From Battlefield to Business…
After years of operating in high-pressure and rapidly changing environments, the three partners of OVERWATCH Mission Critical became fluent in adaptation and battlefield leadership. Their grit and relentless spirit were galvanized in service to our country. Jesse Sargent led young men into battle, in the US Army, as a gun leader in Iraq. Anthony Garcia served honorably, commanding troops in Afghanistan. Kirk Offel was a lead petty officer for the US Navy, serving aboard the fast attack nuclear submarine USS Memphis.
There is no question that their military experience has prepared them for the challenging landscape of entrepreneurship and the demands of the mission critical industry. The military teaches resiliency, mission planning and execution when nothing goes according to plan, and one must overcome and continue to lead with courage in any circumstance.
As veteran entrepreneurs they join a long history of tradition. Last century, a stunning 49.7 percent of World War II veterans returned from war to own and operate businesses, according to Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Veteran innovation created enduring businesses like no other group in America, with household brands like Nike, FedEx and GoDaddy. Millions of jobs were created following the Korean War, with around 40 percent veteran owned startups. Though the number of veteran startup businesses has declined today, there are currently 2.5 million majority-veteran-owned businesses.
Why is this important?
Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup, defines a startup as “a human institution designed to deliver a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty.” And extreme uncertainty is not only true for the startup community, it resonates across the globe as businesses grapple with the current pandemic. Military veterans wartime training prepares them to deploy critical strategy in ever changing landscapes. Today we are proud to announce OVERWATCH Mission Critical has been certified as a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). This organization is 100% SDVOSB owned. The founding team comprises several service branches, including Army, Navy, & Air Force. Receiving our SDVOSB is just one more step toward our mission: to advance global impact through emerging technologies while transitioning our nation’s veterans into the mission critical industry.
We are proud to join a diverse global supply chain of our brothers and sisters who served!
Nisa Hunt
Director of Marketing and Communications
OVERWATCH MISSION CRITICAL
