Every year, 200,000 Veterans leave the military. So why aren’t you hiring more of them?

Meet Marcus. Eight years as an Army Logistics Specialist. Coordinated supply chains on three continents. Managed teams of 20+ people. Led emergency response operations. Earned a reputation for making impossible deadlines work.

He serves his country, then transitions out. While searching for his next month, he finds your posting:

"Operations Manager III- Requires 5 years administrative experience in office environment"

He thinks: "I've never worked in an office. Guess I’m not qualified."

He applies to the private sector instead. They hire him in two weeks.

You just lost a world-class operations leader. And you never even saw his resume.

The Math That Should Terrify You

Every year, approximately 200,000 service members transition out of the military. These aren't just everyday candidates. They’ve managed complex operations under pressure, fixed critical systems with limited resources, and coordinated across multiple agencies and cultures. They understand hierarchy, chain of command, and maybe most importantly public service.

In other words: they're exactly who you’re trying to hire..

Yet, more than 77% of veterans end up in the private sector. Not because they prefer it, but because they can actually understand those job postings.

The Translation Problem (Military Edition)

Here's what military experience actually translates to:

"Logistics Coordinator, 82nd Airborne Division" ->"Operations Manager with emergency response experience"

"Communications Specialist, Naval Intelligence" -> "Information Systems Analyst with security clearance"

"Personnel Administration, Marine Corps" -> "HR Specialist with compliance expertise"

"Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor"-> "Fleet Manager, Public Works Department"

But your job posting says you need "3-5 years administrative experience in a municipal office environment."

Marcus ran a supply operation for 2,000 soldiers. He coordinated with the Department of Defense, State Department, and both foreign and local governments. He's managed multi-million dollar budgets under some of the most stressful conditions imaginable.

But he's never worked in a municipal office. Is that really what you’re hiring for?

What You’re Actually Missing

When your requirements inherently screen out candidates like Marcus, here is what walks out the door.

1. Crisis Management

When your government agency faces an emergency, you want someone who doesn't panic and has done this before. That budget crisis that has everyone spiraling? It's a Tuesday morning for them.

2. Operational Excellence

Military logistics makes government procurement look simple. If they can move equipment across continents while coordinating 47 different agencies, they can handle your inter-departmental projects.

3. Mission-First Mentality

Veterans didn't join the military for the money. They joined to serve.You don't have to sell them on mission-driven work because they get it!

4. Diversity of Experience

The military is one of the most diverse institutions in the country. Veterans have worked with people from every background, culture, and perspective. That is an asset.

How to Actually Reach Veteran Candidates for Your Roles

Step 1: Rewrite Your Requirements

Instead of "3 years municipal government experience required,” try 3 years experience managing operations, logistics, or projects in government, military, or large organizations"Same skill level, but with a wider talent pool.

Step 2: Build Translation Guides

Create a simple chart showing military roles and their government equivalents. Logistics Officer to Operations Manager, Intelligence Analyst to Policy Analyst, and so on.

Put this on your careers page. Share it with veteran organizations. Make it easy for them to see themselves in your roles.

Step 3: Partner With Veteran Organizations

Organizations like Hire Our Heroes and local veteran service organizations are actively helping service members transition. They have qualified candidates. You have open positions.

The Opportunity Cost

200,000 veterans transition every year.Even if just 1% are a strong fit for your open positions, that's 2,000 qualified candidates you're not reaching.

Meanwhile, current staff is burning out, you are reopening postings and settling for less.

Somewhere right now, Marcus is doing excellent work for someone who could actually read his resume.

It doesn’t have to be someone else.