Military veterans are reporting for duty in today’s supply chain workforce. Companies are tapping into this well-trained and disciplined group of employees to help ease driver shortages and translate their hard-earned skills into fulfilling positions in transportation and logistics. By Amy Roach W hen they nish their mission of service to our country, an increasing number of U.S. military veterans are nding a new mission: reporting for duty at various jobs in the transportation and supply chain sector. With a rmly ingrained sense of discipline, hard work, responsibility, and commitment to safety, military veterans are well aligned for careers in the transportation world—and are often employees of choice for transportation and logistics companies. “We look for employees who embody our six core values—creativity, integrity, collaboration, growth, excellence, and wellness—and many military veterans check all of those boxes,” says Jason Turner, vice president, talent and growth initiatives for ArcBest, a supply chain logistics rm based in Fort Smith, Arkansas, that has garnered a “4-Star Employer” designation from VETS Indexes and currently employs about 1,300 veterans. “Veterans have been tested, many of them to ultimate extremes, so they possess great grit and ability to withstand challenging situations,” he says. “They’ve also learned through their training how to work with a team. And, veterans are a natural pool of diverse talent because they come from so many different walks of life.” “Military veterans add major value to the workplace,” adds Tony Graham, a National Guard and U.S. Army veteran who serves as president of West Division at XPO, an LTL freight transportation provider that was also recently named a VETS Indexes 4-Star Employer with roughly 8% of its workforce self-identifying as veterans. The company’s veteran employees range from truck drivers and dockworkers to HR professionals and account executives, all the way up to leadership positions in the C-suite. “Veterans have powerful skillsets and qualities that translate well to any industry, but especially to logistics and freight transportation,” Graham says. “They understand the importance of following procedures, adhering to schedules, and performing tasks to the best of their ability.”
July 2023 • Inbound Logistics 125
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