OPINION:
Under President Trump’s strong leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion programs are being shut down across the government, and we must ensure this truly becomes an effort of positive reform. Many private employers are also making significant changes to policies, if not dropping them altogether. I strongly agree that DEI programs have often been misguided and have taken the proper focus away from the approach of equal opportunity. As our government and the private sector implement changes, it is critical that they don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and inadvertently harm some of America’s most precious workforce resources. Key among these are our military veterans, and this reform should be approached as an opportunity to highlight and promote them.
As defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs, a person who has honorably completed his or her term of service is classified as a veteran. Veterans often bring tremendous value to any organization once their time in the military is finished and they transition into the civilian workforce. Veterans typically demonstrate a high sense of duty and a tangible work ethic, with an ability to meet high standards and complete a given mission. They also clearly embrace a system of responsibility and accountability.
Through their work while in uniform, they are thoroughly trained in teamwork and gain a stronger work ethic. They understand how to work as a disciplined component of an organization and perform under stressful circumstances.
Many veterans also possess various cross-functional skills, including extensive computer skills, which can be derived from exposure to today’s high-tech military. They also bring the values and experience of working in an organization that is inherently a meritocracy and has historically led the way on equal opportunity before the excesses of DEI.
I often hear from employers who lament that these characteristics, common among veterans, are precisely the traits lacking in many non-veteran employees.
In other words, as many employers have realized, veterans are often among the most productive workers a company can find, and they strengthen any organization’s moral and social foundation.
Approximately 18 million veterans live in the United States, and roughly 200,000 personnel transition into the workforce each year. Employers can access this extensive talent pool through various programs to help veterans seamlessly transition from military life into civilian jobs.
Opportunities for employers to connect with veterans include personnel search channels such as the Society for Human Resource Management database of veterans (HireVets) and job boards such as Monster, Indeed and SOFX. Companies can also contact veterans through the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, the Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Services, and the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Getting veterans in the door is only the first step. To help veterans navigate and thrive in civilian environments, some companies create focus groups for veteran employees. Military Employee Resource Groups, for example, help smooth the transition and provide mentoring, networking and training opportunities that can make veterans even more productive in their new careers by helping them harness and properly apply the unique skills and perspectives they gained in the military.
I know from my own experience transitioning from the U.S. Army to the civilian world that although some specific techniques and approaches are unique to the military and often do not translate well to civilians, the fundamentals I acquired during my service are my greatest professional attributes It is exactly these fundamentals, ethics and values, honed and refined during military service, that can make all the difference in any organization when properly applied.
As DEI hiring and retention policies are under renewed scrutiny, the private-sector programs designed to provide veterans with career opportunities must be enhanced, not eliminated. These programs should be expanded, with an emphasis on leveraging our nation’s veterans and expanding on the skills and training necessary for tomorrow’s workforce.
Veterans have earned the chance to show what they can do in the civilian economy. In these challenging times, the U.S. business community can benefit from veterans’ unique skill sets.
We cannot let programs designed to highlight veterans’ unique preparation for the workforce become collateral damage in the effort to roll back DEI programs. Rather, we must make this moment an opportunity, opening the door for veterans to continue to serve and help our great nation in new roles.
• James Lechner is a U.S. Army veteran of six wars and author of the book “With My Shield.”
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