Great that you have those references!
I believe that a veteran has many attributes beyond skills learned in the service. Number ONE is that he understands responsibility and TWO can be counted on to wake up in the morning and give you a good day’s work. There are many “college grads” out there that can’t compete on just those terms! HIRE THE VET!
David came into my office in 2007, I’d put the word out I was needing another pumper and a friend sent him over said he’d just got out of the Army. He came into my office and sat down ridged as board. I asked him what experience he had in the oilfields and he said none so that kind of limited the conversation. Then I asked him who he was with and he said the 101st, I said your hired! He met me at the office at daylight the following Monday and I took him out to the ranch to show him where everything was and explain his job to him. He was very quiet and everything was yes Sir and no Sir. The 4th day of doing this he asked my why I hired him? He didn’t know that I was a Vet, he didn’t know that I was In the ARMY and he didn’t know that I was also with the 101st from 69 to 72. I pulled the truck over and we sat on a hill and talked for 3 hours. He talked about his time in Iraq and I talked about my time in Vietnam, he was a completely different person after that day. He’s now married with a beautiful wife and daughter and a son due in about 3 weeks. He told me they’ve chose the name Michael for their son which also happens to be my name.
Hire a VET!
I think I can explain it in less words. They give a shit! Sorry for the choice of words but the same thing was said to me many years ago when I first went into the oil business. The man that said that to me was an old MARINE who had hit the beach at Tarawa.