Making the good case for hiring from among our newest generation of veterans

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, we honored on Memorial Day the brave men and women who died while serving and defending our great nation in the U.S. military. In doing so, we couldn’t help but think of the U.S. military in the general and our newest generation of veterans — many of which have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most Americans also want to honor them, want to support them, and want to help them if help is needed.
One way company owners and managers can honor and help our veterans is simply to employ them, whenever possible. There’s a host of reasons for doing that and why it’s often a wise move operationally.
From Military.com, we’re offered these 10 reasons for hiring a veteran:

  1. Accelerated learning curve.
  2. Leadership.
  3. Teamwork.
  4. Diversity and inclusion in action.
  5. Efficient performance under pressure.
  6. Respect for procedures.
  7. Technology and globalization.
  8. Integrity.
  9. Conscious of health and safety standards.
  10. Triumph over adversity.

BusinessInsider.com has its own top-10 list of reasons companies should hire veterans:

  1. Veterans come from a previous culture built for mission accomplishment in mind.
  2. Veterans have ingrained leadership talents.
  3. Veterans take their responsibilities seriously.
  4. Intuition is a skill, and the military teaches it.
  5. Military people will openly tell you when something is wrong.
  6. Military people will get the job done.
  7. When given the necessary support, veterans are extremely capable.
  8. Veterans are independent.
  9. Military personnel know the meaning of hard work.
  10. The government pays for veteran education.

The realm of workplace safety might be a great fit for many veterans, and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recognizes this.
“Leadership. Loyalty. Teamwork. Strong communications. Tech savvy. These are some of the qualities and characteristics of military veterans,” the ASSE states in a news release issued early this year. “They are also the traits of an occupational safety and health professional, which is why the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) believes that military members separating from the U.S. Armed Forces should consider workplace safety as a second career. Safety professionals keep people protected by analyzing and controlling on-the-job risks and hazards. They influence all types of people from front-line workers to corporate management, and are skilled problem solvers.”
In December, ASSE held a free webinar that detailed the advantages and methods of transitioning into a post-military career in workplace safety and health. “The attendees gained valuable insights into the safety profession and learned what it takes to successfully shift into such a role,” says ASSE board member Carl Heinlein, CSP, ARM, CRIS. “It’s a growing profession and gratifying career choice that aligns favorably with military experience.”
According to surveys reviewed by the ASSE, job satisfaction in the safety field is high, with 90 percent of respondents being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their jobs. “The reasons include differing work tasks day-to-day, contributing to the welfare of others, and opportunities to earn greater responsibilities in a safety career path,” the ASSE release states.
Active or former military members interested in learning more about pursuing a career in occupational safety and health should visit ASSE online at http://www.asse.org/military-resources/.
For information about the safety services, training programs, and products offered by Safety Solutions & Supply, visit online at https://solutionsinsafety.com/, or call toll free at 1-866-537-2262.