Veterans Day is a holiday on which many businesses will thank American who have served our military forces; some with words and others with a discount or freebie. And while those gestures are certainly welcomed by those who have served, a new op-ed in The Wall Street co-authored by retired U.S. Gen. David Petraeus says the best way businesses can honor veterans is by giving them career opportunities.
“More than 2.5 million Americans have served their country since the 9/11 attacks. Each volunteered knowing that it likely meant a combat deployment. In recent years, many of these young men and women have left the service and returned to civilian life,” reads the op-ed by Petraeus and Sidney Goodfriend, founder and chairman of American Corporate Partners, a nationwide mentoring program dedicated to helping veterans transition from the armed services to private enterprise through career counseling and networking. “The best way to honor their service is to help them as they enter the workforce, seeking not just a job, but a career.”
The op-ed says that several years ago, when service members and their actions were featured prominently in each day’s news, many companies made a point of hiring veterans and urging others to do so.
“Today, many corporate CEOs continue their emphasis on hiring and investing in returning veterans—because the companies know the benefits of hiring those who have served—but other corporate leaders have moved on and focused elsewhere,” it reads, citing several examples of large corporations cutting charitable grants to veterans-related entities and eliminating veterans-related community service programs.
“America’s business leaders should lead the way in supporting veterans, most significantly by hiring, training and developing them, in addition to helping by contributing to veterans-support organizations,” reads the op-ed. “Despite reduced media coverage of the military campaigns of the post-9/11 period, the need to support those who have served remains as urgent as ever.”
Read the full op-ed (subscription may be required).
