Veteran Employment Toolkit

NRECA| Veteran Hiring Initiative
Serve Our Co-ops
Serve Our Country
Veteran Employment Toolkit
Saida Elkiram
NRECA Human Resources
5/16/2015

2 Veteran Hiring Toolkit
NRECA Human Resources | Veteran Hiring Initiative 2015
Introduction
This toolkit is designed to assist co-ops and educate them about the value that veterans can bring to the
cooperatives workplace, pinpoint helpful tools and outline some important steps to take when including veterans,
transitioning service members, and military spouses in their recruitment and hiring efforts and showcase leading
practices.
This toolkit is intended to help co-ops leverage veteran talents by addressing basic questions: What is the
business case for hiring veterans; what resources are available to assist co-ops with their veteran recruiting
efforts, what are the best practices for attracting, hiring, onboarding and retaining veterans and what is the
leading practice to foster the veteran initiative. Through this toolkit, we choose to list various free to low cost
veteran recruiting resources to make recruiting veterans and tools to help our member cooperatives achieve their
hiring need at lower costs. Some of the resources mentioned in the toolkit include, Department of Veteran Affairs
resources, Department of Labor resources, Military Serving organization, chamber of commerce tools and
resources to recruit military spouses.
Veterans come to the employment table with a package of skills, experience and benefits that not only assist
them in their transition, professional development and in some cases, even their healthcare (at no or very low cost
to their employer) but also provides an employer with an employee that has already been rigorously screened,
trained, and often tested in the most extreme of crucibles imaginable. American Veterans represent the largest
single pool of high-caliber talent available to U.S. employers today. Fortunately, there are a lot of programs that
guide employers to integrate veterans in their workforce; however, this can be an overwhelming and a confusing
process due to the abundance of resources out there. Both veterans and employers find the Veteran sourcing
landscape very confusing space given hundreds of resources to choose from, this toolkit highlights tested and
proven resources based on nationally recognized veteran initiatives findings.
This toolkit will help our co-op members to accelerate their search for veterans and military spouses by jump-
starting a new military- focused recruiting and retention strategy or improve an existing one. Co-ops will learn the
value that veterans and military spouses bring to the workplace and ways to customize their processes in a way
that appeal to military-connected employees.

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NRECA| Veteran Hiring Initiative 2015
Executive Summary
NRECA along with other founding co-ops formed a coalition of cooperatives with the collective goal of
empowering armed forces members in their local communities. Our mission is to provide veterans, transitioning
service members and military spouses with the opportunity to continue the mission of serving their communities
in rural and suburban America. Our strategic priorities include:
 To address our national cooperatives’ workforce challenge, raise public awareness about the advantage
and power of cooperatives and set veterans for success at co-ops.
 To strengthen cooperatives ‘good corporate citizens’ brand and ‘military-friendly’ employers reputation.
 To enhance the viability of our electric cooperative members through providing access to diversified and
tech-savvy workforce.
 To leverage the military skills and expertise to fulfil our mission of empowering rural America.
 To advocate for the veteran initiative cause and enhance women veterans’ employability at co-ops.
 To bring prosperity and positive transformation to our members and their communities.
 Identify ways to improve opportunities for co-ops to hire veterans.
 Identify ways to enhance veteran employment opportunities in suburban and rural America.
 Highlight the coalition and member cooperatives success and challenges.
The coalition founders collectively agreed that the primary goal of the coalition is to hire veterans. Veteran
recruitment and hiring practices are well developed and military skills and experience are highly valued in
founding member cooperatives. In July 2015, NRECA instituted an executive committee formed of seven CEOs
from the following founding co-ops: Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative, Wheat Belt PPD, Pointe Coupee EMC,
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative, United Cooperative Services, Farmers Electric Cooperative and South River
EMC to act as an advisory board of coalition members; provide formal orientation and guidance session for new
local members. CEO-level representatives of all coalition cooperative members pledged to collaboratively increase
employment opportunities for veterans in the co-op network.
The coalition has kept its membership requirements simple. Cooperatives should make a commitment to hire
veterans, report the number of veterans hired on a quarterly basis, attend meetings, and share best practices. Co-
ops are also expected to attend regular in-person meeting to share their experiences and lessons about veteran
employment. The coalition will help its member cooperatives spread best practices in recruiting veterans, share
details about strong candidates and discuss challenges to placing veterans in jobs. Member cooperatives will need
to commit to collecting performance and retention metrics that will prove the perceived value of veteran
employees in order to justify continued investment.

Veterans Opportunity Overview
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 21.2 million
men and women, or 9 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized
population age 18 and over, were veterans in 2014. Other Highlights
from the 2014 data include:
 The unemployment rate for male veterans declined to 5.2% in
2014. The rate for female veterans edged down to 6.0%.
 Among the 573,000 unemployed veterans in 2014, 59% were age
45 and over. 37% were age 25 to 44 and 4% were age 18 to 24.
 In 2014, the unemployment rate of veterans varied by state, ranging from 1.4% in North Dakota to 8.5% in
Maryland.
Veterans often return to their rural areas or to their bases. 40% of those who served in Uniform since 2011 are
from rural areas. Veterans, in general, face challenges that the unemployment ratio does not reveal, including:
culture challenge, issues of increasing demand with the number of veterans seeking jobs and skills translation
from military experience to civilian careers.
On the other hand, our member cooperatives are facing workforce challenges due to the excessive amount of
retirements to be announced in the next 4 to 5 years. Our members are estimating the urgent need to fill out
14,400 jobs in the next 4 to 5 years. This significant portion of cooperatives’ workforce that is approaching
retirement age, with a substantial percentage of employees eligible for retirement, including a high number of co-
ops’ senior executives is leading to a demographic change into the co-ops workforce. Cooperatives changing
workforce demand new ways to serve members, as well as innovative recruitment, retention, and succession
management strategies.
The future of the cooperatives relies on the ability of its people to cooperate and coordinate, to manage
change, to innovate and manage challenges and inspire next generation to drive the cooperative legacy. Bringing
veterans onboard will facilitate achieving those goals and will secure a highly-skilled and performance-driven
recruiting resource for many years to come. In brief, veterans represent a large untapped pool of talent in the
foreseeable future for our members. Indeed, understanding veteran networks will provide cooperatives with
business opportunities in recruitment, collaboration between other cooperatives inter and intra utility industry
that hire and retain veterans and building business relationships.
Veterans often return to rural
areas or to their bases. Nearly
40% of those who served in a
uniform are from rural America.

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Women Veterans
Women veterans are the fastest growing population next to the aging veterans. They represent 10 percent
of the veteran population, approximately 2 million. They equally served in the military but they’re the least served
once they step out of the uniform.
With the number of women Veterans projected to rise in the out-years, ensuring that women Veterans
have access to the programs and services needed to assist them in finding
jobs and maintaining economic stability while unemployed remains a vital
goal. VA, working with federal, state, and non-profit partners, is making a
major effort to connect employers with the large population of women
Veterans who are actively seeking employment and further advancement in
the workforce.
To honor the nation’s commitment to those who have defended our
freedom and liberty and in recognition of the extensive training and
experience gained through service, our coalition is committed to promote women veteran employment. While we
must continue efforts to address the needs of women veterans, we must also ensure women veterans are valued.
Women veterans, who comprise 10 percent of the veteran population, but only 2 percent of all working women in
America, are a critical segment of today’s workforce. Cooperatives
Women veterans are the minorities of both the veteran population and the working women population.
They are also younger, more highly educated, more likely to be of minority status, and more likely to be in the
civilian labor force than male veterans. As such, women veterans are more likely to be in the subpopulations that
have higher unemployment rates, such as veterans currently enrolled in school, those under 35 years old, and
those who served in Gulf War II. For example, in 2014, 11% of women veterans in the labor force between the
ages of 18 and 54 were enrolled in school, as compared to 6% of male veterans in the labor force of the same age
groups. Overall, the unemployment rates for women veterans are trending down, and differences in the annual
average unemployment rate for all women veterans and all women non-veterans was not statistically significant in
2013 or 2014 (6.9% vs. 6.8% and 6% vs. 5.9%, respectively).
Women in rural areas face many challenges while seeking employment including geographical barriers,
limited employment opportunities and lack of childcare resources within respective communities. As part of
cooperatives’ commitment to the community we should play a part in addressing the needs of women veterans
returning to rural environments for employment. Cooperatives should consider forming new partnerships to
engage and educate rural women veterans about cooperatives’ jobs.

The Business Case for Hiring Veterans
All military branches are value-based professional organizations and have articulated sets of core values
including: duty, selfless service, honesty, loyalty, excellence and courage. Those values were emphasized at all
levels of leadership throughout a member’s military career. All Military core values align perfectly with the 7
cooperatives principles and cooperatives values. Besides, cooperatives and military organization are both
voluntary in nature and both appreciate autonomy and independence. Additionally, respect for procedures, care
about community, and strong organizational commitment are equally valued by both military and cooperatives.
Electric cooperatives are constantly experiencing technological changes. The US military, on the other
hand, spends billions of dollars on training their personnel in analytics, information management, computing
architecture, connectivity and control systems with a particular emphasis on cybersecurity skills. This continuous
and highly advanced skills improvement strategy of the US military institution makes military personnel so
accustomed to training on so many levels. As a result, military service members had developed accelerated
learning curve attribute along with adaptability, flexibility and eager to learn new concepts. Those attributes make
veterans valuable candidates for the most challenging cooperative jobs. Other distinguishable attributes and
talents of veterans include:
 Veterans are trained for safety- They have experience operating with valuable and potentially dangerous
equipment and understood safety very well. This is highly critical for co-ops in the utility industry due to its
highly regulated nature with lots of rules to follow. Veterans understand the regulation concept and the
importance of respecting procedures and safety guidelines.
 Veterans are disciplined- They follow processes and operate accordingly which makes them a perfect fit
for co-ops.
 Veterans are mission driven- they are so accustomed to be focused on fulfilling the mission which
matches perfectly the cooperative way of operating.
 Veterans received crisis management and risk management training, which are much needed in the
cooperative business.
 Veterans aren’t afraid of hard work- veterans have the mindset getting the job done no matter what the
task. All cooperatives value employees who have willingness to work hard and stick to the job until it’s
done.
 Veterans aren’t afraid of challenge- Veterans are comfortable working in uncertain contexts and have
demonstrated the ability to adjust and adapt. This attribute makes exceptional at tackling challenges that
co-ops’ tasks can throw at them.

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 Veterans have an amazing ability to work efficiently, effectively and diligently in logistical, high pressure
and fast-paced environments- Veterans have experience coordinating complex systems of inventories,
equipment, supplies, and personnel with precision. They have been in complex situations where they had
to make quick decisions without a lot of information. Those attributes are valuable for cooperatives
especially, in the utility industry, given the dynamic environment in the power plant field.
 Veterans are also used to work irregular schedules and in all types of weather. Given the nature of co-ops’
work, those factors are perceived as expected working conditions. Having employees who can perform
well under those factors is huge for co-ops.
 Veterans usually, depending on their specialty and ranking, receive education, training and distinctive job
experience in mechanical engineering, electrical and civil engineering which makes them utility-job ready.
 An additional benefit of hiring veterans is insuring Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
(OFCCP) and Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) compliance.
Veterans and co-op employees share common qualities such as organizational loyalty and care about
community. Co-ops employees stay longer and they are very committed to their co-ops and their communities.
Military veterans are also very committed and loyal to their organization and their country. Many cooperatives’
employees are also former military and they clearly understand the skill sets veterans can bring to the co-ops.

Why Hire Military Spouses?
Military spouse skills and personal attributes include: dedication, resilience and flexibility. More than 85%
have attended college or completed college level coursework- a higher percentage than the general population.
25% have attained a bachelor’s degree, according to a 2013 Military Spouse Employment Report by Syracuse
University Institute of Veterans and Military Families They volunteer at more than three times the national
average, and they have proven to be more engaged than their civilian counterparts.
Additionally, Military spouses have many hidden skill sets, most of them developed while working without
compensation. Through their volunteer work, spouses consistently take on leadership roles in their communities.
These spouses, manage large staffs, organize complex events, raise substantial amounts of money, and complete
certification classes in order to run their projects more efficiently-some courses resulting in college credits. For
instance, as a Spouse Club officer, a spouse might recruit members, maintain budgets and lead marketing
campaigns.
Military spouses make a good business case for co-ops due to their resiliency, dependability and concern
for their community. Their experience helped them build strength, gave them an appreciation for critical aspects
of life and proved their willingness to put others’ needs before their own. However, they still face challenges to
finding and maintaining a rewarding career due to Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, licensure
constraints, and lack of career enhancing opportunities. The inability of spouses to obtain and retain fulfilling
employment as they relocate with the military compromises the quality of life of military families and the
readiness of the military force. According to the same Report by Syracuse University more than 17% of military
spouses couldn’t find work flexible enough to accommodate their spouse schedule.
Hiring veterans and military spouses will serve the co-ops bottom line and also reflect the social
responsibility of cooperatives and build their goodwill with their members, employees and their communities. Co-
ops should pursue a targeted approach to provide career opportunities for military spouses by providing job
shadowing, and internship opportunities at a minimum to help them understand the co-op business model.

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Military Skills Translation to Civilian Sector
Veterans from each branch of the services will be trained in one or more employment
specialties through their military career, known as Military Occupation Codes (MOCs).
Below are service-specific versions of the MOCs:
 Air Force: Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC)
 Army: Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)
 Marine Corps: Military Occupationally Specialty (MOS)
These MOCs tell us apart of the story of a veteran’s experience and will help
employers understand how they may be valuable in candidate searches.
Military Occupational Specialties
MOS is an abbreviation for Military Occupational Specialty, which depicts the service member’s job specialty.
Examples include: infantry, tanker, medic, public affairs and others. MOS is an abbreviation for Military
Occupational Specialty. Since any individual can obtain multiple job specialties, DMOS is used to identify what
their primary job function is at any given time. (Navy uses Rating).
MOSQ is an abbreviation for Military Occupational Specialty Qualification. An individual is not MOS qualified until
they have completed and passed all required training for that MOS.
Way to Translate Veterans MOCs
Both federal government and private sector have developed web-based educational and occupational skills
translators to assist veterans and employers in better understanding the skills veterans attained during military
service. Below is a list of federal educational and occupational skills translators that veterans and employers can
use for this specific purpose.
 O*Net Online: http://www.onetonline.org/crosswalk/
 Military.com: http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/skills-translator/
 The Dept. of Veteran Affairs: https://mst.vaforvets.va.gov/mst/va/
 Hero 2 Hired H2H: https://h2h.jobs/ (same translator tool engine on https://marinecorpspipeline.com/
and https://usveteranspipeline.com/)
 Hiring Our Heroes: http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes/personal-branding
O*Net Online

Offers a Military to Civilian Crosswalk that may help improve veterans outreach by targeting specific Military
Occupational Classification codes that relates to civilian positions. Simply enter the job title into the military search
section. Most civilian occupations will display a list of the occupational used by the different branches of the
military. Consider including a list of these codes in job announcements as a way to help veterans better
understand the correlation between their military training and the co-ops’ careers available. www.onetonlone
.org/crosswalk/MOC?s=&g=Go
DOL’s My Next Move for Veterans
An electronic tool that converts MOCs into a list of civilian careers, with other relevant integrated data for the user
such as:
 The necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job
 The required education needed to perform the job (if applicable)
 Whether the job has registered apprenticeship programs
 The predicted future opportunities for the job under review average salaries for jobs under review
 A job search tool that interfaces with the largest online bank of jobs
 Related additional careers to the job under review
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Hiring Our Heroes Personal
Branding Resume Engine
The personal branding resume engine is a next-generation online tool designed
specifically for veterans and transitioning Service members. Mush more than a MOS
translator, the Resume Engine captures the totality of veteran’s military experience including military schooling,
class ranks, awards and ribbons, and civilian-friendly description of military specialties.
Example of Electric Job Equivalent
Navy: CE Construction Electrician
Lineman Army: 12P Prime Power Production Specialist with U4 specialization
Marine: 1141 Electrician

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Ways To Prepare Your Co-Op Workforce For Embracing Veterans And Military Spouses
1. Build understanding, awareness and commitment: leverage senior leaders support to demonstrate the
importance of veterans to the organization.
a. Enlist a senior executive to lead the effort.
b. Build core team composed of veterans, managers, and Human Resources.
c. Communicate importance of veterans to the organization.
2. Tie recruiting efforts to sound business strategy to ensure that it is as seen as critical to the business rather
than just a “nice thing to do”.
a. Determine hiring needs, skills desired, target salaries, and desired candidate profiles based on
business needs.
b. Articulate why and to what capacity veterans are critical to your co-op.
c. Develop metrics for tracking recruiting process efficiency and effectiveness (e.g., retention,
performance of hires).
3. Leverage your network of veteran employees and their champions internally and externally to build
knowledge and community in your co-op.
a. Identify current veteran employees and form a company veterans association for socialization and
outreach.
b. Develop relationships with external champions of vets (e.g., TAP) to understand trends and available
services.
4. Develop a compelling reason for veterans to seek employment within your co-op (e.g., develop an employee
value proposition).
a. Educate recruiters and managers about hiring and managing veterans and document best practice.
b. Develop employee value proposition (EVP) tailored to military professionals and the targeted roles
(e.g., veteran-specific benefits, training and employment programs).

Key Factors to Succeed In Attracting, Recruiting and Retaining Veterans
 Brand as a military-ready employer: highlight in your marketing job openings or for discussion during an
interview to indicate that your co-op is not simply military-friendly, but truly military-ready and military-
committed. For instance, the co-op’s main website should contain images and icons indicating military
inclusiveness. Consider the following ideas:
 Establish a separate page devoted to content addressing the military talent job seeker.
 List benefits programs, employee resource groups and activities that signal ongoing
engagement after hire.
 Lay out Job descriptions in an easy-to-follow and correlates MOS to co-ops skills
 Offer, at a minimum, an automatic reply to job seekers that complete online applications.
 Communicate about your commitment to hiring veterans through “Serve our Co-ops, Serve our Country”
Program among all stakeholders and at all levels within your co-op. Enlist your team to use “Serve our Co-
ops, Serve our Country” Program consistent visual elements: colors, logo and group name and use them in
all recruiting and marketing materials.
 Deliver compliance and awareness training: Participate in appropriate training that address the employer’s
legal obligations with respect to military-connected talent. At a minimum, those with managerial or
supervisory responsibility should be trained in compliance with the following federal laws:
 Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA)
 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
 Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA)
 Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA)
 Understand PTSD and TBI to better accommodate veterans with these conditions in the workplace. You
can find basic information on these conditions and accommodation advice by searching under PTSD and
TBI on the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) website at www.askjan.org. In addition, the U.S.
Department of Labor’s America’s Heroes at Work offers training modules for employers, supervisors, and
hiring managers on their website (www.americasheroesatwork.gov) under the “For Employers” tab.
 Serve as a visible advocate in the community: Engaging in community outreach is a beneficial method of
branding and creating awareness that your co-op supports military talent and their families. Look for
organizations that offer opportunities for your co-op’s employees to engage in individual as well as group
activities—at your site or within the community.

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Sourcing Veterans-Where to Find Veterans
There are multiple recruiting resources available most of them are cost free including: federal, government and
non-profit resources. Examples of those resources include:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Veteran Employment Center: Provides Veterans with a career or occupation
assessment tool, military skill translator, and resume builder. This tool
provides employers with direct access to Veteran resumes upon registration.
To establish an account on the eBenefits Employment Center, go to:
www.ebenefits.va.gov.
VA’s Homeless Veteran Supported Employment Program (HVSEP): The HVSEP provides Veterans who are
homeless, formerly homeless, or at-risk for homelessness with vocational assistance, job development and
placement, and ongoing employment support to improve employment outcomes. To inquire about hiring HVSEP
participants, contact VA and ask for either the HVSEP program manager or Compensated Work Therapy (CWT)
manager.
VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program: This program assists Veterans with service-connected
disabilities to prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs. Find out more at www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/index.asp.
Services that may be provided by the VR&E Program include:
 Employment services such as job-training, job-seeking skills, resume development, and other work-
readiness assistance
 On-the-job training (OJT), apprenticeships, and non-paid work experiences
 Assistance finding and keeping a job, including the use of special employer incentives and job
accommodations
 Comprehensive rehabilitation evaluation to determine abilities, skills, and interests for employment
 Vocational counseling and rehabilitation planning for employment services
National Resource Directory (NRD): NRD connects Wounded Warriors, Service members, Veterans, and their
families with those who support them. The objective of the website is to provide access to services at the
National, state, and local levels to support recovery, rehabilitation, and community reintegration.

U.S Chamber of Commerce Foundation
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation – Hiring Our Heroes: Hiring Our Heroes
is a nationwide initiative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation launched
in March 2011 to help Veterans, transitioning Service members, and military
spouses find meaningful employment. Cooperatives can best use Hiring Our
Heroes resources through the Employer Roadmap, at
www.EmployerRoadmap.com.
Hiring Our Heroes - Job Fairs: Find information on Hiring Our Heroes upcoming job fairs by visiting
www.hiringourheroes.org.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes - Fast Track: Hiring Our Heroes and the Institute for Veterans and
Military Families at Syracuse University created Fast Track initiative to guide Veterans and transitioning service
members in making informed decisions about education and employment opportunities. Through Fast Track, Hiring
Our Heroes is looking to partner with employers who are committed to hiring Veterans. Cooperatives can post
opportunities for Veterans through Fast Track by visiting www.hiringourheroes.org/fasttrack.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring- mobile app: Hiring our Heroes mobile app is a one-stop
shop developed to help Veterans, transitioning Service members, and military spouses searching for employment.
This app gathers all of the program’s resources in one free, easy-to-use tool – enabling employers, military
members, and their families to access the free resources Hiring Our Heroes offers on virtually all mobile devices.
Department of Labor (DOL)
CareerOneStop: CareerOneStop is a DOL-sponsored employment information tool designed to help job seekers,
students, businesses, and career professionals. CareerOneStop includes a Veterans Re- Employment Portal that
provides information on employment, training, and financial assistance after military service. The website includes a
military-to-civilian job search tool where Veterans and Service members can search for jobs based on the skills and
experiences they gained in the military. To post jobs on careerOneStop go to www.careeronestop.org/vets.
American Job Centers (AJCs): The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) sponsors nearly 2,600 AJCs throughout the
Nation. Local AJC has staff and services available to help hire, train, and retain Veterans, as well as deal with any
workplace issues. Through each AJC, DOL’s Gold Card initiative provides unemployed Post-9/11 era Veterans with
the intensive and follow-up services they need to succeed in today's job market. Find the nearest AJC by visiting
www.servicelocator.org.

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Department of Defense (DoD)
Warrior Transition Command: Cooperatives can help severely wounded Veterans who have separated from the
Army and are ready to transition to the civilian workforce. Find out more at
www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/eei_for_employers.html.
Official Wounded Warrior Programs: Official Wounded Warrior Programs are sponsored by military service
branches. In general, each provides individualized support, assistance, and advocacy for severely wounded, ill and
injured service members, Veterans, and their families regardless of their military status or location, typically for as
long as it takes. Each program can connect cooperatives with wounded Service members, Veterans, or spouses
looking for employment.
Official Wounded Warrior Programs (email | phone)
Branch Email Phone
Army AW2careerprogram@conus.army.mil (877) 393-9058
Air Force afwounded.warrior@randolph.af.mil (800) 581-9437
Navy | Coast Guards afeharbor@navy.mil (877) 746-8563
Marines wwrtransition@usmc.mil (877) 4USMCWW (487-6299)
Veteran Service Organizations
Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs), together with state, county and local Veteran service representatives, help
Veterans and their families understand and navigate Veteran-focused programs free of charge. Veteran Service
Organizations serve as strong advocates and avenues for Veterans seeking employment and employers seeking
Veterans. To locate Veteran service partners, visit: www.va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation/index.asp
Some of the most prominent examples are:
 The American Legion
 Student Veterans of America (SVA)
 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
 American Veterans (AMVETS)
 Disabled American Veterans (DVA)
 Women Academy
 Women Veterans of America
 Blue Star Families

Other Resources
The Army Partnership for Youth Success Program (PaYS)
The program gives new soldiers the opportunity to select a job with a PaYS partner during the time of
enlistment. After the position has been selected, a Statement of Understanding is signed, and the PaYS
employer/partner promises to interview the returning solider, as long as he or she receives an honorable
discharge, is otherwise qualified, and a job vacancy exists.
Social Media Approaches
Reach out to military-connected talent using social networking sites, some of which have military-related
groups that employers can join. For instance:
 America's Heroes at Work LinkedIn group (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1842767)
 The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and TBI Twitter feed
(http://twitter.com/dcoepage)
 National Resource Directory Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/NationalResourceDirectory
Other examples of military related groups social sites include:
• Armedzilla
• Milicruit
• Plaxo
• Foursquare
• MySpace
• MyLife
Resources for Recruiting Military Spouses
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Hiring our Heroes Job Fairs and Networking for Spouses
Hiring our Heroes Military spouses Employment Program hosts 20 fairs exclusively for military installations each
year. The fairs feature spouse-focused employers and workshops that are geared toward spouses’ unique
challenges.
The Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP):
MESP is part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s broader Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO)
initiative, which seeks to strengthen the education and career opportunities. MSEP, a targeted recruitment and
employment solution, creates employment connections that provide companies with direct access to military
spouses seeking career opportunities and spouses with direct access to employers who are actively recruiting.
MSEP currently has more than 200 partners, who have hired over 50,000 military spouses.

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Developing a Pipeline of Attractive Military Candidates
Developing a talented pipeline involves several key steps including: build a recruiting
strategy, Find and attract a pool of candidates, Hire most qualified candidates, onboard new
hires, and Retain high performing veterans.
Build a Recruiting Strategy
1. Evaluate Various Recruiting Channels
 Evaluate channels based on recruiting needs, desired skills and capabilities, effectiveness of reaching
target veterans, and cost efficiency.
2. Develop Marketing Materials
 Create fliers, pamphlets, job descriptions, and other media articulating the veteran employee value
proposition EVP
 Tailor media to recruiting channels and desired roles.
3. Assess Effectiveness Of Recruiting Channels
 Develop metrics for candidates reached, rate of hire, retention and resources required (e.g., costs,
recruiting staff time…) to evaluate channel success.
4. Adjust Mix Of Recruiting Channels
 Apply assessment of recruiting channels to adjust channel usage to better meet the business goals
and recruiting needs of your co-op.
5. Document Best Practices
 Create documentation of channel success and failure.
 Aggregate knowledge of veteran backgrounds (e.g., use” cheat sheets” of military roles and awards )
Build
Recruit
Hire
Retain

Recruit Veterans
The Best Sourcing Channels to develop a Pipeline of Candidate
 Military Assistance Groups
Leverage organizations aimed at helping
service members find jobs in the civilian
workforce. Examples include Employer
Partnership of the armed forces, Employer
Support of the Guard and Reserve. Check
out the guide for those organizations
nationwide at
www.military.com/spouse/military-
life/military-resources/military-and-veteran-
associations.html.
Action Steps
o Provide recruiting materials to
veteran servicing organizations.
o Utilize groups’ existing networks and
recruiting experts.
o Leverage key veterans’ organizations
(e.g., Association of the United
States Army (AUSA)).
o Obtain additional support from local
veteran’s Affairs Office.
 TAP or Family Service Centers:
Utilize programs providing transitional
assistance and counseling to service
members and families. Example DoL
program, Soldier for Life program, VA
program: TAP= Transition Assistance
Program.
Action Steps
o Provide recruiting materials to
TAP/FSCs. (FSCs= family Service
centers)
o Set up co-op specific job fairs on
base.
o Identify opportunities for
mentorship and interview training
for military personnel.
 Job Fairs
Attending existing fairs to reach large pool of
candidates. Establish cooperatives fairs on
base through leveraging TAP. Information
about Job Fairs can be founded at
Military.com or at the New York Times
website.
Action Steps
o Inquire about upcoming job fairs at
local Veteran’s Affairs office or
Chamber of Commerce.
o Consider Troops to energy platform
to recruit veterans specific interests
and capabilities.
Build
Recruit
Hire
Retain

NRECA| Veteran Hiring Initiative
 Media/Job Boards
Deliver messages via internet and external
channels to reach mass audiences and
facilitate candidate screening and outreach.
Action Steps
o Identify and use key job platforms
(e.g., GI Jobs, Monster)
o Build military-specific job portal on
your co-op site.
o Develop social media presence.
o Utilize print advertising (e.g., in
military publications.)
 Recruiting Firms
This option is good for finding candidates for
specific positions required advanced
experience or capabilities quickly (e.g.
LUCASGROUP, BRADLEY-MORRIS)
Action Steps
o Schedule a consultation with
recruiters to assess service
requirements.
o Attend “hiring conferences” crafted
by recruiting firms to meet
prescreened candidates.
 Referral Programs
Through this option you can reach two goals:
acquire high-quality candidates at low cost
and facilitate spread of co-op job
opportunities to veterans.
Action Steps
o Leverage employees to develop
contacts with specific units.
o Leverage internal veterans to spread
cooperative information to service
members.
o Identify top performers through
current veteran employees.

The Best Practices of Recruiting Veterans
 Involve leadership and get senior-level leadership to drive the
veteran recruitment initiative, educate and empower
managers to hire veterans and provide career growth
opportunities.
 Leverage veteran referral opportunities by engaging existing veteran employees, and asking them to
disseminate employment information to veteran networks.
 Attend Chamber events, which include specialized jobs at particular locations, and which provide significant
pre-event preparation for veterans to effectively seek meaningful employment.
 Educate your current workforce about military culture and service. Have your staff discuss the business
case of hiring veterans and determine military skills that work best with your business needs.
 Leverage collaboration and networking with other co-ops. In situations when you are unable to provide a
service member or a military spouse with a position, you can send the applicant’s resume to all
cooperatives in the network, to identify the right opportunity.
 Create a military specific recruitment website where you can post jobs for veterans, internship
opportunities, training programs, schedules of career fairs your co-op will be attending, veteran
community events, as well as advice on resume building, interview tips and tips for veterans thinking
about career transition into cooperatives, you can also use multiple portals and venues for your
recruitment efforts with some overlap among your sites. The goal of these multiple portals is to reach
different veterans, military families, and co-ops in slightly different ways.
 Connect with energy industry specific initiatives: Troops to Energy a pilot program developed by Dominion
Resources Inc. Troops to energy jobs program is part of the National Center for Energy Workforce
Development (CEWD) and has a mission to link thousands of future job openings in the energy industry
with troops leaving military service. Through a partnership of energy industry companies, their
associations, unions, the military, and institutions of higher education, the program combines outreach,
recruiting, education, assistance with skills transfer, training, and career coaching and mentoring they
create a roadmap for entry into skilled utility and engineering positions in the energy industry.

21
 Use social media to further recruiting efforts: LinkedIn and Facebook, include discussions around military
and veteran experiences, open positions, mentoring, and more.
 Hire veterans as HR recruiters to lead the efforts to recruit high-potential candidates transitioning from
military service to co-op world.
 Assign the co-op’s human resources team to stay up-to-date and informed as to state specific policies,
programs, and initiatives focused on licensing and certification programs impacting veterans–particularly
as those initiatives relate to work-roles in demand at the co-ops.
 Create awareness of employment opportunities targeted to military members, prior to separation, to
encourage job applications from candidates with a good potential employment fit. A good option will be
to participate in TAP-Transition Assistance Program- workshops to access transitioning service members.
 Update current outreach, education and communication to meet gender-specific needs when considering
women veterans for the cooperatives jobs. Revise the program elements to fit the needs of rural areas.
 Consider redesigning jobs and expanding telecommuting opportunities to employ highly skilled rural
women veterans.
 Form new partnerships to engage and educate other cooperatives from different industries about the
value that women veteran can bring to the co-op workplace.

Hire Veterans
1. Reading the Resume
 Translate military skills and experiences to the co-ops work roles. If
unclear, leverage veteran network.
 Look for evidence of distinctive leadership, teamwork, and problem-
solving within military service.
 Avoid passing judgment on candidate too quickly without understanding military background.
 Provide resume screeners with additional time to review resumes to avoid quick judgment given lack
of familiarity with military experience.
2. Interviewing Veterans
 Provide opportunities for coaching from current veteran employees before the interview.
 Develop profile of key capabilities from service for interviewers to leverage during the interview.
 Encourage candidates to “sell themselves” – veterans tend to emphasize only their team’s
accomplishments.
 Avoid questions related to their combat experiences, wounds, or mental health.
3. Selling the Cooperative
 Based on the veteran EVP, provide materials describing the benefits, opportunities, and support
available to veterans during the interview and online.
 Encourage employee veterans’ association/ Network to reach out to candidates or new hires with
information and advice.
Reading Veteran Resumes Best Practices
Translate Experience to the cooperative World
 Leverage key resources for translating military roles via military classification codes (e.g., MOS). Over 80%
of roles have direct civilian equivalents; however, such classifications may not reflect the candidate’s full
skill-set or preferences and thus you should confirm responsibilities with the candidate.
Build
Recruit
Hire
Retain

23
 Develop a profile of key skills and capabilities acquired from service applicable to the role. This should be
a list of core capabilities or a scorecard of desired skills matched to the evidence suggesting such
capabilities.
 Focus on evidence of successful teamwork. Even more than in the private sector, success in the military
requires thriving in teams.
Look for Indicators of Distinction
 Seek candidates that excelled while in the military. Potential evidence of distinction on the resume include
awards, positions given only to high-performers, and terms (e.g., meritorious promotion) indicating quick
hierarchal progression.
 Leverage internal veteran employees to understand different awards, distinctions, roles, and pay grades
cited on the resume.
Avoid Passing Judgment without Understanding
 Do not mistake “military speak” for poor communication skills. In the military, the ability to communicate
quickly and efficiently in their language literally saves lives.
 Avoid confusing a lack of industry experience with a lack of the necessary capabilities or ability to learn
required skills.
 Ask a second person to read each resume to ensure candidate is being given proper consideration and is
not at risk of discrimination; if possible, have one of the reviewers be someone with a military
background.
Interviewing Veterans Best practices
Before the interview:
 Provide interview coaching for candidates by phone or on-base, particularly by veteran employees
 Study candidate’s skill profile/scorecard to determine which experiences and capabilities (strengths and
weaknesses) to further explore during interview
 Hold at least two interviews for each candidate. If possible, a veteran employee should conduct one
interview to provide insider military perspective; the other should be completed by non-veteran employee
to prevent bias

During The interview
 Prompt candidate to “speak freely”. Service members may have hard time “selling themselves” due to
military emphasis on team (not individual) accomplishments
 Recognize formal military communication style may cause candidate to appear cold or distant, and
erroneously suggest poor social skills
 Avoid questions that violate candidate’s privacy or may make candidate feel uncomfortable. These include
questions about:
– Combat experience or mental health (e.g., “Did you see any action out there?”)
– Upcoming service requirements (note that it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of a
candidate’s membership in the Guard or Reserve)
After the Interview
 Revise candidates skill profile based on input received from interviewers
 Leverage internal veterans to understand accomplishments, job progression, or commendations
mentioned during interview
 Ask for feedback from interview panel on the process and make improvements
 Document best practice to ensure that organizational learning is captured (e.g., what types of military
roles translate to successful candidates, which questions enable the organization to best assess veteran
skills)
Examples Of Questions To Ask Or Avoid During The Interview:
Do Ask:
 "Tell me about the type of training and
education you received while in the
military."
 "Were you involved in day-to-day
management of personnel and/or supplies?
How many people did you supervise?
 If you managed resources such as supplies,
inventory and/or equipment, what was the
net worth of these resources?
Do Not Ask:
 "What type of discharge did you receive?"
 "I notice that you're in the National
Guard...are you going to be called up for
duty anytime soon?"
 "Did you see any action over there?"
 "Did you lose your arm getting hit by an
IED?"
 "Have you seen a psychiatrist since you've
been back?"
 “Where were you deployed?”

25
Onboard Veterans
Consider the following Strategies to ensure successful onboarding of
Veterans:
1. Welcoming:
 For new hires, emphasize how their military service
makes them a perfect fit for your co-op.
 For current employees, communicate the unique skills
and capabilities veterans bring to the workplace.
2. Orienting
 Describe cultural norms and how they may differ from military (e.g., reduced formality).
 Educate veterans about the 7 principles of cooperatives, cooperative values, cooperative business
Model and co-op culture.
 Clearly communicate importance of their responsibilities to your co-op’s performance
expectations, and promotion policies and timelines.
 Outline formal and informal reporting lines to provide veterans with a sense of hierarchy and
structure.
3. Accommodating
 Assist veteran’s understanding and navigation of your co-op’s cultural norms.
 Understand any communicated special needs required for disabled veterans.
 Educate managers and staff about misconceptions about veterans, PTSD (Post Traumatic
stress Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury).
 For active Guard and Reserve, involve employees’ military supervisors to receive advance
notice of duty commitments.
4. Network Building
 Assign each veteran (or group of veterans) a formal mentor or “buddy” that is a veteran or
active service member.
 Engage the employee veterans’ association to host a welcome event for new veterans to help
socialize new employees.

Best Practices for Onboarding Veterans
 Educate new hires about co-op values, principles, policies and
procedures. Give them a thorough orientation designed to help them
to fit in easily and quickly, and to immediately contribute to your co-
op.
 Focus on benefits related to veterans’ wellbeing and their family. Highlight such benefits at the time of
hire, and continue throughout their tenure.
 Offer skills training programs for new hires or to help prospective applicants for jobs. Some veterans may
need additional skills training to round out their skill sets or to refresh existing skills. Many co-ops already
offer training programs to other employees and can extend such programs to include veterans.
 Hiring managers are responsible for communicating expectations to the new veteran employee. It’s
helpful to provide a written plan detailing objectives and related tasks. Discussion should ensure the
veteran understands how their responsibilities support the mission and vision of the organization.
 At the end of day one, the manager should have a brief informal check-in with the new
employee. This simple act demonstrates they care
 After one week on the job, it’s beneficial to have another check-in. This is the manager’s
opportunity to assess what the new hire has learned, whether they’re starting to feel
comfortable in their new role, and whether the employee needs any additional assistance.
 At the 30-Day benchmark, the new hire should be fully acclimated and acquainted with their
job responsibilities. Discussion should focus on accomplishment of short-term goals and laying
the groundwork for longer-term objectives.
 At the 90-Day benchmark, the new hire should have a thorough understanding of what needs
to be done and be well on their way to achieving results. Providing the individual feedback on
their contributions, strengths and areas for improvement goes a long way in retaining the
employee.
 At the 120-Day benchmark, it’s helpful for the manager to conduct a full review of the
employee’s goals and progress.

27
Build
Recruit
Hire
Retain
Retain Veterans
To reduce Turnover and promote high performance, cooperatives should take action
to retain veterans and help them excel:
Increase the Visibility of Veterans Employees within The co-op
 Place veterans in training and coaching positions.
 Leverage internal communication to highlight experience and
accomplishments of veterans.
 Expose veterans to a variety of roles or functions in the co-op (e.g., rotational management programs).
 Provide veterans with non-veteran sponsors within your co-op to provide greater exposure.
Provide Benefits and Flexibility Programs for Vets
 Support veterans and families through military service obligations with tailored benefits programs,
 Financial assistance: gap salaries, payment of insurance premiums, relocation assistance
 Workplace flexibility: job return guarantees, extra vacation time or sick leave, family usage of
employer facilities (e.g., daycare, fitness centers)
 Provide a summary of these benefits to employees through internal veterans’ network or an online
portal
Facilitate Ongoing Development
 Advise veterans on steps for translating military skills into civilian licensing/certifications.
 Encourage employees to utilize Veteran’s Affairs and the G.I. Bill (e.g., VA work-study program).
Build Community
 Create an internal veterans network to build community.
 Ensure veteran mentor relationships continue.

Leading Practice for Retaining Veterans
 Encourage veterans’ self-identification. Examples of self-
identification incentives for tracking purposes include:
 Social events & cocktail hours specific to veterans to
recognize and honor their service. During these events,
computers should be available so that veterans can
physically update the employee database and self-
identify.
 Develop a challenge or company coin and make the announcement to the top management level
that a veteran is getting a coin, which is given by the CEO as means of recognizing and honoring
veterans companywide. This incentivizes other veterans to self-identify.
 Send a message to identified veterans and ask them if they know any other veterans who have not
self-identified and to help with that effort.
 Consider building an internal veteran network to provide mentoring, networking, socializing and
professional development opportunities. The veterans networking group attracts veterans who
usually do not come to veteran-specific events.
 Create a veteran wall to honor veterans within the company.
 Invite veterans to a social event with their top management.
 Adopt a “veteran-loving culture”. For example, you can place flags and appreciation letters on
each veteran’s desk, which reinforces positive recognition of veterans in the workplace and
motivates other veterans to self-identify.
 Pay attention to employees’ personal needs and offer more flexibility where possible. Consider offering
telecommuting, compressed schedules or onsite or back-up daycare when required.
 Enhance veteran employee engagement with non-veteran employees to help veterans form organizational
attachments and engender loyalty.
 Consider being a member of the Army Spouse Employment Partnership (ASEP) to help military spouses
reach their full potential and realize their career goals by making available meaningful and rewarding
employment opportunities.

29
 Form a military assistance group. Many companies cite these groups as best practice for employers
recruiting veterans and active service members.
 Provide a vision for the future, and help the veteran understand where they fit within the firm.
 Create mentoring opportunities to help veterans identify marketable job skills they have developed in the
military, assist them in search for utility jobs that require their most advanced skills.
 Leverage existing veteran employees in a mentorship role. These individuals uniquely understand the
socialization challenges facing new veteran hires.
 Leverage internship and apprenticeship opportunities. Training and experience programs targeted to
veterans provide opportunities to veterans to enhance their skills. Creating internships may enable
cooperatives to enhance the training and preparation of these veterans and position them for qualified
applicants.
 Recognize the mobility issues that some veterans and military families face and offer flexibility, work
accommodations, and additional training.
 Consider facilitating opportunities of talents’ movement between co-ops across the country, especially in
cases of reassignment of duty stations, retirement, or separation, depending on co-ops and jobs
availability.
 Support employees with ongoing military service through assisting with maintaining their skills that are
relevant in both civilian and military settings, facilitating easier transitions between military and civilian
responsibilities, and offering support with maintaining two careers, along with a personal and family life.
 Foster a veteran-engaged culture within the cooperative, through programs and ceremonies that
recognize the contributions of veterans and their families to the organization.
 Reflect on awards, recognition, and praise to maintain a committed veteran workforce. Symbols, artifacts,
and ceremony are the means through which the military engenders organizational commitment.

Final Recommendations for Recruiting, Hiring, Onboarding and Retaining Veterans
 Make it easier for veterans to find cooperatives’ jobs and to translate their skills and training.
 Accelerate the time it takes veterans to earn required credentials or certificate through providing or
partnering with workforce development agencies to access fast-track job training programs.
 Provide full value for military training and experience when hiring. Prepare the workplace and embrace a
military-friendly environment within the co-op.
 Increase the number of veterans who are recruited, hired, and retained.
 Reflect on your onboarding strategies and consider adding a few new elements that conveys to veteran-
specific actions.
 Create a culturally sensitive new-hire orientation and expand EAP to veterans’ needs and concerns.
 Encourage the culture of peer mentorship within your co-op.
 Practice veteran appreciation and place a value on the military service.
 Develop philanthropic opportunities based on financial and non-financial (in-kind) support. Programs of
support may focus on community integration, employment preparedness, volunteer services, education,
housing, transportation or health care
 Understand key issues for veterans in each of your philanthropic activities. For instance you if your
philanthropic focus is on youth, create veteran opportunities for veterans to mentor and engage with
youth.
 Look for opportunities to volunteer with military-related community service organizations or non-profit
groups in your area.
 Leverage multiple communication channels, including communicating with veteran serving organizations
to create awareness.
 Use social media to establish groups that discuss military and veteran experiences, open positions,
mentoring, and encourage building a veteran community in your co-op.

31
Appendix-A: Training Programs for Veterans to Get Ready for Energy Jobs
 USERRA: Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
 ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
 VEVRAA: The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA)
USERRA
Protects civilian job rights and benefits for veterans
and members of the active and Reserve components
of the U.S. armed forces. USERRA provides that
returning service-members must be promptly
reemployed in the same position that they would
have attained had they not been absent for military
service, with the same seniority, status and pay, as
well as other rights and benefits determined by
seniority.
ADA
Prohibits employment discrimination against people
with disabilities and mandates that employers make
appropriate and reasonable accommodations for
employees with disabilities. The ADA defines
accommodation as any enabling change to a work
environment that allows a qualified person with a
disability to apply for or perform a job, as well as any
alteration that ensures equal employment rights and
privileges for employees with disabilities.
VEVRAA
Requires employers doing business with the federal
government to take affirmative action to recruit, hire
and promote categories of veterans covered by the
law, including disabled veterans and recently
separated veterans (i.e., still within the three-year
period beginning from the date of discharge or
release from active duty). Under VEVRAA, it is also
illegal for these federal contractors and
subcontractors to discriminate against protected
veterans when making employment decisions on
hiring, firing, pay, benefits, job assignments,
promotions, layoffs, training and other employment
related activities. In addition, VEVRAA requires
contractors and subcontractors to list their
employment openings with the appropriate
employment service delivery system, and that
covered veterans receive priority in referral to such
openings. Further, VEVRAA requires federal
contractors and subcontractors to compile and
submit annually a report on the number of current
employees who are covered veterans. The
affirmative action and mandatory job-listing
provisions of VEVRAA are enforced by the
Employment Standards Administration's Office of
Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
within the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). DOL’s
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS)
administers the veterans’ employment reporting
requirement (VETS-100 Report).
 Protected Categories:
Disabled veteran
Recently separated veteran
Active duty wartime or campaign badge
veteran
Armed Forces service medal veteran

Appendix B – State Tax Incentives for Hiring Veterans
Each state provides different incentives ranging from grants to tax credits. For a detailed description of incentives
that Military friendly states are providing to enhance the employment of veterans within their soil.
Alabama: Heroes for Hire Income Tax Credit –
Provides a $1,000 tax credit for job creation to
employers who hire recently deployed, and now
discharged, unemployed veterans. The credit also
creates up to $2,000 nonrefundable income tax
credit to recently deployed, and now discharged,
unemployed veterans who hold at least 50 percent
ownership interest in a start-up business.
Alaska: Veteran Tax Credit – Provides $3,000 for a
disabled veteran and $2,000 for a veteran who is
not disabled. The veteran must have been
unemployed for more than four weeks and have
been discharged or released from military service
less than 10 years before the date employment
begins for a veteran who is disabled; or less than
two years before the date employment begins for a
veteran who is not disabled. The veteran must also
be employed in the state for 1,560 hours or more
during 12 consecutive months immediately
following the date the veteran is first employed.
For a veteran employed in the state for 500 hours
or more in a seasonal position during the three
consecutive months immediately following the date
the veteran is first employed by an employer in a
seasonal position, a $1,000 credit is available.
Arizona: Provides a one-time state income tax
credit of up to $2,000 for every unemployed
veteran employers hire, with a $4,000 credit for a
disabled veteran. Source
California: California Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program
– Provides a payroll tax credit for employers located
within boundaries of a defined Enterprise Zone
within a given state. Businesses can reduce state
taxes by a portion of wages paid to employees for
up to five years.
Delaware: Veteran’s Opportunity Tax Credit –
Offers employers the ability to receive $1,500 for
each veteran hired for three years. The hiring must
take place between Jan. 1, 2012 and Jan. 1, 2016.
The veteran must have received an Afghanistan
Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, or the
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
Florida: Florida Veterans Employment Act – Allows
a business to qualify for a one-time corporate
income tax credit of $5,000 for each veteran the
business hires. A business may qualify for an
additional one-time $5,000 corporate income tax
credit for hiring a veteran with a service-connected
disability. The credit will expire June 30, 2019.
Illinois: Veteran’s Tax Credit – Employers can earn
an income tax credit up to $5,000 annually for hiring
veterans or Operation Enduring Freedom, or
Operation Iraqi Freedom. The credit is 20 percent of
the total wages paid up to $5,000 to every qualified
veteran hired after July 1, 2012. Employers can also
earn an income tax credit up to $1,200 annually for
hiring veterans of Operation Desert Storm,
Operation Enduring Freedom, or Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The credit is 10 percent of the total wages
paid to every qualified veteran hired after Jan. 1,
2010. Veterans must work at least 185 days during

33
the tax year for the employer to qualify for the
Veteran’s Tax Credit.
Missouri: Show-Me Heroes On-the-Job-Training –
Reimburses employers 50 percent of wages up to
1,040 hours while the veteran is being trained to
offset the cost of onboarding.
New Mexico: Veteran Employment Tax Credit –
Provides up to $1,000 to businesses each time they
hire a veteran who has recently been discharged
from the military.
New York: Hire-A-Vet Credit –Businesses may earn
up to $5,000 for hiring a qualified veteran, and up
to $15,000 for hiring one who is disabled. It is a one-
time credit applied against the 2015 and 2016
franchise tax years; any credit not used by an
employer can be carried over for three years.
Businesses must employ a qualified veteran no less
than 35 hours per week for one full year. Qualified
veterans must attest that they were not employed
for 35 or more hours in the previous 180 days. A
qualified veteran is someone who served on active
duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, USMC, Coast
Guard, Reserves, National Guard, NY Guard or NY
Naval Militia and was released from active duty by
general or honorable discharge after September 11,
2001.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program –
Provides up to six percent rebate if at least 10
percent of new payroll is comprised of qualified
military veterans.
Utah: Veteran Employment Tax Credit – A non-
refundable monthly credit of $200 (year maximum
of $2,400) in the first year, and $400 monthly credit
(year maximum of $4,800) in the second year is
available to employers who hire a qualified recently
deployed veteran on or after January 1, 2012
Vermont: Tax Credit for Hiring a Veteran with
Recent Military Service – Provides up to $2,000 for
hiring a recently transitioned Vermont veteran.
Washington: Tax credits are provided to businesses
that provide full-time jobs to qualified military
veterans who have been unemployed for at least 30
days. The credit is equal to 20 percent of the wages
and benefits paid up to $1,500. The measure will go
into effect on Oct. 1, 2016. Source
West Virginia: Military Incentive Credit – Provides
30 percent of the first $5,000 of compensation paid
to a veteran. If the veteran was a member of the
reserve or WV National Guard, the credit equals 25
percent of the first $5,000 of compensation. The
credit equals the percentage of disability suffered
by the veteran, multiplied by the first $5,000 of
compensation.

Appendix C- Military Culture
Ranks and Paygrades
Understanding the personnel structure of the
armed forces will help with the interview process
and translating the experience of a military
member.
ENLISTED MEMBERS (E) - perform jobs specific to
their particular job specialty and as seniority
increases they become both technical experts and
leaders/managers. (Paygrades of E-1 (most junior)
to E-9 (most senior) are common to all five
branches although titles of rank are different). Non-
Commissioned Officers (NCO) are the experienced
enlisted personnel. They usually obtain their
position of authority by promotion from the lower
ranks and can be E-4 Corporals to E-9.
Warrant Officers (WO) - are the top technical
experts in their primary specialty. These members
have many years of experience and are selected by
a commander to become a warrant officer. Warrant
officers are a highly skilled, single-track specialty.
(Paygrades W-1 through W-5).
Commissioned Officers (O) - are leadership and
management generalists. A bachelor’s degree is
required prior to entry into the military.
Additionally, Commissioned Officers receive training
specific to their job specialty/career path (Infantry
Officer, Pilot, Submarine Officer, etc.).
Commissioned Officers serve in the military’s top
leadership positions. (Paygrades O-1 to O-10)
Military Status
Active – currently serving full-time in any branch in
the military Reserve – citizens combine a military
role or career with a civilian career
Discharged – service member who has left the
service and has no further obligation.
Separated – a person who left active duty, but has
not necessarily left the service entirely. Separation
typically occurs when someone reaches the date of
their Expiration of Term of Service (ETS) and is
released from active duty, but still must complete
their total eight year military service obligation. The
service member will serve their remaining military
service obligation on reserve status.
Retired – regular retirement eligibility begins after a
contribution of 20 years or more. Many military are
looking to start a second career.
Military Benefits
Military benefits that extend beyond pay and
allowances range from complete health care to
discounted grocery shopping at the commissary or
exchange, which average about 30% below civilian
costs off base.
A recent review of active duty military benefits
noted that when comparing the types of benefits
offered by the military with those offered in the
private sector, all the core benefits offered by most
private sector firms - retirement pay, health care,
life insurance, and paid time off are offered by the
military.
Military Compensation
All service member base pay is calculated by
rank/rate and tenure. One of the differentiating
factors in military pay is that it has both a taxable
and tax exempt component.

35
 Base Pay Compensation is based on:
 Pay grade (e.g., “O-3” is the third pay grade
level for an officer)
 Time in service (e.g., 7 years of total service)
 Dependency status (e.g., married or single)
 Geographic duty location
Taxable Income:
 Base pay COLA (Cost of Living Allowance)
 Bonuses (e.g., Aviation continuation pay)
 Special (e.g., Hazardous duty incentive pay)
 Other allowances
Culture Comparison- Military vs. Co-op
Cultural Aspect Military My Co-op
Purpose of the Organization Service to country, willing to
give life for country
Recruitment – How are
members recruited?
Must meet stringent medical,
physical and background
requirements
Onboarding – How are new
members brought into the
organization?
Basic training to learn the
culture, Armed Services
Vocational Aptitude Battery
(ASVAB) to determine
specialized training
Training and Development –
What type of training and
development is provided to
members?
Coaching and feedback part of
military education process.
Training and career
progressions intertwined,
frequent reassignments to
include physical moves some
times to foreign locations.
Trained before next role, Time
in grade progression
Benefits and compensation –
What benefits are provided
and how is compensation
determined?
Full medical and dental,
dependents included,
retirement only after 20 years,
pay not high, increases over
time
Reward & Recognition – How
are members recognized and
rewarded?
Constant feedback, rank,
medals, time and grade.
Recognition often and given in
front of peers
Exiting the organization –
What are some reasons
members leave? How does the
organization prepare members
to leave?
Frequent moves, desire to
make more money, family
considerations, drawdown,
retirement, dishonorable
discharge, Transition
Assistance Programs

Bibliography
Guide To Leading Practices And Resources Supporting The Employment Of Veterans And
Military Families. (2012). Manuscript submitted for publication, Institute for Veterans and
Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, Retrieved from
http://vets.syr.edu/employment/employer-resources/
White House Business Council (2012). Guide to Hiring Veterans. White House Business Council.
Retrieved from
http://www.whitehouse.gov/site/default/files/docs/white_house_business_council_-
_guide_to_hiring_veterans_0.pdf.
Curtis, S. (2012). Support from Behind the Line: 10 Steps to Becoming a Military-ready
Employer. SHRM. Alexandria: Va. retrieved from
http://www.shrm.org/TemplatesTools/Toolkits/Documents/12-
0177%20Behind_the_Lines_Toolkit_FNL.pdf
America’s Heroes at Work Veterans Hiring Toolkit. Retrieved from
http://www.americasheroesatwork.gov/forEmployers/HiringToolkit/
The Business Case for Hiring A Veteran; Beyond The Clichés. (2012, March 5). Retrieved from
http://vets.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/The-Business-Case-for-Hiring-a-Veteran-3-6-
124.pdf

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