Introduction
Many US military officials have been bestowed great honors because of their devotion to serving the country. To enhance their work, they have been exposed to thorough training as service members who are ever actively involved in their line of duty. Hence, they stand a good position to serve in any nation employer and any capacity as military officials. In essence, with such uniquely skilled, creative, and focused individuals, it is saddening to realize how this category of people suffers a great deal after retiring. One would expect the US government to offer them jobs. However, a huge number of US veterans are unemployed compared to other individuals in America.
This paper seeks to answer the question, ‘which theory of framework can be used to explain the stated disparity? The paper shows how the US government can address this situation to benefit men and women who return from war and any other conflict-prone areas around the world.
Unemployment for Retired War Experts
Ferbaman and Foster’s (2013) article inspects why retired US war experts have witnessed elevated joblessness rates relative to other categories of people in the US employment industry. Ferbaman and Foster (2013) present factors such as age and education as among the factors that have fuelled veterans’ unemployment levels. Such levels have been associated with their poor educational background and lack of understanding among employers who are expected to hire the military veterans. Such a misunderstanding is also evident among the hiring managers and human resource personnel. Because they only focus on the most appropriate, effective, and efficient people, they fail to factor in the aspect of experience that the service men and women have had in their line of duty (Obama, 2014).
After a long period of war, a big number of veterans who have served multiple combat deployments are definitely found undergoing transition into civilian life over some years. No one expects this observation to be the situation for these people. Employment is a very important means, which can mitigate the probable uncertainties and struggles that veterans go through during this transition. Gainful and meaningful employment does not only serve to offer stability in the economy throughout the period of transition but also indeed serves the great purpose of creating a social support structure, which is important in the event of discontinuous life change that is usually witnessed in the military service. Denying them a chance in the employment sector is not only a blow to them but also to the community.
The issue of disability has been cited as another reason why veterans end up being jobless after their service. Their high-risk job in wars such as the Gulf War II and the 9/11 catastrophe left many of them disabled and detached from their communities and even their employers. However, the US military is exposed to a very tough environment where the armed forces have to sacrifice even their lives to protect their country (Obama, 2014).
However, after retiring from their job with disabilities, the most significant issue that faces the transitioning service individuals to reintegrate effectively with the civilian society has been the need to find and cultivate organizational attachments that can instill in them a sense of belonging that they had been conferred in the past through their attachment to the military field. In this case, employment represents an opportunity to create and cultivate new organizational connections and positions to facilitate an effective socialization in the non-military culture. Nevertheless, the time for the veterans to leave their jobs is usually announced when none of them is ready for the retirement. Hence, they end up being psychologically interrupted. Upon noting the traumatic experiences that they undergo in their work, adding them psychological pressure makes majority of them insane such that they cannot find a place in the job market after their retirement.
Research by Ferbaman and Foster (2013) highlights the existence of poor mechanisms for welcoming retired veterans to the civilian life. No programs have been established to help retired military service men and women the inability secure employment. The situation has strongly been linked to their dysfunctional and poor health. Instead of letting them work for themselves, many of them who experience a declining health are required to join the social security benefits systems where the US government can assist them in their recovery process.
Their status takes away any leadership ability that can be considered in the recruitment process. The rate of encountering unemployment situations among veterans is higher in comparison with what is witnessed with their non-veteran peers. This disparity significantly is common within retired female Hispanic war experts and among young veterans. A careful review of the existing academic research suggests skill transfer as among the key reasons behind the situation (Hays, 2014).
The application of vocational skills and abilities that veterans demonstrate in the military field in the civilian work context has not been fruitful to both the veteran and the employer (Hays, 2014). Additionally, the transferability of the skills that are learnt in the military field is almost impossible with reference to what employers in the civilian labor market seek from a recruit. Moreover, the evident knowledge gap between the civilian employment and military service people who in their lifetime have never participated in the civilian labor market represents a noticeable barrier to employment (Hays, 2014). Besides, a gap in the employers’ understanding of veterans as prospective employees is evident.
Stigma-related mental issues that are heavily associated with retired veterans play a central role in their unemployment situation. There is an increased rate of military officials who retire with complications such that they cannot meet healthcare requirements that many employers demand from recruits. These requirements include a mental health test for job seekers since employers need to be convinced that they are hiring an individual of sound mind and one who can demonstrate critical thinking skills to bring innovative ideas to the hiring organization. Others suffer from trauma, which inhibits the returning military from actively seeking employment.
They may not actively seek employment or even be ready for employment. Consequently, employers perceive them as though they are not ready to work. Hence, when a retired veteran is left without a job that he or she can use as a source of earning for his or her family, many conflicts arise. In fact, such conflicts end up breaking families. In this case, the child is the biggest loser and hence the reason why many of jobless veteran kids end up abusing drugs as a way of relieving themselves from family-related stress. What is it that the US government can do to avert this situation?
Ways to address the Situation
It is evident from the paper that the US government has neglected majority of the retired war veterans, despite their many years of devoted service to the country and other parts of the world. The paper has cited health, psychological issues, lack of proper transitioning programs, age, and education as among the factors that have pushed this category of people into unemployment. Based on these issues, potential employers have had to shun from recruiting these people.
An article by Obama (2014) provides a detailed plan on how President Obama’s administration is seeking to restore the situation. The US government needs to understand that the retired war veterans did not create these hindering factors (Obama, 2014). Hence, it is crucial for the administration to implement programs that will help retired veterans to cope with civilian demands and hence qualify for recruitment in the job market. While still serving in the military, the US government should not limit them from learning other skills since they participate in the armed forces for a limited time. The paper has shown how most of them lack skills that they can deploy to secure jobs after they retire. Hence, they should be left to learn other skills, which they might use in the future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that the US service men and women face tribulations after they retire from the military service. The paper has specified reasons that bar them from securing jobs, not only from the US labor market, but also from elsewhere around the globe. However, since they do not find themselves in such situations intentionally, the paper has urged the US government to devise appropriate mechanisms that will see these people absorbed in the job market soon after they retire.
Reference List
Ferbaman, J., & Foster, T. (2013). Unemployment among Recent Veterans during the Great Depression. Economic Perspectives, 37(1), 1-13. Web.
Hays, W. (2014). The OFCCP’s New Veterans’ Regulations Fail to Address What Veterans Really Need. Employee Relations Law Journal, 40(1), 31-55. Web.
Obama, B. (2014), How we will Truly Honor our Veterans. Vital Speeches of the Day, 80(10), 320-324. Web.