[Above photo courtesy of Ty Hardee: In 2012, Ty Hardee, a recent THF graduate, deployed to Afghanistan with SEAL Team Eight. Hard who plans to leave the military soon, managed more than 20 SEALs and directed 110 combat missions. ]

Spartanburg native Ty Hardee has spent the past two decades coordinating covert operations across the globe as well as developing training programs in South American jungles and managing multimillion-dollar military acquisitions. Now, the Navy SEAL intends to leverage his experiences to transition to the corporate world.

Hardee is one of three SEALs who networked with companies such as Amazon and ScanSource on Thursday afternoon in downtown Greenville. The event was hosted by The Honor Foundation to celebrate the opening of its employer network in Greenville.

The Honor Foundation (THF) is a San Diego-based nonprofit that offers career coaching and professional development classes to current and retired special operators to help them transition to their next job. THF also establishes employer networks in cities to help SEALs and other special operators connect with potential employers or find mentors within the business community. About 90 percent of THF graduates are Navy SEALs.

While the SEALs are an elite group that strategizes and finds solutions in high-pressure situations, many operators have marketed their skills only to law enforcement or security contracting, according to Joe Musselman, founder of The Honor Foundation.

Musselman, who was medically discharged from the SEALs in 2012, started THF in 2013 after surveying about 250 SEALs throughout multiple states. He found that the SEALs held about three jobs within the first five years after transitioning.

Musselman also found that 13 percent of 200 SEALs who search for a full-time job two months before leaving the military only received one job offer. In addition, he found that 98 percent of 600 Wharton School MBA graduates who searched for a full-time job three months before graduation received between two and three job offers.

“It’s all about being part of a team for these guys. But when they’re out, life is all about them. They’ve never thought about that. That gets you killed in service. The bottom line in business is a loss of dollars. The bottom line in the SEALs is a loss of life. So we’re asking these guys to start talking about themselves,” said Musselman. “It’s tough.”

He added that many former special operators go from being “fearless to fear-filled” when considering a transition, because they can’t figure out how to translate their skills to the corporate world. Many special operators choose to redeploy rather than transition.

From the battlefield to the office

Hardee is all too familiar with that struggle. He considered leaving the SEALs in 2012 after a stint in Australia, where he taught U.S. tactics to the Special Air Service Regiment. Upon his return, Hardee tried to transition on his own.

“I did some research using Google but couldn’t figure out how to transition and be successful on my own after. I ended up not doing it,” Hardee said.

Discouraged, Hardee decided to deploy with SEAL Team Eight to Afghanistan, where he directed more than 20 SEALs in 110 combat missions. After two years, Hardee returned home and revisited the idea of transitioning out. He attended the annual SEAL Heritage Foundation symposium in Virginia and heard about The Honor Foundation.

Hardee was interested but unsure. So he decided to switch to a management position and started to coordinate acquisitions for Naval Special Warfare Group Two. The job got him off the battlefield and into the office, where he could consider his options.

In 2016, Hardee found himself overseeing requirements planning and program development for Naval Special Warfare Group Two. Then Hardee committed to transitioning and enrolled at the THF East Coast campus in June.

While there, Hardee spent about three months learning resume writing, entrepreneurship, networking and more. In late August, Hardee became one of the first graduates from the THF East Coast campus, which opened earlier this year in Virginia Beach, Va.

“The entire program has been empowering,” said Hardee. “The one-on-one training has been so good for me. It really taught me what to expect from the corporate culture, which is just so different from what I knew. And that created a lot of frustration and uncertainty for me at the time. But now, I feel that the world is coming to my doorstep.”

Bringing SEALs to Greenville

Hardee’s journey, along with the struggle of countless other special operators, inspired John Sterling, CEO of Greenville-based warehouse management software company Foxfire, to become the official THF sponsor for Greenville.

Sterling’s son, Jack, is a transitioning SEAL and THF graduate. And after hearing about his son’s experiences at the nonprofit, Sterling visited THF in January. There, he met Musselman and urged him to start an employer network in Greenville.

“One of the things I learned is that getting out is harder than you think. You’d think these elite guys would find a good job. But it’s not that easy,” said Sterling. “These are truly extraordinary people who deserve a chance to come to Greenville and work.”

Sterling convinced Musselman, and they started planning the opening of the nonprofit’s fourth employer network. Now, with the network established, Sterling and THF hope to employ 100 special operators in the Greenville area by 2020.

It could benefit businesses across the region. Since 2013, THF has graduated 101 former special operators from its program. Graduates are currently employed in various companies across the country, including Tesla Motors. The nonprofit also inspired the launch of eight early state startups across the country that hired THF graduates.

“SEALs are great for leadership roles in startups, because they are given an end-objective, and they just accomplish their tasks. And startups believe in big, great things and have one end-goal in mind,” said Musselman. “It’s a perfect match.”

Also, former special operators are known for their connections to the Pentagon, which could open companies to contracts with the Department of Defense, said Musselman. Those benefits could be coming to Greenville soon. Musselman added that Greenville could have its first THF graduate in a couple of months.

The first SEAL in Greenville

That graduate could be Hardee, who has garnered interest from multiple companies in the area, including Greenville-based technology distributor ScanSource. Hardee hopes to land a sales job in the area’s budding technology industry.

“In terms of running and shooting, that’s about 10 percent of what we do in the SEALs. We strategize in volatile and ambiguous environments. If you want someone who can solve problems in chaos, then a SEAL is who you want. There’s not an environment you can put us in and we fail,” said Hardee. “I get passionate about technology, like drones, electric cars and cloud management. That stuff is going to change the world.”

If Hardee does find a job in Greenville then it could create a “domino effect” and attract additional special operators to the area, said Musselman. But it could also help THF further establish its employer network in the area and establish an alumni chapter.

“Ty is the youngest 43-year-old you’ll meet. He’s a very talented guy who wants to be part of a rigorous team. I mean, he’s just so enthusiastic about the next phase of his life. And he’s a slice of humble pie,” said Musselman. “I hope that whoever moves here can set up an alumni chapter that would allow these guys to connect and network together.”

In addition to networking, Hardee and other former SEALs participated in the first “trek” to Greenville. Since 2013, THF has arranged tours of cities and local companies for graduating members. The group toured North American Rescue, ScanSource and downtown Greenville. Sterling and THF are planning more trips for graduates.

For more information, visit thehonorfoundation.org