When you serve in the armed forces, lives rely on everyone working together toward a larger purpose.
Military thinking can also be very useful after serving, and veterans go on to excel in many areas. Here are some of those ways:
1. Veterans learn to be part of a team.
When you’re in the military, you trust your life to the people around you. In life or death situations, everyone has to do their jobs properly, without question or hesitation. In civilian life, this makes it easier to appreciate how important it is to have a team around that that can be trusted. Veterans are the perfect team member -- listening, acting and understanding what’s best for everyone.
2. Veterans become better listeners.
In the military, members learn to listen to, understand and obey those with more experience or seniority. Outside the military, this becomes extremely helpful, as they are more likely to pay attention when someone has something valuable to add, rather than just trying to get their own opinion across.
3. Veterans value the people around them.
When you’re trusting your life to a squad mate, that trust creates a very strong bond. It deepens friendships, camaraderie and the trust that’s placed in other people. Outside the military, it leads to holding tightly onto close friends, relying on them and developing closer ties with loved ones.
4. Veterans can make quick, confident decisions.
Lives can be saved or lost on the basis of a good or bad decision. Military strategy teaches members to make fast, confident decisions, based on the information that’s available at the time. One of the great drawbacks of modern life is having too many options, and procrastinating about the right thing to do. Veterans often find it much easier to make and stick to a decision.
5. Veterans rely on their wits and instinct.
The military has come to rely more and more on technology, but the best soldiers trust their wits, instinct and training, above everything else. Technology can go wrong or break down, but for those who have the right understanding of a situation and the expertise to deal with it, that puts them in a much better position than those who rely on technology to do everything. This means veterans are often better prepared and more flexible when things don’t go exactly as planned.
6. Veterans are good at understanding and managing risk.
In the armed forces, planning, strategy and minimizing risk are vital, and wherever possible, veterans will act to maximize their own strengths and advantages. In their personal lives and the world of business, this can mean they find it easier to understand risk, control it wherever possible and act in the ways that are most likely best for them and those around them.
7. Veterans lead by example.
If there’s a truth of leadership in the military, it is “Show, don’t tell.” The best commanders are those who lead by example, who understand what needs to be done and don’t hesitate to do it themselves. In civilian life, this means they are able to demonstrate things to others more easily, and that they often have solid, rational thinking behind their decisions.
8. Veterans take pride in their appearance.
The focus in the military on having the perfect appearance -- cleanly pressed uniform, perfect shoes, short hair and appearing clean and tidy -- can have benefits in civilian life. Not only does it make veterans stand out from others who may not take as much stock in their appearance, it also gives them an advantage in job interviews, positions of authority and anytime they’re in the public eye.
9. Veterans consider their nutrition.
The armed forces consider proper nutrition and diet to be very important, which makes members much more aware of the food and drink they are putting into their body. Military rations are designed for nutrition, rather than flavor, and because meals can be hard to come by whilst out on operations, it’s vital to eat as well as possible, when they can.
When members leave the military, this understanding of food means they’re able to appreciate the nutrition, flavor and texture of food.
There are so many skills and experiences veterans can find useful in everyday life. Because of their expertise, they are often very well placed to provide practical, useful advice, assistance and support to help their loved ones and colleagues make the most of every situation.