How do you handle the cultural shock of transitioning from military service to civilian employment?

My wife and I were talking about this yesterday.

Here was what we got from a different article.

200 employees, 2nd shift (afternoon shift from our understanding). Official policy (in effect for several years) on Prayer breaks had not changed. However that does not mean that "Unofficial" policy had not.

First shift showed up. No problems. Second shift no showed. 3 days in a row. Company had tried to work with them in regards to the issue to make reasonable accommodations.

What "I believe" happened. Second shift would take them through Sunset, which is a variable time for Prayer. This would make the "reasonable accommodation" significantly more difficult to accommodate. If I have my prayer times correct Sunrise (variable, but before 1st shift, no impact), Mid-morning (not variable), Noon (not variable), Mid-Afternoon (not variable, pre second shift), Sunset (Variable). This created a "Burden" on one shift, but not on the others, hence the issue.

Now, that doesn't necessarily explain the walk out.

What "I think" happened was that Policy had been enforced in one way up until a specific point, and then began being enforced more "strictly" or just "differently" at another. What Home Office sees is not necessarily what Branch is reporting.

But... culture shock is a hell of a thing. My biggest thing was having "multiple bosses" who didn't report to each other. A "non-hierarchical" system. Drove me batty. Absolutely hated it. Decided I didn't want to work for that company and found a company that had clear delineation.

Typically there's a "reasonable accommodation" aspect when it comes to time off for religious needs. I believe an issue can come up wherein you have a continual production line and the number of employees demanding the same time off during the day (a few times perhaps) cannot be accommodated in a reasonable manner. 150 and likely more at once isn't workable in those work situations. I've had Muslim employees who wanted prayer time who were glad to extend their work day to get their job done while taking time out for prayer. That was an office environment where you typically could pick up where you left off.

CPT Jack Durish
In regards to the story: While I am not necessarily defending the Muslims demanding prayer time, they were allowed it at one time yet the policy was reversed. However, when they arranged their "No call, no show, walkout" they did deserve to be fired.

I do agree that it was a bit of a culture shock when I first got out of the military. Though it was somewhat softened since I was working for a defense contractor and the contract I worked on was a quasi-military environment.

Go back 18 years and fight harder against the med board that put me out so that I could have finished my 20........

I'm NG. The biggest problems I'm facing is that they don't really care what experience you bring to the table. By this I mean my fellow management, not my crew. I think I've absorbed my military leaders way of doing things. It allows me to be engaged with my crew and when correcting something to use it as an opportunity to teach.

My management team however is more keen to just yell (in a disrespectful manner) and write people up and fire them rather than work on improving the crew member with guidance and training. I've voiced my concerns about this and have pretty much been told, "Well you're used to being yelled at in the military." Yes and no. I've never seen an NCO or Officer yell at anyone for unnecessary reasons and not try to correct the problem.

My situation is due to bad leadership in my opinion. I think we can transition fairly well into regular employment but it's going to take time and patience. I have the benefit of being NG so unless I'm on AT or deployed then I'm able to work with my employers regularly but I do think Civilian employers have trouble understanding our habits or ways of doing things.

from what i understand it is a shock depending on what your MOS was if you were a mechanic and became a civilian mechanic the change shouldn't be a that bad aside from the sensitivity you might face I.e sensitive little bitches

I say start from the beginning when you we t from the civilian sector to the military, that was certainly a culture shock going to basic training. So you adjust the military did not adjust for you....you adjusted if you wanted to be there. So I agree with PO2 Madison it has to do with attitude think about it when you leave the military you are more of an asset to the civilian organization because of your service and experience the key is to learn how to package it and communicate to an employer how you are going to solve their problem. They do not quite understand what you bring to the table so that is the key learn how to package it and communicate it.

Also when you deploy the military will give you cultural awareness training so that you know how to navigate the culture, So bottom line is to start preparing for not transitioning from civilian to military think of it as reentering to the workforce. If you serve 1 day or 20+ years you will reenter the workforce or you decide to stay with comfortability and stay with state, city or federal because of familiarity with the military. So the issue is not whether you are muslim, christian, a smoker its all about learning that culture once you learn it then you decide if you want to work there or not

I keep seeing this theme. I would say call on your experience. You have just completed a tour where change was constant. You changed assignments, you changed jobs, you changed where you lived, You were promoted and given new responsibilities.

Call on that and enter civilian life the same you you fulfilled these changes in your life.

CPT Jack Durish what a great analogy to transition and assessment of proper execution. One of the areas constantly being critiqued in Corporate America is culture. And, finding the right "fit" between employee and employer. And, so much of culture is based on "attitude" which is invaluable in life.

If they want prayer time in our culture, they need to buy their own company and schedule prayer time. Or, just assimilate into our culture. Take it, or leave it. We are not a muslim culture, nor do we intend to ever be a muslim culture.