There are a couple of reasons why governments should offer more support to veterans who choose entrepreneurship upon their return to civilian life, saysDon Gonneville, owner of San Juan Capistrano, Calif.-based Gonneville Inc., a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVOB) and a small business that distributes generators, light towers and wet abrasive blast systems to the federal government.
The first reason, Gonneville told Govpro.com, involves leveling the playing field. “By volunteering for military service, veterans have put their civilian lives on hold for a period of time in order to serve their country,” Gonneville says. “While these veterans were dedicating their lives to their country, their competitors had the opportunity to create and grow their businesses, positioning them to better serve their chosen markets. This is a good thing, of course, because small businesses are the engine of America.