Report on Veteran Employment Initiatives and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

An employment event held in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, facilitated by DAV (Disabled American Veterans), highlights a critical intervention strategy for transitioning service members. This report analyzes the event’s role in addressing veteran underemployment and its direct contributions to achieving key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). The initiative connects veterans with employers, providing a platform for economic integration and social stability.

Addressing Barriers to Veteran Employment

Challenges in the Transition to Civilian Careers

The transition from military to civilian life presents significant obstacles that can impede veterans’ access to meaningful employment, directly impacting progress towards SDG 8. These challenges often lead to underemployment, a state that contradicts the principles of decent work and fair compensation.

• Skill Translation: A primary barrier is the difficulty in translating extensive military experience and skills into terms understood by civilian employers. This communication gap prevents veterans from being employed at their actual skill level, undermining SDG 8’s goal of full and productive employment.
• Communication and Culture: Veterans report uncertainty in professional communication outside the military structure, including the challenge of avoiding military-specific jargon.
• Employer Misunderstanding: As noted by DAV National Employment Director Lamarr Couser, many employers lack the framework to understand how military roles translate to corporate needs. This systemic misunderstanding contributes to inequality in hiring, a concern addressed by SDG 10.

The DAV Job Fair: A Mechanism for Advancing the SDGs

Fostering Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)

The Fort Campbell job fair, which involved over 330 service members and more than 50 employers, serves as a direct mechanism for promoting SDG 8. By creating a military-friendly environment for face-to-face engagement, the event facilitates the placement of highly skilled veterans into appropriate roles, ensuring they are compensated for their true market value.

Case studies from the event illustrate this impact:

1. Eddie High (Retiring Army Veteran): After 22 years of service, High expressed initial uncertainty about presenting his qualifications to civilian employers. The job fair provided him with the motivation and confidence needed to pursue his next role, reinforcing the value of his discipline, reliability, and team cohesion. This outcome supports the objective of securing decent work for all.
2. Adam Eisenhauer (Active-Duty Army Soldier): Attending a year before his retirement, Eisenhauer used the event for strategic networking. His goal of achieving a “normal work-life balance” and a regular schedule aligns with the principles of decent work under SDG 8, which encompasses not just employment but the quality of that employment and its impact on personal life.

Promoting Well-being and Reducing Inequalities (SDG 3 & SDG 10)

Meaningful employment is a cornerstone of personal stability and well-being. The stress and uncertainty of career transition can negatively affect the mental health of veterans and their families. By providing a clear pathway to civilian careers, these job fairs contribute to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

Furthermore, the initiative actively works to reduce the economic inequalities faced by the veteran community, a key target of SDG 10. By addressing the specific disadvantages this group encounters in the job market, the program promotes economic inclusion and ensures that those who have served are not left behind in the pursuit of national prosperity.

Conclusion: Partnerships for Sustainable Development (SDG 17)

The success of the DAV job fair model is an embodiment of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The collaboration between DAV, private sector employers, and programs offering guidance on Department of Veterans Affairs benefits creates a comprehensive support system. As stated by Lamarr Couser, such integrated resources are critical for a successful transition. These multi-stakeholder partnerships are essential for creating sustainable pathways to employment that uphold the dignity, economic security, and well-being of the nation’s veterans, thereby making a significant contribution to the global development agenda.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The entire article focuses on the employment challenges faced by veterans transitioning to civilian life. It discusses the importance of finding “meaningful employment” and overcoming issues like underemployment. The DAV job fair is a direct initiative to promote productive employment for a specific demographic (veterans), which is the core mission of SDG 8.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

  The article directly addresses this target by focusing on the employment of veterans. The text highlights the problem of underemployment, stating that veterans are often “not employed at their skill level, and they are not being compensated for what they are actually worth on the job market.” The job fair aims to create opportunities for “productive employment” and “decent work” by connecting skilled veterans with employers.

• Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.

  While the target date has passed and the subjects are not exclusively “youth,” the principle of supporting a specific demographic group facing barriers to employment is highly relevant. The article describes “transitioning service members” as a group navigating an “uncertain and often intimidating journey to civilian life.” The job fair is an intervention designed to reduce the proportion of this group that is unemployed or underemployed upon leaving the military.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Unemployment and underemployment rates among veterans.

  The article explicitly identifies underemployment as a key issue, stating it is a “leading factor for underemployment among the veteran community.” Therefore, tracking the rate of underemployment, as well as the general unemployment rate for veterans, serves as a direct indicator of progress towards Target 8.5.

• Number of participants in veteran-focused employment events.

  The article provides specific figures, noting that “more than 330 other service members, veterans and military spouses” attended the job fair, which featured “over 50 employers.” These numbers act as an indicator of the scale and reach of initiatives aimed at connecting veterans with employment opportunities, reflecting efforts to meet Targets 8.5 and 8.6.

• Rate of successful job placement for veterans.

  The article implies that the ultimate goal of the job fair is successful employment. It describes the event as a “critical step in navigating an uncertain and often intimidating journey to civilian life” and a “runway for me to get things started now so I can lift off when I get to that point.” The number or percentage of attendees who secure meaningful employment as a result of the fair would be a key performance indicator for these efforts.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

Source: dav.org