Gold Star Children Deserve a Place in Your Talent Strategy

Photo credit: Christy Rice for Pexels.com

In 2008 during the Great Recession, military veterans’ unemployment was a significant national problem and soared to more than twice the national average, according to RAND Corporation. Servicemembers departing the military entered a challenging job market with an 8% civilian unemployment rate. Veterans’ unemployment skyrocketed to 29% for 18-24-year-olds, according to RAND Corporation.

In 2011, under the personal direction of CEO and President Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co. led the corporate effort to solve the problem and started the “100,000 Jobs Mission” – now the Veteran Jobs Mission – to promote veteran employment, with an original goal of hiring 100,000 veterans by 2020. Many companies took up the challenge, creating military networking groups within their organizations and recruiting veterans to lead their recruiting and retention practices.

Those efforts grew into a coalition of more than 315 companies. What began as a hiring initiative has become a durable network of employers sharing practices for bringing military-connected talent into the private sector and helping that talent thrive.

• In August 2026, the unemployment rate for veterans was 3.4%, compared with 4.1% for the overall U.S. workforce and 4.2% for nonveterans.
• In September 2025, the Veteran Jobs Mission announced that member companies had surpassed one million veteran hires since 2011.
• The coalition is now working toward two million veteran hires and 200,000 military-spouse hires by 2030, while expanding its focus beyond recruiting to retention and career development.

Since 2018, Chief Executive Group and Thayer Leadership have also helped raise awareness and celebrate organizations that support veterans through the Patriots in Business Awards. The 2026 program marks its ninth year. The award recognizes companies whose military initiatives go beyond recruiting to include training, retention, support for National Guard and Reserve members and military spouses, and meaningful engagement with veterans and military families. The goal remains the same: spotlight practices other employers can learn from and adopt.

The need for supporting military children is also clearer today.

Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation has estimated that roughly 25,000 military children have lost a parent in the line of duty over the past 35 years.

In April 2026, Children of Fallen Patriots became part of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which is carrying forward scholarship commitments through its Mae and George Siller Scholarship Program. At the time of the acquisition, Tunnel to Towers reported that Children of Fallen Patriots had provided more than $105 million in college scholarships, educational counseling, and career support to more than 4,200 children of fallen service members.

Many of the children affected by the losses of the Iraq and Afghanistan era are now in college or entering the workforce.

It would honor the parents who made the ultimate sacrifice, if all the companies who are helping to reduce veterans’ unemployment and support veterans and military families, could also prioritize supporting and hiring Gold Star children.

Companies that prioritize veteran hiring have also learned that this work can create business value, not simply social value.

• Veterans bring leadership experience, teamwork, adaptability, accountability, and comfort operating in demanding environments.
• Eligible veterans may also use education benefits such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill to continue developing their skills.
• Employers benefit when they build intentional systems to recognize military experience, translate it into civilian roles, and support long-term career growth.

The same is true with hiring Gold Star children. These children are forced to grow up more quickly than their peers after the loss of their parents in combat.

Children of Fallen Patriots launched a Career Center in 2022 to provide resume support, interview preparation, internships, career exploration, and job placement assistance for these children. They found that:

• Gold Star children who choose to accept an academic scholarship are excellent students with an average GPA of 3.24
• Gold Star children are disciplined and driven, just like their fallen Patriot parent

Vineyard Vines, for example, is a major supporter of Children of the Fallen Patriots, by providing internships and hiring scholarship recipients upon their graduation. The feedback has been remarkable. Shep Murray, Vineyard Vines CEO & Co-Founder says, “Philanthropy and education are pillars of our brand, and through our ongoing partnership with Children of Fallen Patriots, we have been able to provide internships and full-time positions to the students within the Vineyard Vines organization. They have been spectacular team members.”

Those who made the ultimate sacrifice – and those serving today who accept that risk – should know that their nation will continue to care for their children if they are lost in service.

Employers can help make that promise real by supporting scholarships, internships, mentoring, and full-time career opportunities for Gold Star children.

* Originally published by Chief Executive Group in November 2021, this article was revised and updated in September 2026. It was originally written by David Kim and Dan Rice. David and his wife, Cynthia, co-founded Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation in 2002. After nearly 30 years in private equity, he retired from Apax Partners in 2023 and has continued working in defense technology and service to military families. Dan is Co-President and Co-Founder of Thayer Leadership and President of American University Kyiv. He is a Purple Heart recipient and a decorated combat veteran. Kim and Rice are U.S. Military Academy at West Point classmates, graduating in 1988, and served in combat in Panama and Iraq, respectively.