Smoothstack Earns 2025 HIRE Vets Medallion Award, the Nation's Only Federal-Level Recognition for Veteran Hiring, Development, and Retention

MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Smoothstack, a national leader in AI-native workforce development and skills-based hiring, announced today that it has earned the 2025 HIRE Vets Medallion Award. The HIRE Vets Medallion Program is the nation's only federal-level recognition for employers demonstrating excellence in veteran hiring, development, and retention, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS).

The Gold Medallion is awarded only to employers who meet federally verified benchmarks in veteran hiring, retention, and career support. For employers like Smoothstack, Gold status requires hiring or retaining veterans at nationally recognized thresholds, maintaining a strong veteran workforce, and demonstrating support programs such as veteran-focused leadership, pay protections, and career development initiatives. Each year, only a select number of organizations nationwide meet these standards.

This recognition reinforces Smoothstack's long-standing commitment to veteran talent and its focus on expanding accessible, high-growth pathways into modern technology careers. By offering practical, industry-aligned training and support, Smoothstack helps transitioning service members move confidently into roles across software engineering, cloud, automation, and AI-driven technologies.

Smoothstack's training model is anchored by its MEI™ (Mirrored Environment Immersion) framework, which mirrors the enterprise engineering environments of its clients to deliver true day-one readiness. Veterans are trained by experienced instructors who are active practitioners and who teach the in-demand skills required by the employers they will ultimately support. A continuous skills-validation process ensures they're applying those skills in real production workflows, strengthening performance, retention, and long-term career growth.

"It's an honor to receive the Gold Medallion alongside employers across the country who share a commitment to supporting those who served," said John Akkara, CEO of Smoothstack. "Veterans bring a level of discipline, precision, and integrity that elevates every team. This award is meaningful because it reflects real outcomes- hiring, retention, growth- not just intent. We're grateful for the trust veterans place in us as they transition into technology careers and proud to help them step into the engineering roles that are shaping the future of the AI-powered economy."

The Gold Medallion also underscores the importance of veteran inclusion in the nation's technical workforce. As technology roles evolve, and as federal and commercial organizations modernize their engineering environments, veterans play a critical role in strengthening readiness, reliability, and long-term workforce capability.

As the workforce continues to evolve, Smoothstack remains committed to powering what's next - in people, performance, and possibility - and to expanding veteran representation across the nation's most critical technology roles.

About Smoothstack

Smoothstack is a leading workforce transformation company advancing AI-driven workforce development and skills-based hiring. The company develops untapped talent into technology professionals and supports Fortune 500 companies and federal agencies that need job-ready engineers in high-demand fields. Learn more at Smoothstack.com.

SOURCE Smoothstack