Are there traits or experiences you think give veterans an advantage in life over those without service experience?

I'm just a guy, in the middle of an empty field, sitting on top of a cannon, watching dragonflies. Patience.

Throw me in a board room with some punk that graduated Harvard with his MBA and some E7 that just separated and I can pretty much hand the 7 the keys to the company. The MBA has a whole bunch of theories and simulations under his belt but wont measure up. The gifted talent from the civilian world pales woefully when put aside to polished brass on the dress collar of a serviceman. Yet thanks to hollywood and the other 99.55% of the populations we have 200+% unemployment of vets. One thing for sure is that we do the jobs that others think are beneath them. That's the refreshing thing about the military, an O4 can walk past an overfilled trash-bin and get pissed off, but if nobody else is around and his next meeting isn't immediate HE WILL change that bag. I've seen it done. Hell, an O7 is not beneath pouring an E4 coffee. In the civilian world the people think their shiest doesn't stink and that they should be paid for 5 hours a day of facebook. Civilians spend upwards of 2 to 3 months of the work year playing games and avoiding work. If they took a more military ethic we could get the same pay and work 35 hours a week still producing more. In fact, with a military work ethic we wouldn't need to punch a time-card because it wold be objective based and we would be goal completion oriented. Just writing that makes me want to throw rocks at construction crews ripping up perfectly good roads and paying 4 guys to watch while the military guy they hired digs.

True leaders can take a mission, use the TLPs and OPORDs to fruition.

without a shadow of a doubt. your best bet hire the vet.

I separated from the AF in 1990. For the last 16 years I have resided in South east Michigan. I know hordes of skilled trades people. There is a huge problem that many of these folk have with drug abuse, alcoholism, work ethic, etc.. Of course many are very apt and skilled individuals in their fields, but it is a huge problem nonetheless. I feel I have a much higher degree of work ethic, dilligence, integrity, etc.. than my counterparts who were never in any branch of the service. It is understood that there are many vets who are less than stellar. (I am being nice.) But for me, I would always seek to hire and train a veteran.

Yes.
The will to live, fight, breath and be.
If it is not that one has it inside, then by the faith of those who lead: A reflection, command of appeal and a willing heart goes forth that in civilian life may not occur.

I know Capt Oscar Casillas likely has some valuable input on this conversation.

Yes. Everything I do I do better because of that training and time

No, in my experience the ratio of poor employees in the Navy is no different than anywhere else. Same for good employees.

It is a coin flip, many Soldiers who come in right out of high school and get out after their 3 or 4 years have not matured in their mentality. The army is a fraternal organization and too be honest a lot of young Soldiers that ETS need more real world life experience. If I wanted to hire some one out of the military I would be looking for some one with very specific skills. A Soldier is used to having everything handed to them, and regardless what ever bad decision they make they will still get paid, have a job, have a place to live. In the work place none of that is true. The civilian work place is capitalistic, and the military is a communist organization, the two do not complement each other well if the ETS Soldier still has his old mindset. Enlistments should be no shorter than 4 years, and the last 6 months prior to ETS should be completely devoted to life skills Soldiers under 26. This would improve our quality of Soldiers and help the army become the place were employers could look to not have to go to for tax breaks.