Why Hire a Veteran?

Before we get into this issue’s column, I’ll admit that I’m a little biased about the subject of veterans.

My father, Bradley Webb, was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving overseas during the first Gulf War. From the stories he’s told me, his time in the military created some of his best memories: landing in a helicopter on an aircraft carrier, exploring the United Arab Emirates with his buddies, earning his commission. He also made some of his worst memories in the service: blowing out his knee and shoulder, dodging missile strikes off the coast of Iraq, missing the birth of his first child. There were the months away from his new wife, the draining hours, the constant danger, the hurry-up-and-wait the military is famous for. Yet, if you asked him, he’d happily tell you he’d do it again in a heartbeat.

My dad had already gotten out of the Marines by the time I was a toddler, so I don’t remember my mom’s sleepless nights or any teary goodbyes. Because of this, I can’t say I grew up in a “military family,” per se, but I can tell you that what my dad learned in the military defined his life—and therefore mine, too.

My dad is one of those rare people who can truly do whatever he puts his mind to. If he comes across a problem that deters him from his goal, he will find a way around it. His resourcefulness is uncanny, whether he’s repairing a fence on the farm or figuring out a calculus problem. He has an inner resilience—“grit,” as they’d say in old Westerns—that pushes him beyond most people’s quitting points. He is not the biggest man, or the strongest man, or the fastest man, but I have seen him beat other, more qualified men at some contest just because his will to win outlasts theirs. It’s like he has made up his mind, “I will succeed in this,” and so he does.

Of course, my dad has faced his share of roadblocks and detours. His shoulder never did bounce back after the Marines, not even after two rotator cuff surgeries. He’s no stranger to heartache or tough situations. Despite his steely reserve, he has failed in life. But the thing with my dad is—he picks himself up and keeps going. He doesn’t let failure define him. He figures out what he did wrong and he changes it. He is living proof that people can bounce back, if they’re just given a second chance and take it.

My dad is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met. His willingness to work is inspiring. When he finished with the Marines, he took all sorts of odd jobs to support our family, from night shifts at the Post Office to working for a pig farmer. Despite his college education, he wasn’t too proud to take a “menial” job to keep food on our table. But he never treated those jobs like they were just jobs; he threw himself into every position, worked his hardest for every shift. I remember sharing very long nights with him while I was in high school and he was studying for his master’s degree, home-schooling my three little sisters, running a farm and leading the church he pastors. I am convinced he will never retire; he’ll just keel over behind the pulpit one Sunday morning.

But more than all this, what stood out to me as I grew up was my father’s unshakeable integrity. To him, right is right and wrong is wrong. He has made sacrifices for these beliefs, but he always reminded me that it was worth it to keep his integrity intact. I can remember several times when we had people over to our home for a night because they didn’t have anywhere else to go. I know my parents paid for bills and posted bail for members of our church congregation. It didn’t matter who saw it; in fact, my dad tried to keep things on the down low. He wasn’t doing this for attention. Through him, I learned what it meant to really live out my convictions.

This column isn’t just about my dad. It’s about millions of U.S. veterans who share those same values and who are looking for jobs. According to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, there are nearly one million unemployed military veterans in the country. At the same time, the country—and Minnesota—is facing a stifling workforce shortage leaving businesses unable to expand and succeed.

There seems to be a win-win solution: Hire veterans to fill those vacancies.

Sometimes, businesses hesitate to hire veterans for different reasons: worry that active military members will be uprooted for a deployment, difficulty in translating veterans’ military skills to the civilian sector, fear that veterans will have difficulty readjusting to civilian life.

Then there’s the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) stereotype, that says every veteran is a walking time bomb waiting to explode. In a 2010 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, 46 percent of employers considered PTSD a significant obstacle to hiring veterans. That doesn’t look good for the 20 percent of Iraq war veterans who suffer from the condition, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (Then again, about 7.8 percent of all Americans experience PTSD at some point in their lives, according to the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs.) But PTSD isn’t nearly as dangerous as Hollywood makes it appear. Instead, the Veterans Administration reports that it’s rare for those struggling with PTSD to lash out against others. In addition, there are many ways to cope with the condition and lead a normal life.

Now that we’ve covered some of the reasons employers might hesitate to hire veterans, let’s look at some reasons employers might want to give them another look…

1. Veterans have been trained to go above and beyond. When they are assigned a job, they do it—properly, on time and to the very best of their abilities. They don’t give a half-hearted attempt. They don’t shirk responsibility. If they hit a roadblock, they find a way around it. They are masters of resourcefulness.

2. Veterans are quick learners. They had to learn quickly in the military and be able to adjust and adapt to shifting situations. They’ll bring that ability into the civilian world. It won’t take forever to train them. They’ll catch on fast.

3. Veterans remain calm and efficient under pressure. No matter how stressful it is dealing with a late deadline or angry customer, it can’t be worse than dodging missiles in the Afghan desert or making a decision that will affect hundreds of fellow soldiers’ lives.

4. Veterans are fantastic team players. The military is built on teamwork and camaraderie. Every branch stresses the need to look out for fellow service members and sacrifice for them if necessary. Veterans have become adept at figuring out team structures, finding their niche and getting to work.

5. Veterans have unflinching integrity. If they say they will do something, they will. They won’t try to cheat their employers. They will do the right thing even if no one is looking. They won’t back down from their convictions.

Obviously, veterans are human, too—prone to the same mistakes and character flaws as anyone else. Hiring a veteran doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get a perfect worker. But it does take a special kind of person to sign up to serve his or her country. I think most employers will be more than pleased with veteran employees’ performance. Through this effort, veterans could find good jobs and employers could find good workers. Everybody wins.

Thanks again for reading southern Minnesota’s first and only locally owned business magazine, the only one reaching 8,800 business decision makers in nine southern Minnesota counties. See you next issue.