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Quote of the Day
Given the theme of the issue’s lead story regarding military and trucking careers, here are a few famous military quotes:
“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
– Prime Minister Winston Churchill, talking about the Royal Air Force
“Come on you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever?”
Gunnery Sgt. Dan Daly, June 4, 1918, while leading Marines at Belleu Wood
“No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.”
– Gen. George Patton Jr.
“I have not yet begun to fight.”
– Captain John Paul Jones, aboard the Bon Homme Richard after the captain of the British ship Serapis asked Capt. Jones if he wanted to surrender
Many Reasons to Hire Military Vets
By David Johnson
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David Johnson on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. |
This alliance formalizes what insightful recruiting professionals in the trucking industry have long known: that their companies will benefit from the employment of intelligent, trained and responsible men and women with military values, experience and proven leadership skills.
It is, of course, not just the Army, the Army Reserves and Guard that can provide a rich recruiting pool of candidates such as drivers, mechanics, administrative personnel and managers. Across the Department of Defense, about 220,000 service members separate and occupy positions throughout the full spectrum of America’s workforce each year. Most companies acknowledge that not all military specialties directly translate, but they do realize that veteran employees are quick to adapt and master new skills and positions.
Hiring veterans should not be viewed as an act of civic responsibility. These men and women bring intangible skills beyond the technical and leadership training they received in the service and the experience they garnered. They carry with them leadership in diverse environments, project management experience, a strong work ethic and the proven ability to work within, build and lead effective teams.
Health-related benefits are also a consideration when hiring a vet. Prior military personnel typically arrive at their new job more physically fit, substance abuse-free and overall healthier than civilian counterparts. Serving reservists and guardsman can bring their own world-class health benefits offered to them by the Department of Defense under a newly created benefit called Tri Care Reserve Select.
Keep these 10 considerations in mind when contemplating hiring a veteran:
1. Team players: All veterans are comfortable working as part of a team to accomplish goals.
2. Handling pressure: Maintaining standards under time constraints is a way of life for military personnel.
3. Diversity: Forty-Five percent of transitioning military are minorities, and all have extensive training and experience working in diverse environments.
4. Leadership: Veterans have shouldered the responsibility for lives, budgets, performance and training at a very young age. Former military personnel, other factors being equal, promote faster than their civilian counterparts.
5. Drug-free and healthy: Mandatory drug testing and physical fitness standards ensure healthy and vigorous employees at time of hire and into the future for those who continue to serve in the Guard and Reserve.
6. Clean record: Most military specialties require at least a secret clearance that includes in-depth background investigations. With an honorably discharged veteran, you can be confident of a clean record.
7. Education: Ninety-eight percent of veterans graduated high school and 100 percent have formal military training in a broad range of disciplines.
8. Quick learners: Often required to change duties while enlisted, veterans are accustomed to a fluid environment and steep learning curve.
9. Willing to move: Most veterans are willing to move to where they are needed. Relocation is part of their lifestyle. In fact, the government will pay to move those leaving active duty.
10. Looking for work: Military leaving the service are active job seekers and easier to reach than passive job board surfers.
There’s a wide variety of ways to help veterans who are seeking jobs to find you. The Department of Defense offers a Transition Assistance Program available to all services at: www.transitionassistanceprogram.com/register.tpp. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard also run similar programs specific to their service. In addition, many recruiting firms and publications specialize in reaching veterans and transitioning military personnel.
In 1995, General Electric’s transportation business was having difficulty bringing talent to Erie, PA, and began recruiting military personnel. They were so successful that then CEO Jack Welch took notice. By the time he left, Mr Welch had hired more than 1,500 junior military officers. Whether you need a reliable driver, a skilled mechanic or an innovative manager, consider reaching out to our nation’s pool of talented and motivated veterans.
David Johnson is a director with Sleep Pointe, a company that provides comprehensive nationwide solutions to sleep disorders for the transportation industry. A former Army Ranger and Iraq War vet, Johnson currently attends the U.S. Army War College.
