The document discusses challenges that veterans face when transitioning from military to civilian life. It notes that while veteran unemployment has decreased, it remains higher than the overall civilian rate, particularly for younger veterans and women. The document advocates that organizations should view hiring veterans as an opportunity, as veterans possess valuable skills from their military service like leadership that translate well to the civilian workplace. It also provides information on regulations regarding organizations that contract with the federal government being required to include veterans in their applicant pools.

1. A SOLDIER WITHOUT A UNIFORM:
RECRUITING AND RETAINING TOP-TIER MILITARY TALENT
INTRODUCTION
It is easy to discern a soldier from a civilian – crisp pressed
uniforms, medals, name tags, polished shoes. Once the soldier
is out of their uniform it makes it harder, as most veterans are
outwardly unidentifiable to the overall community.
The U.S. military is one of the most diverse organizations in terms
of representation. When you hire a veteran, you are hiring a
diverse candidate who possesses skills, training and experiences
most civilians do not.
Research by Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Economists
in 2013 found that veterans deployed overseas for
prolonged periods, struggled to find work because of
the traumas of war, as well as training that did not readily
translate into the civilian world. Among post, 9/11 military
veterans, women continued to bear the brunt of high
unemployment, with an 8.5% jobless rate last year - down
from 9.6% in 2013. Unemployment was highest among
the 25-44 age groups. The military is like many Fortune
500 companies, in that most Military Occupation Codes
(MOS’s) performed in the military have transferable skill
sets that mirror the job requisitions your company is
looking to fill.
If your organization has contracts with the federal
government exceeding $10,000 per contract totaling
$50,000+ dollars annually, then this information might
be of particular interest to your talent acquisition team,
as they will be required to provide a diverse slate of
candidates – which includes veterans.
VETERAN UNEMPLOYMENT
While the jobless rate for veterans has decreased from its peak of
12% in 2011, the most current data suggests 7.9% of veterans are
still unemployed, compared to the overall civilian unemployment
rate of 4.3%.
Dan Goldenberg is the Executive Director for the Call of Duty
Endowment, a non-profit, which helps veterans find careers
by supporting groups that prepare them for the job market,
welcomed the improvement. He said, “More work needs to be
done”, citing a 17.3% unemployment rate among male veterans
in the 18-24 age groups. “Post-9/11 veterans are still unemployed
at a rate almost 50% greater than their peers,” said Goldenberg.
Meaningful employment is the cornerstone of a veteran’s success
yet their greatest challenge as they transition into civilian life.
T H E K A L E I D O S C O P E G R O U P
Real People • Real Conversations • Real Issues • Real Change
© The Kaleidoscope Group LLC. All rights reserved. No duplication without written permission of The Kaleidoscope Group LLC.

2. A SOLDIER WITHOUT A UNIFORM:
RECRUITING AND RETAINING TOP-TIER MILITARY TALENT
© The Kaleidoscope Group LLC. All rights reserved. No duplication without written permission of The Kaleidoscope Group LLC.
In 2014, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance
Programs (OFCCP) revised regulations that significantly
impact individuals with disabilities and veterans. The
OFCCP set a hiring benchmark for veterans of 7% per
affirmative action plan and a 7% utilization analysis that
spans all EEO job groups for individuals with disabilities.
Although this piece focuses on veterans, subsequent
articles we will take a deeper dive into the most pressing
challenges for individuals with disabilities. However, make
no mistake, the two intersect and organizations should be
mindful of this fact.
PLACING A VALUE ON HIRING VETERANS
Today’s veterans are among the most skilled and
trained our military have ever produced. To that end
many “transitioning Service Members have leadership
capabilities above and beyond the typical civilian
employee. Value this characteristic and find ways to weave
leadership responsibilities into the civilian position.”
Veterans are highly loyal to an organization, quickly assess
their environment and can make decisions without pause.
Veterans also have a global perspective and embrace the
inclusion of diverse people and thought. Their enduring
dedication to the work makes them well suited for today’s
fast paced corporate environment.
www.dol.gov
CUSTOMIZED SOLUTIONS
Whether your organization has an established veteran and military
recruiting outreach program or is looking to build a sustainable
strategy, The Kaleidoscope Group offers our clients a complete
host of services and tools that enable employers to achieve
success in recruiting and retaining military and veteran talent.
A partial list of services we offer include:
• Build a customized military and veteran Dictionary, MOS
skill set evaluation and guidance documents for recruiters
to understand military rank, structure and culture
• Development of a comprehensive military and veteran
outreach strategy (an end to end solution)
• Collaborate with lines of business to recommend military
and veteran partner matrix
• Development of military partner evaluation tool
• Design and delivery of an HRBP, hiring manager and talent
acquisition training (delivered onsite or virtually)
• Evaluation of HRIS reporting systems, job requirements,
and policies that are tied to program success
• Strategies for launching a veteran Employee Resource
Group (ERG) or Business Resource Group (BRG)
• Military Talent Acquisition training (delivered onsite
or virtually)
Kaleidoscope Group can tailor solutions to meet your
organizational short-and long-term needs. This approach enables
us to maximize impact and build a culture of understanding and
mutuality around military and veteran talent that the organization
will embrace and adopt, ensuring success.
T H E K A L E I D O S C O P E G R O U P
Real People • Real Conversations • Real Issues • Real Change
CONTACT INFORMATION
O: 312.274.9000
E: info@kgdiversity.com