03/10/2026
Thank you Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom for including us! 🤝
P.R.O.S.P.E.R. 2026 | Session #1 (Recap)
Career Strategy & Industry Immersion Day
Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom officially launched P.R.O.S.P.E.R. 2026 with an impactful first session designed to equip our veterans with leadership insight, career strategy, and direct access to industry partners.
The day opened with Executive Director & Co-Founder Lynnetta Smith (MPA Candidate) leading a strategic negotiation session inspired by "Getting to Yes", challenging participants to think critically about how principled negotiation and relationship-driven leadership influence career advancement.
Participants then engaged with Allison Lewis, CEO of Desired Hires, who delivered the Personalized Career Pathway Assessment Tool – Veteran Edition, helping each participant begin mapping their transition from military service to civilian career pathways aligned with their strengths and goals. .debs
During the Entrepreneur Spotlight segment, the cohort heard from Gary Feathers, Owner/COO of Carolina Taco & Prepared For You, who shared insights on leadership, entrepreneurship, and resilience through his presentation, “Hard Work Pays Off.”
The day concluded with an Executive Immersion Workforce Development Experience at the EOM Wastewater Treatment Center, where veterans received:
• Direct access to executive leadership
• A high-level facility tour of critical infrastructure operations
• Real workforce insights and job pathway opportunities within the utilities sector
• A live Q&A session with industry professionals
Special thanks to our facilitators and partners who invested their time and expertise in our veterans.
We also extend our appreciation to Bleu Coat for catering and delivering lunch for the P.R.O.S.P.E.R. cohort, ensuring our participants were well supported throughout the day.
This is only the beginning of the P.R.O.S.P.E.R. 2026 journey as we continue preparing veterans for meaningful careers, leadership opportunities, community engagement, and long-term success.
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