I spent a good chunk of this spring reporting on and thinking about the plight of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, finding themselves out of the military–and out of work. I thought about these soldiers as I sat on the curb with my daughter in Leonia, N.J., waving a 33 cent American flag, watching our Memorial Day parade.
The veterans in our little parade were of the Greatest Generation, ambling happily down Broad Avenue, tossing Dum-Dums at the kids. I’m not suggesting life post-war was easy for them. But I thought how much more poignant and honest this display would be if a line of young, injured, unemployed veterans from the current wars were to have joined them.
There’s a lot of handwringing these days among our progressive, educated elite about the socioeconomic gap in our volunteer military. Those of us with comfortable backgrounds and college degrees don’t enlist; those of you without, do. The military is a good employer, in many ways, if you don’t count the part where they put you in a desert country teeming with people who want you dead. It’s a steady paycheck with solid benefits and a clear career path.
What’s more, many of the young vets I spoke with expressed a deep pride in their work and an uncommon loyalty to their colleagues. “It’s a family, you see,” says Robin O’Bannon, who retired a few years ago after many years managing dental residents for the Air Force. “You don’t get that in an ordinary workplace.”
If you’re in the service, check out the just-released 2007 edition of Chris Michel’s book, The Military Advantage: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Military and Veterans Benefits–“the definitive guide to accessing the scholarships, educational benefits, military discounts, healthcare and transition assistance every servicemember is entitled to.” (The link is to the 2005 edition, but keep checking Amazon for the update.)
Chris Michel is the founder of Military.com, another excellent resource for vets looking for work. Of course, if you’re in the military, you already know about Military.com; millions of servicemembers troll the site regularly for news, jobs and buddies. If you’re not in the military but in a position to hire or recruit, I urge you to check out the site as well. As Michel says, “Hiring vets isn’t about patriotism; it’s just good business.”