June 28, 2011 I was asked to be part of a panel of 9 people,( all Veterans but 1) to give a presentation to 40 people from various businesses on how to make their workplace more "Veteran/Soldier friendly". We were able to explain what benefits there are to hiring a vet/soldier, how to understand they way they are used to working, how military skills translate to civilian skills and different ways to support them. I was very happy to have alot to say and also have the opportunity to explain how PTSD is affecting our troops, how and why employers need to keep an eye on them. 1 in 5 soldiers will be affected by PTSD and if left untreated or unrecognized, many soldiers are taking their own lives out of desperation. I also touched on making the workplace adaptable for our wounded warriors returning home to their civilian jobs.
This was a very educational event and I would like more companies to consider hosting these to teach their employees about supporting the soldiers and veterans. There is a huge need for companies to understand just what a soldier is all about to ensure a good relationship between the company and soldier which helps them keep their jobs, as well as civilian companies benefiting from the skills the military teaches.
Thank you to Alliant Energy for hosting this event and for Eastern Iowa Honor Flight for inviting me to participate.
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