On this Veterans Day, we wanted to do something unique—recognize those who support us. 

Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces to be passionate about and contribute to the military-connected community. For the more than 20 million veterans in America, there are thousands of civilians who quietly support our community without recognition. We want to honor their commitment—in many cases, years of dedicated work—in lifting veterans, service members, and their loved ones to success. 

These are the stories of the servant leaders who support America’s military-connected community in their own special way. We call them The Quiet Ones.

Lida Citroen

Lida is CEO and Founder of LIDA360, LLC. She has dedicated more than a decade of her career serving the military connected community.

How do you support the military-connected community in your current role?

I am passionate about helping service members, veterans and military spouses understand and leverage the tools of personal branding and reputation management to drive success in their post-military career. I've authored three books specific to this goal, my TEDx Talk, keynotes, military-related courses on LinkedIn Learning, "Talks at Google," articles in Military.com and Entrepreneur.com, numerous trainings (at events and on installations) and 500+ hours of mentoring and coaching veterans are small ways I share this knowledge and passion.

What inspired you to support the military-connected community?

I left Corporate America in 2008, in the midst of tremendous economic turmoil in the U.S. Rather than serve companies in building their brands and promoting their mission, as I had done for 20 years, I pivoted to working with individuals. My focus was on helping global executives, entrepreneurs and business leaders understand their core values, create a strategy to differentiate themselves in competitive markets and self-promote to advance their careers. Using tools like narrative, social media and networking, my clients get noticed and make an impact.

On November 9, 2009, while attending a Denver Broncos football game, the team honored our military at halftime. The game that year coincided with Veterans Day. At half-time, I became riveted to what was happening on the field as soldiers took to the microphone to share what it's like to leave the military and enter the civilian sector.

They shared things like, "I don't know how to sell myself," "I don't know how to export my skills from the military career into the private sector," and "I don't know how to show value to another employer after the military."

I knew I could help. What they were describing is exactly the solution I offer. But I knew absolutely nothing about the military -- no one in my family or circle of friends had served. I didn't realize how out-of-my-element I really was.

For months following that football game, I knocked on a LOT of doors trying to find a way to help. I approached church groups, the VA, and other organizations offering to teach personal branding for transitioning service members. I was met with skepticism: Why would someone unrelated to the military want to help? What's the angle?

General Peter Pace ran a program in Philadelphia for service-disabled veterans. His program trained and transitioned these veterans (often SEALS and Rangers) into finance careers in leading Wall Street companies. General Pace and his team offered me a chance to teach a personal branding workshop.

That first class was rough -- I realized quickly how different the narrative between the military and private sector is and I had to learn how to speak military to get their attention and build trust. I asked them questions that made them uncomfortable -- questions about authenticity, passion, self-interest -- and I learned how great the opportunity here is!

For many years after, I continued to teach cohorts in General Pace's program. Twice a year, I closed my new business so I could spend time in Philadelphia teaching personal branding. I began offering articles to Military.com (later becoming a freelance writer for them) and using any platform (media, for example) to share what I'd learned about the opportunities and challenges facing our service members as they take off the uniform.

I authored three best-selling books (for veterans, transitioning service members and the employers who seek to hire them), gave a TEDx Talk (with 46,000+ views), created LinkedIn Learning courses and donated 500+ hours mentoring and coaching veterans. For 7 years, I've volunteered to teach personal branding in the TAP program at the US Air Force Academy, and have been invited to speak at Student Veterans of America's annual conference and other major events for many years now.

Years later, I can say that I've only scratched the surface. I'll continue to do my part to serve those who've served. It's truly the least I can do for the freedoms I enjoy as a proud American.

What are you most passionate about when supporting the military-connected community? What sparks joy in your work?

My parents both came to this country from Europe -- my mother from Communist Hungary. As a child, she reminded me often that "freedom doesn't come for free". Serving the military community in this way feels like an honest and easy way for me to say "thank you" for the service, sacrifice and commitment of those who've worn the uniform (and their families).

I feel joy when I'm able to shed light into the career process, when I can use my talents, skills and expertise to help someone see a new way of positioning themselves, of telling the story of who they are and why they matter. When they trust me enough to get vulnerable in answering the questions I ask, I'm humbled. When they take my advice and then experience the confidence and clarity that comes with having a grounded sense of self and purpose beyond the uniform, I'm overjoyed.

It's easy to stay focused on what's right in front of us on a day-to-day basis. But, for me, serving the military community has pushed me out of my own comfort zone and the rewards to me personally have been greater than I could have expected. I'm humbled and honored to have found this way to serve.

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

Veterans Day is a day to honor and thank those individuals who've raised their hand to serve. We honor their sacrifice, commitment and duty to protect us and the Constitution. I also include their families, as they serve as well.

While I love the idea of a national holiday dedicated to this gratitude, for me every day is Veterans Day. Every day I believe we should honor and show appreciation for our nation's heroes. Helping them find meaningful and successful post-military careers is how I do that.

Ashlynne Haycock

Ashlynne is Deputy Director, Policy, at Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). She has dedicated nearly a decade of her career serving the military connected community.

How do you support the military-connected community in your current role?

TAPS supports all those who lost a loved one to military service regardless of cause of death or relationship. I get to support those initiatives through meaningful policy work to ensure when programs are developed by Congress or the VA they are inclusive of the survivor community.

What inspired you to support the military-connected community?

My parents—my father died in the line of duty when I was 10 years old (2002) and my mother was an Air Force veteran who died by suicide in 2011. The programs and benefits my brothers and I received inspired me to continue to make those programs and benefits better.

What are you most passionate about when supporting the military-connected community? What sparks joy in your work?

Higher Education and access to higher education, I love seeing that the benefits I have worked to expand allow other surviving children and veterans to attend college completely debt free.

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

The opportunity to honor those veterans in my life who are still living, such as my Fiancé' and grandfather.

LeNaya Hezel

LeNaya is Founder & CEO at NayceQuest. She has dedicated more than a decade of her career to supporting the military-connected community.

How do you support the military-connected community in your current role?

As a DEI consultant, I work to identify systemic barriers that limit opportunities for members of the military-connected community to thrive in societal organizations. It is important that when doing this work to amplify individual voices within the military-connected community to highlight their impacts of diversity and talents in our overall communities.

What inspired you to support the military-connected community?

In all honesty, the call to serve found me. It started with falling in love with a submarine officer. Cliché, I know, but bear with me on this. I left my family in Maryland, my classical music performance network, and a stable “real” job as a university residence hall director. I moved across the country to the outskirts of Seattle during the 2008 financial crisis. I often question why my parents didn’t stop me, but now that I am a parent of three daughters, I realized that falling in love gave me the space to learn about myself and where I fit in this world. While navigating life as a military partner, I decided to pivot from singing professionally to a career in higher education. In writing, the decision and process to pivot careers sounds more effortless than the process itself. Until that point, I had been training to be a professional classical singer for fourteen years—singing was a part of my identity. As I learned Navy life demands, I started to realize that the world had something more to offer than making music.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill went into effect, and due to my career in higher education, many crewmates on my partner’s boat came to me with questions on how to pursue an education. Initially, I started these conversations with, “have you connected with the education center or the university you are interested in attending.” Still, it became clear that there was a disconnect of information among all stakeholders. I enrolled in a couple of graduate classes to build my knowledge of higher education's theoretical framework as an institution. In a group project, I had the opportunity to study how a community college used a grassroots movement to serve military-connected students. The project opened my eyes to see that there was more than a disconnect of information about the use of GI Bill benefits, but also a systemic disconnect among higher education and the military-connected community—also known as the military-civilian divide. This realization was the catalyst to see where I could perform not on a stage but in the field of higher education and give a voice of empowerment to underrepresented student populations as they make their constructive impacts in the world.

What are you most passionate about when supporting the military-connected community? What sparks joy in your work?

Having the opportunity to learn something new about the call to serve is an absolute gift. I am grateful for the countless members in the community who shared stories of leadership, sacrifice, and commitment that go beyond military service. To be entrusted for these lessons to be shared with me has significant meaning and is something that I do not take for granted. It's these moments that fuel my motivation to support the military-connected community.

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

Personally, I think Veterans Day should be everyday because 24 hours just isn't enough to honor and reflect those who defended our nation. But since it is one day, it means its an opportunity to be intentional in our reflections and commitments to serve those who served us in ways that go beyond one day.