Why don't veterans self identify with employers?

SFC Rich Carey — Wed, 13 May 2015 12:12:06 -0400

Speaking with many different employers, they relay to me they are having a difficult time having veterans identify they are veterans.

Many companies/organizations have started military/veteran affinity groups as part of their corporate social responsibility. The question is why haven't you identified?

Response by SFC Rich Carey made May 13 at 2015 12:13 PM

SFC Rich Carey — Wed, 13 May 2015 12:13:27 -0400

The employer received tax credit by my self-idenification

Response by SFC Joseph James made May 13 at 2015 12:15 PM

SFC Joseph James — Wed, 13 May 2015 12:15:42 -0400

I think it would be better to identify that you are a veteran in most cases. It is a skill set and it shows the employer that you are more disciplined and can handle stress better than most. Oh, and if you are a former NCO/Officer....Managerial Skills!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2015 12:31 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 May 2015 12:31:00 -0400

At the unskilled level, in my area, being a veteran seems mostly irrelevant. I self identify every time. It's difficult not to when your employer is at all engaged in the interview process. It'll be on the resume. It'll be in your explanation of skills you've learned. You'll identify as one when filling out a lot of the initial paperwork.

Frankly, the National Guard noticeably hurt my chances of getting hired. If I got the feeling the National guard by disqualify on a job from an employer who might think 2 days out of a month is an imposition somehow, I would leave it on the resume and try to focus on other work experience.

Response by SPC Fred Krauer made May 13 at 2015 1:08 PM

SPC Fred Krauer — Wed, 13 May 2015 13:08:44 -0400

There's a stigma that all veterans suffer with PTSD and other forms of mental illness. There's a big enough stigma against mental illness, but then add in combat training/experience and they believe you're going to shoot up the place if someone doesn't refill the coffee pot.

I've heard of some employers ignoring applications of people who identify as vets for that reason and for that reason, vets are not identifying.

Response by PO1 John Miller made May 13 at 2015 2:03 PM

PO1 John Miller — Wed, 13 May 2015 14:03:00 -0400

I only self-identify when I've applied for government contractor positions and civil service jobs, where being a veteran is advantageous.

I have self-identified on a few civilian jobs I applied for, and got rejected almost immediately. I stopped self-identifying but was still getting rejected because of my resume. Since I served 20 years I pretty much HAVE to put my Navy experience on it.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 13 at 2015 5:24 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 13 May 2015 17:24:23 -0400

Could it be the general apathy the public has toward our military?

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made May 13 at 2015 8:12 PM

SFC Christopher Perry — Wed, 13 May 2015 20:12:54 -0400

I had no issue with telling my employer I was a veteran. Wait, that could be due to the fact that I was still in the Army during the interview process. In reality I still have a few more days on terminal leave.

Why in the world would you not identify yourself as a veteran? There are a ton of employers out there that take great pride in their willingness, often times eagerness, to hire veterans. You have done something most cannot, or will not, take pride in who you are and what you have accomplished!

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made Apr 11 at 2017 10:04 PM

SGT Aaron Atwood — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 22:04:03 -0400

There are veterans, and then there are the veterans who have been to combat. Those of us who haven't feel a little bit more guilty that we haven't seen combat therefore we don't think we rate the status of being a veteran like others do; especially those of us who joined when there was much more involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Did we ask not to deploy? I never did ask not to. Heck by my third year I wanted to. I just never ended up in a unit that deployed regularly, and I never really got a choice in the matter in my first four years. Now that I'm making this a career: who knows. A lot can happen in the span of a decade.

Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Aug 11 at 2019 8:37 PM

SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 20:37:40 -0400

The ones that don't are afraid!

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made May 3 at 2023 12:32 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Wed, 03 May 2023 12:32:23 -0400

Because we are who we are. Most of the civilian world don't understand us. As far as employers, I can't comment on that as I am self employed. But I do know a lot of vet who do, they do well.