How the Relaunched Salesforce Military Program Helps Veterans and Spouses Build Careers in AI

Salesforce just announced the relaunched Salesforce Military program, strengthening its support for veterans and military spouses as they prepare for careers in the technology sector. 

The new reshaped program is “rooted in the voices of the community, shaped by their feedback from deep listening sessions and focused on creating a program that meets their needs” said Leah McGowen-Hare, Salesforce’s SVP of Trailblazer Community. 

Tom House, the new Director of Salesforce Military, shared more about the program, how it supports veterans and their spouses in building careers for the AI era, and the new partnerships that will extend the program’s impact.

Q. You’ve got a military background yourself, with an almost 25-year career in the Navy. What motivated you to take on this role now that you’re in civilian life?

I spent 10 years as an enlisted sailor, working in combat information centers aboard ships. After finishing college in the Navy, I went to Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, then served another 15 years as a naval officer in the Supply Corps, the logistics arm of the Navy.

When I transitioned out of the military and began applying for jobs, I couldn’t understand why I was rejected for jobs I knew I could crush‌ — ‌it was a slice of humble pie. Now I realize hundreds, if not thousands, of people apply for every job at places like Salesforce.

I benefited greatly from the Supply Corps veteran community in my career journey. Their mentorship and networking were instrumental, along with using Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online learning platform, to hone my skills in change management, stakeholder engagement, and project management. This path led me to Salesforce, a company whose values strongly align with my own.

This new role is an opportunity to help other veterans and their spouses learn and skill up for the AI economy.

This new role is an opportunity to help other veterans and their spouses learn and skill up for the AI economy.

Tom House, Director of Salesforce Military

Q. What’s your vision for Salesforce Military, and why is it so urgent?

The work we’re doing is particularly urgent because of the difficulty many veterans and spouses have transitioning to the civilian workforce. If you look at data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, military veterans’ unemployment rates are comparable to the nonveteran population, around 3%–5% depending on the year and demographic. 

But in any given year, military spouses have a 22% unemployment rate. They often sacrifice their careers to support their families, and when their spouses leave the military, they have a hard time making up for lost ground. This country and many around the world will benefit enormously if we can close that gap. 

Q. Can you give us some specifics on how Salesforce is helping veterans and military spouses?

Salesforce Military is dedicated to helping veterans and their spouses make that difficult transition into the corporate world and into the Salesforce ecosystem. Our three pillars to support that mission are called Future-Ready Workforce, Mentorship, and Networking. 

The Future-Ready Workforce starts with upskilling. We provide a large library of training to veterans and their spouses through Trailhead. To accelerate their learning even further, we also provide free access to Trailhead Academy classes led by experts, plus free certification vouchers so they can earn a whole ladder of credentials. This includes curated AI learning paths called Agentblazer Statuses. These paths are for anyone who wants to learn AI basics, teaching people how to build and deploy Agentforce agents. 

But we don’t stop with training. We’re also focused on building a self-sustaining community that provides mentorship and networking opportunities.  

Mentorship includes access to the Hire Heroes USA community, which focuses on career mentorship, networking, and civilian career success. Networking opportunities include the reinvigoration of the Salesforce Military presence at Salesforce’s marquee events like Dreamforce and Trailblazer DX, where we’ll have tailored meetups. 

We’re also launching a quarterly networking workshop series for the military community, with the first event on September 11, 2025. And we’ll be supporting our partners at their annual networking and mentorship events across the United States and abroad.

Q. Why are AI skills so important to veterans and their spouses right now?

AI is without a doubt the most significant technology revolution to happen in decades. With the growth of agentic AI, it’s getting even more powerful. But AI tools won’t work if we don’t have a workforce that understands how to use the technology.

Veterans and their spouses bring incredible skills to the game.

Tom House, Director of Salesforce Military

Veterans and their spouses bring incredible skills to the game. Through their military experience, they’ve gained “soft skills” like empathy. They know how to prioritize, have mastered time management, and are great at multitasking. These skills are hard-won through life experience — you can’t teach them in a classroom. And they’re really valuable in any organization.

If you layer on AI skills on top of that, you’ve got an unbeatable combination for stepping into the AI-first economy.

Q. Tell us more about how you’re working with partners like Hire Heroes USA and Hiring our Heroes.

Hire Heroes USA is a nonprofit networking, mentoring, and career transition support platform. It provides job training, interview training, and other opportunities to help veterans transition into post-military careers, all at no cost to their clients. With Hire Heroes USA, both veterans and their spouses can sign up for mentorship and hiring programs, giving them access to industry experts who can help guide them into the next stages of their careers. 

We’re supporting Hire Heroes USA with a grant to bolster their work. We’re also spotlighting the organization on our website and helping direct the Salesforce Military community to their programs.

We’re also continuing to work with Hiring Our Heroes, which is part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. It connects the military community with American businesses to help them find jobs, for instance by providing access to employers and companies that are hiring people into AI careers. 

Q. What’s next — and how can people find out more?

There’s a huge opportunity here. If you’re just starting the journey, go to the Salesforce Military website and select a career path that will take you to Trailhead. Once you complete the trail, register for a free certification voucher and Trailhead Academy classes. 

If you’re a veteran of the Salesforce Military program, we welcome you to come back and start your AI journey with the Agentblazer Statuses: Agentblazer Champion, Innovator, and the newly released Legend status.

I want to encourage people to get in touch. If you have questions please feel free to send me an email and let’s connect!

Go deeper:

• Dive into the details on the Salesforce Military site 
• Become an Agentblazer