Sonoran Desert Institute Honored for Veteran Hiring Efforts

by
posted on November 30, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
SDI Receives

U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh recently recognized the parent company of Sonoran Desert Institute (SDI)—an online school with a focus in firearms technology—Trade Training Company, for its recruitment, hiring and retention of veterans. It was one of the 849 recipients of the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Award during a virtual award ceremony presented by U.S. Department of Labor. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act (HIRE Vets Act) Medallion Program is the only federal award program that recognizes employers for their efforts at adding and keeping those who served in uniform on their staff.

Sonoran Desert Institute’s commitment to hiring veterans has earned the School of Firearms Technology the gold award from the U.S. Department of Labor. As a recipient of the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Award, SDI has proven it meets rigorous employment and veteran integration assistance criteria.

“Achieving this recognition was very important to me, aside from the opportunity to attract new talent and stand out within our industry,” said SDI’s Rob Howard, director of military and veteran services for SDI. “For me, this was a way to have SDI recognized outside of education to validate what our organization does daily.”

SDI joins 848 other companies from 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, who have shown a commitment to hiring veterans, but also ensuring that they have a long-term career and growth plan that uses the diverse skills they acquired through military service.

Recipients of the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Award meet rigorous employment and veteran integration assistance criteria, including veteran hiring and retention percentages; availability of veteran-specific resources; leadership programming for veterans; dedicated human resource efforts; pay compensation, and tuition assistance programs for veterans. More than 1,400 employers have earned a HIRE Vets Medallion Award since 2018.

SDI is licensed and regulated by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, registered with the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission.

Latest

French Charleville Ihtog 1
French Charleville Ihtog 1

I Have This Old Gun: The French Charleville Musket

One of the most important military arms ever made, the French Charleville musket saw use in the American Revolution and armed French troops throughout the Napoleonic Wars.

CVA Endura Series: The Modernized Muzzleloader Of 2025

CVA built on the success of its Paramount muzzleloader to create the Endura, a design that the company calls "the most advanced muzzleloader series CVA has ever built."

Review: FN 15 Guardian

FN America has sought to bring its legendary quality and reliability to an AR-15 that lists for just $999, and we believe that it has done this well with its 15 Guardian carbine.

Springfield Armory Hellcat Now Available In .380 ACP

Despite the extensive number of Hellcat models in its lineup, Springfield Armory has only offered the pistol in one chambering, 9 mm Luger, until now. The .380 ACP model offers similar capabilities with softer recoil.

Arms Of The Mail Guard Marines

While difficult to imagine today, brazen armed thefts of the U.S. Mail in the 1920s became all too common and beyond the abilities of mail personnel to handle. Enter the U.S. Marines—armed to the teeth.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 13, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.