Why can't more Veterans Help more Veterans?

SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 16:15:54 -0400

In my line of work I would pay MORE for a Veteran if I could find any in Europe, I know a Vet may be all messed up, psychologically unstable and possibly dangerous...but aren't we all...that is why it is important to help and work with each other.

My first large business in Berlin, Germany I hired 2 Vets who stuck around like me. There was NOTHING they woudl not do to be succesfull, we rocked it like never before and never after.

So why all the problems? Of course there are situations where some vets need more help than a job and I understand that fully as a disabled Vet myself...BUT...it should not get in the way of the "brotherhood" of being a veteran.

I go out of my way to help vets, finding them jobs wherever they may be, try and hire them if I can, get them physical and medical help, even to the point of giving money but I woudl MUCH rather pay a good paycheck each month in a business where we work together, grow together and are successful together.

What are the reasons that the Vets are not helping the other vets? Why so few? There must be a reason!

I woudl love to read any input as I may be going Stateside to open a Veterans only business.

Thanks!

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Sep 10 at 2014 1:02 AM

SSG Trevor S. — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 01:02:26 -0400

I have had a few vets help and offer help in my transition.

If vets are not helping each other there may be a few causes:

1. They are too busy staying afloat in their own situation.
2. They don't think their help will do any good.
3. They are transitioned to the point they forgot where they came from.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 10 at 2014 2:21 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 02:21:06 -0400

Great question! I'll be watching closely because I can't figure it out either!

Response by SPC Jeremy Hendley made Sep 10 at 2014 6:01 AM

SPC Jeremy Hendley — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 06:01:12 -0400

i help vets everyday. i work at the VA and i work with dementia patients. and geriatics it awesome and rewarding

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Sep 10 at 2014 7:25 AM

MSG Wade Huffman — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 07:25:34 -0400

Your statement that vets are not helping other vets is, in my opinion, overly broad. The entire premise of this community is Service Members and Vets helping each other. I help vets on a daily bases as a County Veterans Service Officer.

I believe that you question may be specifically geared towards helping vets find employment (which is very much needed) and the answer to that is, in all l likelihood, simply that there are very few vets in a position where they can directly help with finding employment (yours being an obvious exception since it is your own company you are referring to).

I DO wish you the best of luck in expanding into CONUS and have no doubt you will find a wealth of high quality veterans willing to work with and for you in meeting and exceeding your goals!

Response by SGT Richard H. made Sep 10 at 2014 7:50 AM

SGT Richard H. — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 07:50:47 -0400

Personally I would hire 3 to 5 veterans tomorrow if their application showed up in my office today. Yes, that's a small number of veterans respectively, but you eat an elephant one bite at a time. All they have to do is show up. I'm not seeing those applications. We are a relatively small company, around 40 employees, with most of our available jobs paying between $15-$25 per hour, which isn't going to make anyone wealthy, but it would Keep someone out of the poorhouse. Currently we have about eight or nine veterans working here, with two of us being in hiring positions, which is well over the percentage that we make up in society.

Response by LTC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 10 at 2014 5:17 PM

LTC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 17:17:50 -0400

I have worked with Vets and or service members for most of my adult life either as a treatment provider, commander, OIC or junior NCO. Your characterizations that we are or can be "all messed up, psychologically unstable and possibly dangerous...but aren't we all" is a dangerous misconception adding to the stigma. No, we do not display these tendencies and service members or vets do not display more than the general population. Combat Vets having problems because of trauma of any type except maybe head injuries are not any more dangerous or dangerously unstable than anyone else. PTSD does not make people any more dangerous than anyone else. Vets can have skills, yes, can be trained to be lethal, yes but they are not "unstable", "dangerous", or "crazy" just because they have been traumatized by their service. Are firemen, police officers, our mothers, daughters, sisters traumatized by rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment any of these things we erroneously ascribe to our vets/ hero's more dangerous than anyone else? Yes, emotional issues exsist and our service members suffer and are not given appropriate accommodations or chances for employment because of misconceptions, stigma, prejudices, and poor identification of those suffering along with poor treatment resourses. Vets need to organize to create a responsive infrastructure where healthy vets can help those in need. Then those that can create jobs help others start businesses where they create jobs and not just find a job. Vets with post traumatic stress are as safe and sound and as capable as any of us. They just need emotional supports, our understanding, adequate treatments, access to treatment and a chance. They are injured not broken!

Response by SSG(P) Matthew Bisbee made Jan 25 at 2015 3:59 PM

SSG(P) Matthew Bisbee — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 15:59:32 -0500

When I returned from Afghanistan, a Vietnam War vet friend of mine took one look at me and knew I needed help even before I myself realized it. He convinced me to go see his former Gunny Sgt who is now a VFW VA Advocate. Gunny helped me file a VA claim so I could get the medical and mental health services I needed to transition.

Since then, I spent a lot of time talking to other vets (especially when I owned a convenience store) and helping them get services. I drop what ever I am doing to talk to a fellow vet. I am currently attending college for auto body/collision repair. The college I am attending has a Veterans Club which has had a strictly social function up until now. I am trying to refocus the purpose of the club to be more of an advocate and support for veterans.

If, at some point in my future, I actually own a repair facility or am in a hiring position, veteran status will be a major factor in my hiring decisions. Vets know how to work together and strive for a common goal.

To answer the initial question, if vets are not helping other vets, it is the fault of every veteran. While in the service, we lived and died as a team. We need to remind ourselves of this daily and look for ways to help each other.

Response by MSgt Bj Jones made Jan 25 at 2015 6:42 PM

MSgt Bj Jones — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 18:42:08 -0500

You have a business in Berlin still? My goal is to get a degree in German. My husband wants to teach in DoDDS. I love Berlin and would love to get back to East Germany. What types of positions do you hire Veterans for?

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jan 25 at 2015 7:18 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 19:18:13 -0500

If only there were a web based system that veterans could use to connect with other veterans over similar experiences, schools, interests or plans. You could have an advanced search function to find veterans based on almost any characteristic. You could pose broad questions to the entire community and a merit system would raise the best answers to the top. There could be extra tools for employers looking to hire veterans and for veterans looking to be hired. That would be a very powerful tool to begin communication and mutual help. You could call it something that military folk consider a place to come together and meet up. Maybe RallyPoint?

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2015 8:24 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 20:24:43 -0500

I want to help my fellow vets. It's hard because where I live there are so many posers. I try to go with my gut but it's difficult. I guess that is why I prefer to help vets on here

Response by SGT Bobby F. made Jan 25 at 2015 8:45 PM

SGT Bobby F. — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 20:45:28 -0500

I think this is one of the biggest fears for my peers when it comes time to re-up or get out. The civilian job market is tough enough as it is, but the stigma associated with being a combat vet has me apprehensive at best in spite of being qualified.

Response by SPC Richard Montalvo made Jan 25 at 2015 11:17 PM

SPC Richard Montalvo — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 23:17:40 -0500

we started our own business here in texas and i always hire a vet cause i try to info then about when they ets out they have 180 days to find them a federal job. or any job that requires a civil service exam. fire fight,police.mail man anything good paying

Response by MSgt Jamie Lyons made Mar 4 at 2015 10:53 PM

MSgt Jamie Lyons — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 22:53:40 -0500

Well that is the million dollar question now isn't. I retired 3 years ago. I also have a stack of 50+ thanx but no thanx letters. 20 year veteran...3 military leadership schools....Bachelors degree in History and a MBA in Human Resources...and still no job. I dont qualify for welfare because of my retirement. Most of my rejection letters are from companies that claim to 'Hire Heros'. Heck I dont even have a parking ticket. The sad part is I applied to positions where the hiring authority is a sibling of a veteran and still did not get the job. So when you get and answer....let me know.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Mar 5 at 2015 2:03 AM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 02:03:47 -0500

I actually wanted to start a vet's group to talk about employment, but I figured there are so many out there what could I possibly offer that isn't being offered.

Response by SGT Craig Northacker made Dec 1 at 2015 1:16 PM

SGT Craig Northacker — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:16:11 -0500

Let's chat. What are you doing in Berlin? I grew up there in the 1960's. Pushed me to enlist and do what I did.