Growing veteran careers and businesses with DAV employment services

At DAV, employment support isn’t a one-time offering, it’s a continuum of services and partnerships that empowers every step of a veteran’s career journey.

For some veterans, that journey doesn’t stop at employment, it leads to entrepreneurship.

As a finance officer in the Air Force, Jasmine Paul helped fellow service members pay off debt and uncovered a widespread need: many people had never been taught the fundamentals of financial literacy.

After the military, she founded The Wealth Playground, a financial education company for young learners. But like so many founders, Paul struggled to find a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who understood the challenges she faced.

DAV’s Patriot Boot Camp helped her find a renewed sense of connection and accelerated the growth of her business. The program, designed to support military-connected entrepreneurs with mentorship and a powerful peer network, boosted her confidence and opportunities. As a result, Paul earned first place in a pitch competition, expanded her business offerings and gained national recognition.

She is one of many veterans who have benefitted from the multi-level employment and entrepreneur services DAV offers. Learn more about her journey by clicking here.

When military members first begin considering the next stage of their lives, DAV is there with guidance to help them prepare—whether that means accessing benefits, pursuing education or exploring new career paths.

Our job fairs provide a low-pressure environment where veterans can practice speaking with employers, build confidence and expand their professional networks. The events open doors to meaningful conversations and interviews, while offering insight into market trends, including which industries and companies are actively hiring. In 2025, DAV hosted 112 job fairs, connecting nearly 40,000 veterans and military spouses with employers. But the goal isn’t just a first job—it’s long-term success.

As veterans move forward in their careers, their needs evolve—shifting from finding a job to building a career with opportunities for growth and advancement. For those who are already employed and seeking new opportunities, resources like our online job board and virtual career fairs make it easier to explore what’s next from anywhere.

For others, success means stepping into leadership—not just within a company, but as mentors, advocates and even employers themselves. Many veterans who once searched for opportunity now help create it for others.

To help support veteran-friendly workplaces, we created The Veteran Advantage: DAV’s Hiring Guide for Employers of the Military Community. Written for companies, this guide offers practical strategies for hiring, onboarding and supporting veteran employees. It offers tools to align military and civilian roles, build mentorship programs and establish employee resource groups that strengthen long-term engagement and job satisfaction.

The guide works hand-in-hand with DAV’s Patriot Employer Award program, which recognizes companies that have demonstrated a true commitment to hiring and supporting the military community. Award winners exemplify these best practices and often have veterans in leadership positions.

That’s the impact DAV works toward every day—connecting service to success and helping the military community thrive beyond the uniform.

Whether preparing for their first civilian role, pursuing new skills, advancing in their career or launching a business, DAV’s employment programs support every stage of a veterans’ career, turning uncertainty into opportunity and connections into lasting success.