Posted on Dec 12, 2013
Why is there no paid program to enable our Veterans the ability to easily transfer from Military Service to Civilian Service?
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Our Nation’s 1%ers volunteer to put themselves in harm’s way for the betterment of this Great Nation. In addition to the Service Member’s selfless service, their families often have to make huge sacrifices for their military spouse. However, when Service Members complete their service to the Nation they and their families are essentially kicked to the curb.
I believe this action or lack of action sends the following message to our Heroes, “You are good enough to put your life on the line for our Nation and thank you for your service, but you are not good enough to take on a position of equal stature in our Nation’s Civilian Workforce”.
When the Military takes on a new member their previous education and experience are taken into consideration. They are provided the opportunity to start at a higher position. Even when a Service Member changes branches of Service, they are provide training to help them assimilate into the new Branch of Service. With this transfer and training they are often transferred with equal stature and pay, on occasion they are reduced to the next lower level. In these cases, most of the individuals are often promoted quickly back to their previous stature within their previous Branch of Service.
Our Nation needs to implement some sort of paid training program that enables our Veterans the ability to transfer from Military Service to Civilian Service with equal pay and stature. This paid training program would allow them to assimilate into a civilian occupation of equal pay and stature. It is reasonable that in some cases Service Members may have to take a slight reduction in pay and stature to get started in some occupations. But it is also reasonable that they would quickly excel, like in the Military and return to a level equal to their Military pay and stature.
Too often we hear of Veterans having to take civilian positions and wages that are well below what they maintained while in the Military. This usually results in the financial ruin of the Service Member and Family, which can lead to divorce, homelessness or worse.
There is much more to say atop this soap box, but since I am preaching to the choir, I will save it for another day.
Thanks,
Clarence
I believe this action or lack of action sends the following message to our Heroes, “You are good enough to put your life on the line for our Nation and thank you for your service, but you are not good enough to take on a position of equal stature in our Nation’s Civilian Workforce”.
When the Military takes on a new member their previous education and experience are taken into consideration. They are provided the opportunity to start at a higher position. Even when a Service Member changes branches of Service, they are provide training to help them assimilate into the new Branch of Service. With this transfer and training they are often transferred with equal stature and pay, on occasion they are reduced to the next lower level. In these cases, most of the individuals are often promoted quickly back to their previous stature within their previous Branch of Service.
Our Nation needs to implement some sort of paid training program that enables our Veterans the ability to transfer from Military Service to Civilian Service with equal pay and stature. This paid training program would allow them to assimilate into a civilian occupation of equal pay and stature. It is reasonable that in some cases Service Members may have to take a slight reduction in pay and stature to get started in some occupations. But it is also reasonable that they would quickly excel, like in the Military and return to a level equal to their Military pay and stature.
Too often we hear of Veterans having to take civilian positions and wages that are well below what they maintained while in the Military. This usually results in the financial ruin of the Service Member and Family, which can lead to divorce, homelessness or worse.
There is much more to say atop this soap box, but since I am preaching to the choir, I will save it for another day.
Thanks,
Clarence
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 11
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SGM,
There are, in fact, many programs designed to bridge the gap between what qualifications civilian companies require and what the military requires. some of them are in the military, some on the civilian side. One such program is an Airframe & Powerplant course, provided by the military, that helps you attain that certification. Another, civilian program, in california allows service members with training on certain "heavy" military truck tractors the ability to attain their Class A drivers license easily using their military training. They are there but sometimes you have to dig. one might say they are a bit scattered.
What I feel is missing is a one-stop shop for all these, what I will call, "bridge" programs to be accessed and promoted to service members. We should not have to discover these programs by accident or through the grapevine. As a Army National Guardsman and reservist I can tell you there are most definitely efforts being made to provide employment opportunities to service members. Can I say they are considered for positions commensurate, or at least related, to the job skills attained while serving on active duty? no I can't because If I were a maintenance supervisor on active duty, then that skill set should transfer to the civilian world right? Can anyone say for certain that I would land a position as a maintenance supervisor in a civilian organization? The likelihood is slim but not improbable. With added certifications our military experience can be "validated" for the civilian population to accept. The transition becomes more seamless.
Just my 2 cents.
There are, in fact, many programs designed to bridge the gap between what qualifications civilian companies require and what the military requires. some of them are in the military, some on the civilian side. One such program is an Airframe & Powerplant course, provided by the military, that helps you attain that certification. Another, civilian program, in california allows service members with training on certain "heavy" military truck tractors the ability to attain their Class A drivers license easily using their military training. They are there but sometimes you have to dig. one might say they are a bit scattered.
What I feel is missing is a one-stop shop for all these, what I will call, "bridge" programs to be accessed and promoted to service members. We should not have to discover these programs by accident or through the grapevine. As a Army National Guardsman and reservist I can tell you there are most definitely efforts being made to provide employment opportunities to service members. Can I say they are considered for positions commensurate, or at least related, to the job skills attained while serving on active duty? no I can't because If I were a maintenance supervisor on active duty, then that skill set should transfer to the civilian world right? Can anyone say for certain that I would land a position as a maintenance supervisor in a civilian organization? The likelihood is slim but not improbable. With added certifications our military experience can be "validated" for the civilian population to accept. The transition becomes more seamless.
Just my 2 cents.
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SSgt (Join to see)
1SG all employers have to do is deny you on some other short-coming. I can totally see how this might happen. One guy at a plant was dubious of my Air Force career and I had to clear that up, at the interview. Maybe he thought I was overqualified (code word for something else) or maybe my physical attributes. I bet I could beat him in arm wrestling. (right hand only) but people like or dislike, prefer or not based on inclination or the kind of day they are having. Let's not forget age.
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I found ACAP (at Fort Hood) pretty underwhelming, mostly because I think a lot of posts forget that if you're a younger and/or single service member, you might not have a lot of ties to that area. They also don't seem to have caught up to the fact that more and more people aren't joining straight out of high school. Many still do, but the population enlisting with a bachelor's seemed to increase, as well as those who might have worked before enlisting/getting commissioned.
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My observation--at the grassroots level ACAP needs to "up its game". I think the system is probably pretty good, but for many of the individuals on the front line working with the Soldiers, it's more about checking the block with filling in paperwork and class attendance and little actual coaching going on. Part of the fix needs to be these ACAP advisors being first, real experts in translating military skills and experience to a resume (some CAN do this) and second, being plugged in to the various local, regional, and national networks that veterans can get into to make their transition successful.
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SGM Clarence Zarnes
LTC Haines, I concur completely. When I went through my tranisition class I felt like I had been fully armed and ready for the civilian workforce. But I very quickly realized that I had been shorted on ammo.
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SPC Michael Martinez
ACAP was helpful only to submit resumes. It would have been helpful if the counselors would have told me, "You have to do [This] to get [the job]." No matter what my capabilities are, I was not able to pass "Go." Education plans, experience qualifiers, and further training was absolutely necessary.
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LTC David Haines
SFC Gannon, I agree the Soldier is responsible, but whether it's three years or thirty, sometimes we don't know what we don't know. ACAP people need to be experts in facilitating the transition. Some are very good, many are not.
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LTC David Haines
SFC Gannon, I agree the Soldier is responsible, but whether it's three years or thirty, sometimes we don't know what we don't know. ACAP people need to be experts in facilitating the transition. Some are very good, many are not.
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