B2B bridges transition to civilian world

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Sharida Jackson
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  Each year thousands of service members separate or retire from the military. Many of them start another career or go back to school.

However, some of them have plans to open their own business and work for themselves.

This is where Boots 2 Business comes into play.

B2B is an entrepreneurial program provided by the U.S. Small Business Association as a training course within the Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program.

"I found out about the Boots 2 Business program after volunteering through Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families initiatives," said Todd Moss, B2B instructor and professor of entrepreneurship at Syracuse University. "I have a lot of family members that have served in the military, so I jumped at the chance to get involved with this program."

As veterans account for approximately 13.5 percent of U.S. small businesses, the goal of the course is to provide assistance to those interested in business ownership or other self-employment opportunities.

The two-day B2B program that was held at Ramstein, started with an introductory video and a two-day workshop that included information on various topics including planning, economics, financing and legal matters.

"I absolutely love instructing this course because I love the energy and creativity that I see when we teach this course to military members and veterans," said Jamie Davis, B2B instructor and former business executive. "They are really engaged, genuine, and excited."

The course helps service members view their plans from different perspectives and get feedback from peers and business owners.

"It provides a different outlook on my long-term goals since I don't plan to make the military a career," said Senior Airman Ronald Musto, 1st Combat Communications Squadron tactical network technician.

After completion of the two-day workshop, participants are eligible to register for an online, instructor-led eight-week course to further develop their specific business plans.

Though led by Syracuse University's IVMF program, the eight-week online course is taught by professors from several accredited universities.

"I really enjoyed this class and look forward to the eight-week course." Musto stated.

B2B is currently offered at more than 165 military installations and is completely free to service members. The program is also open to military spouses.

For more information about Boots 2 Business, please contact the Airman & Family Readiness Center at DSN 480-5100 or 06371-47-5100.