The Four Pillars grew from the gaps Russell Levy saw service members and veterans face during the transition to civilian life—and from one belief: support should begin before crisis.
Russell Levy JD, LSSBB — Founder and President
While volunteering at a veterans homeless shelter, Russell saw people working hard to rebuild their lives while critical parts of transition remained disconnected. A job mattered—but it was only one piece.
Russell learned that lasting success required a whole-person approach — one that connected practical preparation, earned benefits, education, and the cultural adjustment to civilian life.
The veterans call him “The Ring Master.” He’s a civilian, and he says so.
Service members already know discipline, teamwork, and work ethic. What many still need is a map of civilian life—benefits, credentials, careers, and culture.
A job fixes one month. Preparing the whole person before the uniform comes off can change the next thirty years.
That is why VTS starts early. Six gaps became four pillars: Careers, Benefits, Education, and Culture.
— Russell Levy, JD, LSSBB
Founder & President
Training, certifications, and employer connections.
Guidance to help veterans access what they’ve earned.
Credentials and workshops that build civilian skills.
Adapting military strengths to civilian life.
In 2014, Sean Spinks was one of 26 students in VTS’s first class—still on active duty in the Marine Corps.
He kept coming back to volunteer long before he had anything to gain.
Today he’s an OSHA authorized instructor and VTS Board member. In 2024, he received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his volunteer hours.
“VTS helped me build my roadmap from military service to a career in safety. I continue to volunteer because I want to give back, share my journey, and help other service members and their families find their own path forward.”
— Sean Spinks, VTS Board Member
Sean started while he was still serving. Most VTS classes are no cost and open to active-duty service members.
Russell learned these lessons at a veterans homeless shelter, helping people who were already in crisis.
I’ve appreciated Russell’s input and depth—well beyond what I’d ever expect from a course on process improvement. The two courses I’ve taken have eased my worries about going back to school and rejoining the workforce, and galvanized my purpose after the military. I’m truly grateful for these programs and the passion Russell brings to leading them.
I had the incredible opportunity to take a truly life-formative OSHA 30 course with Russell Levy. After years working jobs that felt like dead ends, I finally found a career I genuinely love—one that gave me purpose and direction I’d been searching for since leaving the Marine Corps in 2012. I highly recommend it, not just for the OSHA 30 card, but for the relationships, mentorship, and networking that come with it. I’m incredibly grateful for the doors it helped open for me.
