PHOENIX - The Arizona Army National Guard's Total Force Team partnered with the United States Small Business Administration Office to provide military veterans with the tools needed to start their own business. Operation Boots to Business hosted a two-day workshop at the Soldier Support Center here Feb. 8-9.
The goal of the workshop is to inform veterans of the steps, stages and activities related to launching and growing a business as a post-military career, said James Pipper, veteran business development officer with SBA.
"We want military veterans to benefit from the freedom that owning and operating a business affords," Pipper said.
Each workshop showcases a guest speaker who is a successful military veteran business owner.
"Veterans not only make good citizens, but they also make great business owners and then turn around and hire other veterans," Pipper said.
The workshop was open to service members and their families. Samantha Summerville, fiancée of Staff Sgt. Christopher Bednar, 161st Air Refueling Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, attended the training hoping to learn how to get a business started.
"This class was helpful because they provide a lot of information I can take home and apply," Summerville said. "I didn't know where to start and now I have a plan."
Another Operation Boots to Business workshop is scheduled for early April, for more information, contact 1st Lt. Steven Brown at steve.f.brown.mil@mail.mil.