 Oliver North.jpg)
 Oliver North.jpg)
It was an evening for heroes Nov.8, when the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club hosted the 6th Annual Heroes Gala to benefit the Jacksonville nonprofit Operation New Uniform (ONU).
Featuring a cocktail reception, dinner and both live and silent auctions, the gala attracted a large and enthusiastic audience committed to supporting ONU’s mission of equipping veterans with the skills needed to make a successful transition to the civilian business world. And no one expressed that support more emphatically than the evening’s guest speaker, retired Lt. Colonel Oliver North.
“The most important thing to veterans is to be productive – and they’re willing to work hard to do just that,” North told attendees. “They’re not looking for a hand-out – but sometimes they need a hand up.”
North said businesses should consider themselves fortunate to hire veterans, who bring a wealth of skills and experience to the business world. “These guys know more about responsibility and accountability than any CEO in America,” he said, “because they’re responsible for each other’s lives.”
A lightbulb moment
Yet despite the tremendous skillset veterans possess, it can be difficult for them to navigate the vastly different world of corporate America. ONU Founder and Executive Director Michele McManamon noted that those coming from a military background are used to having a very clear pathway for advancement as well as the camaraderie and support of a strong network of fellow soldiers.
“When they leave the service, that pathway, that camaraderie and that network goes away,” McManamon said. “It’s like being isolated and alone, without having the support you’re used to.”
McManamon told gala attendees how ONU grew out of her experience at Sandler Training and a desire to help one veteran with the skills needed to succeed in business.
“A veteran told me, ‘Once we take off these uniforms people don’t treat us the same way,’” she said. “A lightbulb went off. That’s when I realized that we needed to help veterans take off their uniform and get into a new one – a business suit.”
Since then, ONU has graduated 272 veterans from its training program – including U.S. Army veteran Eric Ford, who attended the gala with his wife, U.S. Army Sergeant Doreen Kay Ford. Ford credits the skills he learned at ONU with helping him secure a project management position.
“ONU made it easy,” said Ford, who served 27 years in the Army. “In the military, you’re used to having support; ONU fills that void. They connect those dots.”
Retired Marine Capt. Alex Desjardins also benefited from ONU. While she did not participate in ONU’s complete training program, Desjardins said she received assistance after finding it difficult to secure a new career after 21 years in the Marines.
“ONU helped me rewrite my resume,” Desjardins said. “When I sent out my new resume to Lending Bear, within 30 seconds of applying (they) called me and offered me a job.”
Navy veteran and recent ONU graduate Jeff Wallace said the program gave him the skills he needed to present himself well to prospective employers.
“There are so many skills that you don’t acquire in the military – salary negotiation, interviewing, how to read other people and understand where they are coming from,” Wallace said. “ONU gave me those skills and helped me recognize my skills and sharpen them.”
Since completing ONU’s program, Wallace has gone on interviews and says they have felt much different than before. What’s more, he noted, employers are now reaching out to him, and he is confident he will soon have a career in his desired field of education and training.
“I’m very blessed to have participated in this program,” he said. “It gives me such confidence to have such a large network of people looking out for me.”
For more information on Operation New Uniform, visit www.onuvets.org.
