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Speaker. Advisor. Award-Winning & Best-Selling Author. Veteran

A Veteran Transition Advisor & Employer
Hiring Program Consultant

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Best Author Website

2021 eLit Book Awards Gold Medal

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Best Website / Overall Design

2nd place

2023 BookFest Book Awards

Meet The ExPErt

Matt Louis is one of the nation’s leading experts in career transition for members of the military community. He advises veterans on their transition efforts and employers on hiring programs designed to successfully assimilate these valuable talent pools. He is the author of the award-winning and Amazon best-selling HarperCollins book Mission Transition, a practical guide for veterans in career transition, and the award-winning Career Press book Hiring Veterans, a practical guide for organizations on how to build programs to successfully assimilate this valuable talent pool.

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MY ADDED VALUE

What Makes Me Different

Veteran author with more than 25 years' experience both in & out of uniform who advises transitioning service members on finding full employment and organizations on designing effective hiring programs to make this valuable talent pool immediately ACCRETIVE to their workforces

“I advise both veterans on career transition and corporate entities on programs that optimize this valuable talent pool”

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Problem Solver

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Continuous improvement

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Quality 

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Persistence

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People First

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Outcomes-Focused

I'm on a mission...
to SUCCESSFULLY OPTIMIZE
the personal potential of veterans and the productivity of their prospective employers.

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Matt is the author of the award-winning and best-selling books Mission Transition, a practical guide for veterans in career transition, and Hiring Veterans, a practical guide for organizations aspiring to hire them. 

Testimonials

“Matt Louis has created the Ranger Handbook of military transition guides. This book provides a concise pathway for service members to translate the skills and character they developed and forged in the military, so they can adapt to a new life mission and personal purpose after career service.”

Geoff Davis, Retired Member of U.S. Congress,
Former U.S. Army Ranger and Aviator, USMA Class of 1981

“There is a ‘War for Talent’ in American businesses, and companies both big and small are looking directly to the military community to help fill their ranks with that talent. Matt’s second book on veteran hiring is laser-focused on those employers and is a must-read for any organization looking to build a ‘Veteran Ready’ hiring program. Every chapter is a home run complete with expertise, best practices, tips and more and is a blue-print for success. In today’s business environment, if you want to outperform your competitors, then hiring veterans and military spouses is a smart decision and Hiring Veterans is required reading.” 

Adam L. Rocke, Colonel (USA Retired), Senior Director at the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Hiring our Heroes

“The next Greatest Generation is upon us as many of our heroes transition to private service. Most of these brave young men and women volunteered for military service after we were attacked on September 11, 2001, after the war started in Afghanistan and after the war started in Iraq. The qualities and experiences they possess, along with their high character, make them uniquely qualified for almost any position in the private sector. Mission Transition is a tremendous resource for those seeking new careers as well as employers looking to improve their entities. This book will help our veterans understand how to convert their military experiences to meaningful careers when they take off the uniform.”

Phil McConkey, President, Academy Securities, Navy Veteran, Super Bowl Winner

“In Hiring Veterans, Matt Louis provides compelling reasons for companies to hire veterans in their own self-interest, rather than as a sacrifice. He then lays out a step-by-step process for companies to not only hire veterans, but also support and retain veterans, to the benefit of both veteran employees and the organization. This book is an excellent resource for any company that wants to improve its own functioning by tapping into one of the greatest sources of talent our country has to offer, our nation’s veterans.”

Keith D. Renshaw, Ph.D.; Professor & Department Chair, Psychology; Director, Military, Veterans & Families Initiative, George Mason University

“As someone currently transitioning to civilian life after a career of almost thirty years in the military, I found Mission Transition to be the indispensable guide to this process.  As the civil-military gap in the U.S. widens, fewer civilian employers understand the experience and attributes that veterans possess, and fewer veterans understand how to translate their experience and attributes into terms civilian employers can understand.  While well-meaning, the military’s own transition programs are little help here, as they tend to be one-size-fits-all seminars focused on helping veterans navigate the various assistance programs available to them. While important, this focus leaves little room for helping veterans identify and transition into a career field that can bring them professional fulfillment and financial security. Mission Transition does all this and more. Matt Louis has drawn on his considerable experience in both the military and the corporate worlds to produce the one book every soon-to-be veteran should read!”

Bob Hamilton, Army Veteran, Associate Professor, U.S. Army War College

We have made great strides in preparing servicemembers for careers after their time in uniform, but employers must also understand the veteran talent pool available and the unique skills and competencies our servicemembers bring to the workforce. This book helps give employers the practical tools they need to hire and retain our well-qualified veterans and fully utilize the skills they acquired while serving in the Armed Forces. From leadership and work ethic to managing diverse teams in high-stress environments, our veterans bring to the workforce capabilities that can ultimately prove invaluable to an organization.

COL Brad Wenstrup, USAR, Member of Congress

Mission Transition is bar-none the best planning tool for service members who are tackling the daunting task of transitioning to the civilian workforce.  It is a methodical handbook packed with clear and concise guidance, an exhaustive collection of outside references, and sage advice that you will not find elsewhere.  Every veteran leaving the service should have this book – it should be standard issue. If there is a way to guarantee one’s success outside the military, this book is it.”

Tim Kopra, Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired), NASA Astronaut

“It’s easy to find people who talk about why recruiting veterans makes sense or what being military-friendly means. By providing extensive research, actionable takeaways, and practical resources, Matt Louis goes further and outlines the all-important how. Hiring Veterans is a blueprint on how to welcome, support, and advance the military-connected community. It is a long-needed guidebook for employers that seek to become military-inclusive. This book delivers more than ideas. It’s a manual for making a lasting impact.”  

Betsy Hubbard, Vice President, Programs, National Veterans Leadership Foundation

“This is an incredibly powerful and important book. As someone who works with veterans in emotional and mental crisis, we have found a significant contributor to the challenges they face is an unsuccessful transition. Mission Transition has a higher purpose than just securing veterans jobs. It could save a veteran's life.”

— Colonel Fred Johnson (USA, Retired)author of FIVE WARS: A Soldier's Journey to Peace

“Having led the veteran hiring programs at multiple Fortune 100 companies, I can personally attest to the value of the process Matt has laid out in this book. If you or your business leaders seek to leverage the skills and abilities of this nation’s military service members, Hiring Veterans is your guide. The case studies here, of organizations both large and small, clearly demonstrate how leveraging a veteran talent-based strategy is a business imperative.”

Sean Passmore - Head of Military Talent Strategic Sourcing and Enterprise Military and Veteran Initiatives, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Transition from the military can be challenging; I still remember the eerie silence after returning home from Iraq and the curious adjustments that come with returning to civilian life. We have made strides to better prepare our servicemembers for their careers – in their service uniform, and the one that follows – but we can always do more. This book does just that; it is a guide containing real experience and practical steps for transitioning from the military to a successful civilian career.

— Colonel Brad Wenstrup, USAR Member of Congress

Hiring Veterans is essential reading for anyone interested in improving their organization. Matt Louis has clearly articulated important steps, perspectives, and cultural dimensions that help guide readers without prior service on how to build a more inclusive environment that sets veterans and organizations up for success. As a follow up to his first book, Mission Transition, where he provides crucial content to help transitioning service members and veterans plan their civilian career, he again provides indispensable insights in a clear and thoughtful manner. Reading and putting this into practice will create a multiplier effect that strengthens your organization.”  

Chris Kondo, Global Social Investment Strategist, 3M

“I have read many transition guides and attended a host of transition seminars for military service members. All have value, but all fall short in some way. Matt Louis has captured the most important points of each of those experiences in one comprehensive guide. Mission Transition is thoughtful, well-researched, and extremely helpful not only to service men and women leaving the military, but for those veterans already in post-military careers who are seeking new opportunities.”

Guy C. Swan III, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired, Vice President of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), former Commanding General of United States Army North (Fifth Army), and West Point Class of 1976

“In a business climate where winning the war for talent is at the top of every CEO’s priority list, Matt Louis’s Hiring Veterans is an indispensable resource for every leader and human resource professional committed to fielding a winning team. With classic military precision, Matt provides the reader with a step-by-step program for attracting, training and retaining America’s veterans to maximize their impact on any business. It’s a great opportunity for companies and leaders to do well by doing good.”

Doug McCormick, Managing Partner, HCI Equity Partners

“Occasionally a piece of work comes along that resets expectations in its field. It becomes the new standard. Mission Transition is that book for transitioning military personnel. Comprehensive, contemporary, and actionable, it is the indispensable tool and companion for anyone that has ever served and is trying to apply their character and experience in the civilian world. Whether your goal is that career-starting entry-level position, or a capstone CEO role, Mission Transition is your strategic field manual to help achieve your objective.”

Ted Russ, author of Spirit Mission, Army veteran

Hiring Veterans is the must-read for any business owner, manager, recruiter, or human resources professional seeking amazing talent. Regardless of whether you are in need of one or hundreds, this amazing and well-organized blueprint to hiring success is a gift from a true expert and veteran. It truly is the one-stop-shop for hiring, onboarding, supporting, and leveraging the talents of our nation’s armed forces and their loved ones. Do yourself and your organization a favor by reading and sharing this gem. This pool of incredibly agile, diverse, and reliable talent is ready for a new mission; it’s now our duty to pay it forward.”

Chris Galy, SVP, Chief People Officer, Couchbase

"As a veteran myself, I have long understood the many needs veterans have in making their transition from active duty. Mission Transition comprehensively addresses those needs in a practical manner and is a good book for our veterans leaving the military.”

Roger Staubach, Former Dallas Cowboy and Vietnam Veteran

“Matt Louis has delivered again. Hiring Veterans presents a well-articulated and accessible guide for business leaders to understand how to leverage the diversity and capabilities of our military veteran population in the civilian workforce.”

Dr. Kristin Saboe, Author of Military Veterans Employment: A Guide for the Data Driven Leader, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Army Veteran

“As an advisor to senior US military leaders, I have seen what today’s military and tomorrow’s veterans can do despite the many obstacles of this turbulent age. Mission Transition helps remove what has historically been one of the larger obstacles to a veteran’s lifetime success: their transition to full employment in civilian life. In doing so, it opens the door to an amazing talent pool that is poised to improve your organization’s productivity and beat your competition. All military servicemen and women should digest its lessons; and organizations everywhere should process its learnings to capitalize on their expertise.”

Ori Brafman, New York Times Bestselling Author, Founder of Starfish Leadership, Lecturer at UC Berkeley, Senior Fellow Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center (COLE)

“America’s military veterans bring a host of skills, experiences, and expertise to the talent marketplace. But many employers have difficulty recognizing the unique characteristics of our veterans and more importantly, many simply do not know how to assess the value veterans can bring to a business. Matt Louis simplifies this dilemma in this easy-to-read yet exceedingly insightful book [Hiring Veterans] that erases the mystery of hiring those who have served all of us in the armed forces.”

Guy C. Swan III, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired, Vice President of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), former Commanding General of United States Army North (Fifth Army), and West Point Class of 1976

Mission Transition is not just a book, it is a life guide you’ll return to again and again throughout your transition from the military to civilian success.  As a veteran services organization leader who’s assisted thousands of service members to a successful transition, I’ve never had a guide that covers all the bases. Mission Transition is easy to follow and is as applicable for a transition to New York City or a rural Midwest community. Mission Transition is a must-have guide for every government or non-government transition or training program.”

Jim LorraineCEO/President, America’s Warrior Partnership Former Special Assistant for Warrior and Family Support to Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Founder and Former Director of USSOCOM Care Coalition

“Matt Louis has done it again! His first book (Mission Transition) provided an in-depth Field Manual for transitioning service members to follow. This time he delivers a complete guide to help bridge the civil-military divide. Hiring Veterans is the most comprehensive how-to guide for organizations that intend to recruit and hire veteran talent. Matt’s insights are based upon his personal experience and extensive inputs from recognized experts across the veteran employment landscape. This resource should be standard issue for Human Resources and non-veteran hiring managers.”

Brian Niswander, Air Force Veteran and Founder of Military-Transition.org

“As someone that served for 25 years in the Marine Corps and now leads a military recruiting team, I can attest that the insights provided in Mission Transition are spot on. Transition is hard and having a plan is a critical element to making a successful transition. Matt has laid out an excellent framework of mostly common sense, but often overlooked steps for maximizing your success in transition. I would highly recommend this to any transitioning veteran as it is never too soon to begin your planning for the next phase of your career.”

Beau HigginsSenior Manager, Amazon Military Recruiting

“I’ve been asked, ‘What can we do to recruit more military veterans to our company?’ My answer will now be, ‘Get this book!’ Hiring Veterans is definitely the most comprehensive resource available to corporate America to establish programs that successfully recruit and retain veterans. Its practical approach and step-by-step guide will jump-start organizations on this honorable and needed task.”

Alan HillVolunteer Coach, Eagle Group of Minnesota Veterans

Recent Blog Posts

Hiring Veterans Wins 2024 NYC Big Book Award
I'm proud to announce that Hiring Veterans has won a 2024 NYC Big Book Award for Reference. The most awarded...
Read More about Hiring Veterans Wins 2024 NYC Big Book Award
Mission Transition Wins 2024 NYC Big Book Award
I'm proud to announce that Mission Transition has won a 2024 NYC Big Book Award for Military Nonfiction. The most...
Read More about Mission Transition Wins 2024 NYC Big Book Award
Hiring Veterans Wins 2024 Military Writers Society of America Gold Medal
I'm proud to announce that Hiring Veterans has won a Gold Medal in the 2024 Military Writers Society of America...
Read More about Hiring Veterans Wins 2024 Military Writers Society of America Gold Medal

Contact MatT Louis

Matt Louis is one of the nation's leading experts in career transition for members of the military community. He advises veterans on their transition efforts and employers on hiring programs designated to successfully assimilate these valuable talent pools.

Louis has spent more than 25 years both in uniform and in the corproate world. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the US Army Reserves. 

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