Driving Innovation through Disability Inclusion

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Disability Inclusion is business-critical for employee engagement, innovation, a positive culture, and organizational success.

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TODAY WE HONOR OUR VETERANS

Veterans Day November 11, 2025

Veterans Day 2025

Key resources for veterans' employment and training include the reauthorized VET TEC program for accelerated tech training, USERRA training for federal employees, and resources from the Department of Labor and VA careers. These programs focus on providing veterans with skills, protecting their rights in the workplace, and connecting them with employment opportunities. 

Training Programs

• VET TEC (Veteran Technology Education Courses): This U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit is reauthorized for 2025 and provides funding for accelerated training programs, like coding boot camps, with a focus on job placement within six months.
• USERRA Training: The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) mandates training for managers and employees to ensure veterans are not disadvantaged in their civilian careers due to service.
• FedsHireVets: This training module is designed for federal agencies and provides resources on navigating USAJOBS, understanding veterans' preference, and using noncompetitive hiring authorities. 

Employment Resources

Employers recognize the value veterans bring to the workplace but often find it challenging to connect with transitioning service members and veterans seeking employment. Veterans are in high demand so it requires dedicated efforts by employers to find and hire veterans.

• Hire Our Heroes: Founded by a Marine Corps veteran, this organization promotes hiring veterans and provides resources for both veterans and hiring companies.
• Department of Labor (DOL): Provides tools and information for recruiting and hiring veterans, such as the HIRE Vets Medallion Award Program which recognizes employers committed to veteran hiring.
• VA Careers: The VA provides resources and career opportunities for veterans who wish to continue their mission of service in the federal government.
• DoD SkillBridge: This program allows service members to train and gain civilian skills through hands-on work experience before they transition out of the military. 

Veteran's Employment and Training Services

Our Vision: To enable all veterans, service members, and military spouses to reach their full potential in the workplace.

VETS is the only federal agency whose mission is to assist service members, veterans, and their spouses with employment and training needs. Key programs and resources include: 



• Transition Assistance Program (TAP): Provides information and training to help service members and their spouses prepare for the transition to civilian life.
• Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG): Funds employment services provided by state workforce agencies, including dedicated staff (like Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program specialists and Local Veterans' Employment Representatives) to help veterans find jobs.

Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT)

The Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT) pilot program is an opportunity for veterans, veterans serving in the National Guard and Reserves, and their spouses to take control of their careers through employment-related workshops.

The OBTT allows you to move your career forward. This series of workshops is offered in-person or virtually, at no cost to you. You can mix and match workshops to meet your employment goals, advancing at your own pace.

The VETS Resource Guide (PDF) is a helpful electronic resource updated twice a year. It will help you find and access the many online resources discussed in our workshops as well as other important information.

Have questions about OBTT workshops? Contact us.

HIRE Vets Medallion Program

Recognizing employers for their investments in recruiting, employing, and retaining our nation’s heroes.

The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is the only federal-level veterans’ employment award that recognizes a company or organization’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development.

DAV Helps more than a million veterans every year.

We stand ready to provide a lifetime of support to veterans of all generations, their families and their survivors at no cost. 

DAV’s Mission Statement

We are dedicated to a single purpose: empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. We accomplish this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill; and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life.

This mission is carried forward by:

• Providing free, professional assistance to veterans and their families in obtaining benefits and services earned through military service and provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other agencies of government.
• Providing outreach concerning its program services to the American people generally, and to disabled veterans and their families specifically.
• Representing the interests of disabled veterans, their families, their widowed spouses and their orphans before Congress, the White House and the Judicial Branch, as well as state and local government.
• Extending DAV’s mission of hope into the communities where these veterans and their families live through a network of state-level Departments and local Chapters.
• Providing a structure through which disabled veterans can express their compassion for their fellow veterans through a variety of volunteer programs.

Including Disabled-owned Business in Supplier Inclusion

A disabled-owned business is a for-profit entity that is at least 51% owned, controlled, and operated by an individual with a disability. Certification as a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) allows these businesses to compete for corporate and government contracts, with programs like the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) program having specific federal contract set-asides. 

Types of disabled-owned businesses

• Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE): A business that is 51% owned, managed, and operated by an individual or individuals with a disability, including both visible and invisible disabilities.
• Veteran Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (V-DOBE): A business owned by a veteran with a disability not incurred during their service.
• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDV-DOBE): A business owned by a veteran who sustained a disability while in service. 

Benefits of certification

• Access to contracts: Certification gives businesses access to supplier diversity databases and allows them to compete for sole-source and set-aside government and corporate contracts.
• Increased visibility: Becoming a certified diverse vendor makes your business visible to corporate procurement representatives looking for diverse suppliers.
• Networking and development: Certification can provide opportunities to participate in networking and matchmaking events, access resources, and receive business development support. 

How to get certified

• Meet ownership requirements: A business must be at least 51% owned, operated, managed, and controlled by an individual with a disability.
• Provide documentation: You will need to provide proof of citizenship or permanent residency, a government-issued ID, documentation of your disability status, and various business operating licenses and legal documents.
• Apply through certifying bodies: Organizations like Disability:IN and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offer certification programs. For a DOBE certification, you can apply through Disability:IN, while the SBA provides certification for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. 

This hand painted Doodle celebrates Veterans Day, a day to honor all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The Doodle was created by Florida-based, Navy veteran guest artist, Kristin Cronic. The artwork is centered on the theme of “coming home,” depicting a commemoration wall in a veteran’s home. This tradition reminds us of our national promise to support veterans long after their military service is complete.

Disability:IN DC Metro

“Think Globally, Act Locally”

Patrick Geedes  

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Be at the Forefront of Disability Inclusion in 2026!

Promoting Inclusion

Expanding Disability Education and Awareness

Our focus is on Culture Change!

Founded in 2006

Twice honored as Disability:IN Affiliate of the Year

 Led by The Hon. Katherine McCary

Founding Chair of Disability:IN National and

CEO, Executive Director of Disability:IN DC Metro

Disability:IN DC Metro (DC Metro) is an employer-led membership-based business association that creates business to business connections, dialogue, and learning within our geographic region of Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland, an area known as the National Capital Region. Our offerings, however, are not limited to geographic location. All DC Metro corporate member employees enjoy member benefits regardless of their physical geography. You don't have to live in the National Capital Region to engage and enjoy DC Metro's Professional Development Courses and topical Hybrid Programming!

Our Vision

“Cultivate workforces and workplaces where talent with disabilities are recruited, included, promoted, retained and valued as both internal talent and innovative vendors.”

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