Called to serve. Proven to perform.
The Challenge
How do our SOF service members translate their skills into a value proposition that resonates with private-sector hiring managers? We help connect SOF veterans and private enterprises to see the value of collaboration and what each offers the other.
Challenge Accepted
The Opportunity
Companies are looking for candidates who are results-oriented and know how to win. SOF veterans are looking for their next successful career – not just a job. The leadership and management skills they honed in the military are critically important in the business world.
Opportunity Knocks, We’ve Answered.
The Solution
After completing a SOTF Fellowship, our Fellows are ready, willing, and able to help sustain and scale any business or organization. Special Operations veterans add tremendous value to any team they’re on; smart companies recognize this. As a result, they’ll want to hire more of these extraordinary individuals who go through SOTF.
We’ve Got the Solution
Why SOTF?
Since 2013, SOTF has transitioned over 1,000 Special Operators into over 450 of our Nation’s highest-performing companies across American communities.
Our Program
Our program is focused on service members who have been through an assessment and selection process for the units of the Special Operations Command or operational personnel from select intelligence agencies.
Application
Verification of Service
SOTF Review Board Nomination
Fellowship conferred
Assessment
Psychometric Testing
Behavioral Testing
Profile & Value Proposition
Exploration
Executive Coaching
Resume Tailoring
Regional Workshops
Networking Events
Execution
Connections
Interview Preparation
Comparative Analysis
Offer Negotiation
Integration
First 100 Day Support
Alumni Network Induction
Latest Reviews
This program has been crucial in my transition from military life after 25 years on active duty. I was feeling a bit lost on how to proceed once I made up my mind to retire, and SOTF has provided me with the framework to guide me through this transition. The workshop I attended is a perfect example of a first-rate event that aggregates and presents valuable tools and insights to add to our toolkit as we navigate the waters of transitioning to our next chapter.
If you are a military member looking to re-invent, transition, change careers, super-charge your network, confront your fears, understand your own value, and capitalize on opportunities, there are none better than the passionate members of the Special Operators Transition Foundation. Thanks for the personal help when I needed it most.
Transition out of the Air Force Special Operations community was bittersweet, exciting, and scary all at the same time! After nearly 25 years of pouring my heart and soul into a military profession I loved, it was great to have the SOTF team and program behind me as I figured out how to navigate a path forward into the civilian sector. SOTF provided a reliable, safe, and attuned teammate to work through and succeed in the transition challenge. SOTF mentors provided me with a valuable “sounding board” to talk transition tactics and strategy. It was great knowing they had my back!
Trained. Tested. Trusted.
SOTF Fellows know they have received the most curated transition experience possible. Hiring Partners know they have a curated leader who can deliver unparalleled, ethical, and innovative results.
The ultimate winning proposition!
Transitioning from military service is about more than finding your next job; it`s about discovering your purpose for the next chapter.
At SOTF, we`re honored to help members of the SOF community build confidence, identify their strengths, and prepare for meaningful careers beyond service.
#SOF #VeteranTransition #Leadership #SpecialOperations #SOTF
Strong partnerships create stronger outcomes.
At SOTF, we`re proud to collaborate with organizations like the COMMIT Foundation that are dedicated to supporting service members and veterans as they navigate life`s next chapter.
Each organization brings unique expertise, perspectives, and resources to the table. By working together, we can expand opportunities, strengthen support systems, and create a greater impact for the Fellows we serve.
As the saying goes, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." We believe that meaningful collaboration is how we go farther—and help more veterans thrive.
Thank you to the @thecommitfoundation and JC Glick for being a valued partner in this mission.
#SupportOurVeterans #VeteranTransition #NonprofitPartnership #Collaboration #COMMITFoundation #SOTF
The SOTF Team is excited to announce Brian Franklin has successfully transitioned into a Director of Operations role at Decypher Technologies.
Brian is a seasoned Special Operations leader who recently retired from the @USArmy as a CW3 after 21 years of selfless service.
A snapshot of some of Brian`s accomplishments includes:
🇺🇸 Brian retired as a US Army Company Operations Warrant, Chief Warrant Officer 3, out of 3rd Special Forces Group, and also served in multiple positions in both 5th Special Forces Group and USA JFK Special Warfare Center and School. He executed deployments and missions in multiple Middle Eastern Countries, overseeing critical sensitive programs to support national defense interests.
🇺🇸 Brian is known for designing and directing purposeful initiatives that align vision with execution, turning complex challenges into scalable solutions.
🇺🇸 Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Military Leadership.
🇺🇸 Brian coaches an award-winning youth robotics team and enjoys cross-country road trips with his wife and children.
"My experience with SOTF has been nothing short of excellent. The support and guidance their team provided was tailored, flexible, and transformational. I plan to stay connected with the SOTF community for years to come, and am eager to help and support the next cohort of SOF servicemembers making the move to civilian life."
To learn more about Brian’s incredible leadership journey, connect with him on LinkedIn.
#sof #SOFOperators #usarmy #specialoperators #TransitionTuesday #SOTF
Join SOTF for our 2026 Reboot: Freedom & Fairways, part of our Nashville Event Series, an unforgettable two-day experience benefiting our Nation’s heroes.
The series begins August 16th with an exclusive Gala featuring cocktails and conversation with SOTF Special Operators, live music from Nashville artists with a patriotic twist, great food, high-caliber auction items, and an inspiring story from our special guest speaker, TJ Hopkins.
Continue the experience on August 17th with the SOTF Golf Tournament.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear TJ’s powerful story and be part of this unforgettable event. Gala tickets are included for sponsors and golf tournament players. Secure your team or sponsorship package today to reserve your place.
Click the link below to reserve your spot, or copy and paste the link into a new browser to access the registration page: http://www.sotf.org/nashville/
Leadership Through Humility
The most important leadership lessons I learned in uniform had very little to do with position and rank.
Position and rank can put you in charge, but alone do not make someone a leader. Your humility will determine whether people will trust you enough to follow.
In uniform, I had the privilege of serving alongside extraordinary leaders. The best among them were rarely the loudest people in the room. They did not need to remind everyone of their title or accomplishments.
They listened.
They asked better questions.
They admitted when they did not have all the answers.
They gave credit freely and accepted responsibility fully.
That kind of humility is not weakness. It is strength under control.
Leadership is not about being the hero of every story. It is about creating conditions for others to succeed. The mission is bigger than your ego, the team is bigger than your title, and the outcome matters more than being right.
This is especially true during transition.
For many Special Operators, leaving military service means stepping out of an environment where competence, reputation, and identity were built over years, often decades. They enter a new world with new expectations and new measures of success.
That transition requires humility: the humility to learn again, ask for help, be coached, and recognize the skills that made you effective in one arena may need to be translated and reapplied in another.
At SOTF, we see this every day. Fellows who have led at the highest levels choose to become students again. They sit with coaches, mentors, alumni, and business leaders who challenge their assumptions and help them prepare for what comes next.
That willingness to learn is not a step backward. It is the foundation for continued impact.
The best leaders I know never outgrow feedback. They never stop learning. They never confuse confidence with certainty.
They understand that humility keeps you grounded, curious, and connected to the people you lead and serve.
Leadership through humility is not thinking less of yourself. It’s simply remembering the mission was never only about you.
Keith Pritchard
SOTF Director of Development
We`re proud to spotlight Executive Coach Abigail G. Manning. Get to know her through the brief bio below and learn what it means to her to support our Fellows on their leadership journeys.
"My “why” is deeply personal.
As a mom of military kids, supporting Special Operators is more than professional work for me. It is a heartfelt mission. Coaching with SOTF gives me the privilege of walking alongside extraordinary people as they navigate transition, translate their strengths, and build a meaningful next chapter.
My approach is rooted in what I call “Purple Threads”… the hard-earned lessons woven through adversity, service, sacrifice, and resilience. I help leaders recognize those threads, reclaim the inner warrior and winner shaped by their challenges, and use that strength to lead with purpose in life, work, and family.
What I love most is that this work does not stop at career transition. It helps build strong, loving families, which create stronger communities and organizations, and ultimately contribute to a stronger, more united country.
That same mission fuels my keynotes, corporate executive coaching, and team workshops … helping people and organizations turn pressure, hardship, and purpose into trust, leadership, and lasting impact."
Thank you, Abigail, for your commitment to guiding and supporting our Fellows through their individualized leadership journeys. Your impact is felt across our community.
The SOTF team is honored to have supported 108 Special Operators as they launched their next chapter. We are incredibly proud of the dedication our Fellows have shown as they continue building purposeful careers beyond service.
Every transition represents more than a new job; it`s a future being built with leadership, resilience, and purpose, creating lasting impact for generations to come.
We are honored to stand alongside these leaders as they continue shaping the future.
Get involved by learning how you can help support our cause at http://sotf.org/get-involved/
#sof #militarytransition #operators #veterans #lifeafterservice
The SOTF Team is excited to announce that Jamie Burns has successfully transitioned into a Partner Engagement Specialist role with Onebrief.
Jamie is a seasoned Special Operations leader who recently completed service in the @USArmy as a Staff Sergeant after 12 years of selfless service.
A snapshot of some of Jamie’s accomplishments includes:
🇺🇸 Jamie completed service as a US Army MH-60M DAP / MH-60M Blackhawk Crewchief, Staff Sergeant, out of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment Airborne. During his tenure, he served as a Standardization Instructor, Production Control Officer, Section Sergeant, and a trusted advisor in modernizing tactics and operating procedures for the 160th SOAR.
🇺🇸 Jamie has a proven ability to thrive in high-pressure environments, align teams around a common mission, and bridge the gap between operational challenges and innovative solutions. His experience leading training, managing risk, and coordinating across organizations makes him uniquely suited for supporting the modern warfighter.
🇺🇸 Jamie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Information Technology Management.
🇺🇸 Jamie dedicates his time to being outdoors in the Pacific Northwest, serving his community, and mentoring other veterans in the transition out of service.
"The SOTF Team provided me unparalleled guidance and networking opportunities, ultimately leading me to my next successful career. I appreciate the individualized approach to my unique situation and encourage everyone transitioning out of uniform to leverage the incredible support that SOTF provides. The SOTF coaches and alumni are truly the backbone of my transition success, and I feel so lucky and grateful to be a part of their program."
To learn more about Jamie’s incredible leadership journey, connect with him on LinkedIn.
#sof #SOFOperators #usarmy #specialoperators #TransitionTuesday #SOTF
