While thanking our veterans this weekend, consider their unique workforce needs
Mardis shared documents with detailed information about hiring and retaining veterans (available through the QR code at right).
In preparation for Memorial Day, we are sharing some information gleaned from this week’s Partner for Success workshop about hiring veterans. The event featured Rusty Mardis (NKU Coordinator of the Veterans Resource Station), Lamarr Couser (DAV Director of National Employment), Jeremy Yost (DAV Associate Director of National Employment Program), and Kellie Burke, aPHR, MBA, MSW, CSW, LMSW (Humana Diversity/Talent Strategies Lead). NKY Works encourages employers to consider the following tips for hiring and retaining military-affiliated workers in your organization.
The first tip concerns how to address an individual who has served in the military. According to Rusty Mardis, the term “veteran” does not encompass everyone. He suggested using the terms “military-connected” or “military-affiliated.”
“Those terms include everyone associated with the military, including active duty, guard, or reserve members currently serving in the military, their dependents like spouses, children, and parents, and veterans,” he said.
The definition of a “veteran” may vary by organization. “It gets complicated,” Mardis said. “Traditionally, the Veterans Administration (VA) considers someone a 'veteran' if they are eligible for benefits. Veterans may be able to get VA health care benefits if they served in the active military, naval, or air service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge.”
Other information shared by Mardis:
200,000-250,000 individuals separate from the armed services each year.
76% report that they struggled to make the transition to civilian life.
While they have been told that employers are eager to hire them, they do not find that to be true as they seek civilian employment.
44% leave their first job after military service in the first year; 21% leave in the second year.
According to Mardis, what will keep them employed is:
Pay commensurate with their experience, with a clear understanding of how their military experience translates to their civilian jobs;
A clear pathway to advancement in the organization. Military jobs are hierarchical and have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Separating service members seek the same clarity in civilian jobs;
An opportunity to move into management based on their performance.
78% feel isolated after separating from the service. “Remember, in the military, everyone has a ‘battle buddy.’ Military-affiliated employees want to know who is looking out for them and where they can find support when they need it,” he said.
He can train employers to work successfully with military-affiliated individuals. Reach him at Mardisr2@NKU.edu.
Information shared by DAV’s Lamarr Couser and Jeremy Yost:
In partnership with RecruitMilitary, the DAV will host 114 job fairs in 2025, in person and virtually, across the country. The Veteran Advantage is a 44-page guide to hiring and retaining veterans, especially those with disabilities.
The events are open to veterans, their spouses, and family members.
The DAV serves all veterans and their families, not just those with disabilities.
Employers can find out more about participating in job fairs here.
The DAV operates a free badging program called the Patriot Employer Program to highlight and recognize companies with stellar track records in hiring and retaining military-involved workers.
They also host the Patriot Boot Camp to encourage entrepreneurship among military-involved families. They just concluded a three-day boot camp in Northern Kentucky last weekend. Read more about it here.
Information shared by Humana’s Kellie Burke:
Because companies cannot ask job applicants if they are veterans, it can be difficult for an employer to identify which employees are military-affiliated.
At Humana, they have a team of recruiters who are military champions. They spend considerable 1:1 time with potential military-affiliated candidates during the hiring process to better understand the candidates’ goals, skills, and best avenues for placement at Humana. “Our team helps veterans with their interview preparation so that they can show how their military experience is relevant to Humana,” Burke said.
She said their Veteran Network Resource Group has helped military-affiliated workers find connections and support within Humana.
While she does not offer training specifically about supervising military-affiliated workers, she does encourage supervisors to participate in the trauma-informed leadership workshops she hosts. “We respect that there is a stigma surrounding self-identification as a veteran. We want to honor that while also arming our managers with information that can address any issues that may arise in the workplace,” Burke added. “Trauma-informed training typically encompasses the needs of military-affiliated team members.”
Burke said that Humana does see a high turnover rate among veterans in their first and second years of employment. “But once they get to their third year, veterans actually retain and perform at levels higher than our non-veteran workforce.”
If you would like to learn more about hiring military-affiliated workers, contact NKY Works. Or if your business is experiencing other workforce challenges, NKY Works can help. We can connect you to various resources to address your particular workforce needs. Reach out to us at 859.657.WRKS (9757) or NKYWorks@NKADD.org.