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Looking through some of the stories in the Google link seems to indicate a disadvantage to those claiming vet status on job applications
Also wouldnt a person going into the forces for several years have a vision of learning something in the forces to enhance their likelihood of getting a job when they come out?
And with all the civilians falling over themselves thanking our veterans for their service i'd have thought being a vet would be a big plus when applying for jobs once out of the military..
As said before if i were doing the hiring the vet would get precedence over some one with similar experience who had never served..
A person going into the miltiary generally does have visions of learning something that will be useful and enhance their probablility of getting a job, but the truth is it doesnt always work that way.
I am going to give a little example of an individual that signs up for 4 years in the Air Force. When he signs up for the service, he gets the job of say, services. Which pretty much equates to either serving food in a dining facility or working the front desk at the gym on base. The great qualities this individual will learn in his 4 years of military that will be great in the workforce will be timliness, not just with his work but being on time to everything, respect of higher positions, this individual will not question orders of his bosses, leadership, he will know how to lead people and get the best out of them. All great qualities that someone might not get elsewhere unless he were raised that way.
Now, those qualities are pretty much across the board what you will learn in any branch of the military. An Air Force services individual may or may not have plenty of time to do schooling on his off time, he will be deployed frequently and might not have time to do schooling then either. Now if this individual would leave the military after 4 years he would have just those qualities to back him up. What kind of job do you think he would be able to find? Maybe a hotel or restaurant shift supervisor? That wouldnt be a bad job, but there are many military career fields out there that wouldnt be so lucky. I point again to the infantry soldier that is in the same situation, but really cant get much schooling in due to the constant training and deployments. He would be hard pressed to find anything other than police duties, and those arent easy to find in most places nowadays.
In light of these issues, the military branches have gotten exceedingly better at helping its members with schooling. Not only with paying for schooling, but also how they present the training done by its members into an actual transcript that can be transferred for credit to many colleges. The services are even starting to require education as part of performance review packages, as to make its members get some kind of schooling. So while it is getting better on the education front for veterans, it is still no guarantee that they will have the time or aptitude to be able to get schooling while in the military. Dont forget, the military is more than just a full time job, so while it may not be difficult for some civilians to go to school while working, it may be intfinitly more difficult for the military.
As I said before about the vets over civilians thing, if the requirements and education arent there, you cant fault the employer. Now, if there are two individuals that have the same qualifications, and one is a veteran, I fully expect the veteran to get the nod, and I believe that would happen in any company in the nation, but it all comes down to the qualifications.
I understand the leadership qualities that mil brings to the table which is very valuable. However, those qualities alone might get you a good low level supervisory position at best. If you want to do anything other than that, you would need some actual skills to bring to the table besides knowing how to call in direct fire coordinates.
Yes, that is why I am using my GI bill at the moment.
In Dec 2012 when I am done with my masters and have a masters, no Debt, and my time in service and experience....
Well, as a fairly recently retired SNCO (Aug 2009) it was very difficult in getting a job....
My stats:
Aviation my entire 21 years and 24 days....
1 class from a degree....
Numerous schools under my belt...(Aviation related)
CH-47 Standardization Instructor
14 years experience in CH-47..
6 years experience oh-58/AH-1....
All the Army attributes that go along with being in for so long....
Now, the kicker.....I live in Huntsville Alabama, for those of you who don't know, this is where Army Aviation begins...this is where all the major decision about all Army ACFT are made....the Project Managers (PM's) are.
I really though I would walk into a very nice job.....I had 119 days of permissive TDY.....and the first 30 belonged to me....but the rest of the time was devoted to finding a job....and FINALLY, with 2 weeks left...I landed a very nice job....
My friend in TX is going through the same thing I went through....he has a 4 year degree....retired Army....he began in the medical field then went to Aviation ...has all the Safety classes and just about everything I have....
As of right now.....he does not have a job....
I got out with as an Intelligence Analyst with a Honorable Discharge, a TS/SCI Clearance and the only job I could land was working at JC Penney for $7 an hour. I took that job because I had bills to pay. Right now I have a job that pays double that amount (which barely covers the rent) but only part-time and I have no benefits...no health insurance, no paid time off, no sick time. I had to come back to work 2 and a half weeks after having a C-Section because I just couldn't afford to sit on my butt without getting paid for 8 weeks.
My boyfriend (also Army) spent almost 10 years in the Aviation field, has a Secret Clearance, got out less than 2 years ago, went to Flight Dispatching school in Texas and 2 years later he is working for a liquor store part-time making $10 an hour.
I seriously thought we would be in a better position right now...but nope.
I got out with as an Intelligence Analyst with a Honorable Discharge, a TS/SCI Clearance and the only job I could land was working at JC Penney for $7 an hour. I took that job because I had bills to pay. Right now I have a job that pays double that amount (which barely covers the rent) but only part-time and I have no benefits...no health insurance, no paid time off, no sick time. I had to come back to work 2 and a half weeks after having a C-Section because I just couldn't afford to sit on my butt without getting paid for 8 weeks.
My boyfriend (also Army) spent almost 10 years in the Aviation field, has a Secret Clearance, got out less than 2 years ago, went to Flight Dispatching school in Texas and 2 years later he is working for a liquor store part-time making $10 an hour.
I seriously thought we would be in a better position right now...but nope.
Would it not have been better to stay with the military? or was there no choice in your leaving?
There's demand for workers with government clearances which a lot of folks in the military have. DoD contractors are a good place for vets to look for work, even in non-technical jobs. Many government contracts even require clearances for general office type workers. Much of their current workforce is former military so you'd be more likely to find preference rather than adverse discrimination from those hiring managers. They pay pretty well too.
You need to look further as most cities here give ten points on the standard testing which is a large margin on a test. Have a freind who came home on leave tho that says he's not leaving service until economy improves. Headed back to afganistan next month.
There are a lot of folks getting out of the service, and not as many civilian jobs hiring for those skill sets. I retired as an enlisted army intelligence analyst, and have had to fight the flood of intelligence officers competing for the same jobs since. There are tons of intelligence teaching jobs and clearance management jobs, and L3 apparently will even hire a sock puppet with a security clearance to serve as a contract analyst in Iraq. But if you want the good analyst jobs, you have to compete against the thousands of people with your exact same qualifications - or better. I am sure this rule applies for helicopter maintainers and infantrymen as well.
You need to look further as most cities here give ten points on the standard testing which is a large margin on a test. Have a freind who came home on leave tho that says he's not leaving service until economy improves. Headed back to afganistan next month.
I'm not a combat vet nor am I a disabled vet. I was honorably discharged in 1986.
Last year I went to test for the census I was informed that as a veteran I get five points on the exam, same as other federal jobs.
This is a web site I got from my American Legion post.
Question: If I have five point preference, am I considered a disabled veteran?
No, five-point preference is given to those honorably separated veterans (this means an honorable or general discharge) who served on active duty (not active duty for training) in the Armed Forces:
During any war (this means a war declared by Congress, the last of which was World War II);
For more than 180 consecutive days, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955 and before October 15, 1976;
During the period April 28, 1952, through July 1, 1955; or
In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized, such as El Salvador, Lebanon, Granada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti.
Medal holders and Gulf War veterans who originally enlisted after September 7, 1980, or who entered on active duty on or after October 14, 1982, without having previously completed 24 months of continuous active duty, must have served continuously for 24 months or the full period called or ordered to active duty. Effective on October 1, 1980, military retirees at or above the rank of major or equivalent, are not entitled to preference unless they qualify as disabled veterans.
Question: How do I get ten point preference for employment?
The Department of Veterans Affairs assigns the preference rating. Ten-point preference is given to:
Those honorably separated veterans who 1) qualify as disabled veterans because they have served on active duty in the Armed Forces at any time and have a present service-connected disability or are receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs; or 2) are Purple Heart recipients;
The spouse of a veteran unable to work because of a service- connected disability;
The unmarried widow of certain deceased veterans; and
The mother of a veteran who died in service or who is permanently and totally disabled.
Would it not have been better to stay with the military? or was there no choice in your leaving?
No there was no choice but I can go back in...Just don't think I will.
As far as him, he couldn't take his job anymore. He developed high blood pressure and his stress levels were through the roof. He was sick.
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