Building Pathways for Disabled Veterans: How PCG Connects Military and Disability Inclusion

When service members leave the military, several transitions often arrive at once: an unfamiliar workplace culture, changes at home, sometimes a new civilian career, or a disability or a need for new accommodations. Public Consulting Group (PCG’s) approach recognizes that these experiences overlap, so its support for veterans, military families and employees with disabilities is not split into separate programs.

Instead, it grew from one employee resource group and expanded through partnerships across the company and beyond.

It Started with Employees

PCG’s Military Network, known as MilNet, was created with the mission to help PCG attract, hire, develop and retain veterans, military spouses and those who support them.

Guy Reynolds, PCG’s Director of Talent Acquisition, founded MilNet and still serves as the group’s advisor, which gives members’ ideas a direct line into how PCG recruits. This year, two military spouses also serve on MilNet’s leadership team, keeping the group focused on how service shapes whole families.

That peer-led structure matters. Disability:IN’s Pathfinder research found that disabled veterans find relationships with fellow veterans more than any formal program as they move into civilian work.

Then it went to where Veterans and Disability Inclusion meet

MilNet and PCG’s Disability EPIC Group work together on topics where veteran and disability experiences intersect, including both visible and non-apparent disabilities.

• Rising Through Resilience. A firmwide workshop with retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills that highlighted the disabled veteran community and explored support resources across PCG.

• Pathfinder at MilNet. Disability:IN presented its Pathfinder Project at a MilNet meeting, opening a direct conversation among members about how best to support disabled veterans at work.  

Each of PCG’s military employment partnerships began as a conversation within MilNet. Together they create routes into PCG at different stages of the military-to-civilian journey.

• DoD SkillBridge. Transitioning service members gain civilian work experience at PCG during their final months of active duty.

• American Corporate Partners (ACP). In PCG’s third year with the program, 10 employees are serving as volunteer mentors in 2026, helping veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses translate their experience into civilian careers.

• Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP). MilNet leaders spotted a gap in PCG’s work alongside SkillBridge, Army PaYS and ACP. PCG has now been accepted into this DoD program, which connects employers directly with military spouses seeking careers.

Equipping Managers

In 2024, MilNet and HR created the Military Spouse & Family: Staff and Supervisor’s Guide, shaped by input from MilNet members. Written for both military-affiliated employees and their managers, it covers military life, common workplace challenges, practical support strategies, national resources and terminology. It helps managers understand realities such as relocations and deployments, so employees do not have to explain everything themselves.

Lessons for other Employers

• Let your ERGs lead. Ask members where the gaps are and give their ideas a route to decision-makers.

• Pair your veteran and disability ERGs. Co-host programming where the two communities overlap, including non-apparent disabilities.

• Plan for the whole family. Bring military spouses into ERG leadership and recruitment.

• Equip managers. Build a practical guide with your ERG so support does not depend on employees explaining everything themselves.