Summary Brian Heffernan joined the United States Army in May 1998 at the age of 21. He did not have a plan. He had a baby on the way. Twenty-two years, one Audie Murphy Club induction, one garrison command, one deeply humbling job search, and one pandemic later, he is the Global Manager of Military Programs for Amentum, one of the country’s largest defense and government services contractors, and the 2025 National Army Veteran of the Year. The baby is grown. The mission has n

SUMMARY JP Sniffen was born at Camp Lejeune, served in the Marine Corps reserves at the University of Notre Dame from 18 to 22, then as an active duty infantry officer from 22 to 27, and has spent the 25 years since building one of the most respected military talent practices in the country. As Practice Leader at Korn Ferry, he and his teams have helped more than 50,000 veterans find their footing in corporate America, not through charity or feel-good hiring programs, but thr

From Air Traffic Controller to Truck Driver Pierce Ervin joined the Air Force in 2003 with dreams bigger than his circumstances. A standout athlete who had dominated track and field, he’d earned scholarship offers to both Johnson & Wales University and USC. But life had other plans. A relationship led to an unexpected pregnancy, and suddenly the 19-year-old found himself choosing military service over college athletics. “I was actually going to go for track because I was pret