The Military Advantage
Have you recently asked yourself how military veterans could help your company become successful? Every year, 250,000 veterans enter the civilian work force, to include many from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. And many of these veterans have extensive experience in transportation, international logistics, inventory management, and distribution center operations. As examples, in recent classes I have taught at military bases, I have met the following individuals:
- Julie Henderson, a tractor-trailer driver, with 3 years of safe driving experience transporting explosives and critical military supplies in high stress combat environments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Might she meet the qualifications of your transportation fleet?
- David Nelson, who has supervised the daily movement of over 3000 military vehicles deployed to Afghanistan over a period of many months.
- Matondo Wawa, who has a 20 years of military logistics experience, a PhD in Logistics Management, and is fluent in 3 languages.
- Tim Roedel, who has supervised the movement of more than $500 million dollars of equipment throughout the world, to include to Europe, Asia, and South and Central America – and has even planned and managed the transportation of vehicles and materials needed to support an international trip by the President of the United States.
This is the tip of the iceberg, just in our region. There are dozens of other proven transportation and logistics personnel leaving the military from bases throughout our area each year. Are you seeking them out, or might they be going to competitors?
And what about veterans with expertise in other areas vital to your business success – disciplines like information technology, accounting, project management, strategic planning, and many others?
Consider what well developed upper-level skills and qualities veterans bring to the table:
- Leadership (often in stressful circumstances)
- Integrity
- Teamwork and Team Building
- Crisis Management and Problem Solving
- Respect for Procedures
- Technical Know-How
- Incorporation of Diversity
- Perseverance
These skills are shared by veterans of all ranks and experience levels and represent a unique opportunity for employers in our region. For resources on how to integrate qualified veterans into your workforce, please contact Gary Olson at gary.olson17@gmail.com.