Military Friendly FAQs

The Military Friendly® program was created in 2003 as an advocacy vehicle to encourage civilian organizations to invest in programs to recruit, retain and advance veterans as employees, entrepreneurs and students. This program put a scoreboard on the field where a recreational acitity was previously happening. By providing a benchmark to aim for, by posting a “score,” this program has encouraged civilian organizations who previously didn’t care about recruiting veterans to do so. We believe that this is the very cornerstone of creating sustainable civilian opportunities for veterans. Without demand for their talent, veterans are left with nothing more than periodic scraps of interest out of gratitude for their service; out of corporate social responsibility; not based in them providing real value to the organizations they join. In 2003, fewer than 20 civilian organizations submitted surveys to become Military Friendly®. Now, nearly 2,000 do. This increased demand for veteran talent has played an integral part in helping veterans achieve unprecedented levels of civilian opportunity. This has also given the program access to vast amounts of proprietary data that lets us iteratively improve programs through benchmarking and the sharing of best practices. All of this creates better outcomes for veterans in a sustainable way. Over the years, as the Military Friendly® program has shown progress in growing both the number of civilian organizations interesting in recruiting veterans and in improving the individual performance metrics of those programs.

The Military Friendly® “Pledge” is achieved when an organization commits to doing no harm to veterans and secures a CEO pledge to dedicate resources to advancing their program. The process takes only a few minutes. The Military Friendly® Pledge is valid for one year, after which the organization must attain the Military Friendly® “Designated” status or the “Pledge” status will be revoked. This “move up or out” developmental policy ensures continuous improvement and a commitment to development over time. Click here for a link to the Pledge criteria and methodology.

Military Friendly® “Designation” status signifies that an organization has met or exceeded the standards and benchmarks within the developmental program. Achieving this designation involves completing a 16-question survey, which typically takes about one hour. It requires organizations to commit resources to the program and meet both binary and non-binary requirements to reach a minimum point threshold. Click here for a link to the Designation criteria and methodology.

We strive to administer the most transparent and comprehensive professional development program found anywhere. First, we use a combination of both Public data, available from several federal agencies that monitor higher education institutions or federal contractors, and Proprietary data, gathered through the Military Friendly®® survey. Second, our full Military Friendly®® surveys consist of nearly 100 questions and covers key areas determined to be important factors in supporting military talent. This is no small task for an organization to complete; it takes several hours, so these organizations are serious about completing the survey! Third, each year, survey topics and questions are reviewed and developed with the assistance of third-party experts. Fourth, the criteria, methodology, and weighting required to meet rating threshholds is 100% transparent and can be found here (LINK). Lastly, Military Friendly®® suspends the rating of organizations who are found to answer survey questions falsely.

No! The right to earn any Military Friendly®® rating is free of charge to any employer or school that wishes to earn it, and it always has been. Purchasing a paid profile on MilitaryFriendly.com, advertising in any of our publications, or purchasing services, has no impact on earning any Military Friendly®® rating. Only organizations that have successfully met our standard can use the designation title. Organizations that receive a Military Friendly®® rating are provided a free profile page on militaryfriendly.com to make it easy for our audience to learn more about the school or company.

Disclosing or selling of personal information of users is an established business practice used by many nonprofits and for profits in every industry, including very established college entrance exam companies. It is not one used by Military Friendly® or its parent company, VIQTORY. Military Friendly®® does offer paid, third-party opportunities to individual members who opt-in to receive such offers in order to assist our audiences in exploring career, franchising, and education opportunities.

MilitaryFriendly.com is where the America connects with civilian opportunity. Organizations earning a Military Friendly®® rating on MilitaryFriendly.org are given a free profile on MilitaryFriendly.com. They can choose to promote their rating by purchasing a full membership on MilitaryFriendly.com which includes a number of benefits (LINK TO GRID). Only Military Friendly®® organizations are permitted to have a presence on MilitaryFriendly.com and in doing so, we have created a vetted marketplace.

Military Friendly® is a benchmarking organization with a developmental approach, not a compliance entity. Our goal is to help organizations develop strategic resources and programs that improve over time, creating more economic opportunities for the Military Community. In setting the standard and validating eligibility, we depend on various established federal regulatory agencies and departments to set regulations, which we then integrate into our ratings methodology and eligibility criteria. This approach allows us to stay adaptable and update our benchmarks as regulations and circumstances evolve over time. To ensure our benchmarks are comprehensive, Military Friendly® uses multiple public data sources to incorporate regulations and monitor complaints, red flags, or violations against specific institutions or organizations.

Military Friendly® provides one of the most comprehensive lists of higher education institutions across ten categories, serving as a valuable resource for veterans seeking post-secondary education. Here’s how we ensure that ‘bad actor’ schools are excluded from our list: Eligibility Requirements: To participate in our survey, schools must be eligible to receive federal veteran education benefits and meet all Military Friendly® threshold criteria. Schools cannot be considered for inclusion if they meet any of the following conditions: They do not have at least three of the following federal programs in good standing: – Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill) – Official commitment to the Eight Keys to Veterans’ Success – VA’s Principles of Excellence – Federal Financial Aid Shopping Sheet – Armed Forces Tuition Assistance (TA) Funding – DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Tuition Assistance – Veteran Success on Campus (VSOC) Program – Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Network They are not eligable if they meet any combination of these conditions: The number of veteran student complaints reported by the VA is greater than or equal to 5% of the total enrolled veterans. The school is currently or was under one or more federal precautionary flags within the last 12 months. ( “Cautionary Flags” are deterrmined by federal agencies and are not within the control or governance of Military Friendly®) Data Review Process: Before finalizing our list, we review the latest public data for red flags from databases maintained by the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor, Defense, and Education. If any school is under scrutiny by these departments, we re-examine the school’s Military Friendly® Status Eligability and scores. Since we specifically rate a school’s ability to support the military community, we may request specific data, including: Graduation and Retention Rates for Military Students Job Placement Rate for Military Students Loan Default and Repayment Rates for Military Students If this data is unsatisfactory, the school is removed from eligibility for a Military Friendly® rating for that calendar year. Survey Evaluation: Our survey methodology and questions are evaluated annually by an independent advisory council. We also incorporate updates based on new data and recommendations from a third-party research firm and advisory council. Neutral Scoring: All eligible schools, both for-profit and not-for-profit, answer the same questions about their support for student veterans and the military community. Their responses are processed through the same scoring methodology, independently tested and scored by a third-party platform. Our list remains neutral and objective. By adhering to these rigorous standards and processes, we ensure that only schools genuinely committed to supporting veterans and the military community are included in our Military Friendly® list, and to the best of our knowledge, have no ill intent or harm towards the military community.

We reserve the right to suspend or remove Military Friendly® status, including the use of the logo(s) and title, from any employer or school that fails to meet the minimum retention rate (for employers or schools), graduation, loan default, loan repayment, and/or job placement rates (for schools). This action may also be taken if the institution or company is flagged by one or more regulatory entities or fails to meet the minimum criteria or eligibility standards set for participation in the program. Additionally, we may revoke intellectual property rights and usage if an institution or corporation breaches the “Do no harm” commitment or violates state or federal laws protecting the rights of the military community. See our criteria for details.

No. We know that “one size does not fit all” when it comes to matching individuals to the right educational opportunity, and that there are lots of great-paying jobs that need to be filled with technical or skilled labor (e.g., welders, programmers, electricians, to name just a few). We permit post-secondary schools of all types to participate in the Military Friendly® Schools survey, including: traditional four-year colleges and universities, both public and private; community colleges; online degree programs; graduate schools; and specialized vocational/trade schools.

At Military Friendly®, our goal is to provide a comprehensive and impartial system that recognizes organizations for their contributions to providing economic opportunities to the military community, regardless of program types or tax filing statuses. While there is an ongoing national debate regarding the merits of not-for-profit versus for-profit schools, we abstain from taking sides in this discussion or passing judgment on a school’s tax status as either “good” or “bad.” We want to clarify that we are not a compliance or regulatory agency; rather, we are a veteran-owned organization that promotes positive behaviors and encourages organizations to enhance their efforts in delivering better outcomes for the military community. In addition to our focus on delivering an objective, data-driven evaluation, we also prioritize metrical benchmarks and exceeding industry-determined standards. These benchmarks ensure that organizations not only meet minimum requirements but also strive for excellence in their support for veteran or military spouse students. Our evaluation criteria encompass various aspects, to provide a comprehensive assessment of an organization’s commitment to the military community. Please reference eligability criteria for more details on benchmarks and qualifiers.

The Department of Defense’s voluntary education programs and Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between educational institutions and the DoD aim to offer tuition assistance to Active Duty service members pursuing further education. It’s important to note that veterans are not eligible for DoD tuition assistance. The application process for the DoD MOU is voluntary and quite extensive for institutions. Given the specific needs and requirements of students serving on Active Duty, many higher education institutions opt not to actively recruit these individuals. This decision is often influenced by the challenges associated with accommodating the operational tempo of their daily lives and assignments, as well as the unsuitability of many academic programs, policies, or requirements for remote and intermittent students. Additionally, some institutions benefit from dedicated funding, finacial resources or receive contributions from donors that are dedicated specificly to benefit Military Students. This can substantially alleviate or completely cover expenses for military students, including active duty personel, veterans, dependents, Military Spouses, military-affiliated individuals, and Guard and Reserve members. This supplementary financial assistance can make these institutions appealing choices for members of the military community. The Military Friendly® Schools list is intentionally designed to encompass a wide array of options and school types that may appeal not only to active military personnel but also to veterans, military spouses, dependents, and Guard and Reserve members. We ensure that the list clearly indicates those institutions offering eligible programs, thereby providing valuable information to all members of the military community.

Military Friendly®’s parent company, VIQTORY, is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business. Founded by, owned by, and led by veterans and their families! Our co-founders all served, so they have our military community’s best interests at heart because they are part of it! They are proud of our employees who represent the veteran and military spouse community, and all who share our strong commitment to doing better for veterans and the military community. A number of our employees are veterans or military spouses themselves. Militaryfriendly.org encourages organizations to provide more civilian opportunity to the military community and provides veterans with a list of vetted organizations MilitaryFriendly.com provides a vetted marketplace allowing members of the military community to connect with civilian opportunity. G.I. Jobs® resources, in print and online, are free to service members and veterans. G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, and Vetrepreneur magazines are trusted, valuable resources to those who are helping our service members prepare for life after the military and are distributed free to the military community.

Good afternoon, I received a forwarded email regarding G.I. Jobs® today and I was able to use the information immediately to assist a veteran. Can I be included on future emails from the organization you represent?” Ian E., Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialist, Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Enjoy your magazine each month and make sure to get it out for distribution.” Mark B., Harrison Program Support Specialist, National Guard Employment Support Program G.I. Jobs® magazine is great, it helped me during my transition. I find the Military Friendly® Employer designation extremely helpful. Viqtory & its subsidiary companies do a fantastic job. It’s true, I have a copy of G.I. Jobs on my bedside table. I have one on the desk in my office too.” Jordan M., CW3, National Guard G.I. Jobs® Magazine has provided transitioning military members and veterans with a wealth of useful and timely information and great job opportunities! Smart companies seeking to hire the best employees – veterans – know the value of G.I. Jobs® magazine brings to their veteran recruitment programs and they all seek to be on G.I. Jobs® honor roll of Military Friendly Employers®!” Charles S. “Chick” Ciccolella, former Assistant Secretary of Veterans’ Employment and Training I use GI Jobs® magazine in all my TAP classes for one reason. Every Marine and Soldier completing my class has told me the same thing: This magazine gives you everything you need to transition from military life to civilian. It’s the best magazine out there for military transitioners.” Raymond A., TAP Representative, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, US Army I am extremely motivated to recommend G.I. Jobs® magazine and it’s online resources to the military community. Every resource you have is great and has helped me tremendously throughout my transition. I believe that the companies and schools designated Military Friendly® are clearly the best. Military Friendly® should be the industry standard.” Dan M., SFC, 18 Years of Service, US Army A ‘Military Friendly® Employer’ is one who understands the commitment, potential and loyalty that comes from an individual who has served in the military. They represent the character and values embraced by the military.” Arturo D., US Army It is important to us to let our incoming students know that we care enough about how we treat military-connected students to strive for such designations. [Being a Military Friendly® School] is not a claim that we are perfect, but a promise to always strive to be the best we can for them.” Danny G., Director, Center for Adult Learners and Veterans, University of West Georgia When potential students are looking at schools, this [Military Friendly® School] designation stands out to those interested in using their VA educational benefits…” Jeanne R., Director of Institutional Research, University of Tampa When I initially began my transition from the Marine Corps in 2012, I experienced a great amount of frustration in my job search. Most of the companies that I applied to didn’t appreciate my military experience as a pilot and officer or couldn’t see how it was relevant to their particular job opportunities…However, I then discovered the GI Jobs® “Military Friendly® Employer” rankings during my transition class and altered my job search strategy to focus on those companies identified as “Military Friendly®.” I immediately experienced an increase in employer queries and interviews, which soon led to my employment with the #2 ranked Military Friendly® Employer at that time, ManTech International Corporation. I now recommend to all my transitioning military and veteran colleagues to focus their job search efforts on companies identified as Military Friendly® by GI Jobs® because those companies better understand the value that veterans bring to their companies, understand how our skills and experience translate to their positions, and are actively recruiting for us.” Charles M., Major, USMC, Ret., Director of Military Programs, ManTech International Corp. I am extremely motivated to recommend G.I. Jobs®, all of it’s resources were extremely helpful to me in my transition. Your designations should be the industry standard.” Troy E., Lieutenant Colonel, 23 Years, US Army The time I spent working at Viqtory means a lot to me. It was great to be a part of a small company that was doing big things. I developed a real understanding and appreciation for what our servicemen and women and their families go through during and after their military careers. It’s nice to know that Viqtory is there to help provide resources for all life stages of current and former military personnel and that they’re helping to raise awareness of the sacrifices being made to keep freedom free. Being part of that team, which worked smartly and tirelessly for the benefit of our veterans, left a lasting impression on me…” – Brent K., former employee I joined the military for the tuition benefits. But the number of benefits, and the many different schools available to use them, is overwhelming. G.I. Jobs® and the Guide to Military Friendly® Schools simplified my decision-making. Thank you for these great resources!” Shawn L. Continue to serve our Service Members and their Spouses with great information.” Raymond L., Military Transition Office [I work with only veterans.] I stress the articles in the GI Jobs® magazine and the Employer Magazine as a good reference. The Schools Magazines: I recommend anyone looking at further education to thoroughly review them.” Robert M., East Tucson DES Office/ Davis-Monthal AFB At Verizon, when we embarked in creating a best-in-class military outreach and recruitment program, we knew we needed to select the best resources on the media market to be seen adn heard by our target audience. G.I. Jobs® has been essential in increasing our quality hiring pipeline as well as our overall brand equity within the veteran/military and military spouse communities nationwide.” Evan G., Head of Military Programs & Veterans Affairs, Global Strategic Talent Acquisition, Verizon It’s vitally important to benchmark your policies and procedures, and to work with the industry leaders, so that you can continuous improve and raise the benchmarks to benefit all companies. Being a participant in the Military Friendly® process, has helped us both internally and externally.” Keith N., GM Military & Veterans Affairs, General Motors Earning the Military Friendly® designation has helped with promoting the Penn State Mont Alto campus. Many other Penn State campuses have been listed as being Military Friendly for a long time. It is nice to have Penn State Mont Alto not only be on the Military Friendly® list but to also be in the top 10%! There is a greater sense of pride among the student veterans and our student veteran alumni who always believed we should be a Military Friendly® School.” Kathy S., Veterans Coordinator, Penn State Mont Alto I will forever be grateful and humbled by the opportunity to work at Viqtory…I ended my military journey by helping others transition. What is cooler than that? I thoroughly enjoyed teaching others about all of the amazing ways that Viqtory helps people.” Ian F., Veteran and former employee A couple of weeks ago while getting a haircut, the barber happened to mention that he is a Navy veteran, so I told him about our company was founded by Navy vets and shared the news about Mike Stevens joining us. His eyes immediately lit up and he told me that he uses G.I. Jobs® for helpful articles and career searches while he’s looking for new opportunities. He had transitioned out early this year, and was very familiar with G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly®. He said everyone in the military knows that if you’re looking for education and/or career, GI JOBS is the place to go. Gratified about this chance encounter with a recent veteran who relies on our resources, I gave him my card and the latest copy of GI JOBS, and asked him to call me if I can be of any help. It gave me a sense of pride that simply getting a haircut could turn into an encounter like this. This veteran suddenly saw me as not just another haircut but as someone who works for a company that is beneficial to him.” Current Viqtory employee Service members need to know we are giving them any and all resources available, and G.I. Jobs® magazine is one of our greatest sought-out resources. I can not replenish [the magazines] fast enough for our service members who grab them as soon as they hit the stand. They are always in high demand and our fleet Support Center gives G.I. Jobs® two thumbs up.” Sherry P., Education Services Facilitator/TAMP Coordinator, Fleet and Family Support Center, Naval Submarine Base, New London, CT The Military Friendly® School designation means that we stand recognized for our Student Veteran supports we have in place. That if a Veteran should be looking for an education, that this designation should be a reassurance that we recognize and respect our Veteran population. It sets Erie Institute of Technology aside from the other schools in our area. Showing the community we go the extra mile for our Veterans.” Kimberly C., Director of Student Services, Erie Institute of Technology The Military Friendly® designation places California University of Pennsylvania in the company of top schools that truly value and support military service members, veterans and their families.” Christine K., Associate VP of Communications, California University of Pennsylvania While we believe that we are making great strides in assisting military-affiliated students with their transitions to student life, being recognized from an industry standard and well-known organization brings another level of credibility to Regent and Viqtory; both are essential to serving those who have served.” Bob H., Senior Director of Traditional Admissons/ Director of Military Admissions, Regent University G.I. Jobs® magazine really helped me during my transition. I would recommend Military Spouse magazine to a friend.” Justine E., E3, 2 Years, US Navy We work closely with the Viqtory team to successfully promote our distance degree programs. Our students are adult learners with hectic lifestyles. They need the accommodating, career-enhancing education options that we provide. GI Jobs® enables us to target a perfect demographic of prospective students.” Johnnie B., Marketing Coordinator, The University of Alabama, Academic Outreach College of Continuing Studies Werner Enterprises views being recognized as a Military Friendly® Gold Award Employer as an honor and a privilege. This acknowledgment is culminated from the dedication and steadfast determination to support and show the highest regard to our military members and veterans throughout the company and our communities. Werner Enterprises is also humbled by being recognized as the #3 overall Military Spouse Friendly® Top 10 Employer for the second year in a row. This distinction has not only has motivated the company to continue to do more for military/veteran spouses, but set a standard that this company wholeheartedly embraces the knowledge and experience that military/veteran spouses bring to the table…The Military Friendly® designation demonstrates to the military/veteran community that your company has proven initiatives and support systems in place to provide meaningful employment to military members, veterans, and their spouses.” Megan C., Military and Specialized Programs Manager, Werner Military students have many options to choose from and most of them look for schools who not only talk the talk but also walk the walk. Once they see that we have gone the extra mile through the designation, it puts their mind at ease when inquiring about our school. It helps us, as a school, to ensure them that they have come to the right place and we will make every effort to help them feel comfortable and be successful. Military transition is difficult enough and the stress of going to school is even harder. It is our hope that having this designation will provide them with peace of mind so they can make that first step to achieving their education goals.” Susan S., Program Coordinator, Military Education Services, Bossier Parish Community College We have very positive feedback from our clientele about your information that we have in literature racks in our front office at the Education Center.” Sally I., Guidance Counselor, USAG Ft Knox KY I find all of your brands and resources to be useful. Continue the advocacy and keep up the good work!” Anika A., E7, 21 Years, US Army There are two things that make a Military Friendly® Employer stand out from other employers: Their entire approach to recruiting is different, and they understand veterans, reservists and military spouses with have different needs as employees. Representing less than one percent of the population, we’re a unique subset. A Military Friendly® Employer takes that into account at every step of the recruiting process and employee experience…” Grant B., Marine Corps Reserves …Before I came to work here I had not yet known what it is to be proud of, not only my work, but the work of a company on a much broader and socially significant level. The cause that we represent is great; and the people who represent that cause are even greater. I am proud to be involved in the work we do, but I am even more proud to be able to do it with all of you.” Current Viqtory Employee In 2009 Viqtory launched the Buy Veteran campaign as a way to bring the success and momentum of the veterans’ entrepreneurship movement to ALL 3 million plus of America’s vetrepreneurs, the majority of whom are every day, Main Street businesses like plumbers, bakeries, barber shops, etc. Buy Veteran lets these folks tap in to America’s desire to thank and support veterans. Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s a great testimonial from one of our NaVOBA members, Lawrence Curell, owner of Better Deal Printing in Prescott Arizona: ‘I joined Buy Veteran when it first started and have also displayed the Buy Veteran decal on our office window since joining. The listing on the website has opened up a few doors that I otherwise would not have known about. We can attribute at least $30,000 in sales to the listing and the decal on our door. If you’re a veteran and own a business, you should be listed on the website as it has nothing but potential to help you grow.’” Current NaVOBA Employee

National interest in supporting those who have served and preparing our troops and their spouses for second or third careers in the civilian sector is stronger than ever—just take a look at the number of resources and services offered by businesses and nonprofit organizations alike. This increased interest has presented a new challenge, however: Where should servicemembers, veterans and military spouses turn to for information? Who should they trust?
We believe that every organization should strive to be better for veterans, but not all are there yet. Evaluating organizations against a single standard that uses data from Public, Proprietary and Personal sources allows us to compare like organizations without bias. Our Military Friendly® lists and resources cut through the clutter, offering a holistic, unbiased and objective view of education, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, regardless of the organization’s industry, program type or tax filing status. Each year, the bar is raised, as our benchmarks are set by the leading organization, not by a static set of criteria, which ultimately results in continual investment in the military and veteran communities.