FAQ Sections
Learn everything you’ll need to know about our survey and recognition programs by reviewing the full FAQ below, or click the buttons to jump to an FAQ section
Overview
What types and sizes of organizations are these recognition programs designed for?
Employers of all sizes and types — including companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies/departments — are welcome to participate, and we have carefully designed the program to evaluate all kinds of organizations in a balanced manner, from the world’s largest corporations to small startup nonprofits.
What are the benefits of participating?
Organizations that participate can receive the Vetted Employer Badge and award logos, as well as custom news releases, if their survey responses measure up. These show recruits and customers that an organization is a top veteran employer. They can only be earned by meeting key standards in our surveys, and employers who do so can use them at no cost — digital or print, internal or external.
How many surveys/recognition programs does Vetted Employers have?
There are two: the Vetted Checkup Survey, which determines whether organizations achieve Vetted Employer status, and the Vetted Awards Survey, which determines whether organizations receive higher-level awards. Organizations must submit the Vetted Checkup Survey and earn Vetted Employer status to be considered for higher-level awards.
Are there any costs to participate?
All our survey and recognition programs are entirely free of charge from start to finish, with no participation charges, no memberships or sponsorships, and no licensing fees to use the Vetted Employer badge and award logos. These logos can only be earned based on what employers do for the Military-Connected community; they can never be bought. We only require that the Vetted Employer badge and award logos link back to www.vettedemployers.com wherever recognized organizations display them online.
How long are the surveys?
The Vetted Checkup Survey is only 10 questions, plus a few sub-questions and organization profile information. The Vetted Awards Survey is a bit more in-depth — but still much shorter than the 100-question and 200-question veteran employment surveys you may have seen elsewhere. Both can easily be completed in one sitting.
When will I get my Vetted Employer Badge?
Our rapid evaluation process starts as soon as you submit the Vetted Checkup Survey. We will analyze your survey responses, determine eligibility for Vetted Employer status, and send you the results — and media kits with logos (if recognized) in 2 weeks or fewer. Vetted Awards Survey results and logos will be sent in October.
Does every organization that submits a survey receive a badge or award logo?
No, participants must meet key standards related to employing Veterans and the Military-Connected Community for Vetted Employer recognition through the Vetted Checkup Survey. For the Vetted Awards Survey, organizations must compare favorably with other employers in a competitive evaluation to receive awards. Organizations that submit surveys but do not receive recognition are kept confidential, so there is no reputational risk to participating.
How to Participate
How can my organization start a survey response?
To participate, you must submit your survey through our online platform: First, register for the Vetted Checkup Survey, and then use the custom survey link sent to the registered email address to access and fill out the survey.
Where can I download all the survey questions?
You can download the full Vetted Checkup Survey here. While your official survey must be submitted through our online platform (not as a Word Doc or PDF), we encourage you to download the blank survey PDF to gather data and plan your responses.
Which web browser should I use to fill out the survey?
Our surveys work best on the Google Chrome web browser, so we recommend using that browser to fill them out online.
Can I share my custom survey link?
You are welcome to share your survey link internally, with colleagues at your organization helping fill out the survey, but to ensure the accuracy and confidentiality of your survey responses, you should not share this link with external organizations.
Are my answers saved if I start — but don’t finish — a survey response?
Yes, your answers are saved automatically when you advance from one survey page to another. So you can complete your survey in multiple sessions — simply click on the same custom survey link used to fill out the survey previously, and you’ll be returned to where you left off, with all previous answers appearing, whether your last time working on the survey was hours, days, weeks, or months ago.
How many surveys should my organization submit?
Please provide only one Vetted Checkup Survey response and one Vetted Awards Survey response per organization. These evaluations analyze information on organization-wide policies, practices, and outcomes, as provided by the organization leadership/HR — not the personal testimonials or ratings of individual Military-Connected employees — so there is no need for multiple responses to the same survey from the same organization.
When should I submit the Vetted Checkup Survey?
There is no deadline — we will accept responses throughout 2026 — but we recommend submitting your survey as soon as possible, so your organization has more time to leverage the Vetted Employer badge and media kit (if recognized), and to enable participation in the Vetted Awards Survey, which does have a set deadline.
If I submit a Vetted Checkup Survey but do not earn recognition, can I try again?
Yes, if you submit a survey but fall short of Vetted Employer recognition, you are welcome to take the Vetted Checkup Survey again, if new data becomes available or revised policies are established.
Can I double-check my responses before submitting the survey?
Yes, and we encourage it! Every page of the survey has a “Next” button on the bottom right that advances to the following page, except for the final page of the survey, which has a “Submit” button instead. The last survey page, which has that “Submit” button, will show all of your survey responses in a non-editable, read-only format. Please review these responses carefully — and if you find anything that needs to be edited, press the “Previous” button to go back to the survey page containing the response in question and update it there — before pressing the “Submit” button.
Tips & Advice
Will information about my organization provided in the survey be published?
We respect your proprietary data and will not publish any information specific to your organization that is provided in our surveys, except for the organization’s name, logo, and recognition/award level, if recognition is earned. We can sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) establishing this in a legal document, if that would help your organization participate.
If my organization submits a survey but falls short of recognition, will that be published?
While we publicly recognize organizations that achieve Vetted Employer status, we do not publicly list or name any organizations that submit Vetted Checkup Surveys but do not achieve Vetted Employer status. This means there is no reputational risk for organizations to participate.
Is there a penalty for skipping survey questions?
Please provide as much information as possible to increase your organization’s chances for Vetted Employer recognition and awards. The more you tell us, the better we can credit your organization for its efforts to employ the Military-Connected community.
Where can I find definitions of the terms used in survey questions?
We have defined key survey terms in our Survey Glossary at this link, and our online survey also includes red question marks that you can hover your mouse over for a precise definition of the item in question.
Should I include personally identifiable information in my survey response?
Except for the questions at the beginning of the survey, requesting contact information for primary and additional survey contacts, please do not provide any personally identifiable information in survey responses. Anonymize information or use aliases where necessary.
Should I provide data based on the calendar year or on the fiscal year?
It is completely up to you. For questions that ask for data associated with particular years, you are welcome to respond based either on the calendar year or on any fiscal year timeframe, depending on your organization’s standard practices, convenience, and timing.
Should my survey responses cover only U.S. operations or include international operations as well?
If your organization has international operations, we recommend responding to this survey with data and information representing only your U.S. operations, as this scope is more relevant for our evaluation. If you are unable to provide data covering U.S. operations only, it is OK to include international operations — just be sure to indicate this in the question near the end of the survey asking about international operations.
Survey Links & Resources
To start your survey response, click the button below, then register with your name and email address and you will immediately receive a survey
The appearance of U.S. Department of War/Department of Defense (DoW/DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW/DoD endorsement.
Webpage image credits (from top left): DVIDS VIRIN 171206-A-NU445-006.