As a kid in Basic Training, I once made the terrible mistake of responding to a Drill Sergeant’s order by saying “Yes, Sir.”

The way I was raised, that response was automatic.

In this case, though, it was a big mistake. A HUGE mistake.

Drill Sergeant Longo went absolutely wild, with the kind of red-faced outrage only achievable by someone whose sole purpose in life is to turn random jokers off the street into productive members of the most elite fighting force in the world.

He got directly in my face, bouncing the rim of his Smokey Bear hat off the bridge of my nose, and shouting, “Sir?! What?! Did you say Sir?!” The kid standing in formation next to me fainted. (It could have been from the heat, but we don’t really know that for sure.)

The Drill Sergeant lowered his voice until it was little more than a terrifying whisper, dripping with menace. “Son, don’t you ever call me ‘Sir.’ I work for a living.”

I know everyone has a variant of a story like that. I believe every one of them.

It’s simply the truth.

Members of the armed forces work for a living.

They earn every dime of their pay.

There’s an ethos that’s cultivated in the military. Not simply “do your job and do it well.” More like “find the hardest assignment you possibly can and do that well.” We are literally told to find things that are messed up…and fix them.

That doesn’t even begin to cover the loyalty, selfless-service, and dedication-to-duty that all members of the armed forces displayed on a daily basis during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many warriors worked 16-hour days with no days off for literally months at a time.

Now these warriors find themselves back home, and looking for ways to use their skills. They have no war to fight anymore, but they still have that military work ethic engrained in their minds. After so many years, it is simply part of who they are. They want to work.

Veterans are highly talented. They are so much more than people who simply learned to shoot, move, and communicate:

• They learned how to fight and save lives by watching, reading, listening, and hands-on training, which has resulted in their being quick, multi-modal learners.
• They often had to work in harsh, resource-constrained environments, which has resulted in their being highly adaptable, and able to improvise brilliant solutions from whatever materials are at hand.
• They were trained to understand and embrace the difference between I don’t know the answer and I don’t know the answer yet, and as a result they will keep digging for a solution to whatever problem they face.
• From day one in the military, they learned the values of duty, honor, and integrity, and as a result they are ultimately the most dependable, capable, and steadfast employees an employer could possibly want.

If you’re an employer looking for the best talent money can buy, a good place to look is to our veterans. Our Warriors. By hiring a veteran, not only will you be showing them that you see them, and that you value their skills, their experience, and their work ethic. You’ll also be investing wisely in your business.

Members of the armed forces work for a living.

Given the opportunity, veterans do too.

If you are an employer looking for the best possible addition to your workforce, look to the nation’s veterans. Contact The Warrior’s Refuge via our LinkedIn page here, through the Contact Page on our website, or by phone at (979) 345-3800.

I am a Warrior. And sometimes a Warrior needs a Refuge.