Perspectives: Benefits of Hiring a Armed Forces Veteran

With an Honorable Discharge from the Army during the Vietnam Conflict, I would like to share what I feel are some key benefits of hiring veterans that have trained and performed in United States Armed Forces. 


Leadership
The military trains people to accept and discharge responsibility for other people, for activities, for resources and for one's own behavior. This training and subsequent practical experience includes setting an example, giving carefully considered direction, inspiring leadership capabilities in others and continually motivating others. Most vets understand practical ways to manage and achieve goals even in the most trying circumstances and diverse environment. They are trained to lead by example as well as through direction, delegation, motivation and inspiration.


Teamwork
Almost all military activity is performed with the assistance, coordination and awareness of other persons or other units. Many military personnel serve as team leaders where they have analyzed situations and options, made appropriate decisions, given directions, followed through with a viable plan and accepted responsibility for the outcome. Most vets understand how genuine teamwork grows out of a responsibility to one's colleagues and how diverse individuals or groups can best work together to achieve overarching objectives.


Performance
One characteristic of military service is that service members must perform regardless of personal priorities and working conditions. They must do their job, do it right the first time and do it in a timely manner because others are depending on them. They are continuously setting priorities, meeting schedules and accomplishing their missions. Most vets have the capacity to know how to accomplish tasks on time and in spite of stress or adversity. They understand the importance of loyalty, dedication and perseverance.


Management
Service members know how to work under supervision and can relate and respond favorably to others. They understand accountability for their actions and for their subordinates' actions. They have learned to respect and accept legitimate authority.


Proven
Servicemen and women need to depend on one another to survive and realize their success depends on their own performance and the contribution of teammates. People who have served in the military typically are dependable, disciplined and resourseful while working long hours in non-traditional environments. Although often required to work in teams, service members are also trained to think and work independently - often for survival. This training and subsequent practical experience usually results in strong work ethic, self-dependency and the lack of need for dependencies such as alcahol, drugs and other substances.


Trustworthy
All military personnel pass rigid background checks and many have achieved some level of security clearance. This clearance can, at least, demonstrate that an individual is recognized as a trustworthy and responsible person. Companies can be confident that the majority of veterans that they hire can be trusted and depended upon to contribute to the organizations goals.


Organized
Most military operations require thorough planning and workload management. Carefully considered objectives, strengths and limitations of other people, resources, time schedules, supplies, logistics and various other factors are always considered. Highly trained servce personnel can typically research, plan, organize and implement complex plans and strategies that result in meeting defined goals and objectives.

Secure 
Service members understand the considerable cost in lives, property and objectives when safety and security is ignored. Work environment safety, consern for the safety of others and the security of property are veteran benchmarks that are typiclly valuable in the traditional work or manufacturing environment. 

Flexible
Service members have learned to be flexible and can adapt to meet the constantly changing needs of any situation and mission. Most vets are conditioned and practice working respectfully and cooperatively alongside others regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion or mental or physical capabilities. They are often required to respond to different personalities, ethnic backbrounds, religious beliefs, and other personnel and management or leadership differences in getting the job done effectively.


Smart
Most service members have at least a General Education Development (GED) and the majority of them have high school diplomas. Many have benefitted from government subsidized programs to attended college and obtain degrees. Most veterans go through a great deal of basic and advanced individual training in almost every occupation, especially in technology. Employers can trust that veterans are trained well enough to work successfully within their organization. Most vets have the proven ability to adapt learned skills to new situations, quickly learn and integrate new skills and are conditioned to embrace lifelong personal development and continued education. Many of them possess clearly identifiable and highly transferable skills proven to achieve success.


The Vet-factor: When you find it hard to choose the right person from a qualified group of applicants - consider the vet-factor, it can make the difference.