specialreport LOGISTICS TALENT
on specific deliverables, are as closely aligned with military
activity as any in private industry,” says Mike Echols, Ph.D.,
executive vice president of strategic initiatives and of the
Human Capital Lab at Bellevue University in Omaha, Neb.
The nonprofit Bellevue offers a special academic program
to prepare military veterans to transition to the private sector and partners with the Defense Acquisition University to
offer degree and training programs.
ADVICE FROM THE FRONT LINES
For many veterans, the transition to the private sector environment goes smoothly. Dick Lucas, a service technician
with the lift truck dealer Penn West Toyota Lift and the first
“graduate” of Toyota’s hiring program, found that the
adaptability and the skills he acquired in the Air Force as an
aircraft hydraulics and electronics technician were invaluable when he began learning how to service today’s high-tech forklifts. His experience with parts ordering and documentation also helped him adjust to the system at Toyota,
he says. Now, Lucas is paying it forward: He’s taken under
his wing a recent hire, who was injured in Iraq, and has
retrained him as a lift truck technician.
But there are some differences between the military’s
approach to employment and the private sector’s expecta-
tions that can affect vets’ ability to succeed in private sec-
tor jobs. For example, veterans are used to a dynamic and
challenging environment. “Many veterans do not know the
meaning of a traditional 40-hour week, so having them
involved in an organization that offers a challenge and
seeks constant improvement is a requirement,” says
JAXUSA’s Bowman.
PTSD: The elephant in the room
When it comes to hiring military veterans, the “
elephant in the room” is post-traumatic stress disorder, or
PTSD. Though difficult to discuss, it’s an issue that can’t
be overlooked: About 20 percent of exiting military personnel either have PTSD or some degree of traumatic
brain injury, according to Mike Echols, Ph.D., executive
vice president of strategic initiatives and of the Human
Capital Lab at Bellevue University in Omaha, Neb.
Nonprofit Bellevue offers a special academic program
to prepare military veterans to transition to the private
sector.
Being in a high-stress, adrenaline-filled environment
day after day “rewires the brain,” so that a combat vet
may continue to be in a high-adrenaline state after
returning to civilian life, Echols says. Sudden, loud noises and other unusual or unexpected situations may trigger a reaction or anxiety in the individual. In that case,
the vet may simply have to walk away for a short time to
calm down and recalibrate.
In Echols’ experience, employers can help by first
doing some research and learning about the condition.
He cautions against making assumptions based on sen-
sational news stories or hearsay. Reach out to any affect-
ed employees and make sure they understand that you
are not judging them, that their medical condition will
not affect their employment status, and that you under-
stand and support their need to get medical treatment
and/or counseling to help them adjust to the civilian
environment. And take advantage of the information
resources available from the Veterans Administration
and other organizations that assist with the military-to-
civilian transition.
