I believe an often overlooked aspect of this issue that you touched upon is that the transitioning veteran does not always understand the private sector hiring process. With the OFCCP requirements that many companies have to follow, the veteran can quickly grow frustrated with confusing and complicated online application processes that most decent size companies use.

Our company, conducts Opportunity Expos (career fairs) across the country to connect military veterans with employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. Companies who attend these events tell the veteran to be sure to go to their website to apply. The veteran doesn’t necessarily understand why they need to go to the website to apply when they’re standing right in front of the company representative. The company takes this approach to meet requirements of regulations, but the veteran doesn’t always understand this and will grow frustrated when they think about going to 10-15 separate websites to apply for jobs that they just talked about that day with a real person.

Along with companies like ours that try to guide the veteran along in the job search process, a step employing companies could take as well would be to include some tips and comments on their web pages for veterans that explain in practical terms why they’re asking them to do certain things in the application process.

Lastly, over the many years of connecting employers and veterans, it’s been very rare that the PTSD topic has been brought up. Perhaps that topic will become more prevalent in the ensuing years as more combat veterans from the Middle East return home and depart the service, and there is likely a need to build awareness among business leaders on how to help veterans when it’s needed. I look forward to the next post on this topic.