ROCHESTER, NY — Serving one’s country can be a great honor that fills soldiers with pride and instills a deep sense of duty. But for many veterans, returning to civilian life presents significant challenges, including adjusting to a new routine and finding suitable employment.

“One reason may be that the skills they learned in the military don’t translate well to the civilian sector or that they don’t know how to apply those skills,” says Laura Heltz, executive director of the Veterans Outreach Center.

This challenge is particularly pronounced among black veterans, who make up 14% of the veteran population.

According to the Department of Labor, black veterans are worse off economically and occupationally compared to other veteran groups.

For Marine veteran and Rochester native Cliff Bostic, who served for 17 years, military service is all he knows.

“I was E6, which is foreman,” he said. “My job was boatswain’s mate, but technically I was an engineer.”

Bostic served three tours in the Middle East between 1995 and 2012 before deciding to return to civilian life and return to Rochester.

“It was time,” Bostic recalled. “Obama became president and they let people retire early.”

Wanting to avoid the unemployment that often follows military service, Bostic entered the automotive industry. He learned the business by working for other companies and opened his own auto repair shop just two months ago. In addition to building his business, Bostic remains committed to providing jobs for others.

Cedric Harris, one of Bostic’s employees, explains how he came to work at the new store.

“Cliff and my brother are good friends and I heard they had just opened,” Harris said. “So I went and talked to Cliff and he brought me on board.”

With his new store and growing business, Bostic is optimistic about the future. Not only is he excited about what the future may bring, but he is also eager to hire veterans who want to continue serving their communities in new ways.