With Hope and Dedication to Those Who Serve

Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder and president of Give an Hour™

Special to Veterans Advantage

In June I attended the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America 2011 meeting on employment in Chicago. The event included veterans’ unemployment as an area of focus and brought 70 subject matter experts and leaders from a variety of corporations, organizations, and governmental agencies together to explore how we might reduce veteran unemployment by 11/11/11. It was an honor to be included in this important conversation.

Over 700 guests attended the larger CGI gathering—leaders representing corporations, foundations, nonprofits, and government agencies. Participants mingled at receptions, at luncheons, and in hallways. We wore color-coded nametags indicating the specific working group we were assigned, in my case purple for the Empowering America’s Newest Veterans group. Other areas of focus included the New Rural Economy, High Performance and Sustainable Buildings, the Future of Manufacturing, and Scaling Up Service Corps. This was an impressive group of national thought leaders—visionaries and strategic wizards from their communities who came together with the goal of putting America back to work.

I had the pleasure of meeting many dedicated and thoughtful Americans. All were intrigued by the challenges facing our veterans as they return from war, but few had any real grasp of the issues affecting those who serve and their families. They were surprised to hear the facts: Unemployment among male veterans ages 18 to 24 was more than 30% in May, compared with 18% among male civilians of the same age group. Women vets in particular are unemployed. In 2009 unemployment for women ages 18 to 24 was 13.9% but hit 19.2% for female vets in the same age range. My CGI colleagues were also surprised to learn that some of those veterans who do find jobs have difficulty keeping their positions because of the invisible injuries of war. Clearly, we must continue to inform civilian leaders about the very difficult issues that affect the men and women of our armed forces as they return from war.

Many of us who attended CGI knew each other well. Indeed, some of us have been working together on these issues for years. We are keenly aware of the struggles those who serve face when they come home. And we feel a sense of urgency as we strive to improve the conditions for military men, women, and families as they integrate into communities across our country.

For example, we know that the skills that our service members develop while serving our country do not always translate into jobs available in the corporate arena. In addition, we know that it is difficult for some veterans to find satisfaction and meaning in jobs they do seem to qualify for. We know that many of the men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan must contend with physical and/or invisible injuries that affect their families as well as their ability to find and keep a job.

We also know that many employers are reluctant to hire veterans. Some are reluctant because they do not feel that they are properly equipped to support veterans who might need accommodations or retraining. Others are reluctant because they have misperceptions or are uneducated about this population of dedicated and deserving men and women. As we all know, fear and ignorance prevent good people from doing the right thing.

Our task while attending CGI was to develop specific action plans with defined goals and clear timelines. Many ambitious and exciting concepts were discussed, and several partnerships and commitments were made. Time will tell whether these discussions and promises will lead to additional progress but one thing is clear. While much work remains, there is reason for hope and optimism. Our country has many passionate and dedicated leaders who are willing to put their time, energy, and resources to bear on the issues that prevent those who serve from entering the American job force once their service to our country has ended.

I left Chicago and headed to Fayetteville, N.C., where Give an Hour™ is proud to be working on an important project designed to improve coordination and collaboration among community-based organizations. Our efforts in Fayetteville—and in Norfolk, Va.—are part of the larger Community Blueprint Initiative. This initiative was developed in collaboration with subject matter experts from over 75 organizations over nearly two years to provide community leaders with clear direction about how they might better assist those who serve and their families.

I spent two days meeting with community leaders in and around Fayetteville and with military officials at Ft. Bragg. The interest in our efforts was overwhelmingly positive among all of our civilian and military friends. The desire to do more—to do better—for those who serve our country is clear. Indeed, a new perspective seems to be emerging, one that reflects the attitude of our First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the many leaders who devoted their time and energy to the development of the Community Blueprint.

The concept is simple. The only way to appropriately and respectfully care for our service members and their families is to “join forces” in our efforts to provide comprehensive and integrated care. No single agency or organization can do all that is required. No single agency or organization should try. The development of this attitude indicates just how far we have come: it signals a new awareness and a new willingness among decision makers who are tasked with caring for our military personnel and among community leaders who recognize the important role they must play if we are to truly succeed in assisting our troops as they integrate into our communities.

And now the real work can begin. Those in government and in communities who understand the needs and recognize the challenges are beginning to communicate and collaborate. They are beginning to share a vision of the way forward. As we solidify these new relationships and support these emerging collaborative efforts, we will build on this foundation and develop a conversation with the broader civilian community—many of whom remain unaware of the struggles affecting the military family who lives next door or the newly separated veteran who just wants to get a decent job.

I recently heard from a young woman I know—a combat veteran of the Afghanistan War—about her Fourth of July holiday. I have had the pleasure of knowing this veteran for a few years and have watched her heal and grow through the trauma and challenges she faced when she came home into a gainfully employed and happily married mother. She wrote to share an important milestone. For the first time since she has been back from the war, she was able to tolerate the fireworks at the Fourth of July celebration in her community.

Most Americans would not—perhaps could not—grasp the importance of this simple accomplishment. Most Americans have never been asked to try. As we move forward with our efforts to wrap community resources around these deserving men, women, and families, it is time to ask all Americans to open their minds and their hearts, to take the time to listen and to learn. And it is time to ask employers and educators to do their part, by training their staff and developing programs to assist those who have given so much and have so much yet to give.

Give an Hour™, providing free mental health services to military personnel and their loved ones, at www.giveanhour.org.

Editors Note: Give an Hour™ is a strategic partner of Veterans Advantage. Learn more about our partnership with Give an Hour™.

Veterans Advantage is also hosting a special online PTS Transition Center for its members, with customized news and resources to help in this vital area.