By Debbie Gregory.

The U.S. Army’s search for a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) replacement is over. The Oshkosh Corporation, formerly Oshkosh Truck, more about has won the $6.75 billion contract to build almost 17,000 new light trucks. The new vehicles will replace the Army and Marine Corps’ aging Humvees.

Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corp. beat out both Lockheed Martin Corp. and AM General LLC.

The order will result in the production of as many as 55,000 JLTVs over the next 25 years.

Founded in 1917 as the Wisconsin Duplex Auto Company, the company was created to build a severe-duty four-wheel-drive truck before moving into the military vehicle arena.

In 1945, the company received the first of many military honors when the “E” award is presented by the Army and Navy for excellence in wartime production. In 1953, the first Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle was delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1968, the MB-5 manufactured for the U.S. Navy and mainly used for flight deck firefighting, launched the company into a position of world leadership in the ARFF industry.

Over the years, the company has built other military vehicles, such as the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks, the P-19 ARFF, the R-11, and the MTVR.

The new trucks will replace many of the 120,000 Humvee trucks built by AM General that have been worn out by use in Iraq and Afghanistan. The updated design promises greater protection against mines and roadside bombs, as well as more range and durability to move troops and gear. They are also lighter than the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles introduced in Iraq.

News of the contract resulted in a 12% jump in the company’s stock.

VAMBOA proudly serves all Veteran and Military Business Owners.

By Debbie Gregory.

The Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 was passed by the Senate on July 23, 2015. The amendment is added to the Small Business Act. It prohibits the Small Business Administration (SBA) from collecting a guarantee fee in connection with a loan made under the SBA Express Program to a veteran or the spouse of a veteran on or after October 1, 2015. There is a provision to exempt the act during any upcoming fiscal year for which the President’s budget, submitted to Congress, includes a cost for the program that is above zero.

The amendment also requires the SBA to assess for Congress the level of outreach to and consultation with female veterans regarding access to capital by women’s business centers and Veterans Business Outreach Centers.

Additionally, starting October 1, 2015, the act prohibits the SBA from guaranteeing a loan if:

the lender determines that the borrower is unable to obtain credit elsewhere solely because the lender’s liquidity depends upon the guaranteed portion of the loan being sold on the secondary market, or

the sole purpose for requesting the guarantee is to allow the lender to exceed its legal lending limit.

The Veteran and Military Business Owners Association (VAMBOA) is a non-profit business trade association that promotes and assists Veteran Business Owners, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOB) and Military Business Owners. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and responsible for job generation. That is why VAMBOA provides its members with Business Coaching, Contracting Opportunities, a Blog that provides information, Networking contacts and other resources. Membership is FREE to Veterans. Join Now!

VAMBOA: Loan Advantage for Veterans Passes: By Debbie Gregory

By Debbie Gregory.

As military members complete their tours of duty, re-establishing their careers may be one of the most important tasks in returning to civilian life. Some may be returning to careers that were interrupted during the time they served, but many are starting from scratch. Though the job market is showing some signs of improvement, it’s a slow rise, and those returning veterans are only adding to the many already vying for available jobs. This is one reason many veterans are coming home with aspirations of starting their own businesses.

Entrepreneurial endeavors may be the desired direction, but a good number of veterans express the difficulty acquiring their startup funds to be their biggest challenge. While most industry sectors have veteran business-owners, be it manufacturing, consulting or service industries, technology-related businesses appear to be increasingly popular for veteran entrepreneurs.

Banks are not as willing to establish loans for startup businesses. This leaves potential business owners needing to resort to other means to get their enterprises underway, be it self-funding, crowd-funding, or acquiring funds from friends, relatives, angel investors and venture capitalists. When those resources do not prove to be sufficient, an alternative is exploring government grants specifically for veterans in technology.

There are some stipulations. For example, while the federal government cannot provide grants to a business in the startup phase, it can provide grants for veteran-owned technology firms once established. Two in particular, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, average $2 billion in grants awarded each year. Administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the businesses most likely to be awarded grants from these programs fall into the small high-tech category, related to healthcare, education, public safety and criminal justice.

With numerous opportunities for gaining financial stability, and informational resources, such as those available through organizations like VAMBOA (Veteran and Military Business Owners’ Association), startups for veteran entrepreneurs are, indeed, attainable. Of the 28 million businesses in the U.S., approximately 2.4 million are veteran-owned, and this number is growing.

By Debbie Gregory.

According to the Small Business Administration, veterans are 45% more likely to be self-employed than non-veterans. Veteran owned businesses are responsible for employing 5.8 million people and generating more than $1 trillion in revenue. That a trillion, with a “t.”

Over the next five years, is it estimated that more than 1 million men and women on active duty will return to civilian life. If the current trend holds, many of them will start their own businesses.

The business community and some government agencies are rallying to set these newest entrepreneurs up for success. Some examples of this are:

The Microsoft Software & Systems Academy is a bridge between serving in the U.S. military and creating technologies that improve lives.

“We already know that Veterans possess many of the hard work, strategic, problem solving skills to be successful,” said Chris Cortez, Vice President of Microsoft Military Affairs. “Whether they choose to start their own business or work for a large company, we want to support their desire to add new technology skills that they can turn into a long-lasting civilian career.”

The MSSA program is a full-time, 16 week, Information Technology (IT) job skills training program, for active duty US military service members who have received their separation date. Qualified participants are assigned to the MSSA program as their new place of duty and with successful completion, will be given the opportunity to interview at Microsoft for a full time position at Microsoft or one of our participating partners.

According to Cindy Bates, Vice President Microsoft U.S. Small Midsized Businesses, “It’s part of our corporate responsibility to assist in job creation by providing access to training, counseling and mentoring to help veterans embrace their entrepreneurial spirit and grow a small business.”

The SBA’s Boots to Business- ReBoot program is tailored for veterans who have already transitioned to civilian life, but have decided to pursue entrepreneurship.”

Another alternative is a business incubator, such as the Bunker. This program has been built by veteran entrepreneurs for veteran entrepreneurs. The Bunker targets existing veteran owned tech startups and aspiring entrepreneurs to come, create, and conquer the business world through their ideas, hard work, and strategy.

Perhaps one of these strategies will help you start up your business, or take your existing business to the next level.

Those who own a small business — or want to start one — now have a one-stop source of information about the how-tos.

California’s Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development this month set up a website dedicated to answering basic questions about starting, running or relocating a business.

Users also can use the portal to obtain licenses and permits, as well as to learn about state and local regulations and find links to additional information on government incentives.

The site is at www.businessportal.ca.gov and is accessible on both iOS and Android cell phones and other devices.

Reach Rowena Coetsee at 925-779-7141. Follow her at Twitter.com/RowenaCoetsee

source: http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_28482650/website-set-up-help-small-businesses?source=rss