NEW ORLEANS - Bastion Community of Resilience, New Orleans’ very own community for returning warriors and families, is proud to announce the establishment of a new career services office for veterans in the greater New Orleans area and throughout the state. The services are provided by NextOp, a highly-respected non-profit veteran job placement service headquartered in Houston. The incubation of the NextOp Louisiana satellite office, helmed by Louisiana Regional Manager Ben Armstrong, is part of Bastion’s expansion to become a hub for veteran services in the region. Currently, NextOp is the only veteran and military employment recruitment non-profit operating in Louisiana.

Unlike other veteran job placement services, NextOp has a revolutionary and successful service model that helps high-performing middle-enlisted service members secure fulfilling careers in manufacturing, construction, energy and IT. NextOp mentors work from existing relationships in industries that are typically attractive and friendly to veterans, all the while providing candidates with the guidance and refinement needed to make them as successful of an applicant as possible.
 
“The decision to host NextOp’s Louisiana office at Bastion was an easy one,” said Bastion Founder and Executive Director Dylan Tete. “We are striving, and succeeding, at becoming an integral hub for veterans and their families here in New Orleans and working with NextOp is part of that effort. It’s another step in building a sustainable and supportive community for our veterans.”
 
Bastion Community of Resilience supports returning warriors and families during their reintegration into civilian life. Bastion provides a healing environment within an intentionally designed neighborhood equipped with community-based supports, person-centered services, clinical partnerships and more. At Bastion, warriors and families are invited to discover a new identity and life purpose. With this new addition of career services, Bastion is further promoting its mission and embedding itself as an invaluable resource and hub for our city’s veterans. 
 
“I couldn’t be happier to have our Louisiana office located here at Bastion,” said Armstrong. “Not only are we surrounded by fellow veterans and their families, but we’re able to be plugged in with the larger veteran community here. Businesses and industry leaders are always looking for top talent and many of our men and women are perfect for these jobs, they just need some assistance in translating their service record to the private market. That’s where we come in.”  
 
NextOp’s track record indicates tremendous success with the average initial pay for candidates exceeding $55k per year and the average length of job search lasting 25 days from the initial point of contact. Since 2015, NextOp has successfully placed over 1,000 service members in careers, resulting in a total economic impact of $59 million. NextOp mentors also “work with each transitioning veteran to adjust to their new roles and cultivate the necessary skills to excel in field work, increasing satisfaction and reducing turnover for these positions.” In fact, NextOp was honored and awarded with the 2017 Call of Duty Endowment Seal of Distinction for displaying excellence in the veterans’ employment sector.
 
Louisiana veterans interested in taking advantage of NextOp’s career placement services should contact the local office to schedule a meeting at armstrong@nextopvets.org. Bastion Community of Resilience is located at 1901 Mirabeau Avenue in New Orleans. 


About Bastion Community of Resilience
Bastion Community of Resilience is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is building an intentionally designed neighborhood in New Orleans for returning warriors and their families with lifelong rehabilitative needs. Through Bastion’s powerful community model that empowers neighbors as volunteers in a warrior’s care plan, the community will sustain a thriving recovery from the wounds and casualties of war. More information at www.joinbastion.org.
 
About NextOp Veterans 
NextOp provides companies with world-class military talent candidates and coaches them on how to be effective and valuable employees. Mentors work with each transitioning veteran to adjust to their new roles and cultivate the necessary skills to excel in new careers. NextOp serves those who have served so many—our hardworking veterans. For more information on the organization’s services, please visit www.nextopvets.org
 
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