70 Years of Veterans Helping Veterans at Booz Allen

Founded by a veteran over 100 years ago, Booz Allen today boasts roughly 30% veteran and military-affiliated representation among its global workforce of over 29,000 employees. The firm supports military employees and spouses year-round with skills development and events and has just been recognized as a top Military Spouse Friendly Employer by Military Spouse. In addition, this year, Booz Allen is commemorating 70 consecutive years of service for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Over the years, many veterans employed by Booz Allen have had the opportunity to support the VA on a variety of health IT modernization projects. Principal Parham Kassaie and Lead Associate Kaye Carter are two such employees.

In honor of National Military Appreciation Month this May and Booz Allen’s long-standing relationship with the VA, Kassaie and Carter talk about their military service, what brought them to Booz Allen, highlights from their day-to-day work, and what it means to them to support fellow veterans in their post-military careers.

Before joining Booz Allen, Kassaie served 4 years of active duty in the U.S. Army and another 4 years in the Virginia National Guard. Now at Booz Allen, he has supported the Department of Defense (DOD) and VA for over a decade and now co-leads all technical integration for the firm’s work on the VA’s electronic health record modernization program—figuring out how complex systems work and making sure they solve problems and advance the VA’s mission, in his words.

“I saw a reflection of the Army values that were instilled in me in the way Booz Allen operated,” he said. “Clients don’t always spell out problems. They provide leaders’ intent and expect you to find solutions for them. That’s exactly the way tactics played out in the Army.”

Many of his projects hold a personal connection. “I worked on a disability evaluation system as one of my first initiatives with the VA. In the middle of my time on the project, I was having dinner with one of my former troops from my Operation Enduring Freedom deployment. He was in the process of using the very same system I was tasked with modernizing,” Kassaie said. “The impact the process was having on him and the other soldiers with him really brought home why I show up to work each day.”

“I spend a great deal of time on self-reflection, and I often ask myself if I am making the lives of my friends and family better,” he said. “By playing a role in supporting a lifetime of seamless care for service members and veterans, I can honestly say I am making a difference. The ability to work on issues that affect their lives for the better is personally satisfying,” he added.

Carter served in the U.S. Navy, including 9 years of active duty and 17 years in the Navy Reserve. She retired as a senior chief yeoman and cites her work as a command career counselor as one of her favorite roles during her 26 years of military service. “I was the primary resource for sailors to ask questions and to create professional development plans to aid them in their Naval career,” she said.

The prospect of supporting the VA’s electronic health record modernization effort brought Carter to Booz Allen. “Electronic health records will be life-changing because they will enable quick, safe, and effective care for all veterans,” she said. “The days of carrying a heavy and lengthy medical record from one doctor’s appointment to the next are coming to an end. The burden of having to repeatedly explain traumatic experiences to doctors that are not familiar with veterans’ health will become a thing of the past. Personally, I feel as though I am working for myself and my fellow veterans every day to make a difference and to help move the program forward.”

Today, she works as a senior resource manager on the Booz Allen team supporting the VA. “This role is very fast-paced, and every day brings a new set of accomplishments and challenges.

“Booz Allen offers a stable platform for those just entering the civilian workforce, along with those who are seasoned in their respective fields,” she said. “This is a great company to grow with personally and professionally. You’re in the driver’s seat of your own career.”