Military Imparts in an Individual Many Important

¶ … military imparts in an individual many important qualities that they carry out into the real world. These qualities are leadership, versatility, character, among others. The military is an excellent place to learn, to grow, and to better one's self. Many people have had long and successful careers that they earned only through being in the military. It teaches a person the importance of hard work, communication, and bravery.

The military allows for transition into a multitude of careers, especially career in the government. And in sectors where leadership skills are rare and sought after, the military prepares one to establish a secure foothold in these areas. Non-for-profits, volunteer organizations, and businesses all require strong and fearless leaders with clear direction and focus. The military offers exactly what a person needs early on to achieve anything they set out for. Six sections will be examined to show just how military lessons can translate success in other careers.

I. Business executives and managers in large, medium, and small corporations

Big corporations need chief executive officers that offer outstanding capabilities and handle pressure with ease. Candidates with military experience meet the demands of large corporations and often with successful results because of their experience and drive. In an article written by Groysberg, Hill, & Johnson (2010), they state the weight of military leadership in their confidence of a leader. "In Gallup's annual poll asking Americans about their confidence in various public and private institutions, one has ranked first or second nearly every year since 1973, when the poll began, and has topped the list continuously since 1998: the military. In the 2009 poll, 82% of respondents expressed "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the military, whereas only 16% expressed confidence in big business" (Groysberg, Hill, & Johnson, 2010, p. 1). Americans have long since used military experience as a marker for quality leadership. In a study performed by Korn/Ferry International (2005) they explain that 9% of all CEOs and S&P firms have CEOs with prior military experience.

It is only logical that people assume a military background shows good leadership, especially if that background includes a position where the officer was a leader. The military requires of its people resilience, quick decisions, physical prowess, and most importantly, mental agility. In a high-stakes environment, people who serve the military learn to deal with hardship, stress, and build character, integrity. Not only do people with military background embody all those qualities, they also learn to work in teams and build a desire to succeed. How does these traits build a great CEO?

Business is a game of communication, understanding supply and demand, networking, and building a good rapport with others. People trained in the military have to learn from the beginning to deal with differing personalities and how to communicate effectively from the beginning. They learn new skills and build upon those skills through service and experience. Controlling their emotions and expressing themselves clearly become a foundation for successful business. Afterall, business does not involve emotion, but rather, structure; military officers often learn how to network and run a business by the skills they learn during training.

In fact, a lot of former officers use the time in the military to advance their education, since the government gives them a stipend and scholarship. They also learn the value of formality and order. Research indicates the military trains it officers through "process-driven approach to management; personnel are expected to follow standard procedures without any deviation. This allows the CMEs to excel in highly regulated industries and, perhaps surprisingly, in innovative sectors" CMEs (Construction Management Engineers) from the Army and Marine Corps adopt flexibility and allow people to act on their ideas. Korn/Ferry International (2005), report CMEs demonstrate success in small firms, where they have offer a clear direction to others and identify competent subordinates in order to complete tasks.

CEO's like Clayton Jones also note that military officers are offered early on, leadership roles. Whether it's performing duties or leading exercise drills, young people in the military quickly gather leadership experience. Whereas in a corporate world, it takes around five-to-ten years. "At a very young age, you get a chance to be in leadership positions of significant magnitude" (KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL, 2006, p. 3). The CEOs from the study identified the different traits that made them successful in business. These include:

learning how to work as part of a team; organizational skills, such as planning and effective use of resources; good communication skills; defining a goal and motivating others to follow it; a highly developed sense of ethics; and the ability to remain calm under pressure. (KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL, 2006, p. 3)

It's no wonder Chief executive officers with military experience have longer business careers, their performance often beats their competitors. "They boast a median tenure of five years and an average tenure of 7.2 years, compared to four years and 4.5 years for all S&P 500 CEOs." (KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL, 2006, p. 4)

II. Elected officials

From the likes of George Washington to Ulysses S. Grant to Dwight D. Eisenhower, military leaders since the birth of the nation have been recognized by Americans as great leaders that embed useful experience outside a military environment. As presidents of a nation these men prove that the military is a training ground for effective and strong leaders. Since the birth of the United States, leaders have had to deal with wars, political strife, and economic instability. Military training, military leadership often led the men mentioned, to continue during hard times and ultimately succeed in keeping a nation united.

George Washington, the first president of the United States, battled for years to earn America its independence from Great Britain. He not only was the military leader of the war, but also one of the founding fathers. If it were not for his extensive military background, he would not have had the ability to withstand the constant battles brought on by the British or lead his soldiers to victory. In a book written by Burns & Dunn, it states the kind of man Washington was: "A brave, disciplined, tenacious military leader" (Burns & Dunn, 2004, p. 18) Many political leaders of history had in some way or other military experience. Kings during the middle ages would be in the first line of an army ready to battle. And as a U.S. president, one of a president's main powers is commander and, to have the ability to control an army.

The 18th president of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant was the best Union general of the Civil War and the driving force for the Union's victory over the Confederacy. His war time efforts not only aided in the abolishment of slavery, it also secured him a position as the country's leader. In a book by Longacre, the author states how Vicksburg's surrendered ensured Lee's political career. "Vicksburg's surrender-coming as it did on the heels of Robert E. Lee's defeat at Gettysburg at the hands of Major General George Gordon Meade, ending Lee's sojourn in the North-gave the greatest possible boost to Grant's political career" (Longacre, 2006, p. 193)

The victory at Vicksburg gained the Union full control of the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy. This victory led to more Union triumphs like "the Battle of Chattanooga in late 1863" (Longacre, 2006, p. 210) and President Abraham Lincoln's appointment of Grant to lieutenant general and commander of all of the Union armies. Gaining the experience as commanding general of the army, Grant ensured the Union's ultimately victory and led the country to stability after the Civil War and during the chaotic times of the Reconstruction period soon after. Grant's foreign policy, spearheaded by Secretary of State Hamilton Fish, carried out International Arbitration, which resulted in the settlement of the Alabama Claims with Britain and helped to avoided war with Spain over the Virginius Affair. (Grant, In Moran, & United States, 1968, p. 177)

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34 thPresident of the United States spanning two terms from 1953 to 1961. His military background includes being a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and his service as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. His military background gained him vital experience in planning and supervising in events such as the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942 -- 43 and the successful invasion of France and Germany in 1944 -- 45 from the Western Front. " In 1951, he became the first supreme commander of NATO" (Ambrose, 1983, p. 87).

Following his stint in the military, Eisenhower also became president of Columbia University. His leadership skills imbued much need direction in the university and later translated in his presidency with the "space race" and his successful attempt at preventing the spread of Communism in poorer countries, he left a legacy of achievement. Political leaders often need to prove themselves in a military setting in order to show the country, the world, their capabilities. Most elected officials, especially presidents see military experience, military leadership as a stepping ground to political success. If it were not for the military experience acquired by these former presidents, they perhaps would have not led such triumphant lives.

III. Government/civil service managers

Managers in government and civil service sectors can benefit from possessing military leadership experience. Just like with CEOs, government managers must deal with a wide array of situations and learn to function well in a team dynamic. Having a military background not only enables a person seeking such position to be a strong leader, but also to work well with others. Military training forces an individual to follow strict guidelines and see themselves as part of a unit rather than an individual. It also imbues them with discipline and the ability to obey orders.

Managing a government program for instance, requires people who gain this position to follow orders from higher ups and carry out instructions in a precise and timely manner. Having people who are used to carrying out orders effectively lends for minimal incidents of incompetency. It is only natural for someone who worked for the military, an extension of the government, to continue working for the government. Many protocols carried in the military can be applied as a government manager.

Character is often gained from military experience. This same character can be applied to the role of a civil service manager. Often times the types of managers have to deal with annual budgets and the need to choose proper staff to not only administer the budget but fulfill a quote often set as part of their job duties. An example of this is the U.S. Department of State. Duties related to a position there include improvement of trade opportunities for U.S. businesses, assisting American couples adopt children from overseas, and monitoring human rights issues.

People with military backgrounds are not only accustomed to dealing with international affairs, but are also accustomed to overseeing a variety of operations from intelligence gathering to medical training. They more than qualify for management positions. Another pre-requisite that civil service managers need is a clean criminal record and experience within the government. Working in the military gives one the experience and instills confidence in those seeking to fill aforementioned positions in knowing the person they hire has a clean record.

Military leadership offers a wide array of skills such as fiscal management and contract procurement which are some of the possible responsibilities of a government manager. Some military personnel in countries like Iraq, are taught to procure contracts with companies in order to sell or acquire weaponry. These negotiations along with the communication involved allows for much needed experience that would benefit any civil service or government department.

Along with those responsibilities comes administration of products and services as explained by the National Learning Corporation (2006), "Manage, supervise, administer, advise on, or deliver human resources management products or services, including specialty areas of focus such as: Information Systems, Military, Classification, Compensation, Recruitment and/or Placement, Employee Benefits, Human Resource Development, Performance Management, Labor Relations and Employee Relations. (National Learning Corporation, 1996, p. 44) The position also requires at times, evaluations of the effectiveness of department programs and extensive knowledge of these programs/agencies.

Former military officials possess extensive knowledge on a lot of government-based agencies and programs. They also possess knowledge in government missions and foreign policy. In fact military experience is an excellent stepping stone into a long-term civil service job. Many civil service managers are veterans and have experienced in one way or another a leadership role during their time in the military.

Overall it is very useful to have prior military experience when seeking government management position. It instills a person with confidence, valued experience, and knowledge useful to carrying out tasks in a sector they are already familiar with. It makes sense to take on a role that is made for someone who worked for the government.Time and time again, military leaders make excellent government leaders, including in the management field. (Schofield & United States, 1931, p. 89)

IV. Not-for-profit organizations

Many senior leaders recently out of the military seek jobs nonprofit organizations. In an article by VSB, a retiree from the Navy, T.D. Smyers, discusses in his interview his acceptance of a CEO position for a nonprofit organization. In the interview, he shares his success with the CEO position and explains why transitioning senior military leaders should opt for a career in the nonprofit sector.

"Smyers: When I took over NAS Fort Worth, Navy Installations Command (the Navy lead on bases) was in the throes of a reorganization very similar to what the Red Cross was about to undertake -- transition from a traditional basing structure to a functionalized, matrix model. In fact, it's kind of ironic that the Red Cross reorganization hit North Texas the same week I turned over command of the base to my successor! I was floored by the similarities between what I had just led and what the Red Cross was asking me to lead in my new position.It was also exciting to bring over 30 years of Navy training to a humanitarian organization. The more I studied the Red Cross opportunity, the more excited I was about the similarities. This non-profit is full of great employees and volunteers, all of whom want to be here. They were looking for someone to lead them through a tumultuous transition, and I had just finished doing that" (VSB, 2013, p. 1).

Along with his time spent in the Navy he also elaborated the ease with which he was able to transition between careers and felt comfortable with the various similarities both careers shared, for instance both organizations are mission-focused and rely on operation. He also stated: "While the CEO position is different than the traditional Navy "command" role, many of the competencies that helped me succeed in leading operations and logistics in the Navy help me succeed in leading operations and logistics in the Red Cross" (VSB, 2013, p. 1). Many facets of non-profit organizations comprise of strong communication skills and readiness to socially interact. Attributes that are needed in military jobs. They also require a strong knowledge of terminology that nonprofits need in order to carry out requests for grants and other funding.

Additionally, non-profit leaders must tackle growing societal challenges. They have to not only reach out to and connect with total strangers, but also motivate and challenge within the organization itself. This kind of experience is often lacking in other careers but common in the military. People in the military have to communicate with strangers often. They also have to address issues quickly and effectively, a much needed asset to a non-profit.

NonProfit Leadership Alliance published a report examining the qualities people who work for nonprofits need in order to carry out their job duties:

"The need for managers and leaders who understand the significance of and know how to integrate impact analysis into planning processes is high.

The need for fundraising professionals to see their role in the broader function of resource development, including human capital and business development, was noted.

The need for nonprofit organization leaders to communicate their relevance to larger foundation and corporate transformation agendas was also noted." (NonProfit Leadership Alliance, 2011, p. 2)

Most nonprofits are focused on human service missions. Military experience incorporates human services and focus on aiding civilians in areas of need. An example of this being the Peace Corps. Until recently, the military have had have strong ties with the Peace Corps, but now more and more military personnel are taking up non-intelligence related job duties in the organization. It is this desire to service the community that will aid in a non-profit job. Military background greatly helps in this.

The military has a long history of effective leadership. People starting military careers are given from the beginning varying leadership opportunities. They can also observe different styles of leadership in varied situations and put some of the acquired techniques into practice. A blog discussing non-for-profits, explains how the leadership schools of the U.S. military offer an organizational structure allows for basic and advanced leadership training at the direct leadership levels and include indirect leadership such as leading other leaders and enterprise-level or strategic leadership for organizations. They also state that "Most profit and non-profit organizations do not allocate this level of resources to leadership training in their organizations. " (Teach Kids Leadership, 2010, p. 1). Non-for-profits need the leadership skills of former military personnel in order to possess effective leaders.

V. Volunteer organizations

Volunteering in the community comes naturally to some military personnel. Some of the lessons learned from work in the military can help people seeking to volunteer. These lessons include teamwork, a strong work ethic, and adaptability. As a volunteer, many job duties are often spur of the moment and involve a lot of effort doing various things. Having the discipline that comes from a military background will help a potential volunteers navigate the responsibilities set forth by volunteer organizations.

As many people known, people coming from the military are usually young and healthy. They have the vitality and energy to perform tasks needed for volunteering. Most military installations also provide their recruits with career guidance. This may include self-assessment tools and financial support, making volunteering easier. Everyone knows people need money to survive in modern society. Government stipends allow for military personnel to volunteer their time without fearing financial instability.

Volunteering, just like military experience, provides a multitude of opportunities to excel. (Rondeau, 2002, p. 27) Learning new skills, building and maintaining a professional network, are just a few of the advantages. And those who recently left the military and looking for a transition in between careers, often use volunteering as a means to find later on, a paid position. Experience gained as a volunteer aids in the search for paid employment.

Volunteers often need self-confidence and a positive attitude when being interviewed. The military instills in its participants a sense of confidence, especially in communicating, that helps any makes them appear competent and self-assured. Volunteer organizations need strong minded individuals who are capable and ready to handle the many duties of a volunteer. (Kipps, 1984, p. 36) They also need people who can take on leadership roles and carry out tasks smoothly. Leadership and initiative are important and sought-after qualities in volunteers.

Volunteer Organizations often have a budget when performing operations and need people who can gain funding. Military experiences sometimes include funds seeking. A study by Martinez and McMullin (2004), found that certain actions and characteristics motivated members and non-members of volunteer organizations. From their abstract: "We found the determining factors in decisions regarding volunteer activity were competing commitments and efficacy. Active members indicated that the efficacy of their actions was most important in their decision to participate, whereas inactive members cited the importance of competing commitments in their decision not to participate." (Martinez & McMullin, 2004, p. 112) This study offers clarity in the motivation behind volunteer organizations and the possible benefit military experience can offer.

Another thing to consider useful from a military background is the ingrained discipline that follows from extensive military training. Soldiers and medical staff, etc., work hard while in the military to keep each other motivated and at some points, alive. They have to overcome tough obstacles in order to achieve mission objectives. This helps keep them resilient and able to deal with high stress situations.

Most volunteer situations involve high stress. The Red Cross for instance, has volunteers who sometimes have to aid people who have lost their homes and are severely injured and/or deprived of basic necessities. Military experience often includes dealing with such instances and teaches people who deal with it, self sufficiency and desire to help others. Afterall, the foundation of any volunteer work is the desire to be of service and help others.