Josiah: Today is Memorial Day in the US, a day we remember those who served in the armed forces and lost their lives doing so. It’s important we acknowledge these people. I think it’s also important that we acknowledge the people who have served and are still with us. In today’s episode, we’re going to learn how we can support veterans from Christopher Randall, the director of Community Impact at the 21C Museum Hotel in St Louis.
Josiah: First off, thank you for your service In the Marine Corps, in the police force, and then across different community engagement roles in these not-for-profit organizations. It’s been a consistent theme throughout your career. What would you like people to know about people who have served in the military transitioning to a role out of the military? My brother served in the Marine Corps and it took him some time to kind of navigate that change, And then I was having dinner with someone a couple of nights ago who spent a decade in San Diego in the Marine Corps and he’s going through the process too, And I think people who don’t have exposure to that. I don’t understand the wide range of skills and just the expertise that’s there, but it seems it takes some work also to transition into a role outside of the military. And I’m just curious for those that maybe don’t have that exposure, what would you tell them about how they can think about helping folks make that transition?
Christopher: Well, I will start with the external. I’ll start with those who are, who should really consider engaging highly with the veteran community. The veteran community is one that is vetted, really forged by fire, through a myriad of ways combat related and non-combat-related. Just the daily task and the logistical efforts to do the work, whatever that job may be, takes some amazing soft skills and hard skills to be able to execute the missions given to our service persons. And they hold an immeasurable and invaluable amount of those soft skills that are needed in the private sector for organizations to be successful. And the other thing I would say to organizations that are looking to bring veterans on is to say give them a chance. You will be greatly surprised at the things that they can achieve. Give them a little bit. They’re going to bring you back a lot of it. Even though that’s not exactly the great word, the greatest of the words, the greatest explanation, that’s the best way I can tell you. They’re going to always bring you back some amazing results. Because in the military especially I could speak for the Marine Corps you got to make a lot out of little, out of waste, out of nothing. You got to make it work, you got to make it be efficient. And that’s some of the greatest skills I want to say that I was able to gain and I’ve learned in private sector organizations it’s just organizations in general. They will gain so much by engaging with these veterans and giving the veterans that you have on your team an opportunity to lead, an opportunity to think outside of the box. That’s going to be beneficial beyond measure to the veterans that are transitioning.
Christopher: I remember being that young, naive Veteran you know, especially myself, coming from the infantry. I was. I was a mortarman and I was like man. I don’t know anything, i don’t have any skills to give to the world. I could run and I could shoot. So let me go be a cop because I Know that I can apply those skills there.
Christopher: And what I didn’t understand at the time is that there are so many Resources that are there for you that are being underutilized, are being unused. And I’m not just talking about the VA, i’m talking about So many different veterans organizations Travis Manion Foundation – I engage highly with them – Team Red, White and Blue, Team Rubicon, the Wounded Warrior project, Ainsley’s Angels. I mean there are a lot of veteran-focused organizations, big and small, throughout America that are focused on supporting you, the veteran. Get to your next station in your life and I did not understand that until 1013 years outside of my military service, which then helped me Propel even further along in my career that I wish I would have known about or had access to, or what it took the time to find out During my transition. So don’t count yourself out. Veterans should always understand, and know with surety that you are an amazingly valuable resource. Know your worth and you’re going to land an amazing spot if you use tools that have been provided to you through your services.
