SAN ANTONIO -- On this National Hire A Veteran Day companies all over the country are encouraged to hire veterans. San Antonio just last year officially earned the nickname "Military City. USA," and offers plenty of resources to veterans.

"My transition was actually a little bumpy," said Jill Palmer, clinic director at Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors.

Palmer, a former Navy lieutenant of six years, had to make the adjustment from military life to civilian life.

"The commitment and honor that we all take on as active duty members really plays out in the civilian world as leadership skills," she said.

Palmer said every level of service comes with a leadership responsibility like just raising your hand and committing to defend. That skill is just one of the attributes her company Endeavors looks for.

"We have specific programs just to help veterans. One is we hire veterans. Some of our programs that serve veterans we give preferential hiring to veterans or family members of veterans," Travis Pearson, president and CEO of Endeavors, said. "We have almost 50 veterans hired with our programs right now. Many more spouses or family members of veterans."

Prior to the military, Palmer first started working for the government providing social work services to active duty members and their families. After joining the Navy she was deployed to Japan, but coming home was difficult.

"Finding that right fit where you can still have your structure and accountability and core support of the mission and what's true for you as a person and as a worker, finding that in a civilian job company is really important. It was really important for me and I found that in Endeavors," she said. 

It took two years for Palmer to find the right fit.

"It's not a failure, it's not something you are doing wrong. It is a different system, it's a paradigm shift to go from the military-structured world out to the civilian world," she said "And that struggle says nothing about what your skills are, or your skill sets or your ability to be productive."

Endeavors encourages companies to hire veterans and wants them to know it is veterans serving veterans.

Endeavors' Veteran Services Program offers homelessness prevention and stabilization services to vets and their families. These supportive services include outreach, case management, help in obtaining VA benefits, emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities and assistance in obtaining and coordinating other public benefits.

For more information you can follow Endeavors on Facebook and Twitter.

For mental health information you can follow the Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors San Antonio on Facebook.