USA Cares: Helping Veterans Find Fulfilling Post-Service Careers

USA Cares began in the Louisville area, and since its start, has assisted thousands of veterans and military families facing hardships related to service. Not only does this include financial assistance, but USA Cares goes above and beyond to provide service members and their families with post-service skills training to improve the quality of life for veterans. Their programs include the Military Assistance Response Program, Career Transition Program, Financial Education & Empowerment Program, and plenty of additional resources accessible to service members.

Most recently, USA Cares has partnered with the Fort Knox leadership team to introduce the Career Skills Program (CSP) known as the Corporate Fellowship Program (CFP). This program provides opportunities for transitioning service members to participate in an 8-week internship with local businesses to gain knowledge and experience before beginning their purposeful work in the civilian workforce.

CFP participants will spend four days a week –Monday through Thursday – at their designated employer location. On Fridays, they attend workshops with previous graduates from the program and guest speakers. Topics for the seminars include helpful subjects such as cover letters and portfolios, networking, preparing for interviews, using social media for recruiting, and other skills useful for a civilian career path.

USA Cares recognizes the challenges service members face when transitioning into the civilian workforce, providing invaluable resources for veterans and families seeking employment after a successful military career. The Career Transition Program has assisted over 100 service members in finding a career after the military, with success stories of former participants going on to be operations managers, logistics managers, and more at various fortune 500 companies. This program also helps pay for an individual’s essential expenses while they train for their new career or job.

USA Cares’ vision of stability for military families in crisis is amplified by their national spokesperson, veteran, actor, stuntman, and advocate, Bryan Anderson. Bryan’s story began when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in April of 2001. He was deployed to the Middle East shortly after enlisting on September 11, 2001, where he attained the rank of Sergeant in the Military Police (M.P.) and served two tours of duty.

Flash forward four years to 2005, when Bryan sustained injuries from an IED explosion in Baghdad, resulting in the loss of both his legs and left hand. Bryan received rehabilitation for 13 months at Walter Reed Army Hospital and is one of the few triple amputees to have survived his injuries. Because of his dedication, unmatched service, and refusal to let his physical limitations slow him down, Bryan was awarded a Purple Heart, and USA Cares couldn’t be prouder to have him as their national spokesperson.

“Bad things happen to us. It’s a fact of life. No one’s immune,” says Bryan. “We can’t always control what happens to us. The only thing we can control is how we react to it. We can choose to lie down and die, or we can choose to go on living.”

Bryan’s enthusiasm for life shows everyone how life goes on, even after bad things happen. He spends his time traveling the country, sharing his journey of overcoming mental and physical challenges with thousands of individuals, both military and non-military.

Bryan Anderson

If you’ve been inspired by Bryan’s story and are in need of help with transitioning to civilian life, reach out to USA Cares, where they are changing lives. You can visit the USA Cares website at usacares.org or call 800-773-0387. •