INDIANAPOLIS — Veterans Day is Saturday, Nov. 11, and one Indianapolis nonprofit is working to bring more veterans to Indiana.
INvets is a nonprofit founded by veterans, for veterans.
Its mission is to help bring veterans to Indiana and assist them in their transition to civilian life.
The process starts with INvets staff traveling the county and visiting military bases nationwide.
Jesse Pimental is the central Indiana veteran engagement manager for INvets.
"We work to find that transitioning service member, share the good news of moving to a great state like Indiana, and then from there, link them up with the 550+ companies that we currently work with," Pimental said.
INvets President and CEO Blaine Zimmerman said the services don't stop when a veteran lands a job. He said the transition to civilian life is transformational, not transactional.
"Sixty percent of veterans leave their first job in their first year," Zimmerman said. "What we aim to do is find that right community for people, so that if that happens for them, they want to stay there. They're not leaving the state again. We're trying to make life-long Hoosiers, Hoosiers by choice."
For Pimental, the journey started in 2017 when he enlisted as a United States Air Force SERE Specialist candidate.
He had already worked in the private sector for about 10 years before deciding to fulfill a childhood dream to serve.
"The goal never really left to want to serve," Pimental said.
Originally from Florida, Pimental moved to Carmel, Indiana, a few years before enlisting.
"It's a beautiful place," Pimental said. "If you're going to raise a family, this is the place to raise a family."
Now, the "Hoosier by choice" is able to serve fellow veterans through his position at INvets.
"One thing that we do isn't only help those transitioning service members right now, but it's also to help service members that have gotten out 10 or 15 years ago that maybe have fallen on difficult times," Pimental said. "That's incredibly encouraging when you find that person."
Zimmerman said his team is able to promote several aspects of Indiana, like its veteran benefits and low cost of living.
"We brought 415 new Hoosiers to the state in 2022, and that number looks like it's going to be even higher this year," Zimmerman said.
Plus, Pimental said it's more than living and working. INvets also helps veterans find an Indiana community that feels like home, which can include everything from education to safety to faith-based institutions.
"The beautiful part of what we do is there is no fee attached," Pimental said.
"I realized the transition is really hard, even for somebody that has a degree and feels like they've got their stuff together," Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman is a veteran, too. He is a former infantry noncommissioned officer. Zimmerman said he was enlisted for 11 years and deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Since moving back home to Indiana, Zimmerman remains active in the Indiana National Guard. He moved into the INvets CEO role in January 2022.
Since its inception, INvets has learned to support veterans entering the private sector, while also preparing Hoosier employers for that transition.
Pimental said the best way to get connected to the resources at INvets is online.
"We have five veteran engagement managers," Pimental said. "Somebody in that area will be able to reach out."
Plus, Zimmerman said Hoosiers are welcome to stop by the INvets office, which is inside the Indiana Veterans' Center at 777 N. Meridian St. in Indianapolis.
"Come in and take a tour around," Zimmerman said. "The Legion has an office here. Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs has an office here. You name it, there is something in here for veteran services."