teamwork, discipline, determination, adaptability, a strong work ethic and a can-do attitude. 

The 27 EVLA honorees on the second annual list were selected for having a positive impact on the organizations they work for, as well as the military and veteran community. These veterans advocate for the advancement of fellow veterans within their organizations, mentor other employees, and work to bridge the cultural gap between veteran and non-veteran employees. They go above and beyond by volunteering their time.

“These 27 veterans exemplify the countless veterans who leverage the hard and soft skills they learned in the military and apply them as civilians. They excel at their duties and responsibilities, go above and beyond in helping others, advocate for their veteran brothers and sisters, and set an example for those around them,” said Dan Fazio, G.I. Jobs managing editor. “We are proud to shine the spotlight on yet another cohort of extraordinary veterans whose success has been noticed by others.”

Profiles of the 2022 Employee Veteran Leadership Awards honorees will be published in the July issue of G.I. Jobs, distributed free in digital and print to transitioning service members, veterans and their families around the world.

This year’s award winners are:

  • Abrahm McCann, Arizona National Guard Family Readiness
  • Patricia Saint, Roche Diagnostics
  • Jeremy Jacobs, Colliers
  • Todd Taylor, Horn Solutions
  • Michael Revis, Builders FirstSource
  • Theresa Weber, Indian Health Service
  • Nicholas Mckenzie, New Mexico Department of Veterans Services
  • Tricia McMillin, Federal Bureau of Prisons
  • Gregory Brittnacher, Calumet County (Wisc.) Veterans Service Officer
  • Brian Kent, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL)
  • Joshua Alfing, USNR – NAVAIRTERM 207
  • Anthony Reanue, Reanue Home Team
  • Sean Flanagan, Modular Services Company
  • Michael Shaub, Sentry Residential
  • Johnnie Ross, Appalachian Power
  • Ryan Groves, National Park Service
  • Ben Gonzalez, L3Harris Technologies
  • Richard Fierro, Atrevida Beer Co. & Northrop Grumman
  • Javier Andreu, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
  • Jason Kelley, IBM
  • Thomas Smith, JCTM
  • Kyle Hatch, Samaritan Health Services
  • Derrick Williams, Mount Sinai Hospital System
  • Charles Weinberg, American Systems
  • Charles Bunch, USAA
  • David West, Nevada County (Calif.)
  • William Pishotta, Combined Insurance, a Chubb Company

About VIQTORY®

Founded on the belief that veterans are better for their service, VIQTORY® is the leading marketing firm connecting the military community to civilian opportunity. Its hundreds of clients include Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and colleges that use VIQTORY®’s marketing products to promote their employment, education and entrepreneurship opportunities to the nation’s military community of veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members. VIQTORY® is a VA and NaVOBA certified service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001 by three Navy veterans. Its media brands include G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse®, and Military Friendly®. VIQTORY® offers digital and print advertising in its own media as well as managed programmatic advertising, which enables it to reach its audience on virtually any platform and any device, at the precise location and at the right time.

For details visit viqtory.com.

G.I. Jobs® Announces 2022 Veteran Champions of the Year in Corporate America Awards

2022 Veteran Champions of the Year in Corporate America Awards

PITTSBURGH, March 23, 2022 – G.I. Jobs® is proud to announce the 2022 Veteran Champions of the Year (VCOY) in Corporate America awards, a prestigious honor presented to those who champion the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, retention and career advancement of US military veterans in corporate America.

The 30 champions were selected for the second annual list for their advocacy on behalf of America’s veterans and military employees in helping to establish and grow long-term sustainable opportunities, services and programs within their organizations. In addition to recruiting and hiring initiatives, examples include onboarding and mentoring programs, veteran network and affinity groups, bridging the cultural gap between veteran and non-veteran employees, recognizing and celebrating military service within the organization, and working with veterans service organizations and other community groups.

Those chosen for the award do not have to be veterans themselves.

“G.I. Jobs is honored to recognize these 30 individuals who work tirelessly—often behind the scenes—to advocate for America’s military and veterans in the civilian workplace. Too often champions go unnoticed because they don’t seek the spotlight. We are grateful for their efforts in promoting the services and programs that help veterans thrive in civilian careers,” said Dan Fazio, managing editor of G.I. Jobs.

Profiles of the 2022 Veteran Champions of the Year in Corporate America will be published in the June issue of G.I. Jobs magazine, a print and digital publication distributed free to transitioning service members, veterans and their families.

This year’s award winners are:

  • Lauren Moretti, American Systems
  • Tori Baires, Granite Construction
  • Luis Martinez, Texas Veterans Leadership Program
  • Anthony Gilbert, Raytheon Missiles & Defense
  • Maria Baer, Mayo Clinic
  • Shawn Durnen, NineLine Veteran Services
  • Zelda Davis, US Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Jim McMahon, Travelers Insurance
  • Tim Cochrane, Tenova*
  • Kenneth Dinkins, Georgia Department of Labor
  • Scott Haas, BGIS
  • Michael McCoy, Verizon**
  • Scott Sharp, Metropolitan Public Defender
  • Bernie Stone, Bunker Labs Des Moines
  • Al Bancroft, Camden County Veterans Affairs
  • Timothy Montjoy, Operation Teammate
  • Dr. Madeline Ann Lewis, Executive Women’s Success Institute
  • Craig Mason, American Electric Power
  • Blair Ciccocioppo, Select Medical
  • Hal Pittman, Defense Media Activity
  • Janet Hermosillo, IBM
  • Daniel Rau, Veterati
  • Cesar Ruiz, Learning Alliance Corporation
  • Yasmin Wilkinson, BP America
  • Tony Lona, Sandia National Laboratories
  • Josh Link, FedEx Express
  • Todd Wanek, Ashley Furniture Industries
  • Marcus Ohlenforst, USAA
  • Tiffany Baker, UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)
  • Laura Chevalier, Provalus
*Worked for American Corporate Partners (ACP) when nominated for award.
**Worked for Premise Health when nominated for award.

About VIQTORY®

Founded on the belief that veterans are better for their service, VIQTORY® is the leading marketing firm connecting the military community to civilian opportunity. Its hundreds of clients include Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and colleges that use VIQTORY®’s marketing products to promote their employment, education and entrepreneurship opportunities to the nation’s military community of veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members. VIQTORY® is a VA and NaVOBA certified service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001 by three Navy veterans. Its media brands include G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse®, and Military Friendly®. VIQTORY® offers digital and print advertising in its own media as well as managed programmatic advertising, which enables it to reach its audience on virtually any platform and any device, at the precise location and at the right time.

For details visit viqtory.com.

G.I. Jobs The Original Veteran Hiring Connection

Attract. Connect. Engage.

Welcome to the G.I. Jobs Career Portal: Your premier connection to transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses. Filling your talent pipeline with candidates from the military community just got easier with access to our robust career portal!

The new platform from G.I. Jobs creates an easy-to-use, central career search platform designed to connect recruiters and talent acquisition professionals to skilled, job seeking candidates from the military community. The platform leverages data and technology to connect you with candidates with the experience that fits your hiring needs.

The G.I. Jobs Career portal is your resource to engage with a community who are ready to get to work. 

Why Hire Veterans

Veterans are hard-working skilled professionals and are assets to any organization. 

Do you need someone with security clearance? Over 70% of the veteran community has or can obtain some level of security clearance.

Are you working to build a more inclusive workforce? You can reach a diverse audience through the military community. Race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and other protected classes – the military audience checks all the boxes. 

Looking to meet your benchmark numbers? As of March 31, 2021, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) veteran hiring benchmark is 5.6%. If you need to meet your OFCCP veteran hiring benchmarks, you’ll find veterans and transitioning service members through the G.I. Jobs Career Portal.

Hiring and retention of “the right people” is critical to profitability for any organization. With the search capabilities, you can filter your search to the job title, security clearance, years of experience, and more.

The G.I. Jobs Career Portal Solution

Create Your Business Profile for Free:

On our job board platform, you can create a profile for brand awareness. Upload videos and content to your profile along with jobs available.

Unlock job-matching capabilities with a paid job posting:

On our career portal you can post as few or as many jobs as you need. Start with a one-time job posting, and receive notifications when new candidates join the career portal who match your hiring needs.

Increase your odds and make your job post stand out:

We have sponsored job listings available. Email the G.I. Jobs audience with a one-time eblast.

G.I. Jobs Career Portal Features:

  • Resume Search
  • Custom Fields
  • Hassle-free Video Interviewing Capabilities
  • Built-in ATS – Applicant Tracking System
  • Job Imports and Scraping

We created a free manual to help you get started on the G.I. Jobs Career Portal.

DOWNLOAD Your G.I. Jobs Career Portal Manual

Once you’ve created a profile with in the G.I. Jobs Portal, you will have access to a robust dashboard encompassing all of the statistics you need to track and add candidates to your talent pipeline.

Get instant reporting on how your positions are engaging the community. Whether you’re hiring now, or planning for business growth and future hiring, G.I. Jobs Career Portal Insights can help inform your plans and maximize results using our real-time data. Customize your dashboards to view what matters most to your recruiting efforts.

With the features of the G.I. Jobs Career Portal, accelerating filling your talent pipeline with veterans and transitioning service members just got easier. Take a look at the backend of the career portal yourself. Get started by creating a free profile.

You’re on your way to discovering your next hire while also adding quality, job-seeking candidates to your talent pipeline.

The Great Decline: Why Schools Should Recruit the Military Community.

Enrollment has plummeted.

Hitting enrollment goals has been a formidable task Over the last Few years.

When you look at the enrollment rates, you have to wonder how on earth you can help your school recover from the last few years. More and more high school seniors are opting not to attend college, students are choosing remote and hybrid alternatives, and as a result, schools across the country, of all types and sizes, are struggling to hit enrollment goals. 

The Decline In Enrollment

The enrollment rates for higher education have been on the decline over the past couple of years and started to nosedive during the 2020 pandemic.

According to the Education Data Initiative, the number of total enrolled postsecondary students has declined 3.29% year over year, marking the most significant rate of decline in college enrollment since 1951.

Accessing Veterans To Increase Your Numbers

Typically when we’re in an economic downturn, people stick to stability. More high school students join the military where they are guaranteed a position and pay. People who are in the military already are likely to stay in rather than dive into the unknown and look for work. Take a look at the numbers for the United States Army. It’s the largest branch of the military, and it exceeded its strength goals in 2021. Why? In large part it was due to a high retention rate of current Soldiers.

Now, all of that doesn’t mean that enrolling veteran students is a lost cause. It’s quite the opposite.

The military community is made up of over 10 million across the ecosystem. That number includes veterans and military spouses and the 2.1 million active duty, reserve, and national guard members with access to thousands in tuition assistance each year. 

For the education system, that leaves a large audience of people who have funds from tuition assistance to support their academic goals while in service.

According to the Hechinger Report, a Department of Defense spokesperson said that between October 2019 and September 2020, some 236,992 active-duty service members drew on the tuition assistance benefits, which max out at between $3,000 and $4,500 a year depending on the service branch.

That’s just a small fraction of the military audience that VIQTORY can help you access. Most of the 1.3 million active-duty personnel are eligible for tuition assistance to give them a jumpstart on advancing their education. 

Veteran Student Enrollment

Members of the military community make the ultimate learners. Those who have served are organized and working towards specific goals. 

As we mentioned, the military community (veterans, military spouses, active duty, reserve, and national guard members) make up 10 million. Tap into a new talent pool of over 4 million with access to the Post 9/11 GI Bill. 

What does the Post 9/11 GI Bill mean for you?

  • Guaranteed funding to your college or university – paid directly by the US Government
  • Higher Student Retention Rates
  • A More Diverse Campus 

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Defense provide financial support for advanced education to veterans and their families. The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers their tuition and fees – nearly guaranteeing funds for your school. 

Student veterans enhance campus diversity. In a study by the American Talent Initiative, 62% are the first in their families to go to college, compared to 43% percent amongst non-veteran students. Also, 18% of student veterans are black or hispanic.

The study also reports that the average GPA of student veterans is higher than non-veterans at an average GPA of 3.34 compared to 2.94.

In a time when student enrollment numbers are dramatically low, it’s important to keep the 4 Proven Methods to Boost Enrollment in Mind.

How You Can Enrich Your Campus with Student Veterans

Since the pandemic, a lot of things are back to normal, many schools reopened on campus, some did a hybrid and included virtual education. Regardless of how your school is maintaining normalcy, you can count on VIQTORY to help you reach the military audience. Through our multi-channel approach fueled with first-party data, we will help you achieve your goals.  

Expanding your recruitment efforts is a pivotal way to enrich and diversify your school.

Our strategic advisors can find a solution that fits your school’s needs. With highly targeted digital campaigns, we can expand your reach to the military community in any location. 

East Tennessee State University expanded their advertising efforts using a holistic approach. Through the power of programmatic advertising, print, e-blasts, and a sponsored page on G.I. Jobs, more than 100 military students enrolled at ETSU during the enrollment period of their campaigns.

Connect with a strategic advisor – Find the solution that best fits your school and learn how you can make the most of government funding

  • Extend your reach
  • Drive student applications
  • Leverage our trusted G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse brands
  • Create an inclusive campus

The Spooky Way VIQTORY Delivers the Candidates You Are Looking for

You’re sitting around the table chatting with your friends about this amazing air fryer you’ve been using for the BEST chicken wings you’ve ever made. You open your phone, and out of the blue there’s an ad for that exact Air Fryer on your Facebook page. We’ve all been there. 

We’re all a bit spooked by the targeting that advertising can do. That’s why there are more and more privacy blocks that users can take. But, we’re here to tell you that Programmatic Advertising is not so spooky. 

Let’s debunk the myths so we can help you reach your target audience!

1. What Is Programmatic Advertising? 

Some of you are really familiar with programmatic ads. To put it simply, programmatic advertising uses software to buy digital ad space. With programmatic, you can efficiently optimize and accelerate your military recruitment program. At VIQTORY we use advanced targeting capabilities to reach the military community. We can help you find veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses looking for opportunities for their next career, a new degree field, business ownership, and even purchasing new products.   

We reach the community where they are – Social Media Platforms, their favorite mobile apps, and across all three of our well recognized and trusted brand websites – G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, and Military Friendly. 

2. What Makes VIQTORY Different From Others Running Targeted Ads?

We will help employers to fill your pipeline with a diverse candidate pool, colleges to find your next student, franchises to find your next franchisee, and brands to discover your next customer directly from the military community.  

VIQTORY began as a publisher with G.I. Jobs Magazine followed by Military Spouse and Military Friendly. Our First-Party Data consists of the community we’ve built through G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse – our email subscribers, social following, website views, career portal and more are the makeup for our highly targeted campaigns that drive the results you are looking for, coupled with over 100 collective years of military experience within the VIQTORY organization.   

On top of our robust military community, VIQTORY is your partner. Our team is your team. We act as your consultants with our team of digital strategy experts to collaborate on the most effective ways we can reach candidates that fit your needs.  Your business objectives are our business objectives.  

3. How Does Programmatic Advertising Work?

Not every agency or marketing company works as we do. At VIQTORY, based on your input, we create a campaign on the platform that will get you results and we make our decisions based on data.  We narrow down the audience to dynamically target the ideal people that you need to connect with to meet your business objective.

Beyond interests and demographics, we can run geo-fenced campaigns. For example, if you are running a campaign where the best candidates are in attendance at a Steelers game, we can target the fans in the stadium just based on their location. 

We know the audience well and understand the importance of ad accuracy.  We ensure each client is positioned in an authentic and genuine manner.  We’ll then choose the platforms for campaign execution and continuously optimize with various tests. 

Programmatic advertising isn’t so spooky after all. The next time you see an ad on Facebook, you’ll know that it’s because of social media you like, websites you visit, and maybe even events you attend. 

VIQTORY Introduces A New App for Veterans and Active Military

G.I. Jobs App has been released on the App Store and on Google Play.

This is pretty exciting as the mobile application is available for anyone to download and easily engage with G.I. Jobs – one of the top publication resources for transitioning service members and the entire military community.

For over 20 years, G.I. Jobs has been educating the military community on employment, education, and business ownership opportunities. And, now it’s at your digital fingertips.

G.I. Jobs app features - Download Today

Publication Archives: Users can explore the magazine for employment tips, industry intel, interviews and more. They’ll find opportunities for veterans in the publications and be able to click and connect with you. 

Event News & Registration Access: Veterans can register for upcoming events directly through the G.I. Jobs app. The Virtual Career Expo and Get Hired Workshop are currently highlighted. 

Articles, Tips, and More: Discover information on employment tips, Military Friendly® Employers, Schools and veteran-friendly franchises. The articles section includes content that helps the military community with everything from learning who has the best track record on helping veterans to practical advice on job hunting.

When you’re on the go – G.I. Jobs is right there with you. 

Download the app today.

About VIQTORY®

Founded on the belief that veterans are better for their service, VIQTORY® is the leading marketing firm connecting the military community to civilian opportunity. Its hundreds of clients include Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies, and colleges that use VIQTORY®’s marketing products to promote their employment, education, and entrepreneurship opportunities to the nation’s military community of veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members. VIQTORY® is a VA and NaVOBA certified service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001 by three Navy veterans. Its media brands include G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse®, and Military Friendly®. VIQTORY® offers digital and print advertising in its own media as well as managed programmatic advertising, which enables it to reach its audience on virtually any platform and any device, at the precise location and at the right time.

For details visit viqtory.com.

G.I. Jobs: A Reflection of The Last 20 Years

VIQTORY Celebrates the History & Future of G.I. Jobs

“It took the Navy seven years to transform me from a civilian into a P-3C Orion Mission Commander. How did they expect to turn me back into a civilian in 2 ½ days? It just wasn’t enough,” Chris Hale, CEO of VIQTORY.

After experiencing the transition themselves, three prior shipmates in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were inspired to launch G.I. Jobs Magazine to provide more resources to help veterans find successful transitions.

This was the launch of a magazine that influenced decisions in countless ways. G.I. Jobs has impacted veterans, active duty service-members, military families, legislation, various programs, and more over the last 20 years. 

The Beginning of GI Jobs, A  VIQTORY Brand

Chris Hale, Scott Shaw, and Rich McCormack pioneered the movement to help veterans get hired by providing service-members valuable job search information after seeing a lack of resources available to them. 

Mike Stevens, the prior MCPON and prior COO of VIQTORY felt similarly to Chris Hale; he said in a previous interview, “The government had invested years of intensive training to teach them their military jobs, then sent them on their way with a 2 ½ day workshop that was supposed to teach them how to be civilians again.” 

Determined to bridge the gap, the three founders launched G.I. Jobs Magazine followed by the website in the fall of 2001. Through the years, G.I. Jobs has featured endless interviews with veterans to inspire individuals in similar positions to forge their own path in the civilian world, highlighted various industries that are hiring, and featured educational opportunities across the board. 

Following the attack of 9/11, organizations across every industry were committed to veterans and joined G.I. Jobs Magazine’s mission.

Highlights for G.I. Jobs & VIQTORY Over The Years: 

Scott Shaw reflected on the transition of G.I. Jobs, “What I am most proud of is the way G.I. Jobs shared the landscape of veteran hiring. Back in 2002 this included only a handful of companies. By setting the standard and creating a widespread awareness, G.I. Jobs helped make corporate veteran hiring programs the norm. The end result is creating endless job opportunities for our troops. What we do matters, and continuing that mission is what motivates me each and every day.’” 

G.I. Jobs Magazine created waves in the veteran space and was followed by G.I. Jobs’ Military Friendly® Rating, published in 2003. The rating system helps identify and connect veterans to employers and schools that are committed to the veteran and military spouse audiences. Chris Hale reflected that, “When we started G.I. Jobs, Military Recruiting by corporate America was, at best, a recreational activity. Military Friendly® put a scoreboard on the field. That changed everything. Companies started to not only care about military recruiting, they started competing for it. When that happened, veterans benefitted.”

Connecting employers with candidates who are knowledgeable, hardworking and solutions-oriented has been the biggest highlight. We’ve had several success stories from our clients finding top-quality candidates in connection with G.I. Jobs. 

With a targeted campaign using first-party data from the G.I. Jobs audience, Canadian Pacific Railroad that produced 25% of all veteran hires!

In 2007, the Military education guide launched to help members learn about the benefits they earned during service. Schools like East Tennessee State University have surpassed their veteran hiring goals through partnerships with G.I. Jobs. During a campaign they ran with G.I. Jobs that included a holistic marketing approach (organic blogs on gijobs.com, traditional marketing, and targeted social & programmatic) ETSU attributed more than 100 enrolled military students to VIQTORY. 

The Future of G.I. Jobs, A VIQTORY Brand: 

While the G.I. Jobs’ website continues to be a paramount resource with endless information for veterans, there’s still more coming. 

Hale believes that, “The modern advertising technologies today enable us to deliver measurable and efficient matching of civilian opportunities to the military community.” With products and tools like the G.I. Jobs Career Portal, the G.I. Jobs Virtual Career Expo, and programmatic advertising, VIQTORY is connecting organizations to the military community every day. 

The G.I. Jobs Career Portal will launch with more ways to search our database for quality candidates and get notifications when candidates submit information that match your hiring needs. Your one-stop shop for veteran recruitment. 

Meet veterans at our G.I. Jobs Virtual Career Expo. This monthly hiring event sprung from a necessity to meet candidates remotely during the pandemic. It’s evolved into an event that gives organizations access to candidates wherever they are. Whether you’re hiring for remote positions or simply want to broaden your search to find qualified candidates, our past clients have found the Virtual Career Events a beneficial addition to G.I. Jobs. 

You can take G.I. Jobs with you wherever you go. The publication has officially launched on the NEW G.I. Jobs app available on iOS and Android. We’re looking for endless opportunities to create a space for veterans to use this app and create brand opportunities for organizations like yours who are committed to the military community. 

The programmatic service we provide continues to be one of the most successful ways to provide ROI. Our team of experts works one on one with you to create a seamless process to identify your target market, guide you through the best advertising methods to reach the audience, and work with you on optimizations once the campaign is live. It’s been one of the most effective ways to reach a high volume of talent. 

Thank you for your dedication to the veteran and military community. Without organizations like yours, G.I. Jobs would not be what it is today. Here’s to the future in helping the military community for the next twenty years 

About VIQTORY: For Veterans, By Veterans

Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military and veteran community to civilian employment, education and entrepreneurship opportunities. VIQTORY’s brands include G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse and Military Friendly®.

VIQTORY Announces A Campaign for Free Support Programs to Military Caregivers

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 9/24/21: Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping caregivers, has launched a campaign with Military Spouse by VIQTORY to promote their two free support programs for military caregivers, Operation Family Caregiver (OFC) and Operation Caregiver Support (OCS). There are few resources and programs specifically designed for caregivers, so these free support programs are modeled to arm caregivers with support, resources, and skills to prioritize and manage their personal self-care. 

With advertising in Military Spouse, RCI is hoping to reach military caregivers and provide assistance far and wide. Deidre Blascyk, Recruitment Manager for RCI, discovered the Military Spouse magazine when she was flipping through magazines at the dentist around 2008 and became a longtime reader. As a military spouse herself who went through the OFC program, the mission is close to home. When she was tasked with reaching the right audience, she reached out to VIQTORY directly.  

 Scott Shaw, the strategic consultant on this account, worked with Deidre to create a package that would get them results. Scott was mindful of staying within RCI’s budget and was able to run a print and digital campaign using sponsored content (blog posts on Military Spouse), an e-blast distributed to nearly 50,000 contacts in the Military Spouse audience, and a print ad for additional branding in the Military Spouse Magazine.  

 OFC is for military caregivers of all eras. It entails 8 coaching sessions to friends and family members caring for service members. OCS is an ongoing virtual support group for post 9/11 caregivers.  

 Deidre says “Both teach valuable skills, provide resources and allow the caregiver (who may not even identify as a caregiver) greater access to supports that fit their needs. Self-care is a skill. It may start with getting five minutes to [yourself] and lead to how to go back to school.”  

About VIQTORY®

Founded on the belief that veterans are better for their service, VIQTORY® is the leading marketing firm connecting the military community to civilian opportunity. Its hundreds of clients include Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies, and colleges that use VIQTORY®’s marketing products to promote their employment, education, and entrepreneurship opportunities to the nation’s military community of veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members. VIQTORY® is a VA and NaVOBA certified service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001 by three Navy veterans. Its media brands include G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse®, and Military Friendly®. VIQTORY® offers digital and print advertising in its own media as well as managed programmatic advertising, which enables it to reach its audience on virtually any platform and any device, at the precise location and at the right time.

For details visit viqtory.com.

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Over 21 years ago, VIQTORY’s co-founders celebrated the first day working at a new company with an exciting, new mission: to create vital, civilian-produced resources for the approximately 250,000 people leaving the military each year. In doing so, they introduced military veterans to previously unknown civilian employment, entrepreneurship and education opportunities.

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