National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has been selected as a Military Spouse Employment Partnership Small Business (MSEP SB) partner.
NIB learned of the distinction in a letter signed by C. Eddy Mentzer, associate director of Military Family Readiness Policy and program manager of Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) for the Department of Defense (DOD) Military Community and Family Policy.
“On behalf of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, I would like to congratulate National Industries for the Blind (NIB) on your selection as a Military Spouse Employment Partnership Small Business Partner (MSEP SB),” Mentzer wrote.
His letter went on to state that the DOD recognizes that locally owned businesses can impact the employment challenges faced by military spouses similarly to those employers with larger regional and national footprints.
“Recognizing the importance that businesses play in the national and local economies, we have created MSEP Small Business with the intent of increasing employment opportunities for military spouses within military impacted communities and believe your partnership can assist us in this mission,” Mentzer wrote. “Your commitment to this program will be vital in the challenge of decreasing unemployment and wage gap disparities between military spouses and their civilian counterparts and driving economic security for our military families.”
As an MSEP SB partner, NIB will be expected to actively recruit and seek to hire military spouses for employment opportunities and post available jobs on the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) Jobs Portal. NIB must also offer targeted career support for military spouses, such as telework, flexible scheduling, and remote work, when possible; report on any military spouse hires quarterly to the MSEP program office; and participate in local outreach events to brand the organization and connect with local community networks serving the military population.
NIB will also be able to access a number of resources as a result of becoming an MSEP SB partner. These include:
- The MSEP Jobs Portal that posts employment opportunities for military spouses.
- A new LinkedIn group, the MilSpouse Career Network, for posting job openings or local announcements.
- Partnership support from MSEP program staff.
- A listing in the MSEP Enduring Partner directory for peer support and networking.
- The chance to participate in local military spouse outreach events, hiring fairs, quarterly trainings, and connections to local installation employment teams.
Andy Monday, NIB’s program manager for Veterans and Business Development Support, signed a statement of support, pledging along with the DOD that NIB recognizes “that military spouses have the education, diversity, and skills that our nation needs to be the most competitive, productive workforce in the world. Hiring and retaining military spouses as they relocate to new geographic locations is not only good for business, but it is the right thing to do as we thank them for their continued service to this nation.”
NIB Earns Disabled American Veteran (DAV) Patriot Employer Designation
In July 2024, NIB was also recognized as a Disabled American Veteran Patriot Employer for its commitment to helping disabled veterans, military members, and their families find meaningful employment opportunities.
This earned distinction, in addition to NIB’s recent efforts that resulted in it becoming a Virginia, Values, Veterans (V3) “certified employer,” will help identify NIB as an employer of choice and attract even more great talent.
NIB is now authorized and will proudly display the DAV Patriot Employer logo as part of its recruiting efforts and on its website and social media.