There are more than 18 million veterans across the United States—and many of them, along with military spouses, are currently unemployed—or, in other cases, underemployed or undereducated.

The transition to civilian or corporate employment has its own challenges, as well—challenges that must be addressed in order to ensure our veteran and military populations can find their fit within our workforce. From identifying potential gaps in the hiring process to translating skills and even navigating the emotional pulls of discouragement and motivation, the Veteran Employment Summit was designed to address all challenges associated with the transition process, as well as uncover opportunities for job-seeking veterans and military spouses and employee-seeking companies.

This free conference, held on Friday, September 13, 2024, will focus on transition employment—for transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses. All attendees will have access to a free CareerChoice GPS Career Assessment, courtesy of SmartWork Network. Hiring companies are invited to attend.

THERE'S STILL TIME TO REGISTER!

THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 SPONSORS

THE LINEUP

8:30 a.m. Registration

Come on in, grab your nametag and program, and a little coffee while you meet other attendees and settle in for a great event!

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9:00 a.m. Opening Session

Get a run-through of the day's events, meet our sponsors, and hear a few words on how to make the most of this great experience!

9:30 a.m. Keynote : Unlocking Your True Identity

Break down your current thoughts in who you are and your value to those around you, then dig into your potential and unlock the negative thoughts that hold you back from greatness!

About the Speaker: Riley Tejcek is an active duty Marine Officer currently deployed in Iraq that is also a member of Team USA Bobsled inspiring to be in the 2026 Winter Olympics. She is passionate about giving back to our military and veteran community to inspire as many people as possible to unlock their potential in life.

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10:30 a.m. Panel : Beyond the Battlefield: The Most In-Demand Career Paths

If you're on the job hunt and not sure where to start, start with this exploration of job and hiring trends that explores some of the most in-demand industries at this time.

About the Speaker:

Experts in manufacturing, healthcare, utilities and cybersecurity all discuss what to expect out of these industries, how to get in, and how to make it. your new career.

12 noon Lunch (On Your Own)

From the Cartwright Food Hall to Wild Aces Pizza, explore all the restaurants within walking distance in downtown Greer. When you return, make sure to stop by the Expo hall to check out our resources and partner organizations.

1:30 p.m. Session Block 1: Your Next Mission: Making the Move from Military to Civilian Employment

Many of the skills learned in the military are transferrable to careers in the material handling industry. Learn how to identify and market those skills to obtain a career in one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.

About the Speakers: Catie Beth Bishop is a corporate recruiter at Carolina Handling, providing talent acquisition strategy, full cycle recruiting and operational support to the Intralogistics Solutions Group, corporate internal support functions including finance and accounting, IT, human resources, learning and development, continuous improvement and internal operations. Lauren Campbell is a corporate recruiter at Carolina Handling, providing talent acquisition strategy, full cycle recruiting and operational support for the Carolina Handling service team.

1:30 p.m. Session Block 1B : Operation Chaos Cleanup: Military Family Support that actually works!

When it comes to the military family, there are a lot of moving parts that can often go unnoticed. In this session, Jamie Chapman breaks down what military support should really look and feel like—and how to navigate a chaotic process in a way that supports everyone involved.

About the Speaker: Jaime Chapman is one of the original Co-Founders and Chief Operating Officer of the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce. Her professional background is in military affairs and talent acquisition at Amazon, Director of Military Affairs & Diversity Initiatives for ROI Training, and as a human capital entrepreneur where she successfully placed over 1,600 jobseekers in careers, creating an economic impact totaling over $112 million. Jaime has achieved recognition for: #1 Military Spouse Owned Business Overall Award by Military and Veteran’s Choice in September 2019 at the Military Influencer Conference in DC. 2020-2021 Armed Forces Insurance US Army Garrison Wiesbaden Military Spouse of the Year Award. 2022 Fort Hood Local Business Person of the Year, Alignable Scholar, George W. Bush Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program, Class of 2021. Jaime served in the Army Reserves for 6-years, and is currently an active duty Army spouse with her family stationed in Texas. She is a proud advocate for the military community, actively working to reduce military spouse unemployment and underemployement. In addition to her work at the Military Spouse Chamber, Jaime provides professional speaking and consulting services for organizations who are looking to hire, retain, and promote military spouse and veteran talent.

2: 30 p.m. Session Block 2 : How to Land

In this motivational session, Rachelle Waite-Bey uses her own experiences on Air Force 2 and beyond to highlight the importance of creating a soft landing after service.

About the Speaker: Rachelle Waite-Bey is originally from New Jersey and is an USAF Veteran. She is a granddaughter to one of the developers and designers of the gaming console Atari and likes to say technology is in her DNA! Rachelle’s military duties included supporting Air Force 2 as a flight attendant and her last duty station was in support of the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe (SACEUR), as one of the three hand selected flight attendants to support the NATO Command. In both roles Rachelle flew on Special Air Missions to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2020 Rachelle registered WAITE SLTS, a cybersecurity consultant firm, in the State of South Carolina where she assisted DOD clients with their corporate security compliance needs and is a highly sought after cybersecurity professional.

2: 30 p.m. Session Block 2B : Something is Missing: Get out of Survival Mode and Thrive in Meaning

Change is hard, and the transition process—whether out of service into a new career path or any other significant life change—can weigh heavy and leave you feeling lost and directionless. In this session, we'll explore what humans need to thrive—and how to identify and address the gaps you may be feeling in your shift.

About the Speaker: Jordana Megonigal is CEO and Founder of The RECON Network. After losing her grandfather, a WWII veteran who served in Iwo Jima, she discovered that not all in the post-military life was what it seemed, and followed a path to discover how to help more veterans and military spouses find meaning and direction after service.

3:30 p.m. Session Block 3: Networking for your Corporate Landing (presented by Coffee with Veterans)

Ready to level up or make the jump from military service to the corporate world? In "Networking for Your Corporate Landing," we’ll break down the essentials of networking, from crafting your elevator pitch to building connections that open doors. Whether you're eyeing a promotion or a whole new career, this class is your roadmap to navigating the corporate landscape with the skills you already have. Join us and learn how to turn your military experience into your next big opportunity!

3:30 p.m. Session Block 3B: Does Company Size Matter? The Hiring Process at Scale

This panel discussion, comprised of small, medium and large companies, discusses the differences you may see in the hiring process, as well as tips on how to navigate them.

4:30 p.m. Hops & Handshakes Networking

Now that the day is done, grab a beer or glass of wine and get to know more about all the connections you've made along the way!

THE LOCATION

This year, the VET Summit comes back to it's first, in-person summit since the pandemic—hosted in the City of Greer's Convention Center.

Greer Convention Center

301 E. Poinsett St

Greer, SC 29651

Reasons You Should Join us at

THE 2024 VET SUMMIT

The RECON Network's 2024 VET SUMMIT is a great way to hear expert insights, build your network, connect with hiring companies and learn more about the transition process.

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BOTH LIVE AND VIRTUAL OPTIONS

After four years on our virtual event platform, the 2024 VET Summit will once again be in-person! But for those who can't make it all the way to one of the Best Places to Visit (according to CNN, Travel & Leisure and a TON of others)—we'll still be seeing you online with networking, icebreaking, great speakers, a sponsor expo, and more!

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FREE CAREER ASSESSMENT FOR JOB SEEKERS

For job-seeking veterans and military spouses who register, The RECON Network is committed to provide a free CareerChoice GPS assessment, courtesy of our sponsor, SmartWork Network. This highly-predictive assessment is what we use in all our services to help seekers find their "natural" job fit.

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BUILD A NETWORK THAT WORKS

If you're looking to connect with job seekers, leaders from local Veteran Service Organizations or with companies who are looking to hire and retain service members in their companies, you've come to the right place! Of course, even if that's not your goal, you'll still have a great time here!

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INSIGHTS FROM THOSE WHO KNOW

From Paralympians to the "Top Brass" at a number of different veteran- and military-focused organizations, The RECON Network has speakers who know what they are talking about. The best part? It's not all about the job search; it's about you rediscovering "you" in a different way after service.

WHY SPONSOR THE VET SUMMIT?

If your company is hiring veterans, you have a product or service you want to get into the post-military community, or you just want to show some love to the post-military community and support causes that serve them, we’d love to have you as a sponsor of this event!

Because all tickets to the VET Summit are free to veterans, military spouses and hiring companies—sponsors are how we are able to keep this in-demand conference going year after year. In short: we need you.

But there's a lot in it for you, too. For example:

  • Hundreds of veterans, military spouses, hiring companies and veteran advocates connect with your brand—in person and online

  • Special benefits include expo space, speaking opportunities, and even admission to the Night at the Canteen gala event.

  • Support the veterans served by The RECON Network's services, resources and events.

Don't Miss it!

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Contact Us

Call us at: +1 877-716-8775

Email us at: [email protected]

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