Every year on July 25, New Hampshire will observe “Hire a Veteran Day” thanks to a proclamation from Governor Chris Sununu, joining other U.S. states participating in National Hire a Veteran Day.

This day is set aside each year to raise awareness of civilian employment for transitioning service members and veterans after their military service.

Approximately 200,000 individuals transition out of military service and return to civilian life and employment each year, roughly 2,400 of whom choose New Hampshire as a place to stay, work, play and learn, according to a press release from the NH Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services (NHDMAVS).

The department has boosted efforts in recent months to advocate for businesses and organizations to apply to their NH Veteran-Friendly Business Network in order for business leaders to receive resources to better support the veterans and active-duty military personnel in their employ, and to help such individuals find employment in New Hampshire.

Started in 2020, the NH Veteran-Friendly Business Recognition Program was created to help businesses in New Hampshire “honor veterans and help serve veterans in the state, and … gain meaningful employment from the veterans who reside here in New Hampshire,” said Warren Perry, deputy adjutant at NHDMAVS, in a recent episode of NH Business Review’s Down to Business podcast.

Matt Albuquerque, founder of Next Step Bionics and Prosthetics in Manchester, is one of the 68 or so businesses that have been recognized as veteran-friendly businesses in the Granite State through the program. Also featured on the podcast, Mike shared, “I would say probably upwards of 15 percent of our clientele are veterans. (It’s about) having the right people at the table to talk about not only how we take care of our service members, but, as they become veterans and their family members as well, make sure we’re maximizing all the resources out there for our veterans.”

To learn more about how to join the NH Veteran-Friendly Business Network, or how to better support your veterans in the workplace, visit dmavs.nh.gov.

— AMANDA ANDREWS