JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Captain Sherita Jacobs was discharged after eight years of Army life. When she tried to transition her work experience to the private sector she faced many challenges.
She would end up taking an entry-level position just to have a job.
"Taking that position was humbling," Jacobs said.
But her grit and determination would eventually forge a path to a better position. She would rise to management through a national sales director position, but then came a company layoff.
Jacobs, a wife and mother, would find the job search difficult all over again.
"[I was] constantly filling out application after application," she said. "Getting no response."
The Captain would take her MBA and work experience and turn to Operation New Uniform to help her find her path and a new career.
"It was what I needed to regain the confidence that I lost," Jacobs said.
She graduated from ONU's program and is now the Director of Veteran Training.
"I know what the pain is like to constantly send out resumes and [get] no callback," Jacobs said.
Operation New Uniform was created in 2014 by Michele McManamon and her husband when they saw the need to help veterans connect.
"Sometimes they come to us and they don't even know what to do when they leave the military," McManamon said.
The executive director said they're not recruiters, their expertise is helping veterans connect with businesses.
She said they know they are making a difference.
"I can't wait and my staff is the same way we can't wait to go to work every day," McManamon said.
The program is a three and a half week training program that is free to all veterans.
So who pays for it?
McManamon said community support and their annual fundraising event.
The fundraiser is called the Heroes Gala. This year it is being held at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. on Nov. 8.
McManamon said the speaker for this year's Heroes Gala is Retired Marine Officer Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North.
"We have a 96 percent success rate of them getting careers when they graduate our program within four months," she said.
So far 272 veterans have graduated from Operation New Uniform's program. The next graduation is scheduled for Nov. 22.
McManamon said the plan is to expand the program to three other cities with veteran communities. She said the need is there.