Military vets have plenty of skills

Pasadena Star News

By: Cynthia Kurtz

Posted: 6/04/2014 

We often hear how difficult it can be for veterans to get jobs when they return state-side. Everyone appreciates what they have done and wants them to succeed when they get back home. But when it comes to hiring, many businesses don't think they have jobs that vets are trained for - not many businesses need a pilot or a boat operator.

Through a gracious invitation from C.L. Keedy, a proud member of the Pasadena Navy Foundation, I recently had the privilege of spending 24 hours on the USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft carrier. I learned a new appreciation for the skills veterans can bring to civilian jobs.

The carrier is named for Georgia Representative Carl Vinson who served 26 consecutive terms in the U.S. Congress and chaired the Naval Affairs Committee. From that powerful position he was able to shepherd the passage of the Naval Construction bill which funded the build-up of Navy forces in the Pacific. 

His work earned him the nick name "The Admiral" and an aircraft carrier named after him, an honor usually reserved for Presidents. The carrier was commissioned in 1982 a year after Representative Vinson's death. Today 75 percent of the men and women assigned to the "boat" that bears his name had not been born when it was commissioned.

I met many of the young men and women assigned to the Carl Vinson. Some were pilots who fly jets and helicopters from the carrier and some were sailors who drive the boat. But to run an aircraft carrier you need a lot more than just pilots and sailors who drive boats.

There are barbers, chaplains and painters. There are cooks who serve 15,000 meals a day, and laundry operators - doing 7,000 lb. of laundry a day. There is a police force. The boat is powered by an onboard nuclear reactor - all operated and maintained by sailors. There are four water treatment facilities turning sea water into really great tasting drinking water. 

All the planes, helicopters and equipment assigned to the carrier are maintained, repaired and tested by a skilled crew of mechanics. It is not surprising that the largest operation is logistics. Whether you want a jet engine or a light bulb, an egg or a tail pin cable, someone has to order, receive, inventory, store and dispense that item. And they have to be ready to do it anywhere around the world; no running to the Home Depot down the road if you forget something.

The boat operates 24 hours a day so the hours are long. The work is stressful - lives depend on everyone running a near perfect operation. The crews are disciplined, take direction well, and are getting a level of training few businesses could afford to offer.

You won't be able to hire any of the 5,100 sailors and air crews assigned to the USS Carl Vinson for a while. They are in training now for a 10 month deployment to Japan in August. But they will be relieving another carrier full of men and women who are just as well trained. Some of them will decide to continue Navy careers but many others will be headed back to look for positions with businesses. 

I asked one of the Chiefs if he sees any difference in the recruits today than those from 30 years ago when he joined. He quickly answered, "Yes. They are smarter and they are thinking about their future." When that future comes home looking for a job, businesses should remember that and hire a vet.

If you need assistance connecting with available veterans when you are hiring, contact the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership at 626-856-3400 and ask for one of our Business Development Managers.