\u201cThe EBV took all the guesswork out of it. If I didn\u2019t take this course, it would have taken me years to figure it out on my own,\u2019\u2019 he says. \u201cThe EBV has been priceless for me.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Veterans\u2019 Program Needs a Helping Hand<\/strong><\/p>\n The EBV program, founded at UConn in 2009, offers experiential training in entrepreneurship and small-business management to post-9\/11 U.S. veterans who have disabilities as a result of serving the country. The UConn program has graduated 218 veterans and their caregivers, who have launched 187 businesses.<\/p>\n The COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in the program, which relies on gifts, grants, and philanthropy to provide its services at no cost for veterans. \u201cWe\u2019ve had some difficult and uncomfortable conversations,\u2019\u2019 says EBV Director Michael Zacchea, who feared the program wouldn\u2019t continue.<\/p>\n UConn finance professor emeritus Tom O\u2019Brien, a longtime supporter of the program, stepped up with a plan to encourage potential donors to contribute. He offered to match donations, up to $100,000, to help save the program.<\/p>\n \u201cThis program just rang a bell with me,\u2019\u2019 says O\u2019Brien, of Southington, who taught at UConn for 30 years and led the school\u2019s finance-degree program. \u201cI was distraught by how many veterans were returning from Iran and Afghanistan both physically and emotionally wounded. The EBV program has had spectacular success in the number of people who started a successful business. But, to me, this is also a life-saving program.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI feel these men and women served in a combat zone, they did this for their country and I don\u2019t want them to give up,\u2019\u2019 he says. \u201cEvery person who goes through the program is another suicide prevented. These people deserve better because of what they\u2019ve done for us.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n School of Business Dean John A. Elliott says the program is inspiring.<\/p>\n \u201cThe UConn EBV program is one of the most respected and celebrated programs of its kind in the nation,\u2019\u2019 Elliott says. \u201cIt touches many hearts to be able to help those who have sacrificed so much for our nation. Not only are these new entrepreneurs creating something exciting for themselves, but also contributing to the growth of our economy.<\/p>\n \u201cI am hopeful that, through the generosity of Professor O\u2019Brien, additional donors, and the state of Connecticut, we will be able to keep this valuable program on solid footing,\u2019\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n Despite End of War in Afghanistan, Next Decade Will be More Challenging<\/strong><\/p>\n The program is run by Zacchea, a combat-wounded, medically-retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, who deployed as the first U.S. military adviser during the war in Iraq. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for valor in combat and the Purple Heart for his wounds. This Veteran\u2019s Day will mark the 17th anniversary of a wound that nearly cost him his life. He tells his harrowing story in the war memoir \u201cThe Ragged Edge: A U.S. Marine\u2019s Account of Leading the Iraqi Army 5th Battalion.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Despite the end of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, Zacchea thinks the need for the EBV program will continue to increase.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the next decade will be tougher than the last. It isn\u2019t over because the war in Afghanistan is over. The needs of those who serve will increase over time, as will the demand for our services,\u2019\u2019 he says. Due to chemical exposure, poor air quality, and other issues, today\u2019s veterans are likely to experience more long-term illnesses than their predecessors.<\/p>\n The EBV program has also changed, with a stronger emphasis on developing technology skills and a focus on an older veteran who likely served several tours of duty.<\/p>\n![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Picure-EBV-300x169.jpg\")