Growing Your Military Talent Pipeline

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Camouflage to Corporate Conference Series
Growing Your Military Talent Pipeline

November 17th in San Antonio, Texas!

If you want a more productive, motivated and focused staff then get ready!  Forward March Inc. will be hosting our Camouflage to Corporate Conference in November!

We have spoken a lot on our news page recently about the benefits to companies who hire veteran talent. Make sure you check out some of our recent articles on this subject.

Also make sure to check out the outstanding document from Syracuse University on a Business Case to Hire a Veteran. 

IMG_1909Our Camouflage to Corporate conference, will give you the information and tools you need to succeed in hiring the very best military candidates.  Forward March Inc is uniquely qualified to bring you successful solutions based on the proven military leadership model and a systematic approach to organizational growth.  With over thirty five years of collective experience our professional team will help you to understand how to find, attract, hire, and retain high quality veteran talent.

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This outstanding conference is consistently met with great success for those who attend as our team brings a unique and proven solution set to your organization with training that is unparalleled in the industry.

– Develop a military hiring strategy that wins

– Learn a tactical and practical approach to attract, hire, and retain the best

– Get results with military leadership in your workforce

– Learn from and network with military hiring experts and organizations, with over 40 years of military hiring experience

– Learn the latest techniques, tactics and procedures for building a winning team

– Learn to improve Workspace to Workplace – reception and integration

– Learn more about the Forward March Inc Customized Military Hiring Guide and solutions that can benefit your company or organization by making the process of finding, attracting, hiring and retaining veteran talent much easier

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Our mission at Forward March, Inc. is to educate and engage employers, educators, and organizations about the development of a successful military and veteran hiring and retention strategy. We can assist you in networking and partnerships with veteran-friendly agencies so you can develop operational strategies for 2014 and beyond.

Our unwavering commitment is always for our veterans. We are a company of veterans helping veterans. Our commitment likewise extends to:

– Supporting our transitioning military members

– Supporting our civilian partners

– Providing outstanding customer service

If your company is serious about hiring veterans and enjoying the benefits of a strong veteran talent pipeline then you owe it to yourself to sign up for this exciting Camouflage to Corporate conference TODAY.

Camouflage to Corporate conference – San Antonio
Growing your Military Talent Pipeline – 2014

Date: Monday – November 17th

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Learn more and register today here… Camouflage to Corporate conference. Space is limited!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES AIR FORCE!

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The whole team here at Forward March Inc wishes the United States Air Force a Happy Birthday. The U.S. Air Force was founded on this day in 1947. Since its founding the Air Force has continually demonstrated it’s air superiority on the global theater.

At Forward March Inc we tout that “We grow leaders, organizations and bottom line like no other!”.  It is the leadership that our company possesses that both distinguishes our services and our commitment from the competition. Today is an excellent day to highlight two of our company leadership team members, both of whom had distinguished careers in the U.S. Air Force.

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Our CEO, Don Palen spent 23 years in the US Air Force, retiring in 1995 as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Service Corps (Health Care Administration).

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Our COO Randy Borg served in the US Air Force for 26 years as a Healthcare Administrator, retiring at the rank of colonel in 2008.

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Our nation has benefited mightily from the contributions of the U.S. Air Force over the last 67 years and Forward March Inc has benefited in countless ways from the leadership of these two Air Force veterans. Thank you both for your service!

You Owe it to Yourself to Look at this Career Opportunity

 fitnessfinancialsuccessAre you looking for a career where you can be your own boss?

 Do you want to work with a highly motivated team?

 Are you looking for an energized and fun work environment?

If you answered YES to any of these questions then you may very well be the perfect candidate for an outstanding career with Fred Astaire Dance Studios.

Right off the bat, this is not a multilevel marketing opportunity or anything resembling that. This is a real entrepreneurial opportunity with a real brick and mortar business.

Forward March Inc. has forged very special and unique relationships with each of our clients. It is no secret that one special relationship we have is with Fred Astaire Dance Studios. Together we have achieved some amazing things. If you are transitioning military or a veteran looking for an amazing career opportunity you need to read this article. Before you decide that this is not the career for you check out some of these interesting facts about military veterans working in our organization.

  • Fred Astaire Dance Studios has employed military veterans as studio managers with amazing success. These veterans generally had little to no experience with dance when they started with our program and now are some of the most successful managers in our organization.
  • On average successful dance studio managers earn a very competitive salary.
  • The program for veterans interested in this opportunity generally takes 3 to 4 years to move from instructor to manager.
  • Fred Astaire Dance Studios has a very successful program for managers to move onto franchise ownership, many owning multiple studios.
  • Fred Astaire Owners make six figure incomes.
  • For those who have the money to invest and who want to own their own business then they could have that opportunity in just one year.

Military veterans have done very well in the Fred Astaire Dance Studio organization, some owning multiple studio locations and enjoying a very successful long-term career.

FMI is proud to partner with Fred Astaire Dance Studios and Dancing With Our Heroes. To date we have raised more than $250,000 for wounded warriors and The Fisher House. This is an amazing program you will have the opportunity to work directly with as a member of the Fred Astaire Dance Studios programs.

Fred Astiare offers Studio Employment Opportunities. These studio employment opportunities offer the possibility of unlimited opportunity for career growth. 85% of current Fred Astiare studio owners began as teachers. Those with the skills and abilities often open a franchise within five years of starting with the company. This is possible due to the Conceptual Method of Teaching that Fred Astaire studios use combined with continuous training opportunities. Fred Astaire Studios provides everything a person needs to be a successful studio owner.

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Fred Astaire Dance Studios has a successful 60+ year tradition and a world recognized brand identified with dance excellence. There are over 150 studios across the U.S. , Europe, and Africa. Fred Astaire Dance Studios offers:

* Educational seminars (financial and business)
* Video training series on management topics
* Detailed and extensive dance curriculum
* Quality teacher certification
* Financial computer programs
* Marketing tools
* Unique method of tracking student progress
* Instant trade name recognition

Leadership Training

Fred Astaire Leadership Training Event hosted by Forward March Inc.

You owe it to yourself to learn about this career opportunity today!

FMI guarantees you the peace of mind knowing that your resume will be delivered to and reviewed by our partner companies. Please make sure that if you find positions we list that you are interested in you contact us as soon as possible, we look forward to hearing from you!

To learn more about this exciting opportunity head over to our website…click here.

Franchising Workshop for Veterans

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Bring your lunch and learn the basics of franchising and other resources for veterans. SBA representative will provide information on how you can benefit from the SBA full range of programs and special initiatives designed to help local veterans.
When:    September 23, 2014
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Location: Entrepreneurial Center – Training Room, Entrepreneur Center of Austin, 4029 South Capital of Texas Highway #110, Austin, TX 78704
Fee: Free
For Information: 512-974-7800  MUST REGISTER!
Intro to Franchise
Want to be your own boss, but aren’t willing to take on the risk of starting your own business from scratch? Franchising may be an alternative if you are an entrepreneur with limited resources or business experience. Join this educational business seminar and know the facts about starting a franchise.
Instructor: Annie Hudspeth, SBA representative, Lender Relations Specialist U.S. SBA – San Antonio District Office
Date: 09/25/2014
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location:
                  BiGAUSTIN WBC Business and Technology Center
                  5407 North IH 35 Suite 200 Austin, TX 78723
Located in Capital Plaza shopping center – Chase Bank building – 2nd floor.

Leadership Training with a Military Flair!

Leaders create the standard, enforce and execute the standard - Lead by example.

Leaders create the standard, enforce and execute the standard – Lead by example.

Leadership Development

Leader development refers to enhancing leadership effectiveness, both at the individual and organization as a whole. Leadership development activities range from MBA style programs offered at university business schools to action learning, high-ropes courses and executive retreats.

Traditionally, leadership development has focused on developing the leadership abilities and attitudes of individuals. Just as people are not all born with the ability or desire to play sports, not all people are natural born leaders. Different personal traits and characteristics can help or hinder a person’s leadership effectiveness and require formalized programs for developing leadership competencies. Everyone can develop his or her leadership effectiveness which takes focus, practice and persistence more akin to learning a musical instrument than reading a book.

Classroom-style training and associated reading is effective in helping leaders to know more about what is involved in leading well. However, knowing what to do and doing what you know are two very different outcomes. It is estimated that as little as 15% of learning from traditional classroom style training results in sustained behavioral change within the workplace.

Training For Results

Changing the behavior for maximum performance. We work collaboratively with your management team to increase your bottom line by increasing productivity while building an environment, beginning with a mindset which flows to an organizational mindset to set a new standard of excellence. Our team has extensive experience in training and development, workflow analysis, change management, leadership, and performance management. We’re ready to assist your organization in assessing goals and aligning behaviors to meet those goals.

We offer varied types of training courses tailored around your needs, ranging from one-on-one professional coaching to on-site group training, some that bring a “boot-camp” level of training style with a fun flair. Please refer to our program page to find out the best program for you.

Transformation

Developing a mission-focused mindset at all levels beginning with Leadership of team and the members of the team, aligning its energy to work together. Transformation of a team involves re-energized sense of purpose, identify, and performance of team members through a variety of proven mechanisms. These include aligning a team member’s identity (self) to the mission and the collective identity of the organization. Leaders serve as role models and catalysts for change, challenging members to take greater ownership for their work, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the team to better align efforts, tasks, and enhance operational performance.

Performance

Out performing your competitor while increasing the bottom line profit! Your team will out perform by its more effective leadership and teams who execute with precision, understanding their role and that of the team. We will change your organization’s mindset to work smarter and by leveraging the strengths (both seen and yet to be seen) of their team. An organization often has the skills, talents, and competencies it needs to push a higher lever of performance, and doesn’t have to look outside its walls to get what it already has within them.

Execution

Learn how to execute the mission effectively while building team cohesiveness and assigning tasks with clarity of role and expectation, including overcoming unexpected obstacles. Making the decision to execute and the act of execution itself is where most companies lose its competitive edge (and sliding profit margin). Turn your business intentions into action — the right action! This business essential concept is the way that increases your bottom line — it‘s completing the mission!

Motivation

Starts from the top of the organization! The mindset to change and develop your team will be the driving force to complete the mission. How do you get your team rallied around your mission and have the right attitude to embrace your new motivation and renewed commitment? Create the higher standard of excellence while changing the lives of your team and those they come into contact with, most often their colleagues and customers/clients.

Values

Core values are the guiding principles of your organization and its leaders which become a visible part of how you operate and are interwoven throughout every interaction and every member of your team. Teams with operating values and those that do not will both have visible signs of this within their organization.

We want to help find out the values of your organization to help facilitate incorporating these into your team’s foundation — your culture. Too often, companies do not spend enough time setting their values in motion, which become the influencing “force” behind all of its dealings and relationships. Values (or lack thereof) may be the root cause behind employees and organizations not reaching their full potential.

We grow leaders, organizations and bottom line like no other!

Contact Forward March Inc today!

 

Talent Pipeline Vs. Staffing

Forward March Inc Military Talent Pipeline Services - Affordable, Customized, Scalable

Forward March Inc Military Talent Pipeline Services – Affordable, Customized, Scalable

America’s military is the most educated, best trained, and highly motivated fighting force the world has ever seen. Those men and women transitioning from the military are a great national resource who can make a huge difference to any organization that has dedicated itself to hiring outstanding military veterans.

At Forward March Incorporated, we understand the true value of those who have served and we are dedicated to teaching companies how to attract, hire, and retain high quality veteran employees. While we are not a staffing company, one of the many ways we accomplish this is through military pipeline development.

So what’s the difference between staffing and a talent pipeline?

Staffing is the process of recruiting and hiring personnel with a specific set of skill sets, for a specific position within an organization. Doing this requires a dedicated team of recruiters and hiring managers who understand the exact and immediate hiring needs of the company.

For the most part, organizations do a good job of filling positions as new requirements open up, but forecasting staffing requirements proves far more difficult. It’s not always clear what future staffing requirements will be down the road. Predicting future staffing requirements requires forward thinking on behalf of hiring managers. They must account for turnover, promotions, expansions, reductions, and a myriad of other factors that impact staffing needs.

Talent pipeline, on the other hand, provides companies with a pool of qualified candidates ready to fill critical positions as they become available. A robust talent pipeline ensures the right person is placed in the right position at the right time.

Utilizing a talent pipeline is a great way for organizations to adapt to changing staff needs. A talent pipeline allows recruiters to focus on the here and now, while giving hiring managers the peace of mind knowing that the candidate pool can be turned off and on as personnel needs evolve.

FMI’s unique approach to a military talent pipeline allows us to continuously sell your organization as a great place for veterans to work. Most important of all, FMI is committed to providing our talent services free of charge to the veteran work force. Regardless of your manpower needs, let FMI fill your organization with hard working, loyal, and well trained American veterans.

To learn more visit our website and contact us today! www.forwardmarchinc.com 

~ Article written by Jason Caswell, Forward March Inc – Director of Training and Talent Pipeline Services

Happy Labor Day!

All of us here at Forward March Inc want to wish you all a happy and safe Labor Day!

“Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.” – US Department of Labor 

What better way to celebrate the labor of this great nation than by adding our nation’s heroes to your company labor mix? Veterans bring a wealth of benefits to any organization. Check out our earlier post to learn more. 


It has been an outstanding week here at Forward March Inc! We are very proud and honored to have the opportunity to do real and meaningful work helping veterans find great careers. When you bring that aspect of our work together with employers that are genuinely excited about learning how to hire veterans and build a vibrant veteran culture within their organizations, then you get the real magic that keeps us all very excited and motivated each and every day.

We have been helping companies hire veterans for over 35 years!

We have been helping companies hire veterans for over 35 years!

Hiring Veterans is not an easy task; if it were, there would not be so many different companies and institutions offering such a wide array of services and systems for how to go about doing it. What separates our company from 99% of the rest of the pack is that we have over 35 years of experience working with companies, state and federal agencies, educational institutions, transitioning military, and veterans. We are a company of veterans committed to helping veterans, and we never get tired of pointing that simple fact out.

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We here at Forward March Inc want to take the time to salute anyone who is committed to hiring veterans.

It’s an easy thing for companies to tout that they are veteran friendly, or that they have a veteran hiring plan, but it really is quite shocking just how many companies actually use this as a simple marketing ploy but actually do very little to deliver real and meaningful employment to veterans. For those companies who actually stand by their public campaigns of commitment to our nation’s heroes, we salute you! For those companies and organizations who want to be in that group of companies who want to help our nation’s heroes we are here to help you. Our solutions are unique in the industry. Our solutions are scalable, customizable, and flexible. Contact us today to find out more.

We’ve just added a Tools & Resources page to our website which we will be growing and updating continuously. We hope that the information provided on this page is useful to employers, veterans, and transitioning military personnel. If you have links that you think we should add that would provide useful information, feel free to let us know. We love to hear feedback from you, so don’t be a stranger.

Military Hiring 101 Event Re-cap

Forward March Inc Military Hiring 101 Event was a HUGE success!

Forward March Inc Military Hiring 101 Event was a HUGE success!

Forward March Inc held our first Military Hiring 101 event Wednesday, August 27, 2014. This was a highly successful training and networking event giving companies a chance to develop a strategy for hiring veterans and to begin to actually take significant steps to developing a military talent pipeline for their organizations.

The one-day event was hosted at our Forward March Inc. offices here in San Antonio, and attended by companies and their HR representatives from the San Antonio and Austin area. Jason Caswell, retired U.S. Army and the Director of Talent Resources and Training Development for FMI, conducted the training along with FMI’s president Paul Volpe, also retired U.S. Army. Forward March Inc. is in a unique position as we have over 35 years of experience in helping veterans and companies in the veteran and transitioning military hiring process. Companies in attendance were able to walk away with a battle-plan for hiring veterans, as well as a wealth of information, tools, and tips. Companies also had the opportunity to network with Mauricio Jalomo, the Army Career Employment Specialist from the Private Public Partnership Office of the U.S. Army Reserve and learn about how to hire Army Reserve personnel for their companies.

Forward March Inc is a company of veterans committed to our fellow veterans. We are thrilled to be able to work with local companies, business leaders, city and state government representatives, and educational institutions in order to bring successful hiring strategies for hiring veterans as well as for transitioning military personnel. If you did not have the opportunity to attend this event there is good news, the Military Hiring 101 event will be held quarterly at the Forward March Inc. offices. Stay tuned to this news page or our website www.forwardmarchinc.com to find out the dates for the next event. Also check out our Camouflage to Corporate conference being held this November in San Antonio, Texas. Details can be found HERE along with registration. Contact us today and we will make sure that you get on a mailing list for these events.

Why Hire A Veteran?

Hiring veterans has a wealth of benefits for your company or organization.

Hiring veterans has a wealth of benefits for your company or organization.

  • Integrity
  • Leadership
  • Teamwork
  • High level of trust
  • Communication skills and practices
  • Adept at skill transfer across tasks
  • Have and leverage advanced tech training
  • Comfortable in a variety of environments
  • Resilient
  • Professionalism under pressure
  • Self-sacrifice
  • Strong sense of honor and respect
  • Team building skills
  • Cross cultural experiences
  • Experience working in diverse work settings
  • Used to Diversity and inclusion
  • Respect for rules and procedures
  • Strong organizational commitment
  • Health and safety standard conscious
  • Triumph over adversity
  • Respect for and understanding of other cultures

Our nation is currently transitioning the most educated and well-trained group of men and women in history into the civilian job market. These military service members bring a seemingly endless list of qualifications that successful companies today are looking for.

Think about this, the average military veteran having just minimal military service and training already has skills in:

  • Communication
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Working in a variety of environments and conditions
  • Working in a diverse workplace
  • Working and problem solving under pressure
  • Taking on roles of responsibility and accountability
  • Familiarization and compliance with health and safety guidelines

Those who have served our nation bring a wealth of experience to any organization and benefit companies all over the world with their hard work, integrity, and loyalty.

Hiring veterans brings a wealth of benefits to a company or organization as cited above, however, there are also financial incentives for companies to look at hiring veterans. On November 21st, 2011 President Obama signed the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes (VOW) Act of 2011 into law. Two tax credits exist with this law. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit and the Wounded Warrior Tax Credit. These can provide up to $9,600 in tax credits. The VOW Act also provides additional assistance to unemployed veterans helping them secure employment through The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program. You can read more about these benefits to companies HERE.

Companies across the nation claim to support our nations veterans, many claim to even have veteran hiring programs, but upon closer inspection many companies actually hire few veterans and/or place them in much lower level career positions than they could be placed in. This can occur for a variety of reasons. Arguably the reason that is most prevalent is that employers have a difficult time learning the art of finding, attracting, hiring, and retaining the right veteran for the job. While the benefits to hiring veterans are seemingly endless the process of finding and hiring veterans can be a daunting task, especially to those who are unfamiliar with the military.

Forward March Inc can help your company to become successful at hiring transitioning military men and women and veterans alike. Forward March is in a unique position due to the fact that we have over 35 years of working with transitioning military and companies to place the right veteran in the right position at the right time. Our Military Talent Pipeline solutions are perfect for any size business or organization and completely scalable and customizable to your needs. We can train your organization, or we can manage your Military Talent Pipeline, or both.

Forward March Inc also realizes that part of veteran retention and bringing in more high quality veteran employees depends on a vibrant veteran culture within your company. We have worked with companies to help them to develop and foster highly successful veteran cultures within their organizations and we can do the same for yours.

Contact us today!

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USAA and Disney Veterans Institute Workshop Recap

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Forward March Inc, was proud to attend the USAA the Veterans Institute Workshop with Disney to encourage businesses to hire military veterans. The event was held Tuesday the 19th at the USAA headquarters campus and featured a variety of presentations focused on the subject of veteran hiring. The day was filled with opportunities for networking with companies truly committed to finding ways to hire veterans. Many outstanding speakers were present to include USAA CEO retired Army Maj. Gen. Joe Robles Jr., ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff and James Schmeling, co-founder of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University.  Bob Woodruff gave an inspiring talk about his experiences with the US military and shared his passion wanting to see our nation’s finest get hired. You can read more about what he is doing with the Bob Woodruff Foundation here. 

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Bob Woodruff giving a powerful talk at the Disney Veterans Institute / USAA Workshop

 

The folks here at Forward March Inc were glad to be able to attend and meet so many company representatives dedicated to hiring veterans. Forward March Inc is a company of veterans committed to helping veterans.

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Surprise guest speaker!

If you know the Forward March team then you know that the guys also enjoyed their time with “The Mouse”.

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Team FMI and Mickey

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Jason of Team FMI with Mickey.

Many companies want to hire veterans but just do not know where to begin, or they are stuck somewhere in the process. Forward March Inc can help solve your military hiring issues no matter how large or small. It is not too late to sign up for the Military Hiring 101 event Forward March Inc will be conducting at our offices.

Military Hiring 101 Event

 

Register today online (click here), space is limited and almost full!