Veterans Made Me a Leader

Many facets of our national society show veterans as a population who is honorable, but also fraught with needs.

To exemplify, current reports show that approximately 20 veterans die by suicide each day. Some mention veterans jobless rates, although in 2017 that number decreased to 4.5 percent. Just under 50,000 are documented as homeless.

Granted, this complex population carries their share of social challenges -- many times because of who they are: true to values and customs, selfless in their call to duty, an ethos of genuine regard for service even in the face of death.

As a social scientist and American, I believe veterans deserve our best work to find ways for them to return and flourish -- to be considered as we continue our own calls to service of enhancing human lives and solving problems with data and ingenuity.

Today, however, I want to take a moment and pen my thanks to veterans as a whole for the leadership lessons I have learned from the culture of military service in my lifetime:

• In the 80s, my leader was a retired Navy Seal. From him I learned commitment, humor, and how to respect everyone in the room, even if they had not earned it. I know this because he treated me with respect, even when I had not earned it.
• In the 90s, my leader was a retired veteran with a history of flying bombers and working in the Pentagon. As I watched him walk across campus and bend down to pick up small pieces of trash with every stroll, he taught me that a leader models behavior. My observations of him in action grew me in ways I had not expected but still use to this day.
• In this most recent decade, I had the opportunity to work alongside a family physician reserve officer. His steadfast faith strengthened my own, and his ability to move in and out of systems -- transferring skills he would learn from one environment to another -- helped both places he worked. Adaptability is an essential leadership skill and he demonstrated that concept with aplomb.

Other leaders across my professional lifespan have contributed much. But I can honestly say that when I think about solutions, I often refer most to my interactions with my former leaders who are veterans.

Today on this particular Veterans Day, I am remembering service provided to those around me after the veteran leaders I mentioned moved into civilian life. They shaped me in ways that I have attempted to quantify here, but all three also provided something intangible -- the quiet deepness of their thoughtful nature while contributing to post-military society.

I'm grateful for that deep well of stability and purpose. I'm grateful for ALL of their service.