The national initiative, called Operation Boots to Business: From Service to Startup, will be piloted first with the U.S. Marine Corps in four locations, at Quantico, Va.; Cherry Point, N.C.; Camp Pendleton, Calif.; and Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif. It will later be expanded nationwide during fiscal 2013 to service members from all military branches.
"Our service men and women have made incalculable contributions and sacrifices for our country, and supporting them as they pursue their dreams to start or grow their own business is one of our highest priorities," SBA Administrator Karen Mills said in a news release.
Each year, more than 250,000 service members shift from the military to civilian life, and veterans often possess the skills, experience and leadership to start businesses, SBA noted in a news release.
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