{"id":72178,"date":"2023-11-09T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=72178"},"modified":"2023-11-08T16:11:06","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T00:11:06","slug":"trailblazer-veteran-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/trailblazer-veteran-story\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Veteran and Military Spouse Found a Tech Career Through Salesforce"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>After leaving the military, Lisa Malmanger knew she wanted to find a new career path that would bring fulfillment to her post-military life.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>To develop skills for a tech career, she used <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Trailhead<\/em><\/a><em>, Salesforce\u2019s free online learning platform, and <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/veterans.my.site.com\/s\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Salesforce Military<\/em><\/a><em>, which gives military veterans and their spouses access to free training, exams, and certifications, and helps connect them with career opportunities.<\/em>&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Malmanger also leaned on the Trailblazer and Salesforce Military communities to help her stay up-to-date on AI best practices and explore new roles in the ecosystem.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>After a decade as a personnel information management specialist in the U.S. Army, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/trailblazer\/lmalmanger1\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lisa Malmanger<\/a> thought she\u2019d have no problem landing her post-military dream job. Beyond Malmanger\u2019s technical skills in database systems, she\u2019d accomplished a lot, including managing teams and handling a successful deployment to Bosnia.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a shoulder injury that eventually forced her to leave military life. However, instead of quickly transitioning into a new civilian career that she loved, Malmanger found herself unemployed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-finding-job-fulfillment-after-military-life\"><strong>Finding job fulfillment after military life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>During this time, Malmanger became a military spouse. Her career plans were on hold, and she took on a series of short-term jobs as her family moved five times in six years. After getting divorced, she decided to again pursue her career passions, and earned a degree in software engineering while raising her young daughter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, Malmanger had the skills to land a solid role and start a new, fulfilling career in the tech industry; however, it was more challenging than she realized.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI couldn\u2019t get my foot in the door,\u201d she said. \u201cI had the skills, but I didn\u2019t have the support in knowing how to transition my military experience to the civilian side. I was getting very frustrated, and I almost gave up.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ten years after she left the military and after years of job searching, in 2011, Malmanger got a call that altered her career trajectory. A hiring manager from a software company in Texas, who had seen Malmanger\u2019s resume, reached out to her about an opportunity to pursue a job that introduced her to Salesforce.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs soon as I started using Salesforce, I fell in love with it and said, \u2018I want more,\u2019\u201d Malmanger said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2178\" height=\"3082\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-72203\" data-id=\"72203\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=724\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg 2178w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=212&amp;h=300 212w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=768&amp;h=1087 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=724&amp;h=1024 724w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=1085&amp;h=1536 1085w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=1447&amp;h=2048 1447w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=187&amp;h=264 187w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=258&amp;h=365 258w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=678&amp;h=959 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=106&amp;h=150 106w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=136&amp;h=193 136w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/IMG_9506.jpeg?w=1218&amp;h=1724 1218w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2178px) 100vw, 2178px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2268\" height=\"4032\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-72204\" data-id=\"72204\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg 2268w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=169&amp;h=300 169w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=768&amp;h=1365 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=576&amp;h=1024 576w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=864&amp;h=1536 864w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=1152&amp;h=2048 1152w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=149&amp;h=264 149w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=205&amp;h=365 205w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=678&amp;h=1205 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=84&amp;h=150 84w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=109&amp;h=193 109w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Legends-of-Low-Code.jpg?w=1218&amp;h=2165 1218w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2268px) 100vw, 2268px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-salesforce-programs-supports-veterans-and-military-spouses-with-training-funding\"><strong>Salesforce programs supports veterans and military spouses with training, funding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Each year, thousands of veterans like Malmanger transition into the civilian workforce. While they have valuable skills \u2014 including agility, leadership, and teamwork \u2014 many face challenges in finding employment. In addition, military spouses are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uschamberfoundation.org\/workforce\/unemployment-and-underemployment-continue-plague-military-spouses-and-affect-financial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">unemployed and underemployed<\/a> at high rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Salesforce has a longstanding commitment to the military community, and empowering the workforce of the future with the skills they need for future success.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A cornerstone of these efforts is <a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailhead<\/a>, Salesforce\u2019s free online learning platform, and <a href=\"https:\/\/veterans.my.site.com\/s\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Salesforce Military<\/a>, a free program that helps members of the military community access training and get hired by Salesforce partners and customers. So far, 65,000 veterans and military spouses have joined Salesforce Military to learn new skills. Salesforce also has dedicated resources to training hiring managers on how to hire military talent and has created external resources for companies to hire and create military-friendly workplaces.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Today, the company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/salesforce-to-upskill-80k-veterans-donates-1m-to-veterans-education-workforce-innovation-orgs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">is committed<\/a> to providing 80,000 members of the military community with access to learning Salesforce skills and career opportunities in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/partners\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Salesforce ecosystem<\/a> by 2026.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, the company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/salesforce-to-upskill-80k-veterans-donates-1m-to-veterans-education-workforce-innovation-orgs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">is committed<\/a> to providing 80,000 members of the military community with access to learning Salesforce skills and career opportunities in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/partners\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Salesforce ecosystem<\/a> by 2026. As part of this ongoing pledge, Salesforce recently distributed $300,000 in grants and sponsorships to seven nonprofits in the U.S. and U.K. that equip veterans and military spouses with in-demand job skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"more-from-block more-from-block--2 alignfull wp-block-newsroom-moreontopic\">\n\t<div class=\"more-from-block__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"more-from-block__title\">Related<\/h4>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"more-from-block__cards more-from-block__cards--2\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\n<article\t\t\titemscope=\"\"\n\t\titemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Article\"\n\t\tdata-card-id=\"89190\"\n\t\tclass=\"content-card content-card--large-inline is-entire-area-clickable content-card--is-boxed\"\n\t\t\tdata-clickable-area-link=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/military-veteran-program-announcement-2025\/\"\n\t>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"content-card__image-container\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t<img width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/08\/How-the-Expanded-Salesforce-Military-Program-Helps-Veterans-and-Spouses-Build-Careers-in-AI.png?w=1024\" class=\"content-card__image\" alt=\"A man in military uniform smiles for a photo with his wife and young daughter.\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/08\/How-the-Expanded-Salesforce-Military-Program-Helps-Veterans-and-Spouses-Build-Careers-in-AI.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/08\/How-the-Expanded-Salesforce-Military-Program-Helps-Veterans-and-Spouses-Build-Careers-in-AI.png?w=300&amp;h=169 300w, 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class=\"content-card__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/best-places-to-work-disability-2025\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"content-card__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSalesforce Tops \u201cBest Places to Work for Disability Inclusion\u201d List for Seventh Time\t\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div itemprop=\"readTime\" class=\"content-card__read-time\">\n\t\t\t\t2 min read\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/article>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<noscript>\n<div class=\"pagination-fallback\">\n\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72178\/page\/2\/?bc=OTH#section-title\">\n\t\t\tOlder Posts\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/noscript>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-forging-a-new-path-with-the-help-of-communit-y\"><strong>Forging a new path with the help of communit<\/strong><strong>y<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When Malmanger started working in her first role in the Salesforce ecosystem, she found out about Salesforce Military and immediately signed up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI felt like I was part of a group again like in the military, where everyone helps each other out,\u201d she said. \u201cI could chat with other military members and spouses going through the same issues and challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Malmanger dove head-first into beefing up her capabilities and skills on Trailhead, eventually earning 15 Salesforce certifications. As a gamer in her spare time, she enjoyed the gamified learning process. \u201cThere\u2019s motivation to learn, get certified, and put it on your resume,\u201d she said. \u201cIt helped me advance my career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Malmanger credits the Trailblazer and Salesforce Military communities with helping her stay up-to-date on best practices, meet and network with others, and explore new roles in the ecosystem. She went on to work as a software engineer at a healthcare company and a Salesforce consultant. Now, she works at Booz Allen Hamilton as a senior solution architect, after a fellow member of the Trailhead community encouraged her to apply for a role at the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be here if it wasn\u2019t for Salesforce and the community it has \u2014 maybe I\u2019d still be doing data entry somewhere,\u201d she said. \u201cBeing able to switch roles and try different things within the ecosystem has been great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I wouldn\u2019t be here if it wasn\u2019t for Salesforce and the community it has \u2014 maybe I\u2019d still be doing data entry somewhere. Being able to switch roles and try different things within the ecosystem has been great.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Malmanger has also been mentoring new Salesforce Military members and giving back to other veterans who have been in her shoes. Through chatting about her career journey and providing feedback on their resumes to better target specific roles, Malmanger hopes to spare them the roadblocks she once encountered. She believes that the military community has a unique set of skills that can benefit the private sector, including adaptability and resilience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re used to change, so that doesn\u2019t affect us,\u201d she said. \u201cIn today\u2019s world, everything is constantly evolving, so we have to be able to adapt and shift paths often.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-continuous-learning-is-key-in-the-age-of-generative-ai\"><strong>Continuous learning is key in the age of generative AI<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, Malmanger is using Trailhead to learn about the latest innovations in artificial intelligence, including recently completing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/blog\/salesforce-ai-associate--data-cloud-consultant-certification\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AI Associate certification<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to implementing the products coming out, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/press-releases\/2023\/09\/12\/ai-einstein-news-dreamforce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Einstein Copilot<\/a>, and I\u2019m excited to learn more\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m trying to do as many trails as possible, because I know we\u2019re just scratching the surface with AI \u2014 there\u2019s going to be a lot more to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-unlocking-new-career-opportunities-with-salesforce\"><strong>Unlocking new career opportunities with Salesforce<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Malmanger encourages veterans and their spouses looking to make the leap into the tech sector to learn about the Salesforce ecosystem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf more military members and spouses knew about Salesforce, opportunities would just open for them,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can work from home, spend time with your family, and gain all this wonderful experience.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Malmanger\u2019s advice for those getting started is to leverage the welcoming Salesforce network. \u201cDon\u2019t be shy to reach out to people,\u201d she said. \u201cYou may not know them, but the community is wonderful. If they don\u2019t know the answer, they\u2019ll connect you to someone who does. An individual can achieve a lot, but when we unite as a community like Salesforce, the potential is endless.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-learn-more\"><strong>Learn more<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Skill up on AI learning on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/blog\/learn-ai-skills-on-trailhead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailhead<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Learn more about Salesforce Military and Salesforce\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/salesforce-to-upskill-80k-veterans-donates-1m-to-veterans-education-workforce-innovation-orgs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">commitment<\/a> to veterans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Read an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/vetforce-equality-group\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interview<\/a> with Salesforce equality group Vetforce\u2019s President<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Learn how to create create military-friendly workplaces <a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/users\/workforceinnovation\/trailmixes\/military-support\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Read more about Salesforce\u2019s recognition on the 2023 Military Times Best for Vets: Employers list <a href=\"https:\/\/bestforvets.militarytimes.com\/rankings\/employers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After a decade as a personnel information management specialist in the U.S. Army, Lisa Malmanger thought she\u2019d have no problem landing her post-military dream job. Beyond Malmanger\u2019s technical skills in database systems, she\u2019d accomplished a lot, including managing teams and handling a successful deployment to Bosnia.&nbsp; It was a shoulder injury that eventually forced her [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":72187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sf_subhead":"","sf_i18n_disclaimer":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"alternateThumbnailId":0,"sf_product_cta_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"sf_content_type":[1728],"sf_theme":[1914],"sf_topic":[1766],"sf_product":[1784],"sf_industry":[],"sf_role":[],"sf_multimedia_asset":[],"sf_location":[1798],"sf_collection":[],"sf_visibility":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-72178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","sf_content_type-snapshots","sf_theme-business-as-a-platform-for-change","sf_topic-equality","sf_product-trailhead","sf_location-global"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How a Veteran and Military Spouse Found a Tech Career Through Salesforce - Salesforce<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"After leaving the military, Lisa Malmanger knew she wanted to find a new career path that would bring fulfillment to her post-military life.&nbsp; 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