Boots 2 Books with Peter Cline feature #9 of Together Talks
- KLS
- Mar 9, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
"Together Talks" feature # 9: Boots 2 Books presented by KLS, freight company.
Some Background on Boots 2 Books
The company was co-founded by Peter Cline and Aubrey Sine over 2 years ago. Peter served as an army infantryman. Upon separation from the Army, he wanted to provide assistance to veterans, transitioning military, and their families to attain competitive education and employment opportunities. Together they founded Boots to Books. An organization to provide Veterans with soft skills, technical upskilling, and employment opportunities.
The Mission
The goal is simple, to help as many individuals in the military community attain competitive education and employment opportunities as possible. Peter stated what made them unique compared to other non-profits is their holistic approach, collaboration with other organizations, adaptability, and personalized approach. He said that there are great fellow companies out there that specialize in a certain sector to help Veterans. Boots to Books has tried to expand on that and offer a wide range of opportunities.
Another thing that makes Boots to Books unique is that every service they offer is completely free. Not a penny is ever charged. In our talk, he mentioned how there are many predatory companies within this sector that will charge Veterans for assistance. Peter was adamant from the beginning they would never and they have stayed true to their word.
The Process
Peter broke down how they help. First, they begin with "soft skills". This begins with self-discovery to find out what an individual may want to do after the service. Boots to Books hosts career days, events with recruiters, events for interview training, and events for resume building (having resume coaches make edits on the screen in real-time to understand why and the impact!). Peter said these events are critical to allow the Veteran to ask questions. "What do I want to do and how do I convey my abilities to a company?"
The second aspect is what they refer to as technical upskilling. He stated there are two buckets for this. The first is higher education. They help with the application process for individuals applying to school. If the school won't waive the application fee for a Veteran, they can apply to Boots to Books to cover the application fee. They also cover individuals' books that exceed the stipend their benefits provide them. He said the application process usually is answered within 72 hours! Through the two years, they have developed some great relationships with schools.
The second bucket is professional certification. They assist in paying for the certifications for Veterans, up to $1,000. Again they are trying to provide as many opportunities to enhance each individual's resume and job prospects.
The Challenges
Funding. Like any non-profit, it always is about funding. He said especially in their industry you have to have a track record. It is difficult to fundraise without quantifiable results, but establishing quantifiable results usually requires funding. They have been very fortunate to have outstanding donors throughout the 2+ years. Per their website, given out over $84,000 in educational resources to date. Peter mentioned that non-profits shouldn't fight for donation dollars. Every donated dollar is going to a good cause. For them, it is about continuing to develop their resources and making the largest impact they can. Another great way they fundraise is their annual golf outing. Check out the full details here on their website!
The other challenge for Boots to Books is help. Currently, they have an employee, a COO, Thomas Gill. Peter and Aubrey do not take any salary. On top of that, they have numerous volunteers. Throughout the entire conversation, he stated how fortunate they were for the support they receive. Most of the volunteers have some connection to the military. They understand the challenges Veterans face when transitioning back to civilian life. It is easy for them to support, give back, and help this great cause.
The Future
When we asked Peter about his favorite moment, he told us a story from about 6 weeks ago. An individual transitioning out of the military sooner than expected due to medical issues connected with Peter. Peter connected with this individual who had a family and had no plan. He was an infantryman as well. They set up weekly calls to guide him through the process. The Veteran began setting up his own interviews with companies. He ended up landing a job that paid double his salary in the military. Initially, he was put on the night shift, but the results were so impressive they promoted him to manage their busiest shift. Peter mentioned this position was usually held for someone with a special degree and experience. Instead, this Veteran, new to the company was able to show how effectively he could lead. Peter mentioned the Veteran has more time than he ever imagined, making more money than he ever imagined, and spending more time with his family than he ever imagined. Peter said it was such an awesome moment and stories like this are why he is so passionate about Boots to Books.
In 2022, Boots to Books had 2,500+ Veterans attend their events. Peter said the goal is to double that this year. Per their website, they have already helped over 4,100 individuals so far! They want to continue expanding their professional certification options for Veterans. They hope to continue building the list of companies attending their fairs. Included already are Amazon, Oracle, Raytheon, Accenture, and others.
In closing, we asked Peter if there is one message he could send to Veterans what would it be? "Create a plan. Many of us leave the military and we don't know what to do or how to transfer our skills. That is ok. There are companies out there who have your back and will guide you every step of the way. Let companies like Boots to Books show you what is possible." He said he wished more Veterans were aware of the help out there and they will continue to try and spread the message.
That is why KLS was so thrilled to get introduced to Peter and tell the story of Boots to Books in this week's "Together Talks" campaign. A wonderful company giving back every step of the way. We want to commend them and hope they continue to grow and develop to help as many Veterans as possible. Check out the below details on Boots to Books. If you or anyone can donate, click here! Also if you know anyone about to leave the military let them know about Boots to Books. It could change the entire path of their transition!
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