When Veterans Return Home

At some point, everyone who serves in the military returns home from serving our nation.  Some return only because of limits imposed by Congress on how long our warriors can serve their country.  Many warriors affected by that mandate have served as senior military leaders for as much as three decades. Their unique experiences honed them into smart, disciplined leaders with a depth of purpose and understanding that civilian CEOs and board chairs cannot claim.

Meanwhile, junior officers and skilled enlisted troops return home after having leveraged their talents to achieve positions of trust and responsibility that far exceed their non-veteran peers. 

Finally, let us never forget, the Americans that return home for their final rest, whether in spirit or in body, their last breath taken far away from their home. No veteran ever forgets them.

What happens when veterans return home? When they arrive, are they embraced as potential contributors to the success of businesses and nonprofits?  Are our veterans asked to share their unique experience and skilsl to help our communities prosper?  Are their strong character, education, and technical skills being used to ignite waves of innovation and efficiency?  Sometimes that answer is yes.   

However, studies say that collectively, only a quarter of community members view veterans as an assets, and  veterans’ advocacy organizations tend to agree with that statistic.  Furthermore, my personal interactions with veterans in my community support the same conclusion.  In fact, my personal experience says veterans receive  lots of pats on the back in gratitude for their service to the nation, but when they seek a tangible form of affirmation that would enable them to feed their family, people mostly offer shrugs.    

Since my return to civilian life two years ago, I’ve been on a fascinating journey as a student of the military transition.  I have listened to the frustrations of veterans, and, surprisingly, employers too, who are looking for the right fit, but neither fully understanding how to take advantage of the true value veterans bring.

I won’t be content watching productive veterans sit on the sidelines.  It’s my goal to educate veterans and employers alike, to find the right match for both, and together take business to the next level of success.  I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting experts who have studied the plight of veterans in the workforce, and have instilled hope that there are resources that available to help veterans reach their goals. 

Thankfully, the journey is far from over.  I’m hopeful that soon, veterans will come home victorious, with opportunities to fulfill their dreams of being valued contributors to their communities.  Remember, we all come home….

My Passion: Helping Our Nation Leverage Military Veterans, Our Greatest, Untapped Resource

Let me get to the heart of my passion for veterans, and for the nation.  We have a golden opportunity to leverage an untapped resource that is ready to unleash levels of productivity not seen in the modern era. This valuable resource comes with a deep-rooted sense of what it takes to be the absolute best. It also embodies a moral compass that executes with dignity and respect.

   

That valuable resource is our veterans.   

Our veterans have proven skills that have elevated and sustained the U.S. military as the nation’s most respected and successful organization. Let there be no mistake: our veterans stand apart from their civilian counterparts who have never worn this nation’s uniform. Yes, they are amazing!   

Yet, the business community, with a few notable exceptions, has not fully embraced these not-so-secret weapons, despite their tremendous potential.  Smart employers have already discovered that veterans can deliver a “secret sauce”…an intangible skill set that cannot be replicated or learned in a classroom. This awesome capability can only be gained through life experiences that illustrate the Proverb, “just as iron sharpens iron, so does one person sharpen another.” 

In terms of education, leadership and character our veterans come from a pool of the top candidates from our communities. That top-notch raw talent is educated, challenged and trained to push their limits, their minds, and their leaders. Yes, they are empowered to push their leaders!. They obtain education and experience that is unmatched anywhere in the world, let alone in our local communities. They have executed high-pressure assignments to help the military become the most respected institution in this nation.

When they complete their service to the nation, they return home.  When veterans arrive in the civilian world, there are abundant expressions of gratitude, flags are unfurled, and community leaders acknowledge the community’s appreciation for veterans and their service. But what happens after the flags are furled and the speeches faded away? Do you think our veterans are appreciated valued as an asset to their civilian community?

Unfortunately, in my experience the answer is no. I am passionate about searching for answers, helping civilians understand all of the benefits veterans have to offer in businesses and nonprofits across the nation.  I also hope to contribute to conversations that help veterans connect with the jobs they desire…and deserve.  

 I hope you’ll join in this discussion and help me address these issues, so the nation can take advantage of the golden opportunity that veterans can offer to our communities. 

Web Survey Lists Best and Worst Cities in America for Military Veterans

Not long ago I was meeting with a local official in my area of Nevada.  During the discussion on veterans and employment I shared my concerns that too many veterans with incredible experience, education and skills were either unemployed or underemployed. I was not ready for what came next. 

The discussion turned immediately to community programs and initiatives that helped veterans that had hit bottom.  She suggested I talk to the person putting together the newest veteran jobs program.  You know, the kind of program that helps homeless veterans get cleaned up, clothed, and any job paying minimum wage. 

Perplexed, I asked my friend, “What comes to mind when you think of a veteran?”  Her response was immediate, “A homeless person under a bridge.”   

“Wow,” I thought to myself, “That stereotype explains a lot of what veterans encounter here.” Unfortunately, I have learned she is not alone. In fact, that kind of thinking is pervasive, and when elected leaders don’t see the whole picture, it shows up in programs and policies that directly affect veterans. 

The creators of the website WalletHub.com[i] figured out that in some cities veterans thrive and in other cities veterans struggle to survive.  They realize there are many factors that impact a veteran’s success in a community and worked with a group of veterans’ advocates to develop a list of 100 cities that are the Best and Worst Cities for Veterans. 

Cities were judged based on criteria that measure conditions for veterans, such as percentage of military-skill jobs in the economy, unemployment rate, income growth, percentage of veterans living below the poverty line, and percentage of veterans per capita.  Those measurements provide a comprehensive assessment of economic and financial conditions are like for veterans.

The top five cities in the survey are Irvine, CA; Scottsdale, AZ; Raleigh, NC; Orlando, FL; and Gilbert, AZ.  The bottom five are Miami, FL; Boston, MA; Hialeah, FL; Newark, NJ; and Detroit. MI. 

Wallethub.com’s took a smart approach to measuring what works for veterans.  For public officials that make the mistake of only focusing on troubled veterans, the list is a reminder that concerns for veterans go beyond those involving PTSD and homelessness. 

The best cities are those that consider the needs of all veterans, not just those who are in crisis. 

Hopefully, when my friend reads this survey, it will encourage a broader perspective when looking to address the concerns of veterans. 

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[i] Benardo, Richie, 2015 Best and Worst Cities for Veterans,  https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-cities-for-veterans/8156/

The Cream of The Crop

Working with cream of the crop is a great recipe for success.  If you’ve ever wondered why our Armed Forces are the best in the world, there is a simple explanation.  

To wear America’s uniform you can’t be an average candidate—you have to be among the best.  Taking everything into account only 2 in 10 Americans between the ages of 18-24 fully qualify for military service.[i]   The most notable disqualifiers are health (obesity), academic credentials, lacking a high school diploma or better depending on position, and character —failing the criminal background check.  Further, in order to be accepted, qualified candidates must meet additional more stringent physical, academic, and character requirements. 

All in all, including waivers, our military is built from the top 25-30 percent of our nation’s youth, the cream of the crop.

Such high standards for military recruits are needed to sustain the world’s most professional and high-tech force.  We need recruits that are strong, smart, and agile, that can analyze critical data, and make precise split-second decisions.  These people operate multi-million dollar ships, fighter jets, tanks with the world’s most advanced technology supporting them via communications, logistics, maintenance, and procurement.  Just about every phase of military strategy involves the use of advanced software and hardware that is at least as sophisticated as systems used to support civilian business operations. 

These young military recruits rapidly grow into mid-level military warriors responsible for managing resources on a scale equivalent to similar positions in small and mid-size businesses.  Recruits that advance to senior leadership hold are in positions equivalent to those running the nation’s largest corporations. 

Potentially more important, our warriors have been trained for these roles each step of the way—advanced technical and hands-on courses—and leadership training like that provided in top MBA programs but taken to the next level.  Such rigorous preparation is required to lead, not just manage highly skilled teams where profit and loss is measured in lives versus dollars.

Imagine that kind of skill set available to the private sector.  Well, in fact, it is.  These “cream of the crop” warriors are transitioning to the business community at a rate over 16,000 per month, armed with a solid foundation in the advanced skills business leaders say they seek most—leadership, strategic thinking, ability to learn new skills, loyalty, discipline.  Yet, hiring managers are quick to point out their lack industry specific experience.  What a shame to ignore the depth and breadth of hard to find skills and, instead, focus on what they don’t bring.

Business research suggests that the key to developing a strong employee and future company leader starts with hiring the right candidate.  Our military has modeled that philosophy to become the most respected institution in our country. 

The cream of the crop will always rise to the top. The best warriors in the world, our warriors, demonstrate that every day around the globe. In time, their abilities will be appreciated in civilian organizations, too.

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[i] http://cdn.missionreadiness.org/NATEE1109.pdf

It's A Mystery Why So Many Americans View Veterans Through Negative Stereotypes 

It’s a mystery. 

When you think of those who serve in our nation’s military what image comes to your mind’s-eye?  Do you see talented and skilled people who are highly successful at any task? Sophisticated and technologically savvy practitioners?  Educated leaders, planners and supervisors informed on major issues of concern around the globe.

If not, you are not alone.  Unfortunately, few outside the military view our nation’s warriors in that manner—or even remotely similar—and therein lies the mystery. Why?

Instead, the sad fact is that far too many Americans perceive veterans in a manner that can be characterized by the image of Gomer Pyle, the simple-minded character from a 1960s sitcom.  That caricature represents troops that mindlessly march forward, not thinking, only responding to orders from leaders portrayed as even less capable.

 

Piling on are the persistent negative stereotypes, heavily promoted in the media, that military veterans don’t fit in because of post-traumatic stress disorder, or that they are homeless, and in general have difficulty returning to civilian life. 

   
How that image persists is truly a mystery. The truth is this generation of warriors is the most educated, most disciplined, best led, tech savvy and effective military force in American history.  With the smallest fighting force since the isolationist period between World Wars I and II, each soldier, sailor, airman and Marine learns to properly execute their role, as a team, while leveraging sophisticated technology to achieve their mission.

   

The uneducated Gomer Pyle stereotype has been gone and buried since the implementation of the All-Volunteer-Force instituted in the 1970s.  Homeless and PTSD-afflicted veterans, while worthy of attention because of their critical needs, represent a small percentage of veterans.  The vast majority of veterans are employment ready, able-bodied people with many of the skill sets most sought after by employers—adaptable self-starters with self-discipline, creativity and leadership.

   

Yet when veterans come to the civilian sector, it seems that the advanced skills and proven capabilities they acquired in the military aren’t applicable.  Hiring managers apparently don’t believe those skills translate to roles that support companies in fast-paced competitive business environments.

Therefore, if veterans have proven that they can succeed in complex, fast-paced environments against dangerous adversaries, why can’t they help a private organization meet its operational goals?

It’s a mystery.