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No, not necessarily owed. HOWEVER, there is a real phenomenon of vets having a hard time getting hired in the private sector. It's actually pretty bad. There have been entire ad campaigns based on "consider hiring a veteran". So I'm not going to hold it against them if a few employers have a preference.
A lot of times military experience doesn't correlate very well to what's needed in the private sector.
A lot of times military experience doesn't correlate very well to what's needed in the private sector.
Depends entirely on what the servicmember did while serving. In a lot of ways the military is the government version of the private sector
Some soldiers are flipping burgers while others are analyzing intelligence while translating foreign languages. As you can see, there will always be jobs for the latter and not so much the former.
This is an employment question. One of the current threads got me thinking about Veteran's Preferences for federal jobs. I recall some time back, a veteran (minor disability) posted about applying for a federal job and wasn't hired. They went on a rant about not believing in America anymore solely because they didn't get the job. It was as if this person believed that their previous service automatically entitled them to a federal job.
Simple question. Because they served in the military, are veterans automatically owed federal jobs over all civilian applicants? I know how veterans get preference points but that doesn't always equate to an automatic job. Thought?
While I think we do owe veterans (especially long enlisted veterans) a lot of respect and thanks, I do not think they should be given preferential treatment in things like employment. They did their job, served our country, got paid for it, and that is about it.
Now, if they were combat wounded, I think we owe them the very best healthcare and benefits we can do for them.
Depends entirely on what the servicmember did while serving. In a lot of ways the military is the government version of the private sector
Some soldiers are flipping burgers while others are analyzing intelligence while translating foreign languages. As you can see, there will always be jobs for the latter and not so much the former.
Even sophisticated intelligence work probably doesn't have a huge market outside the government contracting sector. Big hospital systems aren't going to need someone who is an expert in Urdu.
Folks, you should look up what it takes to earn those 5 or 10 point preferences. Ask yourself why you weren't willing to do what they did to earn those points. And then realize not all vets get them.
The purpose of preference is partly in compensation for their service, and partly in recognition they put their lives on hold to serve. While you were building your career, they were serving. Vet preferred helps ensure they don't start out behind for having served.
You can get those points too. Just walk into your local recruiter and raise your right hand.
A lot of times military experience doesn't correlate very well to what's needed in the private sector.
neither does "college" experience correlate well for what is needed in the private sector...
at the end of 4 years, a vet can say he accomplish his assigned mission, a 4 year college grad has a piece of paper. what they did during the 4 years is what counts most
and in many cases a vet at 22 is more mature, they dont have the luxury of delaying growing up. a mistake in college is a bad grade, a mistake in the service could be a life
The purpose of preference is partly in compensation for their service, and partly in recognition they put their lives on hold to serve. While you were building your career, they were serving. Vet preferred helps ensure they don't start out behind for having served.
Even with federal experience, I never even looked at it that way. This should be a part of the PR campaign. A lot of the people who complain about vet preference are just folks with entitlement issues who don't realize they get preference in ways that might be discriminatory if people actually investigated hiring practices. Of course they don't look at themselves as being beneficiaries of preference because they are supposed to get the job (in their mind). Being passed over for a veteran is what many of us feel like when we get passed over constantly for those who have less qualifications but have other, non work-related things going for them. Ain't no fun when the rabbit got the gun. Yay vets!
While I think we do owe veterans (especially long enlisted veterans) a lot of respect and thanks, I do not think they should be given preferential treatment in things like employment. They did their job, served our country, got paid for it, and that is about it.
Now, if they were combat wounded, I think we owe them the very best healthcare and benefits we can do for them.
I think this is the best post. I'm agreeing with this.
Not all veterans served 'of their own free will'. There are many still around who were drafted and had their lives interrupted by the gov't.
The youngest draftees would be past 60 today. If they didn't get their due benefits for service by now, I don't see any reason for special consideration.
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A lot of the people who complain about vet preference are just folks with entitlement issues who don't realize they get preference in ways that might be discriminatory if people actually investigated hiring practices. Of course they don't look at themselves as being beneficiaries of preference because they are supposed to get the job (in their mind). Being passed over for a veteran is what many of us feel like when we get passed over constantly for those who have less qualifications but have other, non work-related things going for them. Ain't no fun when the rabbit got the gun. 
Yay vets!
