Business leaders provide entrepreneurial advice to JBM-HH at Vetracon 2016

Service members and their families who are interested in entrepreneurship heard from those who have "been there, done that" during Vetracon 2016, an entrepreneurial and inspirational event held March 11 on the Henderson Hall portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

Hosted by American Dream U, the event brought entrepreneurs and business leaders who volunteer their time to help those transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce to the joint base.

Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington Commander Maj. Gen. Bradley A. Becker welcomed attendees to the event.

"I got a message from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from the base commander, who told me what a powerful event this was for our service members and their families," he said. "He strongly recommended that we invite you [American Dream University] to the National Capital Region and that's what we did."

American Dream U's Phil Randazzo urged transitioning service members to reach out to service members who have successfully transitioned in order to learn from them.

"If you send them an email saying that and ask them to spend 10 minutes on the phone with you, they won't spend 10 minutes on the phone with you," he said. "They will spend hours on the phone with you."

According to its website, American Dream U is dedicated to helping service members and their families' transition to the post-military chapter of their lives.

More than 12 speakers shared with attendees how they could start their own business or land their dream job following military service.

Entrepreneur Dave Will discussed how he started his business with $2,400 in 2001.

"It's about having a vision, making a plan and executing it," he said of starting a business. "It always starts with taking action. It doesn't matter what the action is."

Speaker and Navy veteran Leon Wilde stressed that many college graduates do not find employment in the field that they majored in while in school. With that in mind, Wilde said that transitioning service members should also look outside their military occupational specialty or MOS when they are considering their civilian careers.

"You are not your rank, you are not your MOS the day you get out of the military," he said. "If you don't want to be your MOS, you don't have to be."

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Javier Vincente was among the crowd of nearly 250 on hand for the day-long presentation. Vincente said he had what he called an "alleluia moment" about transitioning from the military during the session.

"Be positive about the outcome, no matter what, especially if you are going through some rough times," he said.

Pentagram Staff Writer Julia LeDoux can be reached at jledoux@dcmilitary.com.