Since our founding in 1926 by World War I US Army veteran James O. McKinsey, our firm has remained committed to and proud of serving military and veteran communities. We live this commitment in our work, serving those who serve others.
We are committed to supporting military service members and veteran communities
Client service
We are honored to serve clients across the US government that have veteran outcomes at the core of their missions. McKinsey is committed to serving these institutions on their most complex issues and supporting the communities they serve. We do this by bringing both private and public sector expertise and best practices to positive organizational change to our clients—and through them, the veteran community.
Pro bono service
We have partnered with more than twenty veteran service organizations (VSOs) and not-for-profit groups that support veterans, service members, dependents, and survivors via a range of services. The pro bono support we provide on topics such as strategic planning and implementation, leadership development, and marketing helps these organizations create enduring change for our nation’s veterans. In addition, through our McKinsey.org programs, we help build organization-wide capabilities and provide organizational health solutions. Offered at no cost, these programs can empower new ways of working, build capacity, and help organizations align around a common mission.
People development
Veterans have intrinsic leadership traits and transferable skills that help them succeed at our firm which is dedicated to developing these skills and creating opportunities for veterans to transition to the workforce. We partner with Skillbridge, a program sponsored by the Department of Defense, to bring service members in their last six months of duty into civilian internships. We want to be a home for veteran colleagues where they can directly apply their active-duty skills, advance, and connect within their community. In North America alone, our Veterans@McKinsey network is nearly 450 strong, including colleagues from all military branches.
Research and insights
We work hard to develop a robust fact base used to bring awareness to the unique issues related to veterans in business and society at large. We recently published our perspective on how traditional hiring approaches can make it difficult for service members to find civilian jobs and proposed a novel approach to hiring that could help veterans transition to the workforce. We’ve also recently examined labor market challenges through the lens of veterans’ experiences and discussed leadership with McKinsey alum and Iraq War veteran, Nate Boaz, author of the memoir, Running Toward Fire.
History
Since our Firm's inception, our roots have been planted in the military and veteran communities. Drawing from this history, we have sought to continuously help military and veteran non-profits, as well as governmental organizations, by leveraging our unique insights and firsthand experiences. Our commitment to supporting those who have served runs deep. Discover these military connections that drive us to serve as trusted allies for the military and veteran community.
Timeline
1926
James O. McKinsey, a WWI Veteran and expert on management accounting, established his eponymous consulting Firm after witnessing inefficiencies in military suppliers
1942
As one of the Firm’s earliest US military engagements, McKinsey Firm assisted in the transition of the Air Corps to the Army Air Forces (AAF), particularly focused on its operations and organizational structure
1947
Ewing 'Zip' Reilley, a former Army Quartermaster and McKinsey consultant, served as a sounding board for Secretary of the Army, Frank Pace, suggesting how private sector leaders could address technological innovation, supply chains, and economic growth
1953
Amid the Korean War, Secretary of the Air Force, Harold Talbot, called on McKinsey Managing Partner, Marvin Bower to conduct research on two large aircraft engine manufacturers doing business with the Air Force. The goal resulted in improving manufacturers’ lead times and the military’s air superiority
1955
McKinsey aids the Army Comptroller by drafting a Controllers Guide aimed towards developing a common understanding of concepts and functions of comptrollership throughout the Army
1955
McKinsey supports the reorganization of the National Security Agency (NSA)
1957
Ron Daniel, US Navy Veteran and future McKinsey Managing Partner, joins the Firm. He cited his time in the Navy as years of “untouchable technical and leadership experience” that transferred to his success at the Firm
1964
McKinsey conducts a diagnostic of Air Force Systems Command, evaluating and strengthening the financial management of the command’s weapons definition and procurement program
1965
Amid the Vietnam war, McKinsey supports the entire budget planning, programming, and budgeting system of the Defense Department. During this same year, McKinsey supports the Navy’s $2B program dedicated to determining and funding naval ship requirements and design characteristics
1966
McKinsey advises the Department of Defense on new approaches to managing its $35B in annual operating costs
1967
McKinsey designs an integrated, updated Army resource management system covering all phases of managing the Army’s forces, equipment, personnel, supplies, facilities, and funds
1969
Lee Walton, US Navy Veteran, assumes the role of managing director of McKinsey after Marvin Bower
1973
McKinsey partnered with the Veterans Administration to determine its role in the broader American healthcare system. David Hertz, a McKinsey consultant and WWII Veteran, led this work
1976
Under managing director and U.S. Navy veteran Ron Daniel, the firm adds individual practices that span geographic boundaries, each focusing on a specific industry. The new industry-focused partners become the firm’s first true global experts
2001
McKinsey advises and assists in improving NYC’s emergency-response capabilities following the 9/11 attacks
2009
McKinsey helps various Iraqi businesses stabilize their operations in post-war Iraq
2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, McKinsey partnered with the various USG and state agencies, including VA to analyze the impacts of the disease on the availability of workforce, supplies, and capacity
2023
McKinsey partners with Skillbridge, a program sponsored by the Department of Defense, to bring service members in their last six months of duty into civilian internships. All nine colleagues who participated in the inaugural cohort received offers to return to McKinsey fulltime
2024
McKinsey welcomed its second Skillbridge cohort of fifteen colleagues
Our Commitment
At our firm, we are deeply committed to supporting a diverse array of veteran service not-for-profit organizations in delivering on their commitments to veterans and their communities. With a profound understanding of the challenges faced by veterans, we actively collaborate with these organizations to provide strategic guidance and advice. At McKinsey, we believe in fostering a collaborative landscape and promoting principled veteran leadership in public service. Explore below how our expertise and passion converge to make a difference in the lives of those who have served.
Our partnership
American College of Financial Services
We collaborated with The American College of Financial Services and the American College Center for Military and Veterans Affairs to enhance its scholarship pipeline, helping to boost program completion and positive outcomes for student veterans. Our combined efforts laid a foundation within the college for initiatives that are now being scaled across affinity groups.
American Corporate Partners
We worked with American Corporate Partners to help returning veterans and active-duty spouses find their next career paths by providing one-on-one coaching and mentoring. Since 2020, more than 100 McKinsey colleagues have mentored 249 veterans or active-duty spouses in their transition from military to civilian life. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that veterans and their spouses find meaningful employment opportunities and develop long-term careers to address unemployment and underemployment within the veteran community.
Avalon Action Alliance
We collaborated with Avalon Action Alliance to evaluate and better understand the population size of veterans and first responders receiving life-changing care for traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress, and substance abuse. Together, we developed a strategic roadmap to help Avalon effectively reach more veterans and first responders and connect them to care at no cost. Avalon has the tools it needs to implement this roadmap, meet its growth aspirations, and achieve continued success.
Bob Woodruff Foundation
Over the past five years, we have worked with the Bob Woodruff Foundation to identify and prioritize support for causes that benefit both current and future generations of veterans. Our joint efforts have helped accelerate the Foundation’s journey to become the preeminent “fund of funds” for not-for-profit veteran impact, while also more than doubling its annual revenue. The Foundation’s efforts to being the quickest veteran’s charity in the United States in terms of turning donations into action was recognized with a $15 million MacKenzie Scott grant in 2022, and $28 million from Craig Newmark Philanthropies in 2023. These are the largest annual gifts the organization has ever received. We are currently working with the Foundation to convene a group of leading veteran CEOs based in the United States.
Combined Arms
We have collaborated with Combined Arms to analyze how the needs of the veteran community will evolve over the coming decades. By comparing these needs to available resources, our partnership identified potential challenges to supporting veterans, including the ability to address the increasing demand for career transition services and mental health support. The findings were shared at an industry conference of 20 veteran support organizations from 13 states and key federal, state, and corporate leaders to help prepare them to connect US veterans with the resources they will need to thrive in the coming decades.
COMMIT
McKinsey has collaborated with The COMMIT Foundation annually to host a two-day career transition workshop for service members departing the military. The workshops aim to immerse participants in corporate America, facilitating introspection and purposeful post-service life design exercises by exposing them to experienced professionals from various industries. Participants are supported by McKinsey mentors (and other professionals), who serve as sounding boards and sources of insight. Our partnership strives to create a purposeful and fulfilling career transition for service members.
Elizabeth Dole Foundation
We partnered with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to refine their strategic approach as they embark on their second decade, focusing on the evolving complexities faced by veteran caregivers and their families. We analyzed their peer landscape, conducted a branding study, and interviewed key stakeholders to inform the strategy refresh. This effort enabled us to map the foundation’s programs with their strategic goals using a data-driven evaluation of revenue, impact, and cost efficiency. We also supported their drive to strengthen the organization's overall health, capabilities and governance, increasing their ability to make a wider impact in supporting the growing community of veteran caregivers and their families.
Honor Flight Network
We are currently partnering with The Honor Flight Network to enhance their strategic vision, identify opportunities to grow their supporter base, and increase brand awareness, aiming to better serve the next generation of eligible veterans for Honor Flights. Our joint efforts have included conducting market research to expand the organization’s reach, identifying opportunities to improve their governance structure, and implementing a scholarship program for young veterans. The Honor Flight Network is a nationally recognized organization that provides veterans with the opportunity to travel to the National War Memorials in Washington, DC, to honor their service, commemorate the fallen, and re-experience the camaraderie from their wartime experiences.
MOAA
We worked with Military Officers Association of America to plan their inaugural people-focused conference. This was dedicated to addressing workforce, talent, and personnel-related issues across the full service member life cycle—from recruitment through veteran support and care. Intended to be an annual, immersive event, MOAA’s conference connects key decision makers from the military community with industry and not-for-profit organizations to share expertise, forge partnerships, and find solutions to the community’s toughest challenges.
Project Healing Waters
Our partnership with Project Healing Waters identified operational priorities and developed a five-year strategic plan to broaden the organization’s reach and deepen the impact on veterans. The strategy aims to provide veterans with the resources they need to heal and thrive while expanding to support them throughout their resilience journeys. We continue to collaborate and support the implementation of the plan, helping Project Healing Waters achieve its mission and make a positive impact in communities across the nation.
Team Red, White & Blue
We worked with Team Red, White & Blue to develop a long-term strategy for growth and outreach. Together, we conducted fundamental research to understand the differing needs of various segments within the veteran community. Insights from this research enabled our partnership to prioritize support for specific needs tailored to these segments. Our team reoriented the organization around the plan, developing a scaling strategy and funding model to support successful implementation. Our partnership has helped Team Red, White & Blue continue to deliver on its mission: help veterans live healthier lives.
The Warrior Alliance
As the primary point of contact for veterans in the southeast United States, The Warrior Alliance partnered with McKinsey to define its vision and a long-term plan. In a recent collaboration, we developed a five-year strategy to build The Warrior Alliance’s internal capabilities and expand its external outreach. The organization plans to pursue more than 15 opportunities (for example, outreach to veterans and development of a tech platform) identified as part of this collaboration. With a road map to support implementation, The Warrior Alliance continues to deliver on its mission: improving the quality of life for service members, veterans, and their families through a total care network of VSOs.
Warrior-Scholar Project
We partnered with Warrior-Scholar Project to develop their outreach strategy and assess the needs of service members and veterans pursuing higher education. Together, we led a market analysis and consumer insights survey to identify veterans who could best benefit from the Project’s resources. To expand services, our combined team evaluated ways to accelerate the deployment of digital, on-demand learning, including partnership opportunities with institutions capable of providing veterans immediate access to learning curriculums. We proudly support Warrior-Scholar Project’s mission of propelling enlisted veterans and service members toward success in higher education and beyond.
With Honor
We support With Honor, an organization dedicated to training and electing veterans committed to cross-partisan efforts and national service. Through our partnership, we actively contribute to their mission of encouraging dialogue and advancing political civility with veteran leadership. Together, we believe in the power of bridging divides and working towards a more united and productive government.
The Honor Foundation
McKinsey partnered with The Honor Foundation to host active military members at McKinsey’s Chicago office to introduce them to consulting, potential career paths, and opportunities at our firm. Our colleagues shared what a day in the life of a consultant consisted of and how various military skills can be translated and used to help serve clients across a variety of industries. Our firm understands the potential that veterans bring to an organization and looks forward to continued collaborations with The Honor Foundation.
Pat Tillman Foundation
McKinsey worked with the Pat Tillman Foundation to conduct its annual strategic planning and collaborate on top priorities for the foundation. Our collaboration led to the framework for the Tillman Leadership Institute (TLI), a program that delivers leadership training to businesses in our communities and Tillman Scholars alike. What sets TLI apart is its distinct perspective on human-centered impact leadership which is spread throughout the veteran community by its accomplished Tillman Scholars. Future collaborations could help shape the direction of this great VSO.
National Ability Center
McKinsey joined forces with the National Ability Center, a leading not-for-profit renowned for its excellence in the adaptive recreation industry. Our mission? To craft a forward-looking strategy geared toward enhancing growth and scalability. Together, we evaluated the organization’s operational health, analyzing managerial practices to uncover areas with the prospect for improvement. From this assessment, we identified key opportunities poised to bolster efficiency and foster a more vibrant organizational culture. In response, we tailored bespoke leadership training and capability building to ignite innovation and instill fresh approaches to drive operational excellence. Through our collaborative efforts, we have helped empower the National Ability Center to maintain its legacy of excellence while broadening its impact, particularly in providing essential programs designed to support our nation’s deserving veterans, who constitute more than 30 percent of their participant population.
Hire Heroes USA
We collaborated with Hire Heroes USA on a strategy to scale its operation as a direct response to the challenges highlighted in McKinsey’s 2023 veteran underemployment analysis. This collaboration has positioned Hire Heroes USA to exceed its original service targets and enhance its personalized employment offerings. Our ongoing commitment ensures that veterans and their spouses are empowered to secure fulfilling careers, reflecting our shared vision for comprehensive support and meaningful employment transitions for the military community.
The Mission Continues
McKinsey is proud to have supported The Mission Continues, an organization that is providing veterans opportunities to continue their service and leadership in under-resourced communities. For several years, McKinsey has supported hundreds of veterans in their Women Veterans Leadership Program (WVLP) by offering workshops focused on “Negotiations” and “Building Your Network”. The WVLP is designed to empower women veterans by providing them with the tools, resources, and support they need to enhance their leadership skills and make a positive impact in their communities.
McKinsey also recently supported the development of a new operating model and strategy that could enable TMC to grow to more than 75 new cities over the next 5 years. These efforts have set the foundation for the organization to scale the impact of its Veteran Leadership and community service programs to empower more Veterans than ever before.
Student Veterans of America
Over the past few years, Student Veterans of America has been focused on scaling, growth and empowering geographically dispersed employees and volunteers. Our McKinsey.org team worked with Student Veterans of America to equip their national headquarters staff with essential skills and proven principles, helping the entire organization align around a common mission and work more effectively together.
Featured Insights
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Traditional ways of hiring make it harder for many service members to land civilian jobs. A new approach could help veterans transition to the workforce—and add $15 billion to the US economy.
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“Mission command” and other military principles can guide policy makers and business leaders thrust into crisis.
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Author Talks: Fighting the good fight
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Are you built to face your greatest fears head-on? Marine Corps veteran and Microsoft executive Nate Boaz shares ways to develop the courage to get through the most trying times—and come out on top.
Meet our veterans
Washington, DC
Scott Blackburn
Senior Partner
U.S. Army
Washington, DC
Dan Krimowski
Associate
U.S. Army
Pittsburgh, PA
John Buchner
Associate
U.S. Marine Corps
Washington, DC
Quinton Allen
Expert
U.S. Marine Corps
Washington, DC
Alison Wagner
Engagement Manager
U.S. Navy
Denver, CO
Matthew Roberts
Associate Partner
U.S. Navy
Boston, MA
Candice Creecy
Associate
U.S. Marine Corps
Washington, DC
Tabitha Strobel
Associate Partner
U.S. Navy