Veterans Day isn’t just a moment to post a flag emoji and say thank you.
It’s a time to ask: What kind of welcome do we actually offer veterans when they come home—and try to enter the workforce?
Because for all the speeches and social media tributes, the data tells a different story.
Let’s look at the reality:
Over 200,000 service members transition to civilian life each year.
Nearly 1 in 3 say they’ve had difficulty finding work after leaving the military (SHRM Foundation).
Veterans are more likely to be underemployed than civilians—especially in the first 5 years post-service (LinkedIn, 2021).
Hiring managers often lack awareness of how military experience translates to civilian roles—leading to missed opportunities and unconscious bias.
And when they do get hired?
Many veterans report feeling isolated, misunderstood, or unsupported in corporate settings. Not because they lack talent, but because the system wasn’t built to recognize the depth of their experience.
A story that hits close to home…
A close friend of mine has a husband who was deployed for just under a year in the Middle East.
While stationed, he wasn’t just passing time. He was running the show:
Managing IT infrastructure
Serving as the telecommunications supervisor
Acting as tech support for over 150 active systems
Processing credentials and network access for every single soldier that came through the base
He was doing work most IT leaders here would struggle to juggle.
And yet, when he came home and applied for civilian IT jobs?
He was told—over and over again—that he was underqualified. And in interviews, he was talked down to by IT managers who assumed he couldn’t possibly understand the “complex” systems they were using in the office.
The experience was disheartening.
This is what we mean when we say the odds are stacked. It’s not the lack of skill. It’s the lack of translation.
Real talk: Veterans are underutilized.
They return from service with:
Leadership under pressure
Mission-focused execution
A deep understanding of systems, safety, communication, and people
These aren’t soft skills. They’re superpowers.
But without clear pathways and trauma-informed hiring practices, those skills often go untapped—and veterans feel left out of the workforce they risked everything to protect.
Veteran candidates hold a special place in my heart.
Not just because of what they’ve done.
But because of what they still want to do:
Contribute. Grow. Lead. Build something meaningful.
Most veteran job seekers I meet? They want a seat at the table—and a fair shot at showing what they bring.
A note to employers and leaders:
You say you want resilient, adaptable team members with integrity?
You say your culture is about belonging and inclusion?
Then make space for veterans. Not just in your job descriptions, but in your onboarding, mentorship, and advancement practices.
Here’s how to start:
✅ Audit your hiring practices. Look for unintentional bias in your language and screening tools.
✅ Train your hiring managers to recognize military experience as an asset—not a gap.
✅ Partner with veteran employment orgs, recruiters, or training programs.
✅ Create pathways for veterans to grow—not just get “placed.”
✅ And yes—say thank you. But let that be the beginning, not the end.
At Sipley the Best, we’re committed to helping veterans translate their service into sustainable careers and helping employers recognize their true value through trauma-informed hiring support, cultural training, and human capital strategy.
If your organization wants to do more than check a DEI box this Veterans Day—Let’s talk.
Because gratitude is a gesture. Hiring with intention? That’s the real honor.
To every veteran reading this:
We see you.
We honor you.
We’re better because of you—Thank you!