An Austin-based nonprofit that has spent the past decade helping veterans translate their military experience into civilian careers marked its 10th anniversary this week with a celebration that drew more than 400 former service members, employers, volunteers, and community supporters — and with impressive numbers that tell the story of what sustained, relationship-based support can accomplish for those who served.
Texas Veterans Forward, founded in 2016 by retired Army Colonel James Whitfield and clinical social worker Maria Desantis, has connected more than 3,200 veterans to full-time employment over its decade of operation, with an average starting salary of $62,000 — well above the median for veterans transitioning out of service nationally. The organization’s one-year job retention rate stands at 87 percent, a figure that independent evaluators have described as exceptional.
“When we started this organization, we knew the transition from military to civilian life was hard,” said Whitfield, who spent 24 years in the Army before returning to Austin. “We had no idea how many people we could reach if we got the model right. Ten years and 3,200 people later, I am more committed than ever to this mission.”
The organization’s approach centers on a 12-week cohort program that helps veterans identify transferable skills, translate military experience for civilian employers, navigate resume and interview preparation, and build professional networks in Austin’s growing technology, healthcare, construction, and logistics sectors. Each cohort is supported by a team of volunteer mentors drawn from employer partners who have committed to active engagement with the program.
Program graduate Jasmine Holloway, who served as a logistics specialist in the Marine Corps before joining a Texas-based supply chain management firm through the program, said the mentorship component was the key differentiator. “It’s not just a class. It’s people who are genuinely invested in your success,” Holloway said. “My mentor introduced me to my employer, wrote a recommendation for me, and still checks in on me two years later. That’s what makes this different.”
Texas Veterans Forward has built partnerships with more than 180 employer organizations in the Austin metropolitan area, ranging from small businesses to large corporations, that have collectively committed to hiring veterans through the program. Several partner employers have established preferred hiring pipelines that give program graduates priority consideration for open positions.
The organization also operates a mental health support component, connecting veterans to licensed counselors with experience working with military populations, and a financial literacy program that helps veterans build the economic foundation for stable civilian life. Whitfield said these wraparound services had been critical to the program’s high retention rates.
At the anniversary event, Governor Abbott sent a congratulatory video message and Austin Mayor Watson presented the organization with a city proclamation designating the week as Texas Veterans Forward Week in Austin. Several state legislators attended in person to honor the milestone.
Looking ahead to the next decade, the organization announced plans to expand its program to San Antonio and Fort Worth — cities with large veteran populations — beginning in 2027. A capital campaign to support the expansion was launched at the anniversary event, with early commitments already totaling $2.1 million of a $5 million goal.
