Kevin Kennedy would prefer you not call him “General.” To him, the title he earned in the Air Force can conjure up images of someone who is entrenched safely behind the lines, removed from the action. As the CEO, President and “Coach” for Warriors4Wireless (W4W), he’d rather be called Kevin and be known for rolling up his sleeves and engaging in the day-to-day combat of improving the lives of veterans. The Gen…..er, Kevin, told Inside Towers the recent largesse coming from the wireless industry to W4W has left him both speechless and humbled.
Recently, W4W was awarded checks totaling $1.2 million, coming from two benefactors: donors from Vertical Bridge and T-Mobile. Uncharacteristically, Kennedy didn’t see it coming. “I was shocked,” he said. “It more than doubled what we had received in the last four years.” Between the proceeds from T-Mobile’s super-charged golf outing and the outright generosity emanating from the Florida-based offices of Vertical Bridge, W4W is catching its breath before putting the funds to good use.
“We appreciate this vote of confidence coming from the industry,” Kennedy said. “We’re honored and, with this, we will step up to meet the demands of the industry and the needs of our veterans.”
And while the term “veteran” implies military personnel with a few stripes on their sleeves and a decade or so of service under their belts, Kennedy said the former troops he serves are largely only enlisted for one term. But make no mistake, Kennedy emphasized, that doesn’t mean they lacked a commitment. Statistics show over 90 percent of the military personnel wounded or killed in action, such as those who recently died in Kabul, Afghanistan, were serving in their first and only hitch. In addition, servicemen and women coming out of the military after one term, particularly those with young families, are facing a bleak economic future barely above the poverty level. “We want to help the vets most economically devastated and who have seen the worst of war,” Kennedy said.
Warriors4Wireless, as a vet-focused charitable organization (501c3), currently has over 500 hiring partners, up from 50 in 2017, and contacts over 80,000 vets per year to let them know about career opportunities in the 5G workforce. Initially, W4W turned out tower climbers, but Kennedy said the organization had an obligation to serve those who wanted ground-based jobs in the wireless industry as well, giving vets a chance to join the interview process for work opportunities through either direct placement or provide a path, including some prep training.
W4W helps facilitate VA-approved training courses through VA approved schools with courses for: Tower Technicians, Fiber Optic Technicians, and Drone Pilots. Over 2,800 veterans to-date have been transitioned into the wireless arena with the bulk of these moving into Tower Technician Level 1 roles. Kennedy said the influx of funds will help W4W expand the number of ground-based career options it offers, including training for fiber optic technicians and drone pilots.
Regarding stewardship of the funds, the man who formerly led the Defense Department’s $2 billion joint information and communication technology portfolio, said W4W can show that 100 percent of every dollar given goes directly to support veterans.
Donations since 2017 are now over $2,200,000, including the recent windfall of $1,200,000. The breakdown in costs is as follows:
- $470,000 in training tuition grants
- $420,000 in free lodging for vets in training
- $160,000 in free meals and travel assistance
- $60,000 to launch free fiber-optic and drone pilot programs
- $1,200,000 in free assistance connecting vets to hiring partners
“We typically can show that something between $2 and $3 in value is returned to the veteran for every dollar given,” Kennedy said. “Our goal is to provide the best value for every vet we assist.”
By Jim Fryer, Inside Towers Managing Editor
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