Our Impact

The Dog Tag Fellowship Program acts as a catalyst for building resilience, finding renewed purpose, and forging connections for veterans, military spouses and caregivers.

Our fellows see and value themselves differently after they graduate and continue on their own journeys with greater confidence, resolve, and direction – an achievement described by many as nothing short of life-changing.

Fellows & Alumni

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Cohorts

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Alumni

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%

Graduation Rate

Since 2019, Dog Tag has partnered with RAND Corporation to develop robust research tools and use metrics that reflect both the holistic and methodological approach utilized in executing Dog Tag's fellowship and alumni programming.

The following data is the result of our 2020-2021 survey of Dog Tag Alumni. Download the full research brief here.

Greater than 95% of alumni said they were satisfied with their Dog Tag Fellowship Program experience.¹

83% of alumni responded positively, compared to an average of 75% positive responses in the validation sample², when asked about the presence of genuine relationships in their lives

More than 80% of alumni feel more confident in the decisions they make about their professional life and have greater clarity about their professional goals thanks to the fellowship.

54% of Dog Tag alumni are actively engaged in work, education or volunteering that serves their local community.

88% of alumni felt that the fellowship gave them the tools they needed to seek new professional opportunities.

¹ Based upon DTI’s 2020 alumni survey, administered by the RAND Survey Research Group between November and December 2020; 67 alumni responded to the survey, yielding a 55% response rate.

² Dog Tag included items from the Sense of Purpose, Genuine Relationships, and Engaged Citizenship subscales of the Enriched Life Scale, a measure developed by Team Red, White & Blue, and validated in a sample of veterans and civilians. Use of this scale allows for comparisons with other veteran and civilian populations.

Who We Serve

We serve post-9/11 veterans with service-connected disabilities, military spouses, and military caregivers from all branches of the military.

We intentionally build a diverse cohort of fellows to create a dynamic learning environment that challenges fellows to learn and grow individually and together as a group.

Leveraging the diversity of perspectives and experiences within each cohort, robust dialogue and collaboration across hundreds of hours of connected programming, and fellows’ shared learning experience, our program builds community within each cohort and across our growing alumni network.

Select a Demographic

2%

Age 18-24

20%

Age 25-31

24%

Age 32-38

24%

Age 39-45

22%

Age 46-52

8%

Age 53+

64%

Female

36%

Male

42%

Caucasian/White

31%

Black/African American

12%

Hispanic/Latinx

6%

Asian/Pacific Islander

2%

Middle Eastern/Arab American

2%

Native American/American Indian

4%

Multi-racial/Multi-ethnic

14%

High School/GED

13%

Some College

11%

Associate's Degree

35%

Bachelor's Degree

24%

Master's Degree

3%

PhD or Professional Degree

Note: Data indicates education levels at enrollment

71%

DC/MD/VA

3%

Chicagoland Area

26%

Other Location

137

Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities

81

Military Spouses

20

Military Caregivers

3

Translators

Note: some fellows fall into multiple categories

118

Army

38

Air Force

28

Navy

25

Marine Corps

7

Coast Guard

Note: Some Fellows fall into multiple categories.

Demographic information reflects all 163 individuals enrolled across Cohorts 1-13. Race and gender are self-identified.

Program Elements: Our Proven Recipe

The Dog Tag Fellowship Program is comprised of five integrated program areas that work together to empower veterans, military spouses and caregivers to find, pursue, achieve, and sustain their futures.

000

Total Program and Community-building Hours

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h

Learning Labs

Fellows participate in over 138 hours of programming to explore careers and gain skills through workshops with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and subject-matter experts.

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h

Education

Fellows work to earn a customized business certificate from a top university in 119 hours of courses, gaining foundational business skills.

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h

Hands-on Learning

Fellows spend over 113 hours solidifying lessons learned in class through immersion in Dog Tag Bakery, our small business, earning real leadership and teamwork experience.

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h

Wellness

Fellows participate in 140 hours of activities designed to provide opportunities and strategies to process their past, reflect on their current experiences, and envision their future.

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h

Capstone

Fellows spend over 57 hours utilizing strategic thinking, planning, and decision-making skills to develop a robust business plan, solidifying the value of an entrepreneurial mindset. The capstone pushes fellows to envision their futures.

In Their Own Words: Alumni Testimonials

“Everyone at our core wants to come back to a place of stability. Dog Tag is that for us, for me.”

Anne Barlieb

Army Veteran, Cohort 6

“Before Dog Tag, I was a Marine without a mission.”

John Lira

Marine Veteran, Cohort 2

“My experience has been inspirational. I’m better prepared with new tools and resources to move forward with whatever it is that I need to do.”

Patrick Mason

Army Veteran, Cohort 9

“I feel like this place saved me. Before coming to Dog Tag I was just floating along with all my focus on caregiving and day to day life holding my family together… Thank you for seeing my potential, for choosing me for this program, and for believing that I would succeed."

Deb Elliot

Military Spouse & Caregiver, Cohort 8

"Dog Tag came at the perfect time of my life. I had a chance to encounter compassion and acceptance at Dog Tag. Finally, after over two years of being treated like a broken soldier, I was treated like a whole and capable person."

Kim DeFiori

Army Veteran, Cohort 7