US Private Sectors Recognise The Need For Having A Meaningful Employment To Treat PTSD, Launch Programs For War Veterans

According to Help Guide organization, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PSTD can affect those who personally experience a catastrophe, witness it and pick up the pieces afterwards, including emergency works and law enforcement officers. Part of a comprehensive therapy recommended for those who suffer from it is cognitive-related.

Recognising their value and effort in fighting for the cause, many governments designed programs especially for them. War veterans in the United States are now given an opportunity to earn for a living by getting a chance to land a civilian job. Genesis10, a staffing & services firm, launched its “Veterans Hiring Program.” The said program is in line with the government’s Final Rule pursuant to Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), said Nick Swaggert, Genesis10’s veterans program director.

In an interview, Swaggert disclosed that Genesis10 finds talented candidates, assists them in improving their skills & interviewing techniques and matches them with the right jobs available in any of its 170 client-companies across the United States. The Veterans Hiring Program was initiated by Harley Lippman, the firm’s chief executive officer, sometime in 2011 to help veterans who suffer PTSD make a recovery.

Having A Meaningful Job Is Crucial To Recovery

It is the theory of Lippman that is also shared by Swaggert that having a meaningful job could help address many of the veterans’ disorders. Swaggert served as a marine in two combat tours in Irag and continues to serve as a reservist. While assigned in Irag, he helped build a local city government by collaborating with the local leaders and politicians. Also included in his job description is to manage 140 marines and U$25 million [$32.7 million] budget.

The realisation of war veteran’s difficulty in finding a civilian job after his enlistment dawned on him when he was rejected mainly because his résumé did not show that he had an experience working in an American city government. According to Swaggert, war veterans are victims of stereotyping, where they are pigeonholed by employers who see them as good only as truck drivers, diesel mechanics or security guards.

Australia’s Securing Our Veterans’ Future

The Defence Families of Australia launched its “Securing our Veterans Future” program to help young veterans and their families enter the civilian workforce after defence. Its primary objective is to focus on empowering veterans through economic opportunity. It is accomplished through insuring that participants are embraced by the broader community upon military retirement. The program is a collaborative initiative between the government and partners in the public and private sectors. Recently, the ClubsNSW joined the effort in striving to position the industry as an employer of choice for veterans.

For comments or feedback on the article, please contact the writer at selivak@ibtimes.com.au.