Resources
This page brings together the highest-quality resources for Carolina’s military veterans and dependents. Whether you’re navigating career transition, seeking mental health support, pursuing education, or building a business, these vetted organizations provide meaningful assistance. Focused on North Carolina-specific programs alongside proven national resources, each has been verified as active and reputable, with most services offered completely free to veterans.
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Career Services
American Corporate Partners (ACP)
ACP connects post-9/11 veterans with Fortune 500 corporate professionals for free, yearlong one-on-one mentorships. With over 30,000 veterans successfully completing the program and a 98% satisfaction rate, ACP provides exceptional guidance on resume development, interview preparation, professional communication, and networking.
Each veteran is carefully paired with a mentor from companies like USAA, Disney, AT&T, Lockheed Martin, and Wells Fargo based on career compatibility and industry interest. The yearlong commitment allows deep skill development — particularly valuable for translating military experience into civilian resume language.
Hire Heroes USA
Hire Heroes USA has helped over 60,000 veterans find civilian employment since 2007, averaging more than 60 confirmed hires every week. The organization provides personalized, one-on-one assistance through Transition Specialists who serve as mentors and career coaches.
Services include comprehensive resume creation, job search planning, interview preparation, and connections to over 200 veteran-friendly partner employers. The nonprofit has a dedicated NC Program Manager working with local institutions, and these services are provided for free thanks to generous contributions of donor.
NCWorks Veterans Services
NCWorks is North Carolina’s official state employment service, with specialized Veterans Services staffed entirely by fellow veterans. Services are free and include career assessments, training opportunities, resume and cover letter assistance, interview preparation, and help applying for federal positions where veterans receive priority.
A key advantage: NCWorks Online gives veterans access to job postings 24 hours before the general public. For veterans facing significant barriers—disabilities, extended unemployment, or housing instability—NCWorks provides intensive services including individual coaching and referrals to supportive resources.
North Carolina for Military Employment (NC4ME)
NC4ME is a public-private partnership established by the Governor in 2015 with a mission to make North Carolina the #1 state for military employment. Unlike typical job boards, NC4ME uses an employer-centric strategy — educating NC business leaders on the value of military talent while connecting veterans directly to open positions.
The program features Career Connection 365, an employment exchange linking veterans with employers actively seeking military experience, including major Research Triangle companies like Cisco Systems and NC Biotech. For UNC alumni in the Triangle area, this provides direct access to regional employers who understand how to translate military experience.
UNC Chapel Hill Alumni Career Services
The University offers dedicated career services for alumni, including one-on-one coaching sessions covering resumes, interviews, and career transitions. Carolina Alumni members also receive a complimentary coaching session annually ($150 value), supporting all majors, industries, and career levels.
Alumni gain access to the official UNC LinkedIn group of more than 13,000 verified alumni; the Alumni Directory of more than 330,000 alumni and friends, searchable by industry, job title, and location; and HeelsEngage, a platform for connecting with students and fellow alumni to share career and life advice and job postings.
Networking & Entrepreneurship
LinkedIn for Veterans
LinkedIn offers all eligible veterans a complimentary one-year Premium Career subscription (valued at approximately $240). This includes InMail messaging to contact hiring managers directly, applicant insights showing how you rank among candidates, and premium search filters.
The subscription also includes unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning with over 20,000 courses covering interview preparation, resume writing, leadership, and career transition topics. LinkedIn has specific Learning Paths designed for veterans translating military experience to civilian careers.
North Carolina Veterans Business Association (NCVETBIZ)
NCVETBIZ is North Carolina’s premier nonprofit supporting veteran and military spouse professionals and entrepreneurs. They provide a unique ecosystem for networking with fellow veteran business owners, corporate allies, and government partners.
Programs include an annual meeting, educational events, Procurement Summit connecting veteran businesses with contracting opportunities, and a year-end Gala. A 2024 Strategic Alliance Memorandum with SBA strengthens their resources for members.
Raleigh Veteran Connect (RVC)
Raleigh Veteran Connect is Raleigh’s premier warrior class network, providing veterans in the Raleigh area with an instant network of veteran business leaders, veterans in professional careers, and veteran entrepreneurs. Through podcasts and local events, RVC connects veterans with people, careers, opportunities, and information.
RVC welcomes all veterans regardless of branch, rank, combat service, or service academy connections. The organization hosts regular networking events featuring speakers, dinner, and structured opportunities to connect with fellow veterans.
SBA Office of Veterans Business Development
The Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Office of Veterans Business Development provides comprehensive programs for starting and growing small businesses. Key programs include Boots to Business (entrepreneurship training during military transition), Boots to Business Reboot (for veterans of all eras), and Revenue Readiness (6-week program turning ideas into business models).
Resources include Veterans Business Outreach Centers for mentorship and training, SBA Lender Match for finding SBA-approved loans, and VetCert certification for federal contracting advantages (5%+ of contracts set aside for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses). For NC support, contact the VBOC at Fayetteville State University. The center partners with NCVETBIZ on an annual Bootcamp Program and coordinates with Transition Service Managers at military installations including Fort Bragg.
Health & Wellness
Durham VA Health Care System
Serving the Triangle, the Durham VA operates a comprehensive behavioral health program serving as a regional center of excellence. Services include medication management, individual and group therapy, evidence-based PTSD treatments, specialized programs for military sexual trauma, and substance use treatment.
Both in-person and telehealth options are available, including a major expansion for a new 240,000 square foot Garner VA Clinic that significantly improves access for Wake County veterans with primary care and mental health services and extended hours. Also available is 24/7 emergency mental health services through the Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 and press 1.
Raleigh Vet Center
Address: 8851 Ellstree Lane, Suite 122, Raleigh, NC 27617 / Phone: 919-361-6419 | 24/7 Crisis: 877-927-8387
Vet Centers are community-based VA counseling centers offering confidential services in a non-medical setting — a more informal, accessible environment than traditional VA facilities. The Raleigh center employs licensed therapists trained in CPT, EMDR, Prolonged Exposure, and CBT. Services include individual and group counseling, couples and family therapy, military sexual trauma treatment, and bereavement counseling. Walk-ins welcome Monday through Friday 8:00am-4:30pm with non-traditional hours available.
Records cannot be accessed by VA, DoD, or military units, reducing stigma concerns. Current groups include Vietnam Veterans, OEF/OIF/OND Focus Group, and notably Peace Reins equine-facilitated learning (animal therapy through community partnership).
Veterans Healing Farm (Farm-Based Animal Therapy)
Address: 138 Kimzey Road, Mills River, NC (Western NC) / Phone: 828-595-6111
Founded in 2013, Veterans Healing Farm is a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing mental, emotional, and physical well-being through farm-based therapeutic programs. The 11.66-acre property offers a unique combination of therapies including organic farming, beekeeping, medicinal herb gardening, and various therapeutic workshops. Additional services include equine therapy, canine therapy, and neurofeedback therapy.
The farm hosts suicide prevention workshops, art classes, and an annual Veterans Resource Fair during Memorial Day weekend attracting 700+ attendees. Programs provide community and camaraderie that veterans often miss from military service.
Education
Pat Tillman Foundation
The Pat Tillman Foundation is one of the most prestigious veteran scholarship programs in the nation, having invested over $40 million since 2009. Named for the NFL player who left his career to serve as an Army Ranger, the Tillman Scholars Program supports veterans and military spouses pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or professional degrees.
Average scholarships are approximately $10,000 per academic year, with total support potentially reaching $40,000. Scholars maintain a 3.6 average GPA with 98% graduation rate. The program is highly competitive with approximately 2,000 applicants annually for 60 scholar selections (~3% acceptance rate).
Scholarships.com – Military & Veteran Scholarships
Scholarships.com is one of the largest free college scholarship search platforms in the U.S. with collections specifically curated for veterans and military families. These collections have been created to honor and support the men and women veterans and active members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, and Coast Guard.
Service to School (S2S)
Service to School is the only nonprofit in the U.S. specifically focused on helping veterans gain admission to the best schools possible. Founded by combat veterans and Anna Ivey (former Dean of Admissions at University of Chicago Law), S2S provides free college and graduate school application counseling using the “TRAIN” methodology: Test prep, Resume review, Application essays, Interview prep, and Networking.
Veterans are paired with volunteer Ambassadors who mentor them through admissions. The VetLink program partners with elite institutions including Yale, Cornell, MIT, and Williams. S2S applicants see a 90% acceptance rate to top-choice schools.
Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP)
Founded in 2011, Warrior-Scholar Project helps enlisted service members and veterans transition from the military into four-year college degree programs through transformative programming that advances skills, builds confidence, and forges lasting connections. The immersive one- to two-week boot camps simulate the pace and intensity of university life, with participants engaging in 75 hours of coursework — covering analytical reading, college-level writing, discussion skills, and study strategies.
Boot camps are offered in three disciplines: Humanities, STEM, and Business & Entrepreneurship. Following the boot camp experience, WSP’s nationwide network of more than 2,000 alumni continues to support veteran scholars by highlighting employment, research, and internship opportunities and hosting networking events and specialized seminars. WSP also offers programs to address the unique needs of student veterans, including targeted programming for underrepresented veterans, graduate school mentorship, and career support.
Housing
Homes for Heroes
Founded shortly after 9/11, Homes for Heroes is the largest nationwide network of real estate and mortgage professionals dedicated to serving veterans. The program connects veterans with affiliated agents and lenders who provide guaranteed savings. Average savings: $3,000 when buying or selling a home ($6,000 when doing both).
Specific benefits include 0.7% rebate on purchase price (approximately $2,100 back on a $300,000 home), 25% discount on agent commission when selling, $500 average reduction in lender fees, and $150 savings on title services. A rebate check is sent after closing.
VA Home Loan Program
Created in 1944, the VA Home Loan Program has guaranteed over 29 million loans totaling nearly $4 trillion. VA loans offer the best terms available: no down payment required (nearly 90% of VA loans are $0 down), no private mortgage insurance, competitively low interest rates, flexible credit requirements, and limits on closing costs.
Loan types include purchase loans, Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loans (IRRRL), cash-out refinancing, and Adapted Housing Grants for veterans with service-connected disabilities. Must obtain Certificate of Eligibility from VA.gov (99.8% issued within 3 days) or through your lender.
Benefits
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
Access: Visit dav.org to find nearest NC office or call 1-877-426-2838; service officers available at many VA medical facilities.
Founded in 1920, DAV provides a lifetime of support at no cost through VA-accredited National Service Officers who legally advocate on your behalf with the VA. Services include free claims assistance (initial and appeals), direct VA representation, transportation to VA medical appointments, and benefits counseling. All DAV service officers are themselves veterans — often disabled — bringing deep expertise in VA regulations and genuine understanding of veteran needs.
NC Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (NC DMVA)
Triangle Area Office: Garner VSC, 1027 Highway 70 West, Suite 202, Garner, NC / Phone: (919) 664-1160
Other Offices: 12 Veterans Service Centers across North Carolina
NC DMVA is the primary state agency serving North Carolina’s veteran population with VA-accredited benefits specialists trained to navigate federal and state benefits. Services include filing VA disability compensation claims, appeals assistance, GI Bill guidance, VA healthcare enrollment, pension applications, and survivor benefits. The agency maintains offices throughout the state plus relationships with County Veterans Service Officers. All services are provided at no charge. Call or walk into nearest office; bring DD-214 if available.