Living a life of service with Salute

Trenton helps about 3,000 Capital One associates start their morning with something special: a brief story about a Medal of Honor recipient.  As the national historian for Salute, Capital One’s Business Resource Group (BRG) for active military, veterans, military spouses and allies, Trenton, runs a Slack channel to tell the stories he loved growing up.

“My father, uncles and wife served their country,” Trenton said. “Through my work with Salute, I’m able to tell their stories to a wider audience.” 

Salute supports military associates as they continue their life of service outside of the military, providing community resources, volunteer opportunities and intersectional programming.

Supporting military and veteran associates at Capital One

Capital One supports active military and veterans from recruitment to onboarding to the rest of their career journey. Hannah, a project manager for Finance Technology, first found Capital One through the Hiring Our Heroes program, a Capital One partner that helps veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses and caregivers find meaningful employment. Salute sponsored events and highlighted tools such as Translate My Skills, where applicants can match military experience to available jobs.

After spending her early career in the Air Force, Hannah leaned on Salute to make her transition easier.

“Leaving the military community behind was easier to do knowing that Salute provided a community I could look to for advice or an open ear,” Hannah said. “When I was hired on full time, I made sure to join the BRG as I completed the transition.”

Val, head of diversity recruiting for Capital One and the development lead for Salute, is passionate about growing associates’ careers. Before coming to Capital One, she previously served in the Army. In 2021, she helped launch a mentorship program that connects new military hires at Capital One with internal resources to accelerate their onboarding and help enable their career growth. Both mentors and mentees build community and learn more about available opportunities for growth within the enterprise. Her team was recognized with Capital One’s Circle of Excellence award in 2022, the highest internal honor associates can receive.

“Through the mentorship program, we’re able to stay with someone, encourage them and connect them to other people that might help expand their horizons and abilities,” Val said. “It’s really rewarding to watch them grow and thrive at Capital One.”

Through Salute, associates can also find skill development opportunities. Hannah is able to flex creative muscles as a member of the Salute communications team, putting to practice skills she gained while getting her M.A. in Strategic Communication at Michigan State University. Trenton, a director of customer account profitability team, has followed his passion for storytelling to study video production and blog writing.

“Salute gives me the freedom to learn about things I love,” Trenton said.

Building intersectional community

Salute’s mission goes beyond career development. Associates can join informal events, such as chocolate-making classes and coffee chats, to have fun and network in a casual setting.

“Salute cultivates a collective, thoughtful experience for the military community,”  Hannah said. “At these events, you get to interact and meet people who aren’t on your team. It’s helpful when you’re coming into the corporate world for the first time.”

Salute also hosts internal and external speakers to motivate and educate members. Often, these events offer opportunities to partner with other BRGs across Capital One. Recently, they partnered with both HOLA and Out Front to bring military speakers who spoke on the intersections of Hispanic and LGBTQ+ identities in the service.

“There's a space and a place for all of us,” Val said. “I’m always striving to open the doors and make people feel like they're welcome.”

As Trenton writes and researches veterans’ stories, he often finds himself reaching out to other BRGs to honor the diversity of military experience and deepen the impact of his content. 

“For me, inclusivity means going across all the BRGs and breaking down those walls,” Trenton said. “It helps us see we all have things in common.”

Pursuing lifelong service

Capital One gives veterans the opportunity to extend their life of service beyond the military by participating in volunteer opportunities, such as mock interviews, resume reviews for veterans with disabilities or creating care packages for active duty service members. Members can also give back locally. The Plano chapter of Salute partnered with Patriot PAWS, a nonprofit that trains and places service dogs with disabled veterans. 

With Salute’s help, Trenton has led volunteer events with the American Battlefield Trust. In 2022, Trenton and associates volunteered to clean up and beautify a historic battlefield. As they worked, they learned about the battle from historians. 

“You can stand there and realize what the magnitude of that moment was, and how influential it was in American history,” Trenton said.

Volunteer opportunities also support Capital One associates. When Hannah’s husband was deployed, she was paired with a buddy from an internal group for military spouses within Salute. They sent her care packages and checked in during the six months her husband was away.

“It’s inspiring to work at a company who takes action to bring their culture to life. Salute is a big part of that,” Hannah said. “You can show up at work and be your truest self.”

Capital One is a Bronze Military Friendly Employer. The Military Friendly designation creates better outcomes for Veterans by setting the standard for American companies. This accolade is a testament to Capital One’s commitment to Veteran programs and diverse and inclusive culture of belonging. We’re proud to celebrate this achievement with our Military Business Resource Group, and across the company.