Veterans Should Be Included Too

The transitioning of veterans from the military world to the civilian world and by extension the civilian workforce is a critical career transition. Despite their motivation and resilience, veterans still encounter a multiplicity of challenges when transitioning to the civilian workforce, which quite often has a rippling impact on their attainment of employment, job retention, and career development within the civilian sector. An added layer to the transitional challenge for veterans is organizational resistance to promote diversity and inclusion policies and practices, specifically regarding veterans. On this premise, this chapter aims to: 1) Discuss the transitional challenges of veterans to the civilian workforce and 2) Provide implementation strategies at an organizational level to promote diversity and inclusion, specifically regarding veterans.

Internal controls, labour processes and work at the Isthmus Lockstation, Rideau Canal, 1832–1854: Discipline and governmentality at a distance

The emergence of an internal control system to guide operations along the Rideau Canal beginning in 1832 is examined through analysis of a book of directives (the Order Book) maintained by the lockmaster at the Isthmus lockstation. The Orders guided the work of the lockmaster and established general controls and control activities. Orders for adequate documents and records, physical control over assets and records, and proper authorization of activities were common. Orders are seen as efforts by British Royal Engineers, who were geographically removed from the oversight of the Rideau Canal Office, to discipline civilian lockmasters and to encourage lockmasters to govern themselves. Comparing the Order Book to Orders and Regulations in place in 1831 for the Royal Engineers also highlights similarities between expectations of Royal Engineers and those established for the civilian workforce under their direction, indicating a transfer of accounting technologies from the Royal Engineers to the civilian workforce.

The Soft Skills Veterans Bring to the Workforce

One of the benefits of hiring military veterans is the skill set they bring to the civilian workforce. Veterans are keenly aware, through leadership examples and training, of the importance of dealing with other people’s productively and of managing one’s own behavior. Working effectively with others and managing one’s own behavior are examples of nontechnical or “soft” social skills that can be measured by personality assessments. Examples of the types of attributes that personality assessments test for include the “big five factors” of personality (conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness, and extraversion) as well as political skill. Taken together, these soft social skills reflect one’s capacity to get along with others and one’s capacity to compete with others; both getting along and getting ahead are empirically related to work success. Veterans have an advantage in civilian organizations in terms of using their soft social skills for personal and team growth by finding meaning in work.

Why Hire Veterans?

In order for employers to get the full benefit of hiring military veterans, they need to understand why it is in their best interest to employ and retain these individuals. This chapter presents and expands on the typical understanding of what it means to hire a veteran. It defines the skills and knowledge veterans bring to the organization along with the value associated with decisive efforts to integrate veterans into the civilian workforce. This chapter explores and outlines the subsequent impact of these decisions on a company’s organizational culture and competitive advantage in the marketplace (e.g., how veteran hiring contributes to the corporate bottom line by examining the return on investment of these decisions), looks at the current trends in the marketplace for veteran talent, provides suggestions on hiring veterans, and presents recommendations on how employers can advance the success of veterans in the workplace, including veterans with disabilities and injuries.

Hiring and Employing Wounded and Disabled Veterans

Some members of the military may leave the service with physical and/or psychological injuries or wounds. This chapter offers business leaders and human resource professionals a blueprint for hiring and retaining wounded warriors and veterans with disabilities in civilian organizations by providing an overview of the intersection between disability, veteran status, and employment. It contextualizes the employment picture of this population, addresses misconceptions surrounding their capabilities, and provides employers a road map for how to help them successfully reintegrate into the civilian workforce. The chapter provides guidance on tackling obstacles faced by both employers and veterans throughout the hiring process and addresses and dispels the myths related to job performance. Key issues of disability disclosure and reasonable accommodation are indicated, followed by promising practices for hiring and retaining veterans with disabilities. The chapter concludes by outlining federal laws pertaining to the employment of veterans with disabilities along with additional resources for employers.

Leaving the military to work in civilian society: career adaptability by South Korean short- and mid-term veterans

PurposeMilitary officials who become accustomed to the distinct culture of the military face a variety of challenges when attempting to transition into the civilian workforce as veterans. These hardships even pertain to short- and mid-term veterans (SMVs) who leave the military at early career stages to pursue alternative career options. In this study, the authors explored the career construction decisions made by South Korean SMVs who left their military careers and successfully transitioned into the civilian workforce.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a phenomenology approach and conducted a semi-structured interview with 19 SMVs to unpack their career transition experiences.FindingsThe authors identified the motivational factors that encourage SMVs to develop their four career adaptabilities and illustrated the necessity for such qualities pre- and post-transition. Furthermore, the authors characterized each individual experience by the theoretical constructs of career adaptability and highlighted the contextual characteristics that prompted the emergence of career adaptability.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the understanding of career mobility at early career stages and how career adaptability is developed and manifested in the context of transitioning from the military to civilian society.

Veterans Should Be Included Too

The transitioning of veterans from the military world to the civilian world and by extension the civilian workforce is a critical career transition. Despite their motivation and resilience, veterans still encounter a multiplicity of challenges when transitioning to the civilian workforce, which quite often has a rippling impact on their attainment of employment, job retention, and career development within the civilian sector. An added layer to the transitional challenge for veterans is organizational resistance to promote diversity and inclusion policies and practices, specifically regarding veterans. On this premise, this chapter aims to: 1) Discuss the transitional challenges of veterans to the civilian workforce and 2) Provide implementation strategies at an organizational level to promote diversity and inclusion, specifically regarding veterans.

Veterans Should Be Included Too

The transitioning of veterans from the military world to the civilian world and by extension the civilian workforce is a critical career transition. Despite their motivation and resilience, veterans still encounter a multiplicity of challenges when transitioning to the civilian workforce, which quite often has a rippling impact on their attainment of employment, job retention, and career development within the civilian sector. An added layer to the transitional challenge for veterans is organizational resistance to promote diversity and inclusion policies and practices, specifically regarding veterans. On this premise, this chapter aims to: 1) Discuss the transitional challenges of veterans to the civilian workforce and 2) Provide implementation strategies at an organizational level to promote diversity and inclusion, specifically regarding veterans.

The Heat Death Line: Proposed Heat Index Alert Threshold for Preventing Heat-Related Fatalities in the Civilian Workforce

A threshold Heat Index (HI) can serve as the basis for advising the civilian workforce about the risk of heat-related illnesses. We conducted a systematic review and compiled reports of work-related fatalities from heat-related illnesses. We calculated the HI for each fatality. Our objective was to expand upon the military’s concept of a “heat death line” and identify an HI alert threshold for the civilian workforce. We identified 14 publications totaling 570 heat-related deaths. In the meta-analysis, the median HI was 101 with a range of 62 to 137. Almost all deaths (96 percent and 99 percent of civilian and military fatalities, respectively) occurred when HI ≥80, which is our proposed heat death line. Some existing HI-based heat advisories are set at a higher temperature value. However, many occupational heat-related illnesses occur below these thresholds, resulting in low sensitivity and a false sense of security. In at-risk outdoor industries, HI ≥80 should trigger hazard awareness and protective actions.