What Special Operators Transition Foundation does

Special Operators Transition Foundation (SOTF), operating under the legal entity Your Grateful Nation DBA Special Operator Transition Foundation (EIN 46-2657728), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 and headquartered operationally in Charleston, SC, with its legal entity registered in Smyrna, GA. The organization runs a structured five-phase fellowship program — Application, Assessment, Exploration, Execution, and Integration — for transitioning Special Operations veterans (Army Special Forces/Green Berets, 75th Ranger Regiment, Army Special Operations Aviation, Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, Navy SEALs, Special Boat Teams, Marine Raiders, Air Force Special Operations, and select Joint Special Mission Units). Fellows must be within 12–18 months of transition and pass verification plus SOTF Review Board nomination. Core service components include psychometric and behavioral testing, one-on-one executive coaching (delivered in partnership with Atlantic Leadership Group), resume tailoring, regional workshops with C-Suite executives, networking events, interview preparation, offer negotiation, and first-100-day post-hire support culminating in alumni network induction.

SOTF's beneficiaries are two-sided: (i) the veteran fellows themselves, who receive services free of charge with an average program investment of approximately $5,500 per Fellow, and (ii) hiring companies, which gain access to curated candidates from the top 3% of US military forces. The organization claims to have transitioned over 1,000 Special Operators into 450+ companies since inception, with 450+ operators assisted and nearly 200 placed in 2025 alone. The company does not charge veterans or hiring partners; services are funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, employer matching programs, vehicle/airline/hotel donations, donor-advised fund contributions, and fundraising events such as charity golf tournaments and galas. Geographic restrictions include exclusion of federal GS/SES and defense contracting placements.

The business is operated by approximately 10 core staff (CEO Josh Johnson, Director of Development Keith Pritchard, Director of Programs Gareth Gorman, Director of Corporate Engagement Kerry Black, Director of Operations Sarah Vanderleest, Phase II Executive Coach Kimm Korber, plus transition coordination and executive coaching roles), with revenue mechanics dependent entirely on philanthropic giving and event proceeds. No proprietary technology platform, AI products, or paid SaaS offerings exist; the "product" is a human-coaching-intensive service workflow.

Name

Special Operators Transition Foundation

Legal name

Your Grateful Nation DBA Special Operator Transition Foundation

Website

https://sotf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Special Operators Transition Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a five-phase fellowship program helping transitioning US Special Operations veterans translate elite military leadership experience into civilian careers through coaching, regional workshops, and a network of 450+ hiring companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Career Transition Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans & Military-to-Civilian Transition Programs (EDAAAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF)

Keywords

• Veteran career transition
• Special operations fellowship
• Military leadership placement
• Executive coaching services
• Nonprofit workforce program

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, SOTF primarily generates revenue through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization accepts various forms of charitable contributions including direct donations, scholarship donations to fund operator fellowships, employer matching programs, vehicle donations, airline miles and hotel rewards donations, and donor-advised fund contributions.
2. Event Revenue: SOTF hosts fundraising events including charity golf tournaments and galas. Corporate sponsors can purchase team registrations and sponsorships that include gala tickets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SOTF delivers a five-phase veteran transition fellowship that prepares Special Operations leaders (Green Berets, Rangers, SEALs, MARSOC, Air Force Special Operations, and select intelligence personnel) for civilian careers through assessment, executive coaching, resume tailoring, regional workshops, networking events, and first 100-day post-hire support. The program is offered at no cost to veterans and is funded by donations and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

SOTF offers a unified fellowship program consisting of five sequential phases (Application, Assessment, Exploration, Execution, and Integration) that provide Special Operations veterans with a structured transition to civilian careers. The program includes executive coaching, resume tailoring, regional workshops with C-Suite executives, networking events, interview preparation, and first 100-day post-placement support, culminating in alumni network membership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SOTF Fellowship Program A five-phase fellowship program (Application, Assessment, Exploration, Execution, Integration) for Special Operations veterans within 12-18 months of leaving service, offering coaching, resume tailoring, workshops, networking, interview prep, and 100-day post-hire support. The fellowship is free to veterans and is funded by donations and corporate sponsors.
• SOTF Alumni Network Continuing community of more than 1,000 transitioned Special Operations alumni providing ongoing career support, networking, and connection back to SOTF.
• Regional Workshops Workshops held in various U.S. regions that bring SOTF Fellows together with C-Suite executives and hiring partners to explore career opportunities and build networks.
• Hiring Partner Program Program for U.S. companies seeking elite veteran leadership talent; SOTF curates candidates from the Fellow pool, facilitates introductions, and provides follow-through support through the first 100 days of employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 950 Special Operators successfully transitioned into meaningful civilian careers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Atlantic Leadership GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAtlantic Leadership Group provides executive coaching services to SOTF Fellows. The team includes Edwards Holliday, Sarah Holliday, Sarah Carter, and Melba Holliday who deliver personalized coaching combining deep listening, appreciative inquiry, assessment-based insight, and practical career strategy. They also bring expertise in the Fascination Advantage System to help Fellows identify their differentiator.
• PIMCOminorOthersPIMCO (Pacific Investment Management Company) hired SOTF Fellow Wilson Meyer as a Project Manager after his transition from Army service.
• Bennett Water SystemsminorOthersBennett Water Systems hired SOTF alumni through the foundation's hiring partner program.
• Apogee TravelminorOthersApogee Travel partnership allows supporters to book vacation or work trip lodging, with a portion of proceeds supporting SOTF. Users can book hotels at standard prices while earning rewards while supporting the organization.
• Elias CollectiveminorOthersAustin Moore, former CEO of SOTF and current CEO of Elias Collective, brings extensive leadership experience as a U.S. Air Force Special Operations veteran and senior executive.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hire Heroes USA: Hire Heroes USA provides free employment services to transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. Its model of placing veterans into corporate roles overlaps directly with SOTF's hiring-partner mission.
• FourBlock: FourBlock is a nonprofit that prepares transitioning service members and veterans for corporate careers through a 10-week career readiness program and ongoing alumni support. It shares SOTF's workforce-development-for-veterans model with a broader (non-SOF) target population.
• American Corporate Partners (ACP): ACP is a nonprofit that connects post-9/11 veterans with corporate mentors for one-on-one career guidance and networking. It targets the same veteran-to-corporate-career transition outcomes as SOTF, though it serves a broader veteran population beyond Special Operations.
• Travis Manion Foundation: Travis Manion Foundation runs veteran transition and character-development programs including mentorship and community leadership initiatives for post-9/11 veterans. Its veteran career-readiness mission overlaps with SOTF's elite-talent-to-corporate placement focus.
• The Honor Foundation (THF): The Honor Foundation runs a similarly structured transition program explicitly for Special Operations Forces — Navy SEALs, SWCC, Army Special Forces, Rangers, Air Force Special Tactics — preparing them for civilian careers. THF is the closest direct peer in both target population and program structure.

Emerging players

• Hirepurpose: Hirepurpose is a veteran-focused career platform and talent network connecting veterans with employers. It targets the same veteran-to-corporate-career pipeline as SOTF but operates as a tech-enabled platform rather than a curated fellowship program.
• Team Red White and Blue (Team RWB): Team RWB is a veteran community nonprofit that builds connections and supports veterans' wellbeing through local chapters and events. It overlaps with SOTF's community-led veteran transition model and serves as an adjacent touchpoint for transitioning SOF personnel.

Broad incumbents

• DAV (Disabled American Veterans): DAV is an established large nonprofit providing benefits assistance, employment support, and advocacy to veterans. While broader in scope than SOTF, its employment-services arm competes for corporate partner attention and veteran transition mindshare.
• Wounded Warrior Project: Wounded Warrior Project is a large incumbent veteran-services nonprofit offering programming across mental health, physical recovery, career counseling, and long-term support. Its TRACK career-transition program overlaps with SOTF's employment mission, though it serves a broader wounded-veteran population.
• Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University: IVMF is a university-affiliated veteran-services institution delivering entrepreneurship, career, and transition programs for service members and veterans. It shares SOTF's workforce-development focus and the corporate-engagement model that places veterans into private-sector roles.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@specialoperatorstransition7182
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpecialOpsTF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specopstf
• Instagraminstagram.com/specopstf

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Special Operators Transition Foundation