Cape Coral is proud of its veterans and invites all current and former service members to explore our beautiful city as a location for their current or prospective business.  Our new Veterans Investment Zone is designed around the new Cape Coral-Lee County VA Outpatient Clinic in northeast Cape Coral, which will be a powerful anchor for economic development. Contact us for further information.

On December 10, 2011, Wreaths Across America- Operation: Tribute At Sea
wreath laying ceremony will take place in the Gulf of Mexico
honoring our Veterans that have been lost or buried at sea.

Click here to learn more about this event.

To ensure that veterans, service disabled veterans and Reserve and National Guard member entrepreneurs receive special consideration in all its entrepreneurial programs and resources, the SBA has established an Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD). OVBD develops and distributes informational materials for entrepreneurship such as the Veterans Business Resource Guide, VETGazette, and Getting Veterans Back to Work.

SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development is responsible for liaison with the Veterans business community; for policy analysis and reporting; for acting as an Ombudsman for Veterans in Small Business Administration programs, for providing business training, counseling and assistance, and for overseeing the Federal procurement programs for Veteran and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small businesses.

For more information or special assistance with government contracting, including programs for veterans and service-disabled veterans, please check the SBA's Web site at: www.sba.gov/VETS/.

Contact Info:
Phone:  (202) 205-6773
Fax:        (202) 205-7292

Veterans Business Outreach Center

The Florida Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) provides online and face to face entrepreneurial development services for veterans and reservists such as business training, counseling and mentoring, pre-business plan workshops, feasibility analysis, and referrals to additional small business resources. To learn more about the Veterans Business Outreach program or find the nearest SBA VBOC, visit the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/vets.

Read more about the services provided by the VBOC

OVBO also partners with the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for Veterans With Disabilities at Florida State University to prepare service-disabled veterans for business ownership. SBDCs and SCORE also provide targeted management assistance to veterans who are current or prospective small business owners. SCORE also provides resources and counseling services online at: www.score.org.

Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)
The University of West Florida in Pensacola
2500 Minnesota Avenue
Lynn Haven, FL 32444

Contact:
Brenton Peacock
Phone: 1-800-542-7232 or 850-271-1108 ext 19
Fax: 850-271-1109
Email:  vets@vboc.org
Webpage:  http://vboc.org

VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Robert Chavarria
South Florida District Office
7402 North 56th Street, Building 400, Suite 475
Tampa, FL  33617
Tel:  813-228-2100
Fax: 202-481-5213

Please visit the Lee County Veterans Services website for information about the many services offered. The Veterans Services offcie encourages Vets to call or e-mail to make an appointment to discuss your concerns. In addition, you also may call the VA, toll-free, at 1-800-827-1000.

Veterans Services
2072 Victoria Avenue
Ft. Myers, Fl.  33901
Phone: (239) 938-1100
Fax:     (239) 938-1101

Email: smithej@leegov.com
Web: www.lee-county.com/gov/dept/VeteransServices

Office Hours:  Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.