Hey, really appreciate you taking the time to ask — and even more so for being open to mentoring. Twenty years in the game is serious, and folks like you are exactly who our troops need.
To answer your questions:
1. What mentors do
Mentors help guide our troops through the learning and career process. That includes reviewing code, offering feedback, sharing your experience, and helping them get unstuck when they hit a wall. It’s not about having all the answers — it’s about being consistent, showing up, and being real with folks trying to break in.
2. Time commitment + 1:1s
We aim for one 1:1 per month per troop, but we’re flexible. Most mentors give about 1–2 hours a week, including async stuff like reviewing PRs or replying in Slack. If you only have 30 minutes, we’ll work with that. We respect your time and want this to be something sustainable.
If you’re down to talk more or need anything else cleared up, hit me up directly. Would love to have you on board.
Hey folks, thanks for the thoughtful responses and questions — I really appreciate the engagement and the mix of perspectives.
@torstenvl: You’re absolutely right. We’re already working on refining the mobile UX and adjusting the animations on the hero section so they don’t cause layout shifts. Thanks for flagging that. Accessibility and clarity are priorities, so this feedback is super helpful.
@ash_091 and others confused by the term “vet”: Totally understand the cultural difference — in the US, “vet” is commonly used as shorthand for “military veteran,” but that isn’t universal. We’ll look at how we can make the messaging clearer, especially for international visitors, without losing identity.
@psunavy03 and @pc86: The conversation around military coding careers is valid and nuanced. At Vets Who Code, we’re focused on helping veterans after they separate, transition, or retire — giving them tech skills and a community so they can thrive in the civilian workforce. We’re not advocating for in-uniform development to replace contractors or acquisitions but rather preparing folks to enter a very different kind of battlefield: the job market.
@redeux: I hear you. You’re absolutely right — we don’t promote copy-paste AI coding. One of our core lessons is about critical thinking with AI: evaluating, refining, and using it as a tool, not a crutch. And yes — some placeholder copy slipped through the cracks during early drafts. Thanks for holding us accountable. We’ll clean that up.
Re: Mentorship Questions
1. Mentor Duties & Responsibilities
Mentors guide one or more troops (our learners) through their learning journey. This includes reviewing projects, offering career advice, sharing lessons from your experience, and helping troubleshoot when someone hits a wall. You don’t need to know everything — just be willing to show up, support, and share honestly.
2. 1:1s and Time Commitment
We generally aim for one 1:1 per month per troop. Most mentors spend about 1–2 hours a week, depending on availability and the needs of their mentee(s). We respect your time — consistency matters more than quantity. If you can only give 30 minutes a week, we’ll match that with the right person.
Who We Are
Vets Who Code is a nonprofit that’s helped our troops land over $20 million in salaries in tech. We’ve been doing this work for over a decade. No fluff, no tuition, no BS. Just real training and support.
We’ve been honored by:
• The White House (yes, that one — under President Obama)
• Featured in WIRED, HuffPost, Stack Overflow, GitHub, and more
• Invited to speak at Google I/O, Facebook F8, and DreamForce
• Recognized as a GitHub Star, Google Developer Expert, and Twilio Champion
If you’re curious, open to mentoring, or just want to help us improve the mission, hit me up directly or through the contact page. We’re serious about doing right by our community.
Hey folks, thanks for the thoughtful responses and questions — I really appreciate the engagement and the mix of perspectives.
@torstenvl: You’re absolutely right. We’re already working on refining the mobile UX and adjusting the animations on the hero section so they don’t cause layout shifts. Thanks for flagging that. Accessibility and clarity are priorities, so this feedback is super helpful.
@ash_091 and others confused by the term “vet”: Totally understand the cultural difference — in the US, “vet” is commonly used as shorthand for “military veteran,” but that isn’t universal. We’ll look at how we can make the messaging clearer, especially for international visitors, without losing identity.
@psunavy03 and @pc86: The conversation around military coding careers is valid and nuanced. At Vets Who Code, we’re focused on helping veterans after they separate, transition, or retire — giving them tech skills and a community so they can thrive in the civilian workforce. We’re not advocating for in-uniform development to replace contractors or acquisitions but rather preparing folks to enter a very different kind of battlefield: the job market.
@redeux: I hear you. You’re absolutely right — we don’t promote copy-paste AI coding. One of our core lessons is about critical thinking with AI: evaluating, refining, and using it as a tool, not a crutch. And yes — some placeholder copy slipped through the cracks during early drafts. Thanks for holding us accountable. We’ll clean that up.
Re: Mentorship Questions
1. Mentor Duties & Responsibilities
Mentors guide one or more troops (our learners) through their learning journey. This includes reviewing projects, offering career advice, sharing lessons from your experience, and helping troubleshoot when someone hits a wall. You don’t need to know everything — just be willing to show up, support, and share honestly.
2. 1:1s and Time Commitment
We generally aim for one 1:1 per month per troop. Most mentors spend about 1–2 hours a week, depending on availability and the needs of their mentee(s). We respect your time — consistency matters more than quantity. If you can only give 30 minutes a week, we’ll match that with the right person.
Who We Are
Vets Who Code is a nonprofit that’s helped our troops land over $20 million in salaries in tech. We’ve been doing this work for over a decade. No fluff, no tuition, no BS. Just real training and support.
We’ve been honored by:
• The White House (yes, that one — under President Obama)
• Featured in WIRED, HuffPost, Stack Overflow, GitHub, and more
• Invited to speak at Google I/O, Facebook F8, and DreamForce
• Recognized as a GitHub Star, Google Developer Expert, and Twilio Champion
This isn’t a side project — this is our mission.
If you’re curious, open to mentoring, or just want to help us improve the mission, hit me up directly or through the contact page. We’re serious about doing right by our community.