Posted on Jun 4, 2015
Veteran suspended from school seemingly for being a veteran? How are veterans still being treated like this?
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Normally I avoid these types of inflammatory discussions but I have been seeing too much of this lately. This is another instance of a veteran being mistreated by a civilian entity. How is it so hard for civilians to work with veterans? This seems like a simple issue yet the school has blown it out of proportion. I know there are many things already going on to address these issues, but what else can we do?
http://www.gruntstyle.com/content/cat/articles/post/Rawls/
http://www.gruntstyle.com/content/cat/articles/post/Rawls/
PTSD
College
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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SGT James Elphick I have been semi-successful and also slightly frustrated in my transition to the civilian world. I see issues that Veterans can address on their own. For instance we can re-learn the civilian language, we can adapt some of our conversation topics to those that have greater interest to our civilian counter parts, and sometimes we can just tone everything down a bit. That does not mean there isn't a growing prejudice followed by discriminatory action toward Veterans. I have personally been through a few:
1. During multiple job interviews I was told that my experience set does not match the "environment of the company".
2. I applied for a customer facing job. A hiring manager that thought she was well meaning said, "We have warehouse jobs that don't have face time with customers. It would allow you to,,,,,adjust to life after service." That's right she wanted me to sit in the back of the bus.
3. Recently a co-worker was having a gab session with another co-worker and slipped about how the other Veteran they were talking about, "Must have had something happen to them during the war." Then they realized I was in the room and their faces turned red and the conversation shut down.
4. An employer's HR representative telling me, "It will be ok if you just declare any PTSD meds." When giving me instructions on how to take a pre-employment urinalysis.
These are the stand out instances that I remember and don't even count the instances of amazement at conditions and such that we have endured in housing while deployed, ect...At times it seems civilians are equal parts jealous and hold a certain level of awe, mixed with fear. We can only do so much to address this on our end. At some point it is time for civilian leaders to step up and say something about their atrocious behavior.
1. During multiple job interviews I was told that my experience set does not match the "environment of the company".
2. I applied for a customer facing job. A hiring manager that thought she was well meaning said, "We have warehouse jobs that don't have face time with customers. It would allow you to,,,,,adjust to life after service." That's right she wanted me to sit in the back of the bus.
3. Recently a co-worker was having a gab session with another co-worker and slipped about how the other Veteran they were talking about, "Must have had something happen to them during the war." Then they realized I was in the room and their faces turned red and the conversation shut down.
4. An employer's HR representative telling me, "It will be ok if you just declare any PTSD meds." When giving me instructions on how to take a pre-employment urinalysis.
These are the stand out instances that I remember and don't even count the instances of amazement at conditions and such that we have endured in housing while deployed, ect...At times it seems civilians are equal parts jealous and hold a certain level of awe, mixed with fear. We can only do so much to address this on our end. At some point it is time for civilian leaders to step up and say something about their atrocious behavior.
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SGT James Elphick
I agree, there is only so much we can do on our end, civilians have to fix themselves as well. I just don't understand why they think and feel the way they do.
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
Where you went you wanted that face time with customer /business
Guest .. I had applied at a job as a line chef , prob’ly 2d down the line and not have an interaction with the
guest.. actually I started out at 3D base . Or 3D lineman. Well at where we were at the manager lived demoting people.. I showed from work and 2d chef had done the entree wrong and gave the wrong
Side item.. he gave scalloped, not the buttered parsley and made the entree meat medium well.. he’d gotten distracted by something else and oh schiesse, the meat a London broil filet.. $25 item on menu ..
It happened before I came on shift ..before I went on-line Sous Chef let me know I was the new 2d line Chef and the 1st line Chef was off sick, so that made me 1st for the night..
there might be a 75 to 80% chance I may interact with a guest.. I got on and did a new London broil order to be medium (geez don’t flub this or it’ll be 2 chefs demoted in a 15 minute time span ! It came out good and he got the buttered parsley potatoes with clarified butter.. same we use to make hollandaise sauce with. I didn’t
Question the choice, the guest had their reason.. Many want that cream from butter after it separates from the oil part. Things get happening and we are getting stuff done.. 8
Prime rib orders 3 well . No prob . I’m at the middle of the roast and that is rarest., turn it around they do not want an end piece and we are one in from the end so I cut a few off and on the broiler for a few min and dip in the Aux jus to wet it a little.. plate em , baked, broccoli n carrot sand send them ! The servers add the sour cream and the butterfat cream on the side., “Chef, guest with London broil wants you !” “Which one?” I ask, “there were three !” “The one that
K___ screwed up and you fixed “
“That guy does not know how to manage people !” We’re slow for a few minutes.. I go out to the guest
and he’s a happy camper again.. I do a fist bump with him and get back on line.. Catering mgr ask why I didn’t shake hands.. “ I don’t know if he just came back from the head and maybe didn’t wash .”
I went back n washed mine again anyway.. we still touched hands ..
I gotta think about other guests too., That eve I talked with 4 different guests .. I was going to eat my dinner in the bar after my shift..
I might not get a chance with the guests that want to thank the chef or just talk and to say they jibber jabbered with the chef (about nothing ). Some are well meaning they got their little 4 year old sleepy grandchild who they’re trying to impress with that they know a chef.. seriously? the kid thinks.. can we go home now ! ..little 4 yr olds aren’t impressed, it’s past bedtime and they missed their fave programs to go to dinner with grandma.. these kids got their agenda and meeting a line chef isn’t one of them .. a ball player ..
definitely ! . We had a college baseball player as a mgr. needed some time at a business.. some kids knew who he was .. we had another mgr that wasn’t impressed
When kids wanted that guy’s autograph.. that guy was a snobby
A-hat.. cared about getting the atmosphere right.. We had a 3 guy band who were comedians too. .
Offset their lousy playing with jokes.. the guest loved them..
that mgr fired them mid show and didn’t Pay them.. they got a short check in the mail.. Our big boss felt for them and gave them a whole check for $300. That mgr that fired them got a night off. big boss had to get the money for somewhere !
I worked a week at first chef so I got the 1st chef pay for a whole 5 day week. Nice $900 after taxes !
The next week the regular 1st Chef was back and I was back to 2d Chef.. Check was $150 shorter..
I survived ! .. Stress was slightly lighter.. the other guys wanted a meeting but not on the property..
so we met for breakfast at a park .
Big scrambled omelet .. We want you for 1st Chef, Boyd ! Jack yells too much.. hell he’s hoarse halfway through ! You don’t go off on us like he does ! I get off line with the trouble guy, we talk and we get back on line .. and get the job done . All yelling does is high blood pressure, hurt feelings , we just adjust the schedule and trouble can come in later and work a lower position for a night.. his.check be a couple hours short.. .. We go back to work later that day.. and one of the guys talk to the sous chef and a mgr. (not the snobby one). He’s gone a half hour... sous chef comes back and says another is coming in
and everyone moves up one on the board .. Brian was 3rd and we had 6 . I found out Brian and mgt didn’t agree on s’things So he left by mutual agreement.. this company wants your whole body n soul, Brian worked with us 3 days a week, s’times 4.. company felt his other job got more of his loyalty which wasn’t true.. Any way he was gone..
and life goes on ! ...
Guest .. I had applied at a job as a line chef , prob’ly 2d down the line and not have an interaction with the
guest.. actually I started out at 3D base . Or 3D lineman. Well at where we were at the manager lived demoting people.. I showed from work and 2d chef had done the entree wrong and gave the wrong
Side item.. he gave scalloped, not the buttered parsley and made the entree meat medium well.. he’d gotten distracted by something else and oh schiesse, the meat a London broil filet.. $25 item on menu ..
It happened before I came on shift ..before I went on-line Sous Chef let me know I was the new 2d line Chef and the 1st line Chef was off sick, so that made me 1st for the night..
there might be a 75 to 80% chance I may interact with a guest.. I got on and did a new London broil order to be medium (geez don’t flub this or it’ll be 2 chefs demoted in a 15 minute time span ! It came out good and he got the buttered parsley potatoes with clarified butter.. same we use to make hollandaise sauce with. I didn’t
Question the choice, the guest had their reason.. Many want that cream from butter after it separates from the oil part. Things get happening and we are getting stuff done.. 8
Prime rib orders 3 well . No prob . I’m at the middle of the roast and that is rarest., turn it around they do not want an end piece and we are one in from the end so I cut a few off and on the broiler for a few min and dip in the Aux jus to wet it a little.. plate em , baked, broccoli n carrot sand send them ! The servers add the sour cream and the butterfat cream on the side., “Chef, guest with London broil wants you !” “Which one?” I ask, “there were three !” “The one that
K___ screwed up and you fixed “
“That guy does not know how to manage people !” We’re slow for a few minutes.. I go out to the guest
and he’s a happy camper again.. I do a fist bump with him and get back on line.. Catering mgr ask why I didn’t shake hands.. “ I don’t know if he just came back from the head and maybe didn’t wash .”
I went back n washed mine again anyway.. we still touched hands ..
I gotta think about other guests too., That eve I talked with 4 different guests .. I was going to eat my dinner in the bar after my shift..
I might not get a chance with the guests that want to thank the chef or just talk and to say they jibber jabbered with the chef (about nothing ). Some are well meaning they got their little 4 year old sleepy grandchild who they’re trying to impress with that they know a chef.. seriously? the kid thinks.. can we go home now ! ..little 4 yr olds aren’t impressed, it’s past bedtime and they missed their fave programs to go to dinner with grandma.. these kids got their agenda and meeting a line chef isn’t one of them .. a ball player ..
definitely ! . We had a college baseball player as a mgr. needed some time at a business.. some kids knew who he was .. we had another mgr that wasn’t impressed
When kids wanted that guy’s autograph.. that guy was a snobby
A-hat.. cared about getting the atmosphere right.. We had a 3 guy band who were comedians too. .
Offset their lousy playing with jokes.. the guest loved them..
that mgr fired them mid show and didn’t Pay them.. they got a short check in the mail.. Our big boss felt for them and gave them a whole check for $300. That mgr that fired them got a night off. big boss had to get the money for somewhere !
I worked a week at first chef so I got the 1st chef pay for a whole 5 day week. Nice $900 after taxes !
The next week the regular 1st Chef was back and I was back to 2d Chef.. Check was $150 shorter..
I survived ! .. Stress was slightly lighter.. the other guys wanted a meeting but not on the property..
so we met for breakfast at a park .
Big scrambled omelet .. We want you for 1st Chef, Boyd ! Jack yells too much.. hell he’s hoarse halfway through ! You don’t go off on us like he does ! I get off line with the trouble guy, we talk and we get back on line .. and get the job done . All yelling does is high blood pressure, hurt feelings , we just adjust the schedule and trouble can come in later and work a lower position for a night.. his.check be a couple hours short.. .. We go back to work later that day.. and one of the guys talk to the sous chef and a mgr. (not the snobby one). He’s gone a half hour... sous chef comes back and says another is coming in
and everyone moves up one on the board .. Brian was 3rd and we had 6 . I found out Brian and mgt didn’t agree on s’things So he left by mutual agreement.. this company wants your whole body n soul, Brian worked with us 3 days a week, s’times 4.. company felt his other job got more of his loyalty which wasn’t true.. Any way he was gone..
and life goes on ! ...
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SSG (ret) William Martin
This OP is four years old but the information is still relevant. Some civilians just have no idea, and many of them assume what they know without asking. This deal about how vets shouldn’t interact with customers due to not knowing how to talk to people is ridiculous. What do people think when we’re out there in the public interacting with civilians are stores? In a situation like a job interview when the Interviewer is just ignorant I would try to related to them and carry a conversation to change their perception of veterans.
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I think the counselor being Arab clearly was an issue for him and for her, but I think they both made assumptions about the other that probably were not true, in that way they were both wrong. Though I do not see why the school couldn't have given him another counselor, they had to have more then one counselor, can't see how it could be a big deal.
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SGT James Elphick
I agree, they were both wrong but at the same time I feel like he was trying to do the right thing, at least what he believed to be the right thing, in not talking to a counselor who he felt he would be uncomfortable around and who he thought he might make uncomfortable as well. The school seems to have blown the whole thing out of proportion
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LCpl Mark Lefler
yeah they have, thats why I wondered why they just didn't give him a different counselor.
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