Veterans | Top Tags in May

“Thank you for your Service!”

Last month, we spent time at the beach in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.? We’ve been going there for years and enjoy the change of pace.

One of my favorite spots is the Wright Brothers Memorial in Kitty Hawk, honoring their first flights on the spot where it all happened.? Every time I walk the ground where they flew or learn a new fact about their lives, I am more amazed.

They were problem-solvers, determined, and singularly focused for years, until they ultimately succeeded and eventually changed the world.

Lasting Memory

During one visit to the small museum, a Park Service employee told me about one of his recently retired colleagues who met both Orville Wright (first to fly) and Neal Armstrong (first on the Moon).?When I think about this, I try to imagine what I would have said to them.

No visit is complete without going to the Outlet Mall, because you can never have too many pairs of black socks. Walking between stores, I came upon a table with a “Support our Veterans” sign.

Two ladies in red shirts approached me and started to explain what they were doing. Once I found out they were part of the local American Legion Auxiliary , I was happy to contribute, knowing the good work they do.?They thanked me for my service and gave me a handmade red poppy.?This came in handy later when I returned to my car and they hit me up again.?I showed them the flower and they redirected their attention.

Later we drove over to Maneo, which has a downtown full of craft stores.?I can tolerate these because many have displays of novel greeting cards from local artists with witty or clever messages.?I bought several I will mail to battle buddies this November because of the Veteran specific inscription.

For lunch we visited a sandwich shop, where you order at the counter and they bring the food to your table.?While waiting, I noticed an elderly man using a walker enter, accompanied by several younger people – I assumed caregivers or friends.? What caught my eye was the black Veteran ball cap he was wearing.?At first, I couldn’t make it out, but then I noticed it said WWII.?Holy cow, I thought, how special is this to see a living WWII Veteran!

It didn’t seem any of those having lunch appreciated his presence and everyone went on with their meals. I resisted my initial desire to approach him, respecting his privacy.

But as we got up to leave, I noticed he was sitting by himself while his friends were ordering food.?I walked over and said “I see your hat and I just want to say hi and thank you for your service.”

He was alert, engaging, and I learned he was 100 years old having served in the Navy in the pacific.? He told me his legs hurt, but other than that he was in great shape.

I mentioned I had served in the Army and he quickly said “I won’t hold that against you.”

I started to wonder how I could pay for this lunch when suddenly a woman appeared at the table with his food and a handful of money.?She said she was the owner, had his lunch, and she was returning his money, as she wanted to buy him lunch and thank him for his service.

His friends were returning, so I got up to leave.? As I did, he reached out to shake my hand and said “Thank you for your Service.”

In my mind, each trip we make to OBX has a theme that captures our visit.?Past themes included: Putt-Golf Family Championship, Lion King movie premiere/sing-a-long, or Fudge and Ice Cream (when good eating habits were put on hold for a week).

I will always remember this visit as the time a member of the Greatest Generation thanked me for my service.

Speaking of memorable, here are the memorable, top posts from last month:

Increasing Military Spouse Employment

Brittany Bauman listed four key resources for Military Spouses as they seek employment.

There are links to each and a brief description of how they can help #MilSpouse search or prepare for a job.

Tim Best posted a short presentation about The Case for Hiring Military Spouses.

It’s based on his personal experience, but he makes good points that can be shared with your company’s hiring managers or Head of Human Resources.?You can download the presentation (in 2 clicks).

Start With an Apprenticeship

Jai Salters posted a list of Apprentice opportunities at 18 top companies.?The company program is briefly described and there is a link for each. If you know someone looking for “way in” to a top company, an apprenticeship could be that route. Some of the companies he features are:

-Accenture

-Cisco

-Dropbox

-IBM

-Intuit

-Wells Fargo

Valuable Resources

dAvId J. Valencia, MBA, MS, CFCM, ASM posted an sizeable list of resources from LinkedIn for Veterans in this post.

It contains a listing of 15 important resources and a link to each.?I recommend you share this post widely.?In fact, if you have Veteran or military friends who are not on LinkedIn, send them this and tell them this is an example of what they are missing.

Two posts from Tyrone Hewitt stood out last month.

The first involved a tool, “CareerPath DECIDE” that can help service members and Veterans identify, prepare for, and increase their employment qualifications.

A link brings you to a website where information can be provided and Career Ready Videos (with salaries) can be viewed.

His second post contains a 68 page listing of books and websites to assist transitioning Service members.

This can be shared and downloaded for future reference.

It’s a valuable list, but if you know of a more comprehensive list, leave link in the comments.

Emily Worden ?? presented an incredibly detailed article describing how to use Google efficiently in a job search.?Using a “Veteran” as an example, she describes how to crosswalk an MOS, how to compose job search queries, customized to location, and how to search through job possibilities that are identified.?I thought I was pretty good with Google, but I picked up several pointers from her presentation.

Old School In-Person Networking

Brendan Aronson posted a list of 7 upcoming networking events for Veterans in Business.

Each event contains the name of a Veteran advocate/thought leader who will be in attendance as well as the companies represented.?Wish you had one of these events in your city??At the bottom of the post Brendan invites your suggestion.

I am glad to see these in-person events.?I believe this format benefits Veterans because of their executive presence and oral communication skills.

Say it Ain’t So!

Eddie Dunn posted his list of the 10 Reasons Corporate America Won’t Hire Veterans.

While Eddie is a strong presenter, it’s troubling to hear his list.?Nonetheless, I recommend those preparing to interview listen to the reasons and be prepared to counter them during your conversations.?I hope Eddie also shares his list and presentation to companies so they can do some self-reflection.

A company can’t claim to want to hire Veterans and pass over them for these shallow reasons.

It Does Matter

Michelle Gardner-Ince, Colonel USAF, Retired presented a thoughtful article explaining the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

In addition to explaining the differences, she provided a discussion of Proper Etiquette and Expressions of Gratitude.?I wish I had this article to give to tourists I overheard while visiting Arlington Cemetery over Memorial Day.?I am putting her article in my “Save and Share Folder.”

Father’s Day Reading

Scott Manthorne announced the release of his new book – The Military Effect in this post.

It contains 50 stories about those who served. I am interested to read about their different journeys and see how their experiences contrast to the sadly familiar (but false) “broke Veteran narrative.”?I just bought my copy. Look for a book review soon.

Quick Takes

Last month I talked to these Veteran Thought Leaders as part of my Veteran Stand-Up series:

Filing for an Appeal?

Cheryl Mason and I talked about the options to appeal a decision made by the VA on your behalf.

She took me through the common decisions that are appealed, and it’s much more than those involving disability compensation.?We discussed the different ways to appeal and strategies to be most effective.?If you are considering filing an appeal, listen to her final remarks about presenting a simple statement summarizing your concern and why you disagree with it.

Investing and Saving for a better Future

Jerry Quinn shared resources and strategies for growing your wealth.

Great resources are helpful, but he also suggested, with some caveats, drawing on like-minded experts.?As he points out, while you have the option to pay for this, there are many free and highly credible resources.

Vaccine Refusal and Separations

William A. Hudson, Jr. provided an update for former service members who were discharged for refusing to take the Covid vaccine.

While new laws require DoD to inform those affected, he points out the burden is still on the now former service member to initiate action.? He describes the range of actions one can take and the possibility of back pay.? Ironically, there appears to be more “understanding” of those in this situation, given the current recruiting challenges our military is facing.

Accessibility for Disabled Veterans

James Gfrerer explained some of the challenges and remedies for certain disabled Veterans accessing information through VA’s website.

VA’s Inspector General recently issued a report pointing out that more needs to be done to provide this access.?Jim pointed out what that could look like and the types of investment that need to made.?Certainly the advances in technology are promising.?Hopefully the report is an action forcing event to encourage VA to lead, not lag, in this area.

Why Veterans are Strong job Candidates

Eric "Doc" Wright, PhD, PMP, CQMC, PSM, CM explained by he believes Veterans are strong job candidates and should be aggressively pursued by top-companies.

His perspective is that Veterans tend not to elaborate effectively on their leadership and management skills during an interview.?He points out that successful companies employ more Veterans on their hiring teams.?They also draw heavily on the best practice materials for hiring Veterans provided by the SHRM .

He concludes by offering suggestions for companies to retain their Veterans, once hired.

Are There VA Benefits for Survivors?

Laurine Carson provided an answer to the often asked question by those with Veteran family members, who are generally unaware of the specifics of their service.

Laurine described the laws that provide coverage, how survivors could be eligible for compensation, healthcare, and/or education, and how to get assistance in filing a claim.?I get this question regularly from those with relatives who served in Vietnam. Please share this with those in your network who have family members who are Vietnam Veterans.

Be a More Effective Veteran Entrepreneur

David D. Doerrier offered tips for Veteran Entrepreneurs to make a more effective request (pitch) for financial support.

His advice focuses on understanding your purpose and not overwhelming your audience.?As you will hear, and notice in his presentation, less is really more.

Committing to Spiritual Wellness

Kevin Weaver, PCC described the types of things that can happen when a Veteran commits to spiritual wellness.

He provided a powerful example of expectation management and a story of Veteran working through a moral injury.?While this can be an uncomfortable topic, Kevin lists available resources, to include video testimonials, and how to request a one-on-one conversation with his team.

How do I get Help for Substance Abuse?

Dennis Scott Farmer explained what happens when a Veteran admits he needs help and takes steps to request treatment

He listed the steps to be taken, how long it takes, and the importance of self-advocacy.?He provided valuable insights for friends and families with a battle buddy preparing to go through this process. If you have been reluctant to deal with someone who you sense could have a substance abuse problem, share this post with them as a way to demystify a possible path forward.

Career Opportunities for Military Spouse

Lee Kirby described the opportunities for #MilSpouses in the Data Center Industry.

He went through the issues with me, to include the specific training available, the availability of remote opportunities, and the different locations that have openings to accommodating moves.? He candidly discussed the salary ranges and how to apply.?There is lots of talk about wanting to solve Military Spouse unemployment, but it certainly appears as though the Data Center Industry is dealing with this head-on.

"I Wish I Said That”

Most of my life, and I assume many others, involves working with teams.?Whether in your profession, volunteer activities, sports, and especially family, the trick is to find the right roll for everyone, get them all rowing in same direction, and enjoy the results.?But it’s hard, which is why this quote about teams from Helen Keller resonated with me.

It got me thinking about some of the best teams I have been a part of and their common features.

Monthly Management Insight

I always thought saying thank you to those who did great work was appropriate.? Listening closely, I learned that too many thanks resulted in that act being of little value and often ridiculed.?Expressing gratitude by taking steps that demonstrate real concern and investing in those around you are far better. In this article, I discuss two activities that can be done to express real concern.

I appreciate the volume of comments, pointing out their preferred method of thanking team members.?If you have a chance, check out the comments on this post.

Listen and Learn

On his Straight to the Point podcast, Tyler P. and I discussed the often complex question - "Who qualifies as a Veteran?" We reviewed the misconceptions surrounding Veteran status, particularly the belief that only combat Veterans are eligible for benefits. Of note is the in-depth explanation of the three main types of service connections: direct service connection, aggravated service connection, and secondary conditions.

Find the episode at:

BTW - Tyler and his team started a streaming radio station – CHW (for Coming Home Well) Streaming Radio.?It’s a collaboration of podcasts, talk shows, resources and information all geared to help the Veteran and First Responder communities and their caregivers. Visit cominghomewell.com for the full lineup. Download the app on Apple and Google Play for when you are on the go. At home? Ask Alexa to play "CHW Streaming Radio".

Honoring the Fallen

Newsmax Media, Inc. had me on for two spots on Memorial Day to help honor the fallen and remind everyone of the benefits Veterans earn for their service.? This post is from one of my appearances.

Thanks to Bianca de la Garza for caring about our Veterans.

Glad you Asked

VA Math

You filed for disability compensation and received one rating of 40 percent for an injury and another for 30 percent for a second injury.?The natural inclination is to think your total rating will be 70 percent.?That’s not accurate.?Because there are so many questions about this computation, I explain it in this video.

What do Americans Think About Veterans?

Surveys indicate Americans have a strong and solid impression of Veterans, as witnessed by a recent article and report from which this information was drawn.

The adjectives attributed to Veterans are also those of top employees.?We need to remind employers that even though Veteran unemployment is low there are still more than 250K Veteran each month looking for a job.?Our goal should be zero, not low, unemployment.?Join my campaign to remind companies of this by using #ZeroVeteransUnemployed on job openings.

For more on the Rand Report, click:

The Benefits of Military Service

According to the same survey, most would not recommend a family member enlist in the military.?This is a disappointing fact, which I think is based on lack of knowledge. There are many successful people who began their upward journey by enlisting.?In this video I review the survey and invite Veterans to tell their stories here on LinkedIn so we change this false impression.

I received a strong response to my #SuccessAfterEnlisting idea.?So many successful Veterans who had enlisted reached out that I am starting a series of videos highlighting how their military experience enabled their success. Look for these in future posts. If you know of someone I should include, leave a comment or DM.

Last but not Least

Jack Tilley and his team at Your Next Mission? recently announced a new way they will be supporting our Veterans.?It’s called Your Next Mission VCS – Veterans Community Support program.

As he explains in the post, they plan to provide support to Veterans, often through partners, to ensure they receive needed support.? Importantly, VCS features one-on-one contact and follow up to ensure expectations are met.

Please share this exciting announcement so Veterans who need support can learn of another way to request it.

- Paul Lawrence

I continue to believe LinkedIn provides the best platform for Veterans to get information and support to pursue their American Dream.? If you don’t already, follow these voices.