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V O L . X X I I I N O. X X I I I O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 24 A bout 10 months before retiring from the U.S. Air Force, stationed in Florida, Jon Beauchamp got in touch with Boots2Roots, a Portland nonprofi t that helps people separating or retiring from the military land on their feet in Maine. Beauchamp, who grew up in Maine, was looking to get into the education fi eld after 24 years of military service. While on the Maine Department of Labor website, he clicked through to Boots2Roots and contacted its execu- tive director, Jen Fullmer. Having mentored young Air Force recruits, Beauchamp applied to a master's in education program at the University of Southern Maine. While he worked on the application, Fullmer connected him with useful contacts at the school. He was accepted to the program and started in August, which includes a teaching internship in an eighth-grade classroom, and is about to buy a house through a Realtor that Fullmer had recommended. Fullmer "helped with everything from A to Z," says Beauchamp, who liked the fact that she had also been in the Air Force, even on some of the same bases. "She's very high energy, she's a very positive person, and she wants to help out wherever she can. She helped smooth the process." Beauchamp is among a growing list of Boots2Roots "teammates" Fullmer is helping quickly transition back into civilian life. Boots2Roots helps veter- ans fi nd worthy jobs and helps them connect with the community through school and church referrals or whatever else they may need. To help them fi nd meaningful employment, Boots2Roots facilitates contacts and helps with resume and interview preparation rather than acting as a job-search service. "We don't place people," Fullmer says. "We team with them to help them get prepared, and network, to get employed within two months of getting back." She also doesn't cold-call employ- ers but makes contacts in various ways, such as events hosted by the likes of Rotary Club and the Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce. All that takes time, and she laughs about being as busy now as when serving as a colonel in the Air Force. "It takes time to build an organiza- tion, it takes time to build a reputation, it takes time to get our message out there," she says. "We're focused on mak- ing the returning military member suc- cess, but we also have a vested interest in making sure that we're facilitating good talent for Maine employers." Once she makes a human resources contact, that's someone she can call when there is an opening and she has a qualifi ed person to recommend. Serving Maine Fullmer describes herself as a "ser- vant leader" in her LinkedIn profi le, "24 years for Uncle Sam … the rest of my life for the community of Maine." She retired from the Air Force in 2014 after fl ying 90 combat missions to Afghanistan and Iraq. She landed at Boots2Roots after moving to Maine with her husband, also a veteran. Boots2Roots was co- founded in 2014 by Dave Hickey, a West Gardiner native who had been an instructor of Fullmer's in the Air Force, and John Manganello, who had worked in the private sector. When Hickey asked Fullmer to serve on Boots2Roots' board, she P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Helping veterans land on their feet Boots2Roots' executive director is on a mission to 'see people succeed' B y R e n e e C o r d e s We don't place people. We team with them to help them get prepared, and network, to get employed within two months of getting back. Jen Fullmer Executive director Boots2Roots, Portland Jen Fullmer, executive director of Boots2Roots, meets with Caleb Fournier (left), a veteran transitioning out of the Army, to prepare for a job interview along with Boots2Roots volunteer Bruce MacMillan.

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