---
title: "Dream Vacations Announces Winners for “Operation Vetrepreneur Become Your Own General” Contest"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/124e33e5-18cc-412e-aa6c-36c76ee1beb6
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20241213_dream_vacations_announces_winners_for_operation_vetrepreneur_become_your_ow.html
category: "Lodging & Travel"
industry: "Lodging & Travel"
published: 2024-12-13T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T19:54:56.729Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1507679799987-c73779587ccf?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Dream Vacations Announces Winners for “Operation Vetrepreneur Become Your Own General” Contest

**TL;DR:** Dream Vacations awarded three military veterans with free travel franchises as part of its annual contest. The winners, David Conklin, Josh Bauer, and Jonathan Oringdulph, were selected from a pool of candidates who participated in a rigorous three-part application process.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2024-12-13. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20241213_dream_vacations_announces_winners_for_operation_vetrepreneur_become_your_ow.html).*

## Story

"Helping military veterans and their families achieve their entrepreneurial dreams is truly an honor," said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager of Dream Vacations. "The talent and drive we see in these candidates are unmatched, and I can’t wait to see all they’ll accomplish this year."

The Dream Vacations franchise contest was open to former members of any of the six branches of the U.S. military (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force and Coast Guard) who are retired, off active duty and/or honorably discharged prior to the contest start date and are residents of the U.S. Candidates participated in a rigorous three-part application process which included creating a business plan, video essay and phone interviews.

This year’s winners are U.S. Army Veteran David Conklin of Spring, Texas; U.S. Army Veteran Josh Bauer of Saint Cloud, Minn.; and U.S. Navy Veteran Jonathan Oringdulph of Elkins, W.Va.

“Having a business of my own means so much coming from three generations of entrepreneurs in my family. I am so excited to share my passion for travel through my new Dream Vacations franchise,” said Oringdulph. “I feel that my experience as a veteran will enhance my ability to help others get the most out of travel, whether it’s a trip to enjoy rest and relaxation or to discover a new adventure with family or friends!”

Dream Vacations proudly supports military veterans and is consistently recognized by leading industry publications as a veteran-friendly franchise.

Dream Vacations is committed to being “Rich in Diversity” and empowers all owners, franchisees and employees to reach their highest potential by leveraging their broad range of talent, experiences, personalities, viewpoints and ideas to generate business growth.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- General (sector)
- veteran support (topic)
- Dream Vacations (company)
- Drew Daly (person)
- travel franchise (topic)
- franchise contest (topic)
- David Conklin (person)
- Josh Bauer (person)
- Jonathan Oringdulph (person)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20241213_dream_vacations_announces_winners_for_operation_vetrepreneur_become_your_ow.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/124e33e5-18cc-412e-aa6c-36c76ee1beb6).