Our fifth nominee for The Cannata Report 2026 Outstanding Veteran Award is a person who served our country in the U.S. Navy Reserve for nearly a decade. Meet Alison Hall, an accounts payable specialist at Lake Forest, Illinois-based dealership Impact Networking, who has been nominated by colleague Luke Oldenburg, the technical operations center manager at Impact.
Frank Cucco, chairman of Impact Networking, had this to say: “Alison is a tremendous leader whose professionalism, commitment, and positive energy make a meaningful impact on everyone around her. She consistently brings care, integrity, and a high standard of excellence to her work, while also making the people she works with feel valued and supported. We are fortunate to have her on our team, and I’m proud to see her recognized.”
As a reservist, how often were you on active duty?
AH: I served one weekend per month and two weeks every summer for nine years. That was all at the Great Lakes Naval Station [in suburban North Chicago, Illinois], and it was all with the Military Police.
What did you enjoy doing the most on active-duty service, and what were your Military Occupational Specialties?
AH: Master at Arms (MA) 2nd class Petty Officer; Although I loved everything about being Military Police; being able to keep the public safe during the uncertainty of the July 4th celebrations was what I enjoyed the most. It brought everyone together to have fun and celebrate with Naval Station Great Lakes.
Above and below:
The proud day that Hall made the rank of 3rd Class Petty Officer and became a MA3 (Master At Arms 3rd class Petty Officer).
What were the most important things you learned in the military, and are any of them useful in your employment today?
AH: The most important takeaways I learned from the military were adaptability, discipline, consistency, and resilience. They absolutely are useful in the job that I do today and in everyday life.
How difficult was it to find employment upon separation, and how did you discover the copier business as a potential employee?
AH: It was not difficult at all to find employment once I got out of the military. I stayed on the police field for some time before taking my career in a different direction. I discovered Impact Networking on a whim. I demonstrated strong attention to detail and took pride in having a higher level of accountability in my work.
According to the Department of Defense, approximately 270,000 men and women are separated from active duty every year. DOD also states that only about 11% have jobs when they leave the service. Any tips for your fellow vets about the best way to find a job?
AH: Learn to translate our military experience into civilian language. That way, employers will have a better understanding of what your ‘job’ within the military was all about. For example, Master at Arms is military police, but outside the military it is referred to as police officers, sheriff’s deputies, etc. Squad leader inside the military is equivalent to a team supervisor in the civilian world. Your skills are transferable; never forget that.
Do you have any concluding thoughts or advice for your fellow vets about employment, utilizing the military training you received, or anything like that?
AH: Always remember where you came from and how you were built to be resilient. We were not taught to give up when it gets tough; we were taught to adapt and overcome.
Above and below:
Hall during 9545 school, which was the name of the A-School for Military Police at the time.
Frankly speaking . . .
As of early 2026, the U.S. military consisted of approximately 1.33 million active- duty service members. When you include the 770,000 reserve and National Guard personnel, the total force exceeds 2.1 million troops supported by more than 700,000 civilian employees.
Reservists like Hall play a vital role in our military forces because they free up members of regular units to fulfi ll other important missions and objectives. Plus, reservists are usually activated in the event of a confl ict. Reservists allow our military to defend us and respond to any threat from another country or perceived enemy. Together, they are one. We should remember that and thank Alison for her service.
