We Take Care of Our Own: How RallyPoint Can Help Prevent Veteran Unemployment

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - May 27, 2013) - RallyPoint, the fast-growing online professional network for the military, is now applying its innovative platform to help prevent veteran unemployment. Today the company broadened its membership to include veterans in the private sector, bridging the gap between those who are still in the military and those who have already transitioned to civilian life. Long before leaving the service, RallyPoint members can build a strong professional network, and connect with employers who understand and value their experience.

Since RallyPoint's launch last November, its membership has been exclusive to active service members, who have been able to leverage their relationships inside the military to take greater control over their careers. Now, they can connect, in private, with veterans working at civilian companies, starting with those who previously served in their same military units. "These interactions," says RallyPoint CEO Yinon Weiss, "are already happening informally long before our members begin their transition. Building networks and connections to veterans in the private sector is the best way to support a successful transition to civilian life."

To connect veteran friendly employers and military job seekers, RallyPoint is conducting a pilot program with military veterans at major firms like Lexmark, AT&T, Bloomberg LP, and others. This program gives corporate partners a way to establish their veteran friendly brand inside RallyPoint's gated military community, setting service members up for success in the private sector long before they leave the military. With just a couple of clicks, RallyPoint members can connect with veterans who share their military experience and have already successfully transitioned. No "translators" needed, since RallyPoint's bridge to the civilian world is built on personal relationships and the bond of service.

Retired Navy Adm. John Harvey, the 31^st Commander of US Fleet Forces Command and 54^th Chief of Naval Personnel, is an adviser for RallyPoint and believes the platform is a powerful game changer. "This is a tremendous network of peers who can help take care of our own, really tackling a root cause of veteran unemployment in a way that best leverages national service." Other RallyPoint advisers include former Army Chief of Staff GEN (Ret) George Casey and former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen (Ret) Norton Schwartz.

The need for a professional network among the military and veteran community is more critical now than ever. There are currently 1,020,000 unemployed veterans according to White House statistics. Meanwhile, an estimated one million military members will leave the service in the next three years, many entering the work force without the relationships or knowledge necessary to jumpstart a private sector career.

To build further momentum around this initiative, RallyPoint is also announcing a new partnership with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and Concerned Veterans for America (CVA); two prominent advocacy groups rooted in the most recent generation of veterans.

"RallyPoint's model is the right one," said IAVA Chief of Staff Derek Bennett. "As the largest community of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, IAVA knows firsthand that personal connections are the way to get things done. IAVA is excited to be working with RallyPoint to build this growing network between veterans and active duty service members. Together, we are sure to make a dent on the unemployment and underemployment crisis for young veterans in particular."

"This might be the biggest mission of our careers," says RallyPoint CEO Yinon Weiss. "Much is said about creating 'bridges' to help military personnel transition. The right relationships are the key, and those happen earlier than ever on RallyPoint. Long before transitioning, all RallyPoint members can have a strong professional military network and exciting civilian opportunities."

RallyPoint is free for military members and veterans. Qualified members should join for free at www.RallyPoint.com.

About RallyPoint
Founded by two Iraq War veterans who met first at a combat outpost northwest of Baghdad and reunited at Harvard Business School, RallyPoint is a professional military network that connects US service members and helps them grow their influence and relationships across the military and beyond. In 2012, RallyPoint was heralded in TIME and TechCrunch as "LinkedIn for the military." RallyPoint is free for members of the US military and veterans. Headquartered in the Harvard Innovation Lab in Boston, RallyPoint was selected from over 1200 new ventures as the 2012 winner of MassChallenge, the world's largest start-up competition, and placed runner-up in the 2012 Harvard Business School Business Plan Competition. Visit www.RallyPoint.com to learn more.