Veteran and Military Spouse business owners help you launch your business

B y Marguerite Cleveland

The Rosie Network is a great resource for military spouses, transitioning service members and veterans who want to start their own business or grow an existing one. It was founded by a military spouse Stephanie Brown and other veterans who were inspired by the World War II icon Rosie the Riveter and her “We Can Do It” attitude.

The mission of the Rosie Network is to “to build stronger military families by developing entrepreneurial programs and support services that empower active-duty, veterans and military spouses to realize the American Dream of small business ownership, increasing financial stability and self-sufficiency of those who have served our country.” Started in 2011 in San Diego, the network has grown and there are now many opportunities around the U.S. to participate in their signature program, Service2CEO.

Service2CEO is a recipient of the Small Business Association Growth Accelerator Award and is a free program. It is serious training and mentorship provided by experts in their field. The 16-week program consists of both in class and online instruction. During the COVID-19 crises everything will be virtual. Training includes business training in accounting, human resources, cybersecurity, sales, marketing raising capital, record keeping, eCommerce and management training. Local business leaders offer civilian mentorship. The program will also provide free website development, an assessment of your business concept, and help developing your business plan.

“The Rosie Network is a program for military spouse entrepreneurs to take their current business to a higher level or to take their idea and help it come to fruition. The 16-week program takes the students through 8 modules. Each module focuses on a area of entrepreneurship like marketing or customer personas and is led by a subject matter expert in that area. This program is completely free, and students end the program with a live graduation. Previously done in person, it has since pivoted to online instruction and graduations, which has opened the pool of subject matter experts from around the world. The JBLM Rosie Chapter launched in April and is graduating 6 students on August 19th. To graduate the students must complete mentor calls as well as compile a pitch deck to present. Also new this year, is the Rosie Alumni Chapter. Once they graduate, they can participate in the alumni chapter, opening their ability to network with other graduates and mentors. The alumni chapter hosts online learning series talks as well as a professional development book club. I have been the JBLM Rosie Chapter Lead since it launched in April and am excited to have seen the students start with an idea and see it grow. Students now have their business logos and pitch decks to take with them to investors or any sponsorship/partnership opportunity. This is such a great program and I encourage any military spouse thinking of starting a business to participate. A new cohort date will be announced soon for our area,” said Sonia Ramirez-Garcia, Chapter Head for the Rosie Network at JBLM.

The program offers one on one mentoring and peer to peer support. The program provides opportunities to attend community events and many networking opportunities. Attendees can take advantage of financial, legal, and human resource professional services. There are national events as well. The biggest benefit is being part of the Rosie Network and the opportunity to build a business profile page on Rosie’s List.

“Veteran and military spouse business owners are 10x more likely to hire fellow veterans and military spouses. By empowering these individuals with meaningful training and mentorship, we are impacting their families, their communities and our nation’s economy,” Stephanie Brown, The Rosie Network Founder. It is the largest nonprofit working to solve the military spouse unemployment crisis which is at 14-18%, 5 times the national average. According the BSF Military Lifestyle Survey military spouse unemployment costs taxpayers 1.2 billion.

Rosie’s List is like Angie’s List that you see advertised to find local businesses for your home. Rosie’s List is for military family owned businesses. As part of the Service2CEO program you have will learn how to build a profile page on Rosie’s List. It is a searchable, online database for members that helps you market your products and services worldwide. Your profile page is free and describes your business and what you have to offer to consumer. You can also include a shopping cart for direct sales. It is a huge benefit.

The Service2CEO program is highly successful with 86% of attendees reporting a minimum of 150% increase in revenue. It has a 99.5% Net Promoter rating for the program. A net promotor score measures customer experience. The highest score is 100%. Minority and woman entrepreneurs comprised 60+% of attendees.

The Rosie Network also runs the National Veteran & Military Spouse Entrepreneur Awards. The awards recognize those who are willing to take a risk and create a successful business. There are categories for new business start-ups to those for more established entrepreneurs. To learn more about the Servoce2CEO program or how you can nominate a military family business for an award visit The Rosie Network.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

By Marguerite Cleveland

Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper recently announced the winners of the 20202 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence. The program recognizes the people who work to utilize limited resources to operate and maintain U.S. military installations. There are five awards, one for each branch of service and one for the Defense Logistic Agency.

The program was established in 1985 by President Ronald Reagan who said at the time, ““I am confident that this search for excellence and innovations will yield many new and better ways of accomplishing our mission and at the same time honor those whose dedication has produced the best Defense organization in the world.” Each branch holds its own intra-service competition. Installations are evaluated on mission support, energy conservation, quality of life, unit morale, environmental stewardship, real property management, safety, health and security, communications, and public relations.

The Recipients of the 2020 Commander In Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence are:

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Drum, New York (USAG-FD)
Senior Commander: Major General Brian J. Mennes, U.S. Army
Garrison Commander:  Colonel Jeffery P. Lucas, U.S. Army

Highlights for USAG-FD include great success with energy conservation with 100% renewable-energy sustainability. They saved $1.9 million by repurposing a furniture store and food court into a After-Action Review Facilty using Public Works personnel. Other highlights include the installation of solar walls in 53 buildings which will save a projected $32,000.

Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
Commanding Officer: Captain Bradley N. Rosen, U.S. Navy

Highlights for Naval Station Norfolk include reducing energy use by 15.1% since the baseline year, Fiscal Year 2015. A new heat and power plant began operations supplying 74% of the stations steam requirements saving $6.5 million in utility costs. They reduced spills which effect the environment 66% since the baseline year. The base’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation was recognized as a 5-star accredited program.

Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, California (MCGACC)
Base Commander: Brigadier General Roger Turner, U.S. Marine Corps

MCGACC highlights included $23 million investments in infrastructure to repair major facilities. The photovoltaic system and tri-generation plants provided 83% of the bases daily energy requirements saving over $9.8 million. An environmental program saw the MCGACC partnered with a California University to rear 475 desert tortoise hatchlings, release 234 into the wild and relocate 1300 to safer locations.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska (JBER)
Commanding Officer: Colonel Patricia A. Csànk, U.S. Air Force

JBER had a tough year surviving a 7.1 magniture earthquake and the worst fire season in Alaska’s history.  Highlights include hosting the USAF’s first base-level innovation summit. They also established an innovation lab which resulted in securing over $260K to fund 22 projects. The lab provides a place for airmen to congregate and access cutting edge technology such as using 3D printing to create prototypes. When Hurricane Michael struck Tyndall AFB, 112 Airmen and families relocated to JBER where they received support from the Military and Family Readiness Center, in coordination with seven other base agencies.

Defense Distribution Depot, San Joaquin, California
Commanding Officer: Colonel Tiffany. N. Harris, U.S. Marine Corps

The Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin highlights include reducing per-fixture energy consumption by 54% by changing over 6,100 fluorescent light fixtures to LED. More than 600 employees took part in the Employer Trip Reduction Program which reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 242 metric tons. The Depot saw a 60% drop in lost-time injuries, and a 23% reduction in total injuries reported due to their vigilant safety program.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

Troops are returning to business as usual, but their children are largely left in limbo due to a patchwork approach to K-12 education and child care options. As a result, military spouses are feeling the stress as many must also return to work or college this fall.

Military Spouses Adapt, Overcome Pandemic Related K-12 Education Obstacles

Military spouses are concerned about how much they are shouldering and the sacrifices they are making due to the evolving pandemic crisis.

“I just had to make the tough decision to leave my job teaching preschool,” Becky, located on the East Coast, shared. “I love my job, but taking care of the needs of my (kids) in this uncertain time is more important.”

While military spouses are used to career and education fluctuations due to PCSing and the needs of the military, balancing their professional pursuits while also existing in a crisis state has compounded the impact. Several military spouses shared that they needed to make hard decisions about their careers and small businesses.

Katie S., a military spouse with a deployed husband, has also seen her small business change in radical ways due to the pandemic.

“I have had to take a giant step back from my business and allow my team to take over some areas I wasn’t planning on stepping away from for a few more years,” she said. “There is simply not enough time in the day, so something had to give. This is a business that I have built from the ground up over the past 3 years. It has grown beyond my wildest dreams and it is incredibly sad to step back and slow such massive growth, but my family comes first.”

Sam, who is stationed OCONUS, needs to take a step back from pursuing her college degree due to uncertainty of child care and K-12 education this fall.

“I’m in college and have switched to only online courses this fall,” she explained. “I will only be able to do 9 credits so I am not considered full time and will most likely take me longer to obtain my degree in accounting. I may end up dropping a class because there’s not enough time in the day.”

However, all military spouses shared that they were making personal and professional sacrifices to better support their families during an uncertain time.

Through a PCS, Amanda, who moved from Germany to Colorado this summer, has had to make major decisions without knowing exactly what her options would be.

“We started the Pandemic at Ramstein, Germany,” she said. “We are now in Colorado. We are learning by the day how the pandemic will impact the school year. It is very uncomfortable to return to a new school under these conditions.”

Varied Education Decisions Lead to Uncertainty for Parents

Military spouses who responded were located around the US and the world. Sam, who is living OCONUS, is relying on local day care options combined with DODEA. Katie has children enrolled in DODEA schools stateside, but must look to state-level education decisions to drive her planning for the fall. Becky also lives in the US in a region where many school districts are beginning the school year remotely, with future plans to consider returning in-person. Amanda, who recently moved back to the US, has four children with three in elementary school and one is middle school.

Sam has two children in DODEA schools, ranging from first grade to middle school, with her third child attending a local preschool. Right now, she is torn between the needs of her children in K-12 schools that conflict with her own college education and her preschooler. Sam also has a two-year-old child who is receiving services from EDIS.

“(W)e do not know how it will affect our morning routine and if I will need my four-year-old to not return to Youchien,” she said. “If my 6-year-old needs to be on the computer at 8am, I won’t be able to take my four-year-old to school for an 8:30 drop off.”

Right now, neither of her children have a firm schedule of classes and expectations. Instead, they have a general outline of their school day, which falls between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm. However, she does not know when her children will need to be “live” online or when they can work independently.

Becky knows that her older child will be attending high school online through winter break, but her younger children in elementary and middle school may return to in-person or hybrid learning sometime after October.

“The uncertainty of the kid’s schedules–virtual school for the older two until after winter break, virtual start for the elementary school child with a possibility to attend with a hybrid plan after October, a delayed start to preschool, no update to the IEP for services yet or what those schedules will look like–was too much to try to coordinate with a to-be-determined preschool schedule.”

Katie opted to pull both of her children from traditional classrooms in order to homeschool this year.

“After our experience this spring we have decided homeschool would be the best fit for our son out of the options given so I will be homeschooling him and our PreK daughter while working from home,” she shared.

Due to her PCS, Amanda has made the decision for in-person schooling if and when it’s available.

If we stayed in-place, we would have chosen virtual learning,” she explained. “My kids thrived learning at home. They were able to work at their own pace and take breaks when needed. We have no connections here. My kids will need school to help build those connections. Then maybe we will choose to return to virtual learning. But only after they’ve made connections to their teachers and built a friendship base.”

IEPs Major Driver of Education Uncertainty, Decisions for Parents

Two of the four military spouses we spoke with have children with IEPs. None are certain that their IEPs will be implemented correctly or effectively this fall. In part, their feelings are driven by their experiences with virtual learning in spring 2020.

Becky, as of mid-August, had not hear about how IEPs would be implemented. Her concern is compounded due to the fact that her child is also making the transition between middle school and high school.

“My oldest child has an emotional disability and many of his services were postponed” Becky said. “I worry about him starting high school without that last quarter of middle school to help him grow and prepare. I also worry about how overwhelming online high school will be.”

Katie’s decision to homeschool was largely influenced by her experiences of IEP assessments and services during virtual learning this spring.

“My first grade son is autistic and virtual school this spring was a disaster for us. The lack of structure and routine made it extremely hard for him to focus on his school work.”

Many children with ASD, or autism spectrum disorders, thrive with a steady routine and schedule.

In addition to receiving a disability diagnosis, Katie’s son was also stuck in IEP no-man’s-land as assessments were requested just before COVID-19 forced her child’s school to close. This paused his testing and left him without a clear education plan in place.

“He not only did not make forward progress in his education, but we noticed a drastic decrease in previously mastered skills,” Katie explained. “His autism diagnosis was made in February, we requested his IEP evaluation within a week or two of diagnosis but due to COVID we did not even begin the evaluation process prior to school closures. Due to this he had no additional help or accommodations to help him through the virtual learning process. This was all on our plates as parents to sort out on our own.”

Making the Best with the Hand They are Dealt

While Katie is powering through homeschooling and running her how business while her husband is deployed, she also acknowledges that schools are in a tough spot.

“I feel they did the best with the hand they were dealt,” she explained. “The schools are forced to work with the guidelines set by the state and had to wait until those guidelines were decided before they could make their game plan.”

As a teacher, Becky is in a unique position to understand pandemic education decisions as a parent and as an educator.

“I have significant concerns about the quality of the content that will be taught and the accountability, not because of a lack of faith in the teachers, but because this is new for everyone,” she explained. “Teachers are in a unique and challenging position planning new content and delivery and I hope we are able to support them on our end for a successful first semester!”

Amanda, also an educator and co-author of Seasons of My Military Student, is hopeful and excited about possible innovations that improve learning for the future.

“While the pandemic is a horrible reason to cause schools to shut down, I hope leadership really takes advantage of the amazing new opportunities available to schools,” she explained. “The new access to technology, learning platforms, virtual field trips, hybrid or virtual options. Let’s embrace the positive aspects of this crisis and use it to build amazing programs for kids.”

How is your military family adapting to K-12 education during the COVID-19 pandemic? Share your experiences in the comments!