Washington Post (11/21/12) Steve Vogel

The Army has launched a “Hire a Veteran” education campaign to combat myths about veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury. Recent research by the Society for Human Resource Management—a partner with the Army in the campaign—has shown some employers are concerned about the impact of PTSD and TBI on a veteran’s job performance, as well as the cost of accommodating these veterans in the workplace. Approximately 42% of employers in an SHRM survey believed their companies would face challenges in hiring veterans suffering from PTSD or other mental health issues.

“The myth is they’re not going to be successful,” says Tim Isacco of Orion International, a firm specializing in placing veterans in the private sector. “They will be.” The campaign includes a video and online employer tool kit that can be downloaded at wtc.army.mil/employers. “The first step is to help employers to understand that not all veterans need accommodations,” says Jeff Pons, chief human resources and strategy officer for the society. “And when they do—for PTSD or other disabilities—many of those accommodations can easily be made.” Only 13% of employers were familiar with resources for finding veteran job candidates, Pon says. “That’s not acceptable.”