Career Management Alliance Blog

Chances are your weekend activities will be punctuated by the realization that your day off was established as Decoration Day 139 years ago. The day was officially proclaimed to decorate the graves of Civil War Soldiers; today we recognize those who have served our nation in numerous wars.

Those who choose military or volunteer service generally do so because of their values and passion, and also as a means to achieve future career goals. In most cases, they are uncertain about their ability to pursue higher education, and their vocational path may not be appealing or clear. Perhaps this holiday weekend is an appropriate time to evaluate the cost - in life, limb, mental health, and dollars - that young people and their families pay in exchange for the promise of a career.

Financial aid and in-service education are offered to encourage military enlistment of high school graduates and college students. Some who promote the exploration of alternative funding sources criticize military recruitment ads, claiming there are strings attached to the Montgomery G.I. Bill that may diminish the value of the benefits advertised: ” ‘Join the Army and earn up to $70,000 for college.’ The ads seem to say that if you join the military, college is all but paid for. But only 35% of recruits receive any education benefits from the military. Most that do get money receive far less than $70,000.”

According to the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors, those who enlist with the hope of securing education benefits may be steered toward the least transferable military jobs. Furthermore, students are required to complete their education within strict time limits that may be unrealistic for returning veterans who must earn a living while studying.

Conundrum #2 is that many military jobs do not easily transfer to the civilian workforce. Returning veterans are offered assistance from the Veterans Administration and local government-sponsored CareerLinks; unfortunately much of this assistance comes from civil servants who are not career professionals. Returning veterans would be wise to seek help from specialized career consultants; in addition, an excellent guide to many high quality and FREE resources is available online through Quintessential Careers.

Bob Woodruff, the ABC News anchor who experienced Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as a result of injuries incurred while reporting on the war in Iraq, has raised the nation’s awareness to the situation faced by the large number of veterans returning with physical and mental disabilities. This is conundrum #3 and it is a huge one: How will the nation’s employers and colleges respond to these scarred men and women who return from service and must find jobs and pursue careers? How will career professionals respond to the expectations of these potential clients? View this photo

In addition to the military, another option is National Service. Wikipedia lists 30 nations who offer numerous worthwhile options for those who want to serve without fighting. In the United States, those who opt for programs such as Teach for America (TFA) and AmeriCorps are competitively recruited from some of the most respected universities and colleges. Last year, 2,400 graduates accepted hardship teaching placements at very low salaries; similarly, 70,000 idealists joined AmeriCorps to work in fields such as education and the environment. Like their military counterparts, many of these stressed-out volunteers must pay to gain the educational credentials that are demanded of them while they are teaching (e.g. Los Angeles Unified School District. Once they complete service, those who wish to pursue advanced degrees must again compete with one another for the few scholarships and assistantships that are available.

So now that the issue has been framed, how can we go back to firing up the grill? What are your suggestions for cracking the career conundrum? Propose some ideas so we can enjoy the holiday without feeling guilty about the bargain that many people make in the hopes of realizing the American Dream.

Posted by Karen P. Katz