For veterans transitioning back into civilian life, there's a lot to get used to. Beyond the emotional adjustment, there's the practical side of life -- landing a job, supporting a family, paying a mortgage.
And that's where a new nonprofit organization, the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce, is stepping in.
Executive Director Saul Newton established the Chamber in September, three years after he returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
“I saw that this was something that was not being done," he said. "There was no organization dedicated to serving veterans looking to start their own business, grow their own business, and be a resource to the business community."
Since the Chamber launched, it has already added about a dozen member businesses and nonprofit organizations, either veteran-owned or veteran friendly. The hope, Newton says, is to build a community around the shared goal of putting veterans to work back home.
"Whether you're looking to work with veterans, or have veterans work for your business, the universal truth is working with veterans is good business," Newton said.
In addition to various job resources, the Chamber also offers resources to veterans looking to start their own businesses, a population Newton says is twice as likely to become entrepreneurs.
