Veterans Hiring

Recruiting Veterans to Lead us into the Future of Dynamic Supply Chains

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Angel Torres, advocate for the hiring of military veterans, and he changed the way I think about hiring veterans to work in the supply chain field. When I told Angel that I wanted to promote veteran hiring as a way to give back, he quickly corrected me. He told me that veterans don’t want a handout, but they do want an opportunity to succeed and make a difference. Although it’s admirable that we want to give back to our veterans for all that they have given our country and its citizens, we should also realize what an asset veterans are to any company. This led me to ask the obvious question: What makes a veteran so valuable to a company and what makes them such an asset to the constantly changing supply chain/logistics area within a company?

Because of Angel’s 27 years of military experience, his vast network of veterans through the Veterans Leadership Council, and his experience at Veteran Engagement Solutions, where he educates corporations on the creation of veterans hiring programs, he was able to quickly explain to me what makes a veteran ideal for this type of role. The following are some of the traits and skills that qualify a veteran to be a valuable member of really any company:

-        Leadership skills

-        Loyalty

-        Adaptability

-        Ability to work well under pressure

-        Mentoring/Training Skills

-        Team player

-        Ability to follow the leader and strategy/vision of the company

-        Decision-making skills

-        Ability to see the big picture, while working towards specific goals

-        Communication skills

-        Respect/professionalism

-        Understanding of rank and promotion

These qualities and skills would make a person successful in any role, but specifically, when I think about supply chain/logistics, the idea of adaptability, and the ability to change, be dynamic and think outside of the box are critical for success. Also, there is an inherit connection between veterans, and this gives them an ability to connect across business lines. This human connection among all moving parts of a business, including procurement, supply chain, logistics, and operations, is necessary in the global marketplace where cost cutting, efficiency, customer experience, and continuous improvement of processes are all requirements for success. Companies, such as Veteran Engagement Solutions, use geo targeting to search for talent pools specific to the job at hand. Angel’s experience has taught him that the supply chain talent is concentrated on the East and West coast of the US. These are the areas where military personnel will most likely fill these roles and have the backgrounds needed to do so at their time of transition from their military careers into the private sector.

From the veteran’s perspective, what is he or she looking for in a company and a career?

-        Opportunity to matter and do something that matters

-        Challenge

-        Opportunity to succeed

Why target veterans for your hiring needs?

-        Low attrition rate

-        Tax credits

  • The IRS allows for tax credit, which provides employers incentives to hire veterans, with maximum tax credits ranging from $1,200 to $9,600, depending on the employee hired and the length of employment.

-        Vast labor pool

  • The U.S. Department of Labor estimate 200,000 service members transition out of the military annually.

-        The Medallion Program, which rewards companies for hiring veterans

  • The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is the only federal-level veterans’ employment award that recognizes a company or organization’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development
    • HIRE Vets Medallion Award recipients are recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor for hiring veterans.
    • The Award signals your commitment to veteran hiring and retention, letting potential applicants and clients know that you’re a veteran-friendly business.
    • Award recipients receive a certificate and digital images of the medallion to use in their marketing and promotional activities.

As companies are coming to the realization of the “Amazon Effect” and that the customer experience is a driver for new and continued business, the role of supply chain has to shift from cost cutting and profit maximation to sharing the stage with customer experience. This leads me to believe that the mission of logistics/supply chain within the government, outlaid in the DOD's 2010 Logistics Strategic Plan, is more related to our current business conditions than ever before. The 2010 Logistics Strategic Plan states that the ultimate goal of logistics within military agencies is to make sure that the military personnel (customer) have the support and supplies when they need it, while keeping costs low for the taxpayer. I can’t think of a better way to say that the customer experience is as important, if not more important, than anything else. When we think about supply chains of the future, an efficient, effective, transparent supply chain, where the customer has what they need when they need it, is essential.

For more information on how Veteran Engagement Solutions can help you create a veteran hiring program and/or the benefits of hiring veterans for your company, please contact the Traffic Club of Chicago.