NEW YORK — Global investment powerhouse KKR announced an ambitious initiative to hire 250,000 military veterans and military spouses across its extensive corporate portfolio by 2040, timed to coincide with Veterans Day and America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
The new commitment substantially expands the private equity giant’s existing military recruitment initiative, Vets@Work. Since 2010, KKR and its portfolio companies have already placed nearly 100,000 veterans and military spouses into civilian roles.
In a joint statement, KKR Co-Chief Executive Officers Joe Bae and Scott Nuttall emphasized the business value of recruiting from the armed services community:
“At KKR, we are constantly looking for ways to help good companies become great ones, and recruiting and retaining the right talent is fundamental to that. We have seen firsthand the tremendous value and impact that veterans and military spouses can bring to businesses through their leadership skills, discipline, adaptability and commitment to a team-first mindset.”
Bridging the Transition to Civilian Careers
Transitioning from military service to the private sector often presents unique hurdles, from translating military specialties into corporate job descriptions to navigating frequent relocations that disrupt spousal employment.
Retired U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, now a partner at KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute, highlighted the importance of actively building these career bridges:
“One of the most meaningful ways to honor those who have served and military families is to create opportunities for them to put their extraordinary talents to good use in the private sector. For many service members, leaving the military means navigating an entirely new professional landscape and figuring out how years of experience translate into a civilian career. Vets@Work is about opening doors to rewarding opportunities across our portfolio and helping companies identify and recruit these extraordinary individuals.”
The program also places dedicated emphasis on military spouses, a demographic historically challenged by high underemployment rates caused by recurring duty-station moves.
“As a military spouse myself for more than 20 years, I know firsthand how often military spouses are overqualified yet underemployed,” said Natalie Jobst, Senior HR Manager for Military and Veteran Channels at Global Medical Response, a KKR portfolio company. “We see tremendous opportunity to recognize this talent, invest in their development and build lasting careers.”
Strategic Partnerships and Direct Outreach
To fulfill the target over the next 14 years, KKR is leveraging partnerships with specialized veteran employment organizations, including VetJobs and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes.
The strategy combines virtual recruitment pipelines with targeted in-person job fairs. Earlier this year, more than a dozen KKR-backed companies participated in a focused talent acquisition event at Fort Meade, Maryland.
KKR is also a founding member of the USAA-led Honor Through Action Alliance, working alongside its internal Veterans Employee Resource Group to ensure sustained mentorship, career development, and retention across its global network of portfolio firms.