Every day in America, about 1400 people retire from military service and begin a new life, with their families, as civilians. At Transitions Skills Training, we provide job skills, entrepreneurial training and access to other critical supports to help these families adjust to their new way of living. It is not an easy thing to shift from military service into a regular life, but we are working to make it easier and more fulfilling for as many as we can, every day.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Transition Stress is the #1 challenge veterans and their families deal with as they make the shift to civilian life. It is the real culprit behind so many of the issues that lead to struggles for veterans and their families. There is so much training when someone joins the military, but when it's time to leave service, there is very little training provided for those next critical steps. By supporting Transition Skills Training, you are helping veterans and their families learn how to prepare for and manage those challenges.

We provide skills training, job readiness and entrepreneurial classes, planning tools and access to other critical services so these families can avoid some of the challenges often associated with transition; like underemployment, financial struggle, relationship issues, isolation, addiction, and depression. Managing daily life while dealing with any combination of these common stressors can be debilitating. This is why we have large numbers of veterans experiencing homelessness. This is at the root of our unacceptable veteran suicide rate. We know these are solvable problems. They may start small, but grow out of control without access to training or guidance. We are working to help fill that gap.

OUR PROGRESS IN 2023
In 2023, Transition Skills Training achieved a significant milestone, providing direct services for more than 4,000 veterans and their families. The impact of our training is significant. By helping military families acquire critical transition skills, we empower them to successfully adjust to their new civilian life with a renewed sense of purpose, real connections and to create brighter futures for themselves and their loved ones. A few highlights from 2023:

We provided training and supports for more than 4000 veterans and their families
Hosted 600+ veteran small business owners at our VetBizWeek event, with Google and the SBA
Launched a new online community on Alignable in November, already 200+ active members
Hosted the Memorial Day March at Pearl Harbor with a sold-out crowd walking Ford Island together
We want to double our impact, training at least 8000 veterans and their families in 2024

To reach this ambitious goal, we need to increase our operating budget by $20,000. Your generous contribution can make a tremendous difference in helping us reach this goal and positively impact the lives of many deserving military families.

THREE PILLARS OF SUCCESS
Our free training curriculum and support programs focus on three key pillars that make up a simple formula for successful transition - a sense of purpose, real connections and a place to call home. All of our training helps veterans decide whether they want to pursue employment, education or entrepreneurship. We help them make connections with their peers who share common interests, like music, cars, sports, etc. And we help make sure they have tools and information in order to decide what's next for their own path forward, on their own terms.

We're building new programs all year round, and partnering with more and more organizations so that, together, we can make sure veterans have what they need to forge their own new path. We know there is not one right answer for all. There are a million right answers for a million different military families. Our solution is flexible and empowers families to make their own new path. We give them the training and support they deserve, so they are able to build a productive and fulfilling civilian life, while also making good use of their time and experience wearing that uniform in service to this nation.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant impact on the lives of these deserving individuals. Together, we can create a brighter future for veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Julie & CJ Niehoff
Co-Founders, Transition Skills Training

Transition Skills Training for Military Families

Help us fund training for 8000 veterans and their families in 2024

Team Members