Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullin, speaking to Detroit Economic Club, urged members of the business community to hire a veteran returning form the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan.
Too often veterans face a different environment when they begin the transition into the civilian workforce. Many employers have no idea what military life is like as they themselves have never served. Many times unrealistic or naive understandings of what military life is like permeates in the business community.
Often employers believe in the Hollywood image of the military that places a preeminent ability to follow orders blindly, and the inability to work outside that close ordered structure.
Various times I have been asked in interviews, "You know this isn't the military where you scream orders and everyone follows you." It's ironic that in Israel they embrace the military culture, but in America you have to explain to everyone what life is like in the armed forces. In the book "Start Up Nation", written by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, the nation of Israel understands what ones service in the military can bring to a company and they seek those who have served.
I find it odd we support our men and women who protect our freedom, but almost in the same breathe fail to understand the unique qualities that they can bring to any organization.
If the nation would open their eyes to see the caliber of those serving in the armed forces today they would be pleasantly surprised!
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