The Value of Veterans in Startups

My company brought on someone this past week to do some technical work. This person is a U.S. Army veteran, former military intelligence, trained as a translator, and graduated magna cum laude from a very respected university, receiving multiple achievement awards for academic performance. However, this person was only able to previously find work as a clerk at a local store because of the stigma associated with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).

The moral of this story is that there is an immense pool of talent out there just waiting to be given a chance, but which is being blatantly overlooked by corporate America (and, all too often, startups as well) because of certain stereotypes associated with military service. I personally have been discriminated against because of my background, but was able to find my way to success because of a couple people out there who took a chance on an ambitious but inexperienced vet. I utilize on a daily basis the leadership, critical thinking, and strategic planning skills gained from my military background, and so will others.

It shouldn't be so hard for veterans to prove their worth by constantly battling ill-informed stereotypes after returning home. I challenge and encourage all startups to prove wrong these negative perceptions of military service by finding and hiring people like the one I have described and give them a chance to prove their worth. You will be rewarded with a team of immensely talented, innovative, creative, and driven folks whose potential has been generally underestimated by other companies. That right there is the best definition of a "competitive advantage" I can think of.

This approach has served us incredibly well, and given us some of our most loyal and productive employees to date.