A veteran getting a job when they separate from the military is imperative to their wellbeing. Where the job prospects are improving, veteran’s unemployment is still a problem. There are surveys that state 70% of employer’s steer clear of veterans for fear of PTSD or the veteran acting like they are in “Boot Camp”. To me this is appalling and a black eye for our country. Veterans are not asking for a handout, they just want a chance to prove themselves again. The media has done an excellent job at making veterans look like they are damaged. Veterans are not broken, we are strong with allot to offer to any employer willing to hire us. Many newer veterans are using their post 9-11 education benefits to help compete for employment or starting their own businesses because they can, which will greatly benefit our society.
About two years ago I needed some work done on my truck. I pulled into a shop, a young man walked out and started to talk to me about what I needed repaired. Since I am a retired old timer and still have a base sticker on my truck he asked me about my service, he proceeded to discuss his two tours in Iraq like he has known me all of his life. Like many veterans we started talking about our service. He had just gotten out of the military and was running a shop owned by his dad. We started discussing in depth what he wanted to do for a new career. He stated he wanted to go to college. Like most who get out of the military he was struggling to understand the bureaucracy of the Veterans Administration (VA) benefits system, including his education benefits.
We spent an hour talking about benefits. I encouraged him to look into using his post 9-11 education benefits where he could get paid while going to college. He asked several questions and I answered as best I could. I suggested he call the school he wanted to attend and talk to them, they know all of the ins and outs. I offered my story and how I used my benefits to attain my Master’s Degree in psychology. I also asked if he had filed a claim for his service connected complications. Like many he said he hadn’t because he had friends that were allot worse off than him and he did not want to ask for a handout. We continued to discuss his situation, I gave him some information and where he could go to file a claim. He fixed my truck and I went on my way.
I stopped by from time to time to say hi and see how he was doing. Later I needed some work on my car, so of course I went back to him. He has reasonable pricing and was a Vet so he gets my money. When I saw him he appeared happy to see me. He told me he had filed a claim with the VA and was waiting for the results, he also had chosen a school to get his business degree. He wanted to continue running his dads shop and possibly all of them in the future, so a business degree fit right in.
From what I am seeing, todays veterans are struggling to find employment and are attending college in droves. Many are trying to gain an upper hand in the job market. I just hope the 70% of employers who steer clear of veterans start looking at the benefits of hiring veterans and allow them to compete in a fair competitive job market.
Many veterans are still struggling with employment issues. One of the main problems seen in today’s workforce is the civilians do not understand veterans. Less than 1% of today’s US population has served in the military since Iraq and Afghanistan started. That translates to very few veterans being in the position to hire veterans. Many veterans do not understand how to put their leadership, logistics, and teamwork on a resume. The few veterans who do the position to hire veterans know and understand, but many civilians don’t. Many veterans are using their post 9-11 benefits to go to college to become competitive, others are starting their own businesses, some are doing both. Many veterans get certain preferences when starting a business. What I would like to see is veterans supporting veteran businesses, and older veterans mentoring the younger ones. We are the 1% so we need to help each other thrive.
For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.