Mary Hagly, The Business Journals writer, authored a wonderful expose of the true veteran situation in America today. The following is just a short excerpt from her article.
“The untold story of U.S. military vets: We are trained and ready for business”
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“The time has come for an authentic view of United States veterans. Unresolved misperceptions about veterans are costly for society generally, but particularly damaging for the business sector.
The story that remains largely untold is neither one of war nor tragedy. Rather, it is the everyday story of 22.5 million veterans – some 80 percent of whom are as successful, employed, and adjusted (if not more so) as any other American.
Today, public awareness rightfully focuses on those in crisis: The wounded, the ill, the unemployed, and the homeless. This focus must remain our highest priority, as it is our honor to help those who are suffering after sacrificing greatly to defend our nation.
Yet it cannot be our sole priority. There is an unintended consequence in communicating primarily about this crisis we must solve.
The complexities of post-traumatic stress, injury, homelessness and unemployment (impacted by the Iraq and Afghanistan drawdowns and the recession) have been distilled to an incorrect public perception of veterans as a group of victims who are mentally or physically ill and unable to function in everyday life.
The facts tell a different story
The Department of Veteran Affairs reports that vets earn 13 percent higher incomes and hold higher percentages of professional, management and sales jobs than non-veterans. Military-related students entering college for MBA degrees have jumped from 4.1 percent in 2010 to 8.1 percent of all incoming students.
SEE ALSO: Young military vets show strong interest in business ownership
Employers gain a competitive advantage by understanding the value of the veterans they employ and by hiring more of them. An increasing number of veterans hold business degrees, and a significant opportunity exists to leverage the government’s investment in training and education in skills that transfer directly to civilian jobs. Case studies, tools and resources are readily available to help employers implement a successful veteran employment strategy.”
For the complete article and other work by The Business Journals contributing writer, Mary Hagly, visit http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/growth-strategies/2014/04/military-vets-are-health-and-employable.html
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