Letters: Leaders Must Do Better for Veterans

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Leaders Must Do Better for Veterans

I am a recently retired 20-year veteran. I lived in Lewis County from June 1986 to April 2015. I struggled to find employment that matched my college education from WSU, military leadership and management experience. 

The Chamber of Commerce, Lewis County Economic Development Council, county commissioners and local business leaders need to do a better job at assisting their local veterans. Veterans served them and their country.

In my last military job as a personal networking specialist, I heard from business and government leaders that veterans need to be able to translate their knowledge, skills and abilities into nonmilitary words. I did that. I have numerous resumes with no military language.

Because veterans like myself performed more acts of selflessness than you can imagine or even possibly performed yourself, do you not think they, as business leaders, owe a little  effort on their part to learn military knowledge, skills and abilities?

 Are they too busy to assist an American who served them and their country? If they think this task would be too hard on their part, they should contact the local recruiting office or the  Joint Base Lewis McChord Army Career and Alumni Program, a transition assistance program for service members.

I was highly disappointed in my transition from the U.S. Army after 20 years of service. I did not find comparable work as an operation manager. I worked as a railcar repairman until I decided that Lewis County was not for me. I applied to numerous positions within my previous company, attempting to use my education and military leadership and management skills — to no avail.

My income was cut in half when I retired from the U.S. Army. I knew that was going to happen. So I reduced my living expenses. I depleted my savings account. My veteran organization service officer is helping me fight a VA disability decision, which if my claim would have been approved, I could have kept living in my home. But it went into foreclosure instead.



I followed the mantra drilled into us in school. Get a college education and come back. Help Lewis County grow economically. I could not find work, so I rejoined the service to provide for my family. I gained invaluable skills business leaders have stated they are looking for in their companies. Again to no avail.

I came to the realization that in order to earn a good living in Lewis County, you need to be a family member of someone important. Someone with connections. Your qualifications do not really matter. I observed some actions in my previous job that would have gotten me relieved in the U.S. Army.

The purpose of this letter is to remind business and economic leaders and government officials that they need to do better. 

Timothy Schmidt

U.S. Army, retired

Four Oaks, North Carolina