Veterans are a (work)force multiplier

It’s been said, the best way to honor a veteran is to hire one.

Reasons to employ veterans are well-documented, however they remain an underemployed pool of talent in the workforce today. Companies may be underutilizing a skilled and loyal candidate source due to lack of exposure to skills and experiences veterans acquire during their years of service.

From day one, service members are expected to learn perpetually, and training often occurs on the fly as they take on new responsibilities in different environments. Adaptability is one of those extremely important skills veterans acquire during their service, from learning how to complete tasks to knowing when to take initiative in situations where individual roles change from one moment to the next.

Employers without the ability to provide lengthy training opportunities would greatly benefit from considering veterans whose situational awareness and ability to make quick decisions without a lot of information make them invaluable assets.

In military science, a force multiplier refers to a factor or combination of factors that gives personnel or weapons (or other hardware) the ability to accomplish more with the same amount of effort. Tapping into the intangible characteristics, such as leadership, initiative, discipline, and teamwork, that make veterans and service members great civilian employees is a logical way to utilize veterans as force multipliers to your existing workforce.

It just makes good business sense to hire veterans because of the skills and experiences they bring to the organization, however several barriers have been identified as obstructions to veteran employment.

For many military service members, the battle doesn't end once their service is over.

Adjusting to life as a civilian can be difficult. When service members transition out of the military back into civilian life, they suddenly have obstacles to face while simultaneously dealing with service-connected physical and mental disabilities. In many cases, they must deal with a loss of their sense of purpose in life.

Their military mission is over, and they must find a home, transportation, and a job to pay for everything. They are often unable to translate the skills they obtained while in the military into skills that will pay enough to support them and their families.

Sometimes they lose their way, which often results in homelessness or an increased likelihood of suicide.

Organizations can overcome some of these barriers to veteran employment by educating managers on how to assess how the candidate’s previous experience align with the job requirements and translate into the roles they’re seeking. There are many organizations, like USA Cares, that help veterans to receive the support they need, including job interview preparation, resume reviews, financial assistance and much more.

Ultimately, when companies hire veterans, not only is it beneficial for the veteran employees, but the employers and co-workers as well. Their previous military experience has given them the tools to be excellent leaders, cooperative teammates, and an overall force multiplier.

Adjusting to life as a civilian can be difficult. When service members transition out of the military back into civilian life, they suddenly have obstacles to face while they simultaneously must deal with the physical and mental disabilities that they may suffer from. In many cases, they must deal with a loss of their sense of purpose in life.