Conference Presentation, Panel, Fireside Chat
From Battlefield to Business: Translating Military Skills Into Civilian Success
Milken InstituteSusan Fallon Brown, Greg Behrman, Brendan Hart, Christopher Perkins, Blas Villalobos, Chris Perkins, Connie Mielke, Ronald Funderburg, Yolanda Parker, Jim Coleman, Lieutenant Hawley
- Susan Fallon Brown projects a positive trend in veteran employment preparedness and confidence, while noting that communication remains the primary barrier for conveying military skills to the private sector; she anticipates Starbucks will hire 10,000 veterans by 2018 and expects over 83% of transitioning personnel to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill within the next five years for advanced degrees or certification.
- Chris Perkins foresees that Citi's First Veterans Network and Citi Salutes, which spans 16 global networks with 3,000 employees, will sustain efforts in financial education, outreach, and fundraising; he targets hiring 1,000 veterans annually (up from the current 700) and predicts public-private partnerships, such as an Army internship program launching in four months, will aid transitions.
- Chris Perkins anticipates the Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS) network, now comprising 70 firms, will pivot its focus from recruitment to retention to ensure veterans find flourishing careers, alongside a broader prediction that firms must prioritize finding the right fit to retain veteran value.
- Greg Berman plans to continue Nationswell's mission of elevating problem solvers through impact campaigns and storytelling featuring post-9/11 veterans for the foreseeable future, with the expectation that the organization will succeed in driving action on national challenges.
- Brendan Hart predicts the post-9/11 generation will drive the next wave of major companies and that leveraging the military as a diverse institution offers a strategic advantage, though he notes veterans must "unlearn" certain cultural habits regarding networking and sales while adapting to a potentially longer post-service period.
- Jim Coleman expects to fill 3,600 jobs at a new $1.3 billion casino and resort in National Harbor with veterans who meet high customer service standards.
- Susan Fallon Brown, Chris Perkins, and Brendan Hart collectively assert that skills observed in Navy and Marine Corps veterans—including innovation, teamwork, leadership, and pressure handling—are indicative of other service branches and cannot be taught in civilian contexts, while Connie Mielke highlights the specific difficulty disabled veterans face transitioning compared to the idealized narrative of a "perfect" exit.
- Concerns regarding disabled veteran transitions are raised by Connie Mielke, while Ronald Funderburg seeks best practices for employers to integrate military-style discipline and pride into non-veteran workforces.
- Individual contributors anticipate practical methods for overcoming transition gaps: Lieutenant Hawley expects practicing with veterans and using informational interviews will bridge the gap between uniform and civilian speech, and a veteran entrepreneur expects recording pitches on an iPhone will help veterans overcome the "timid nature" often present when presenting to investors.