GCSEN meets HVNCVR for Cohort Alpha Graduation
"Mike Caslin of GCSEN is a champion for Veteran entrepreneurs, and his program is fantastic.” – Mark A. Cozzupoli, Director, Ulster County Veteran Services Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret)
GCSEN recently completed its first FastTrack Veteran Ventures BootCamp program, which kicked off our “Cohort Alpha” January 23 and finished up with a graduation ceremony on February 20, 2026. It was a 4-week, 50-hour blended program with both face-to-face and online meetings with graduation at the Hudson Valley National Center for Veteran Reintegration based in Saugerties, NY in partnership with the NYS Ulster County Veteran Services.
Ten Veterans signed up for GCSEN’s Cohort Alpha to participate. A few Veterans then needed to withdraw to deal with medical and surgery needs, as well as CPTSD- Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorders and TBI-Traumatic Brain Injury concentration challenges, work/life overload demands. In addition, the Hudson Valley had historically bitter winter weather that combined to limit their full participation. Yet, three Vets still completed the course as part of our Cohort Alpha and graduated during our February 20th ceremony! (And most of the others will be back for future cohorts.)
A scene from our very first cohort meeting
This is the first iteration of our Vets' program in the USA and we are pleased to have Vets from Kingston and the greater Hudson Valley represented. In addition we are pleased to have higher education campus partner Seton Hall University (as a Yellow Ribbon Vets Campus) join our efforts. Seton Hall University has agreed to provide all of our graduates with a certificate of achievement and special professional development/continuing education opportunities for other programs. Many thanks to GCSEN Wheaton Alum Kyle McNicoll for his personal support, along with his employer- Barclays Bank USA, and local banking leader Steve Hack with Ulster Savings Bank of the Hudson Valley, for additional funding!
Each program graduate received a formal GCSEN 4P Social Entrepreneurship Certification, a resume-enhancing Linked In Badge, and future professional and media recognition. Most importantly, there will be ongoing year-round business Vet Venture counseling via GCSEN’s 6AM ET Sunrise CEO Zoom Coaching © and a Seton Hall University Division of Continuing Education Certificate.
First Vet Cohort, First Group
GCSEN’s President, Professor Mike Caslin, has this to say from that experimental first run of the program, “Our pilot findings from this first cohort include many positive impacts with personal-vision-inspired, ‘minds blown’, confidence built and clear/practical action steps forward! Equally important is that GCSEN will now be able to be more adaptive for the needs of Vets with CPTSD -Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder along with CBI -Concussive Brain Injury which makes for really tough times for learning, focus and reading. I’m grateful we are now in motion with the power of Grit and Dreams including the use of our CBS featured Veterans Playbook Series sponsored by Veteran/entrepreneur legend and mentor, Professor Len Green of Babson College. All our efforts are focused on specifically getting enlisted combat Vets over roadblocks to greater peace, passion with purpose and prosperity. And by doing so, we continue to empower our Veteran and first responder national security heroes to become economic prosperity heroes on the home front!
George Hill, new director of the Hudson Valley National Center for Veteran Reintegration, receives certificate of appreciation for his support of our programs.
To keep the momentum going, we are seeking $50,000 in Vet Venture Scholarships and $150,000 for curriculum custom-tailored for Veterans and first responders. We need funding to offer scholarships for this program on a trimester basis, and next up will be GCSEN’s Cohort Bravo- targeted for enlisted combat, Veteran women and first responders starting May 1st!”
Donate to our Veterans campaign here!
