FROM THE BATTLEFIELD TO THE BOARDROOM
Why we actively hire veterans and other civil servants
Many people tend to undervalue veterans in terms of the contributions and value they can bring to organizations. In fact, many veterans do themselves! It can be difficult to translate, at face value, the skills and experiences they obtained during service. Add to that some misconceptions and stereotypes (think PTSD or an attitude like an angry robot) - but when you distill down to the fundamental elements, you find very quickly these are the kind of people your organization won't just want, but need.
Here are 16 reasons why we actively seek veterans and civil servants to deliver results nobody else can:
Posted 1/21/2026
3 min read
Jonathan Stoner
CEO
1. Proven leadership. Front line and battle tested, their leadership skills, developed at an early age, are superior to most of civilians. They lead by example and through experience.
2. Goal oriented. Veterans are highly skilled at setting realistic but difficult goals – and in reaching them. They’re well-trained in this.
3. Mission focused. Veterans are accustomed to working in an environment in which everyone works together toward the mission at hand.
4. Communication. They understand the critical importance of simple, clear communication; of communicating well in all directions; and of communicating effectively in one-on-one, team, or large settings.
5. Teamwork. Vets know, better than anyone else, that teamwork is what responsibility to others looks like, and how much teammates depend on each other.
6. Work ethic. Working long hours under demanding conditions. Seeing things through to their conclusions. Not complaining but bearing up. “Yeah, I’ll do that.” Sound familiar?
7. Performance under pressure. Monthly production or sales numbers, shipping deadlines, quarterly closings, last minute crises, etc. Piece of cake compared to what they’ve seen.
8. Adaptability. Not only do they perform under pressure, they’re extremely well trained at meeting surprise challenges, adapting to change, and thinking quickly.
9. Accountability. Veterans understand and respect the chain of command but are still willing to bring out new ideas when needed.
10. Training. This one is doubly interesting. Veterans are not only well-trained, they’re also good at being trained. In other words, they learn fast and are excellent at applying it. They can make an immediate impact, and then do it again. And again.
11. Specific skills. Every veteran has learned at least one specific skill: heavy machinery, computer programming, a foreign language, supply chain, and so on. These are directly applicable to many opportunities.
12. 'Quitting' is not in the vocabulary. No matter how adverse the conditions, they know how to prevail. They are much better at this than the average civilian. They don’t fold or make excuses.
13. Diversity, inclusion, and empathy. There isn’t a veteran who hasn’t worked in a highly diverse environment: race, ethnicity, gender, age, and – certainly – disability. They are sensitive to it and thrive in it.
14. Safety, health, and operational standards. Once again, veterans are infinitely more aware of this than most others ever will be. This means respect for self, others, property, and procedures.
15. Integrity. The foundation of trust, which is critical if you are going to survive in a war. This is undoubtedly one of the most sacred traits and something that is not taken for granted.
16. Background checks and security clearance. Exhaustive background checks for various levels of security clearances that over 90 percent of vets have had far exceed those they’re likely to need for employment. This should give anyone confidence, not to mention faster onboarding, since security status is transferable in almost every case.
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