Why Every Business Should Hire Veterans

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If you’ve been following the news lately, you know that due to budget cuts, the military is cutting back in almost every area. Training events that have happened annually for years are being canceled, projects are being scrapped, and facilities are being closed. The worst part about these budget cuts, however, is that many servicemen and women will be without a job.

Due to cutbacks, many positions within the armed forces are closing. Even those who wish to “re-up” and serve for more time may not be allowed to do so. Additionally, the environment created by the budget cuts leads many to leave the military and seek employment elsewhere. With the prospect of decreased deployments and training, some men and women in uniform decide that it’s time for them to take their talents elsewhere.

Sadly, those members of the military who decide to look for jobs in the civilian world are often unable to find them. While the economy certainly isn’t booming, jobs are out there, and if anyone deserves them, it’s our nation’s veterans. Not only do these men and women deserve to be hired, chances are, they make better employees than their civilian counterparts. Whether they’ve served overseas in theater or spent their entire careers in the United States, there are just certain attributes shared by men and women in all the armed services that make them ideal employees, and why every employer out there should actively seek to hire them.

First and foremost, veterans have a great attitude when it comes to work. No matter the task, they’ll get it done, or at least give it their all. They won’t show up late. They’re used to working overtime. They’re disciplined. Discipline, “the mental attitude and state of training that renders willing obedience instinctively under all conditions,” means that a veteran will do what they’re told and do it right—the first time, every time. A veteran isn’t likely to show up to work hungover on Monday, but if he does, he’ll work just as diligently, effectively, and efficiently as he would on any other day.

Another factor that makes military servicemen and women great employees is their wealth of training and experience. From infantrymen and cavalry scouts to mechanics and aviators, every veteran has something they can bring to the table. Often times, the training they have is bar none, the best in the world. Of course, the experiences they’ve had in their chosen field and in life in general make them invaluable workers. Many are technical experts in their specialty. All are professionals in whatever they do.

Of course, one of the best qualities veterans possess is their ability to work under pressure. From their first day in the military, veterans have been working, and often times living, under stress. The moment you step off that bus, there’s someone in a campaign hat barking orders at you. Actually there are usually a few. After a while, you get used to it and you learn to work through whatever conditions are around you. Further training, like Ranger School or SERE School only furthers one’s ability to work under duress. If that’s not enough for you, some of these men and women have been under fire. An Army officer I served with summed it up best:

“I handled millions of dollars of equipment, sensitive and classified information, was responsible for the well-being and welfare of every man under my command, and was held accountable for everything they did and failed to do. Oh, did I mention I did all of this while I was away from my home and family while getting shot at on a day to day basis for a year?”

Think about that the next time you’re “stressed out” in your cubicle.

It goes without saying that the men and women of our nation’s military are leaders. From young Privates fresh out of Basic to officers with twenty years time in service, every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, or Coast Guardsman is a leader in one way or another. While some have held more leadership roles than others, leadership and the ethics and values associated with it are instilled in their heads since day one. Considering how “leadership” has always been a business buzzword, it seems as though hiring veterans who are most certainly leaders is the right move.

Finally, and most importantly, employers should hire veterans because of everything they’ve done for this country. Look, regardless of what they did during their time in the military, any veteran who served honorably deserves the nation’s gratitude. After everything they’ve given to this country, the least we as a thankful nation can do is give them a job. Considering how dedicated they’ve proven themselves to their brothers and sisters in arms, their units, their branch of service, and their country, it seems like a no brainer that these brave men and women make ideal employees.

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John Blutarsky

John Blutarsky is a contributing writer for Total Frat Move, Post Grad Problems, and on an unrelated note, a huge fan of buffets. While by no means an athletic man, he was the four-square champion of his elementary school in 1997. When not writing poorly organized columns or cracking stupid, inappropriate jokes on Twitter, Bluto pretends to be well-read, tries to figure out how helicopters work, and actually has a real job.

• @BlutoGrandex