Semper Forward, a Division of Fastport, & NextOp Partner to Connect Transitioning Service Members with Civilian Careers

A mission-driven alliance offering career coaching, employer connections, and a hiring pathway for service members, veterans, and military families.

HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, August 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Semper Forward, a Division of Fastport, an organization that coaches military talent and connects it with employers and educational institutions, today announced a strategic alliance with NextOp, a nonprofit that helps enlisted service members and veterans launch meaningful civilian careers. Both organizations provide hands-on career coaching and connect candidates directly with employers; by joining forces, they will expand their combined reach and widen hiring pathways for transitioning service members, veterans, and their families.

More than 200,000 service members transition out of the U.S. military each year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, and many struggle to translate their training and leadership experience into terms civilian employers recognize. Employers, in turn, often lack a reliable pipeline to reach this highly skilled, mission-driven talent. This partnership is designed to close that gap on both sides, giving veterans a clearer route to durable careers and giving employers structured access to candidates whose discipline, adaptability, and leadership are proven.

Both organizations already work one-on-one with service members, from resume development and interview preparation through job placement and beyond. Under the alliance, Semper Forward and NextOp will coordinate their coaching teams, share employer relationships, and align outreach so that more candidates can be served across more locations. By combining two established networks of hiring partners, the organizations create a larger, shared pipeline of qualified, transition-ready talent and a more consistent experience for the employers who hire them. Coordinated outreach will span NextOp’s presence across the Southeast US and Semper Forward’s national partner base.

“Semper Forward and NextOp are cut from the same cloth. Both of us work one-on-one with service members to turn military experience into lasting civilian careers. Joining forces means we can coach more veterans, reach more communities, and give employers a single, dependable connection to the talent they need. When two organizations this aligned pull in the same direction, the people we serve are the ones who win,” said Brad Bentley, President, Fastport

“This is an exciting partnership for NextOp because it adds another mission-focused partner with a national-level employer base to our rapidly growing partner network. This reach allows more options for our post-9/11 enlisted veterans and their families. This is a win for our candidates, for both organizations, and the employers looking to connect with this high-quality talent pipeline," shared Shelby Mounts, NextOp

Why It Matters

Since 2015, NextOp has built a track record of moving veterans into careers rather than just jobs, earning recognition that includes Military Times’ "Best for Vets," a U.S. Department of Labor Platinum certification, and a GuideStar Platinum transparency seal. NextOp has placed over 6,600 veterans, and average starting salaries for 2026 are over $75,000. Semper Forward shares that same commitment, pairing its own career coaching with an established network of employers and educational partners actively seeking to hire and develop military talent. Because the two organizations do such similar work, the alliance multiplies capacity rather than duplicating it, adding more coaches, more employer relationships, and broader geographic coverage. For candidates, that means personalized coaching and real access to opportunities; for employers, a dependable channel to skilled, transition-ready professionals.

About NextOp Veterans

NextOp assists enlisted veterans in their transition from military service to civilian careers. Through a unique workforce development program and wide-ranging resources, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization provides enlisted veterans with the necessary tools, training, and support to thrive. Headquartered in Houston and with operations in New Orleans, Dallas-Fort Worth, Havelock, Memphis and Huntsville, NextOp tailors services to meet the specific needs and foster the professional growth of each individual candidate. For more information, visit nextopvets.org.

About Semper Forward, a Division of Fastport

Semper Forward, a Division of Fastport, connects educational institutions and employers with motivated talent through strategic outreach, recruitment campaigns, and workforce pipeline development solutions. The organization is dedicated to supporting U.S. veterans, transitioning service members, and military families as they build civilian careers. Learn more at www.semperforward.com.

Jeff Griffis
Semper Forward
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