Dog Tag Inc

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM: DOG TAG'S FIVE INTEGRATED PROGRAM AREAS ACT AS A CATALYST FOR BUILDING RESILIENCE, FINDING RENEWED PURPOSE, AND FORGING A COMMUNITY FOR VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES, MILITARY SPOUSES AND CAREGIVERS. DTI'S FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IS COMPRISED OF FIVE (5) INTEGRATED PROGRAM AREAS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO EMPOWER FELLOWS TO APPROACH THEIR CIVILIAN LIFE ON THEIR TERMS: 1) EDUCATION - FELLOWS EARN A CUSTOMIZED BUSINESS CERTIFICATE FROM A TOP UNIVERSITY IN OVER 90 HOURS OF COURSES, GAINING FOUNDATIONAL BUSINESS SKILLS; 2) HANDS-ON LEARNING - FELLOWS SPEND OVER 80 HOURS SOLIDIFYING LESSONS LEARNED IN CLASS THROUGH IMMERSION IN A SMALL BUSINESS, EARNING REAL LEADERSHIP AND TEAMWORK EXPERIENCE; 3) LEARNING LABS - FELLOWS PARTICIPATE IN OVER 100 HOURS OF PROGRAMMING TO EXPLORE CAREERS AND GAIN SKILLS THROUGH WORKSHOPS WITH ENTREPRENEURS, BUSINESS LEADERS, AND SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS; 4) WELLNESS - FELLOWS PARTICIPATE IN OVER 80 HOURS OF ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIES TO PROCESS THEIR PAST, REFLECT ON THEIR CURRENT EXPERIENCES, AND ENVISION THEIR FUTURE; AND 5) CAPSTONE - FELLOWS SPEND ALMOST 30 HOURS TO UTILIZE STRATEGIC THINKING, PLANNING, AND DECISION-MAKING TO DEVELOP A ROBUST BUSINESS PLAN, SOLIDIFYING THE VALUE OF AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET.ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES TO OUR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM DURING FY21 HAS BEEN THE CONTINUATION OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. DTI, LIKE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY, FACED AN UNPRECEDENTED NEED TO QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY PIVOT OUR PROGRAM TO A COMPLETELY VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR FELLOWS AND STAFF. DTI WAS ABLE TO RESPOND TO THIS CRISIS IMMEDIATELY AND EFFECTIVELY, AND AS A RESULT, THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO DISRUPTION IN OUR PROGRAM FOR EITHER OUR FELLOWS OR OUR STAFF.THROUGHOUT FY21, DOG TAG CONTINUED TO DELIVER OUR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IN A VIRTUAL, ONLINE FORMAT. WE PROVIDED OUR FELLOWS WITH THE HARDWARE AND ACCESS TO ONLINE PLATFORMS NEEDED TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN COURSE WORK AND TRAINING REMOTELY WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT INTERRUPTION TO OUR PROGRAM. ALL DTI STAFF, LEARNING LAB PARTNERS, AND GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTORS ADAPTED THEIR LESSON PLANS, INSTRUCTION AND COURSEWORK TO AN ONLINE PROGRAM. THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, DTI HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT FOR WHICH WE'RE KNOWN. OUR PROGRAMS TEAM HAS CLOSELY MONITORED FELLOWS' COURSEWORK REMOTELY, AND CONDUCTED ONE-ON-ONE CHECK-INS WITH FELLOWS AND STAFF TO ENSURE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE CURRICULUM.PROVIDING VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING IS AN EVER-EVOLVING PROCESS, AND OUR TEAM CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT CREATIVE STRATEGIES IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE ONGOING DELIVERY OF OUR HIGH QUALITY, HIGH IMPACT PROGRAMMING DESPITE THE DISTANCE. AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE BEEN WHOLEHEARTEDLY COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING A STRONG COMMUNITY AND HELPING OUR FELLOWS REDISCOVER THEIR PURPOSE, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME.

BAKERY PROGRAM - DOG TAG INC. (DOG TAG) (DOING BUSINESS AS A DOG TAG BAKERY) WAS INCORPORATED IN 2011 UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FELLOWS' BUSINESS COURSEWORK BUILDS A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE EXPLORATION AND SKILLS-BUILDING PROVIDED BY ROTATIONS. WITH DOG TAG STAFF SERVING AS MENTORS AND TEACHERS, FELLOWS SPEND UP TO SIX HOURS PER WEEK IN HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ("ROTATIONS") THROUGHOUT THE OPERATIONS OF DOG TAG (INCLUDING OUR BAKERY.) ROTATIONS PROVIDE FELLOWS WITH FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE IN HOW A BUSINESS RUNS: GIVING THEM AN UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH THE DAILY TASKS AND OVERALL BIG PICTURE OF HOW THE BUSINESS FUNCTIONS. THIS INTENSIVE, EXPERIENTIAL ASPECT, WHERE FELLOWS ARE IMMERSED IN DOG TAG'S DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, IS WHAT SETS DOG TAG APART FROM OTHER TRANSITION PROGRAMS; FELLOWS DON'T JUST STUDY BUSINESS-THEY LIVE, WORK, AND EXPERIENCE BUSINESS FIRST-HAND. THE PHYSICAL SPACE OF THE BAKERY SERVES TO SUPPORT OUR PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY. DOG TAG HAS PARTNERED WITH OTHER VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS FOR OPEN MIC NIGHT AT THE BAKERY, AS WELL AS MEETING AND EVENT SPACE IN OUR CLASSROOM. EACH DAY WE WELCOME OUR NEIGHBORS, PARTNERS, AND CUSTOMERS TO SUPPORT OUR ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE PURCHASE OF A COFFEE OR COOKIE AT THE BAKERY AND LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MISSION, OUR IMPACT, AND HOW TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS, MILITARY SPOUSES, AND CAREGIVERS.