Return To Home Port

06/04/2026

06/04/2026

Todays the 84th Anniversary of the Battle of Midway

Why does this matter today?

Because these stories are not just about history. They highlight the long-standing connection between military readiness, workforce development, skilled training pipelines, logistics, manufacturing, aviation, and the maritime industrial base in Illinois.

The same principles that helped prepare aviators decades ago continue to shape today’s Navy and Illinois’ economy. As the defense and shipbuilding industries provide outstanding opportunities in manufacturing, the need for trained, mission-driven talent remains just as critical today as it was during World War II.

At Return To Home Port®, we support opportunities for veterans, transitioning service members, and military families across the nation and around the world to continue leading in the civilian workforce while strengthening America’s maritime and industrial future.

To learn more, contact us at:

Check out these sources: https://www.return2homeport.com/

Sources:

(Official Chicago Department of Aviation page explaining Midway Airport’s naming history.):

https://www.flychicago.com/business/CDA/Pages/Midway.aspx

Official history of O’Hare and its growth into a global transportation hub.

https://www.flychicago.com/business/CDA/Pages/OHare.aspx

U.S. Navy U.S. Naval Station Great Lakes Illinois The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs City of Chicago – Government Chicago O'Hare International Airport Chicago Midway International Airport U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command

04/23/2026

Today marks the 118th Birthday of the U.S. Army Reserve. Since 1908, the Army Reserves force has been defined by the "Twice the Citizen" spirit - soldiers who serve our nation while working professionally and actively participating in our communities.

Employers: Here’s Why the Army Reserves matter to you!
When you employ a Reserve Soldier, you aren't just filling a position; you are gaining a team player dedicated to you and the community.

• Leadership Under Pressure: Soldiers are trained to manage complex teams and high-stakes missions.

• Advanced Expertise: From Cyber, to Engineering, to Health Care, and to Logistics, the Army Reserve provides world-class technical training that fuels your bottom line.

• Proven Quality: the Army Reserve creates Soldiers who are professionals committed to the highest levels of performance in their military and civilian careers.

Employer Support to the Reserves: The resilience of the Army Reserve starts at home. While military spouses and dependents support their servicemembers, employers do too.

• The Employer Support to the Guard and Reserves (ESGR) is a Department of War office established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers.

• They assist in the resolution of challenges arising from an employee's military commitment.

• For more information on ESGR: https://www.esgr.mil

To our partner employers who support their Army Reservists: thank you! Your support makes their lives better and supports our community.

Happy 118th Birthday, Army Reserve!

04/14/2026

April is the Month of the Military Child. Like all things in the military, there is a unique lingo to described military families, mostly spouses and children --- ‘dependents’. The Month of the Military Child is a time to recognize the strength, resilience, and talents of the incredible dependents whose journey is alongside our nation’s service members.

Military dependents. Do you recruit them?

If you don’t, you should. Your company, school, organization, and community will benefit.

Here are some data points:

· There are approximately 1.6 million military-connected dependents, reflecting a broad community of resilient dependents who support service members.
· Military families relocate every 2–3 years, fostering exceptional adaptability, resiliency, and problem-solving skills in dependents.
· According to the Blue Star Families, military dependents' unemployment has historically been significantly higher than the national average.

We see this final data point as an opportunity for employers and schools to engage with a motivated and untapped resource --- from future workforce to potential students.


Return To Home Port® serves as a bridge between the civilian sector and the military community.

For employers, we support strategic workforce planning to fill critical needs and future growth.

✅ Increase access to proven talent with demonstrable skill sets and consistent track records.
✅ Lower talent acquisition costs through programs like Skillbridge, accessing a capable workforce that is more team-oriented and loyal.
✅ Enhance corporate social responsibility (CSR), federal hiring benchmarks, and community impact.
For learning institutions, we help develop pathways for military dependents to thrive.
✅ Enroll qualified, resilient, and fully-funded students who are often mission-driven and service-oriented.
✅ Tailor programs and course offerings to maximize opportunities for military participation.

By partnering with RTHP™, you will:

✅ Develop talent pipelines for service members and their dependents.
✅ Take action now to partner with RTHP™ and make a meaningful impact for military families and your organization. Contact us today to begin building your connection with this talented community.

https://www.return2homeport.com/

02/03/2026

At the core of what we do at Return To Home Port® is to help the civilian sector understand and connect with military-affiliated processes, programs, and most importantly people.

We provide content that is designed to educate and inform the civilian sector about the US military. One of the unique, least known, yet most important aspects of military service is the dedication of Military Chaplains to our military men and women. Today is the Four Chaplains Day.

Read their full story here: https://vawarmemorial.org/the-story-of-the-four-chaplains/

Military life can be difficult. Military Chaplains make it better.

One national organization we support this the American Legion. Here is their guide to the Four Chaplains: https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/dispatch/2026/january/a-guide-to-honor-four-chaplains-sunday

In the Chicago area, we participate in the Notre Dame Club of Chicago Veterans Initiative Committee, which over 10 years has included 4 different Chaplains, who continue to support current-day military and veterans, and their families. At Memorial Day in May these Chaplains remember those who died in the line-of-duty and their families who remain behind, and on Veterans Day in November these Chaplains remember those served, whether living or deceased. These are important duties for a healthy and functioning society.

Our ND Chaplains do this admirably. So do our Military Chaplains. We support them.

Today, we would like to honor today the courage, faith, and selflessness of all Military Chaplains as exemplified by the Four Chaplains. Their legacy of unity and service continues to inspire generations. 🙏

07/25/2025

Here are our Top Ten Return To Home Port™ Reasons to hire a Veteran!

1. Vets are created every day. According to the Department of Defense (DOD), each year as many as 200K military personnel are discharged and thus become Veterans equating to about 800 new Vets per business day. This is a ready talent pool.

2. Many Vets are beginning professional careers. The preponderance of the Active Duty population is between the ages of 18 and 25. The largest number of those considering remaining in the armed services or re-entering civilian life as Vets are in their mid-20s.

3. Vets are motivated. Vets who served since 2002 outperform non-Veterans in terms of overall employment (80% vs 75%), year-round/full-time status (81% vs 71%) and hours worked (greater than 2 hours per week worked).

4. Vets are service-oriented. Vets are disproportionately more likely to work as ‘first responders’. Their service often continues in the community as teachers, coaches, and volunteers at their churches or community organizations in addition to their professions. That means they are value-added to any employer.

5. Proven talent: Veterans have a track record within the military that you can verify. Ask for a reference from a former supervisor in the Veteran’s chain-of-command. You will get a straight answer about the Veteran’s performance, attributes and skill sets.

6. Hard skills: most Veterans have a deep experience in their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) from technical, mechanical, and engineering experts to finance, administrative, health care, and supply professionals.

7. Soft skills: ever been through Boot Camp? It is, by design, a stressful environment with too much to do and too little time to do it. The only way a servicemember makes it through is through resiliency and determination to overcome challenge and adversity. Similarly, servicemembers are team players, who are trained to work together to take action in ambiguous environments as problem solvers.

8. Opportunity to apply for federal tax credits: there are dedicated IRS/Dept of Labor programs that target Mil/Vets hiring, with some Veterans in this category. Employers: ask us!

9. Longer retention: data show that Veterans tend to be more loyal to employers and change jobs less frequently.

10. Raised federal benchmark levels: Mil/Vets are a protected category in hiring for those with federal contracts.

If you would like to recruit or hire a Veteran, contact us at the Talent Seekers tab: https://www.return2homeport.com/

https://prhome.defense.gov/M-RA/Inside-M-RA/MPP/Pop-Rep/2017/

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/11/post-september-11-veterans-more-likely-than-nonveterans-to-be-employed.html

07/04/2025

Happy 249th Birthday to the United States of America!

Today we express our gratitude to God for providing us with the opportunity to live a great land and express the individual freedoms for a higher calling. In our country, we have the freedom to:

- Express the Truth and gratitude for God’s gifts
- Do what’s right even when it comes at a cost
- Fulfill our purpose by putting our talent to work
- Serve humanity and our fellow Americans
- Exercise responsibility and generosity to others

Those freedoms are incorporated in the ethos of Return To Home Port™. We hope you will express those freedoms, too!

05/26/2025

Memorial Day is dedicated to honoring the memory of those in the US military who lost their lives in the service, whether fallen in battle or died in the line of duty.

Memorial Day originated long ago in the division and strife of the US Civil War; we can and should make Memorial Day weekend what those who fell would want it to be -- a time to be united in this country, not divided.

In that unity, let’s remember those who died AND realize they did so for a purpose, a purpose greater than themselves – service to their friends in uniform, families, communities, country and Faith.

As we remember the fallen on Memorial Day, let’s take a moment to reflect on how their loss can help us understand why we are here – to serve God through service to others beyond our own interests – and how their example of courage can serve as a guide for us to have Faith in these challenging times.

05/11/2025

Today, we celebrate the empathy, dedication, and love of mothers everywhere. A special salute goes out to the Moms across the military, from those in uniform to those who are military spouses, who balance the important demands of service with the more important responsibilities of motherhood.

We should honor ALL mothers today – since we ALL have a mother in some way – including Godmothers, foster mothers, grandmothers… you get the idea!

To all the mothers out there, hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day 2025!

05/09/2025

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Established in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan, this day is designed to recognize the important contributions and challenges of military spouses and is the Friday before Mother’s Day since 90% of military spouses are women.

For employers, it is worth considering the incredible pool of talent and value these 600,000+ spouses can bring to your organization. Department of Labor 2024 statistics show that military spouses have higher education levels than the general population, from the 18% who hold graduate degrees to the 6% who have earned technical/vocational degrees, yet many of these same spouses report they are unemployed or underemployed. Oftentimes, this is due to Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves.

What can employers do to address this? The Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) has partnered with Blue Star Families and The US Chamber of Commerce Foundation on the 4+1 Commitment:

1 - Facilitate Job Transferability

2 - Offer Remote or Telework

3 - Offer Flexible Work Hours

4 - Provide Paid or Permissive PCS Leave

+1 Consider Joining Existing Government Spouse Employment Programs. These programs not only offer access to an incredible talent pool, all of them are FREE and at least one offsets costs!

For more information on the 4+1 Commitment, go here: www.bluestarfam.org/4plus1/

For more information on MSEP and existing programs, go here: www.msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/msep/

If you’d like to know how to partner to identify, recruit, hire, and retain military spouses, ask us: www.return2homeport.com