Oh you're a combat veteran? Sorry we're not hiring.

HardCorps
reply to post by benrl

 

Ya know with her attitude there has to be a story there.
maybe dumped by an ex who was a vet?
God only knows but she could have had the decency to look me in the eyes and say it.

Or she just listens to Dianne Feinstein: "All vets are mentally ill in some way and government should prevent them from owning firearms."

And apparently from having gainful employment as well.

reply to post by greencmp


Yea, I could see this being CA...


Hey Op, Try the Telecom industry, Cellular in particular.

ATT, VERIZON, pride themselves on employing vets when I was there one of them was the company I was talking about.

Reasonable pay, Commission, Full benefits, and Union (depends which) and there pretty much every where also minimum requirements.

reply to post by Bone75


That how I feel about our boys just arriving back. I have 5 friends who are x military, all are either in w/chairs like me or have limbs missing a have to use prosthetics, we all suffer from p.t.s.d and we all have trouble with the benefits system. We are the way we are through no fault of our own, we get our money stopped for no reason, or called in for medicals, because they've been informed that we have nothing wrong, and we need to be signed off and to seek employment again, when we attend their medicals, the look on their faces says it all, we get our money activated again, but no one will except responsibility or say sorry, they ignore the months of hassle and stress they've caused.
In my last interview with them, the advisor labled me as hostile, because I put him right over one of his comments, he said he felt sorry for me because of my physical and mental conditions, I just told him that people like me don't want pity from anyone, all we want is for people to understand. I cant do much myself, but I can just look after myself. If I see someone who needs help, I will help as much as I can. Rant over!!
All the best.
B.V.H

reply to post by Bone75


Just read through my reply to your comment, if I came across as a bit agro towards you, that wasn't intended towards you personally, I was just having a bit of rant about the situation ive delt with.
Sorry if I offended you
All the best.
B.V.H

reply to post by HardCorps


I would have thought if you laid your life down to defend your country, you'd get much thanks and respect as you settled back into civilian life, that sucks man. My family has always been military, and they've never received backhanded replies your buddy received. Suppose service doesn't please a few people.

reply to post by HardCorps


Sorry to hear that .

I am a war vet myself . I work on towboats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers , an Engineer . My company prefers Veterans and ex cons because we do not mind working on a boat for 20 , 30 or more days at a time away from home and family . Out of every 5 men they hired only 1 would remain on the river and that 1 man who remained on the job was usually a vet or an ex con . The river is great money and many try it but they get on the boat and miss Mommy , do not trust their wives/girlfriends or just can not handle it . I personally preferred to be on the boat than at home myself , I was bored and would get antsy when at home .

They also used to hire college students for Summer help until we , the boat crews , complained about them and asked them to stop . Not only were they taking the jobs of men who wanted to make careers out of working on the river , They were useless , lazy and whined , pi$$ed and moaned the entire time on the boat that the work was to hard , that it was to hot and they wanted off the boat . That and by the time we had them trained up on the job Summer was over and they quit and went back to school . When training a man , the Mate/Headend man has to work the job of two men as they stand and watch .

Tylerdurden1
Thats just her personal opinion. You can get her for discrimination.

That's easier said than done. First, you have to prove it. The only admission he's got is from his friend who has a job. His friend would have to expose himself for anything to be brought forward. That's a lot to ask someone making $50 an hour who might have to be supporting a family. But let's say the friend was all for exposing this. The next step is to file a complaint with the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) which has a backlog measured in years. Third, they have to take an interest in it. Most of their work involves "protected classes" such as being a minority in an all-white workplace where you can prove with statistics that Blacks are under-represented compared to their overall population in the area. Is being a Veteran a "protected class?" Yeah, kind of, but here it gets gnarly because the mere fact of being a veteran is not the issue. SHOULD being a combat vet BE a protected class? Oh, HELL, yeah! But we're not dealing with should here, but with the letter of the law.

So simply claiming "you can get her for discrimination" is a lot more complex than saying it aloud. And if you really can, it's going to take years, which OP may not have. It absolutely has to be a long-term goal for him rather than a short-term solution to a job, because that is not going to happen.

There is also the Court of Public Opinion. IMO that is a much more attractive option to pursue. Companies are bad publicity-averse and may make amends just to avoid a nasty scene. A mining company has enough bad stuff to deal with already. They may be very very sensitive to yet another negative attributed to them. But, of course, I don't actually have to DO this myself, so it's easy for me to say.

Mamatus
If I can make a suggestion, find some way to start your own small business. Find something you have passion for (besides war and guns) and find a way.

Why did you feel the need to add "Besides war and guns" ? Do you just take it for granted the because he served in the military and is a war vet that he (or all of us veterans) are passionate about war and guns ?

Sorry to be off topic but I find that little shot at a veteran uncalled for and a cheap .

reply to post by billyvonhelvete

I didn't find that offensive at all. God bless every one of you!

reply to post by HardCorps


Very sorry to hear this story Brother. I first heard mine when I applied for my old job back at Safeway in Napa California. Uncle Wayne, store manager (fellow workers nicknamed him that as he was a juicer), told me on the shop floor in front of my peers, that his store was fully employed. I took out my Retail Clerks Union Military Withdrawal Card that states on the back upon an honourable discharge with in 6 months of ETS you are entitled to your job back with all promotions and pay increases. I asked to see the seniority list and suggest last one hired to be transferred or laid off as the law by congress states I am to have my job returned. In 1976 (70 - 76 served) we had a fellow vet shoot up a VA hospital in Texas that was headline that morning, Uncle Wayne said we do not need volatile employees with delayed stress. That hurt as I am a medal winner doing what other refused to do, second trip out was to save a buddy who tried to help recover the first. Never leave anyone behind! Because of the award the rest of my service I enjoyed high end jobs, which, means I was totally unprepared to hear Unc Waynes rejection. I went to Carl Dadio of Vallejo Retails Clerks Union who stood behind Unc Wayne!

With hind sight I should have thanked him as I decided to use my GI Bill to attend Uni making sure I took one year of law so that I was better armed to deal with unethical behaviour. Yep GI Bill screwed me too as they take 4 months to pay out first cheque, the excuse was that it took that long to get into the computer system.... nope not reality! They were hoping economically I would fail, ergo, no payout as they changed the GI Bill after discharged and services rendered. The changes were that one had to finish the semester and pass all courses or we had to return the payment received. Suxs.

First semester I took Economics 1A! I was asked to leave the class after hearing the definition of the word "Transfer Payment"! "Payments made to which no goods or services rendered example of Transfer Payments is Welfare and GI Benefits".... MY blood boiled. How can my services and benefits under contract be compared to a welfare client? After school I returned with the Folder that was presented to me which contained the Cert of Medal and other side a cert told the story how stupid one was..... Professor accepted me back into class, but, said this was my first taste of the harsh realities of being a veteran is all about. I said no this is the second and told him the above story... He then asked what happened to my professionalism I had in the service which I could not demonstrate inside his class room... I could only say I never knew my system was so unprofessional to have terms like Transfer Payment and not honour Men and Women who gave so much for YOUR FREEDOM!

After that meeting I found in the student body union a stand with "Viet Nam Vets Against the War" table with representives! I joined immediately. I served honourable with them for 6 years.

My plane tickets since 911 sport the "SSSS" times four. These are the marking for those on the no fly list. Yes I can fly but subject to searches that would blow your mind. Since I left my country because this kind of treatment I must fly to visit my brothers or for family deaths. Horrible looks when checking in International flight section from people in line. I am treated like a terrorist and my belonging searched beyond anything I have ever witnessed flying in my entire life. I travel with my presentation case with enclosed medal to show TSA that I was a valued member on my team. Every item in my carry one is wiped with one bit of cloth fed into the machine. I once had so much on one trip that they used close to 50 of these pieces of cloth. 2 - 3 hours it took and yes the first time they destroyed my hold baggage cases to get inside, as they were locked. Never do I lock them now and after getting to where I open my cases there is always a note inside stating that my bags were searched! Yes things have gone missing. A good Ranger is a problem solver. I Fedex items that I don't want the TSA to go through. At least FedEx is held more accountable than the traditional TSA slime. By the way, once searched, they hole punch one group of "SSSS". ATS photo section is an example of one of my tickets with name cropped off.

I was so late on one flight that my ticket was not collected as the plane missed two take off positions waiting for me. So when I saw a video of Naomi Wolf lecturing aout her book "The End of America" where she explained the "SSSS" I went to find this ticket and witness my sign... Thanks Bill Engvil "heres your sign"! I suggest you read her book!

Naomi Wolf "The End of America"

I promise you Bro it won't make you feel any better, but at least you will see you are in good company!

My generation was the last for the draft. My service to the Viet Nam Vets was to march in protest to warn the youth against joining the rich mans profitable war machine. "To hell with honour we won't be used again" was our slogan each Veterans day Parade. Each parade in those days, we were the only vets there to march among the NG and reservist, same old story we were denied a permit to march by city hall!

Sorry Brother you did not hear us!

Good luck in the future.

I am sorry to say even when you are gray this will still burn your butt.

Side Note:

Yes I got a great job before getting fed up and left the States. It was strange getting that career orientated job because I promised myself one more failed job application I was going to remove my military service from my CV and replace it with traveling to exotic locations in the world.... You will have to laugh.... My job was to go into the areas of San Francisco that they would not send in women as the New York company I worked for employed mainly women reps. In that area I was lucky. I saw a gun in an armed robbery in a liquor store and a knife when opening my trunk which revealed valuable stock.... Lucky? Yes a lady rep I dated several times till it was pointed out that the penalties under monopoly laws, getting to close to a competitor, was more than we could afford! She was shot and lost half a lung whilst the store owner was shot and killed. Guess there was a reason they hired a decorated veteran!!!

benrl
reply to post by greencmp

 

Yea, I could see this being CA...


Hey Op, Try the Telecom industry, Cellular in particular.

ATT, VERIZON, pride themselves on employing vets when I was there one of them was the company I was talking about.

Reasonable pay, Commission, Full benefits, and Union (depends which) and there pretty much every where also minimum requirements.

That is true as I have been putting applications many of them hiring prioritize vets over civis.

I also did as one of the other poster suggested "make you own job" however it is not working as I wanted it to. but I am trying. Made a $100 this last week.

QuantumDeath
reply to post by HardCorps

 

I would have thought if you laid your life down to defend your country, you'd get much thanks and respect as you settled back into civilian life, that sucks man. My family has always been military, and they've never received backhanded replies your buddy received. Suppose service doesn't please a few people.

Oh how we wish it were so. But today's entitlements society see ex-mils as nothing and nobodies. They have no appreciation or common sense to realize that the reason they have a place where they can bum off society so freely is because guys like our OP fought to give them that freedom.

Sometimes freedom sucks. especially when we see so many milking the system. While our guy here is just wanting to go back to a normal life, well anyway as close to normal as possible.

Praying for you OP.

It keeps getting more despicable. I just saw this reporting a few days ago from a young woman who just returned home.

Kaybeast057, recently home from tour in Afghanistan. Can't pull the pic up for some reason, so I will quote her Twitter feed:

Kaybeast057

"I went for a job interview at Macy's. After the hiring manager learned I had been overseas, the way she looked at me was entirely different.
She told me because i had "been to war" my mindset was different than most people and she couldn't see me on her sales floor. Told me I really didn't know how to approach people or will know how to keep my composure when there is someone in my face mad."

Way to support homecoming troops Macy's.

That is appalling in and of itself HardCorps...

May I posit, however, that as galling as this must have been to experience, a) you are better off not working for an employer who has so little patriotism, compassion, understanding, and respect for people, as to shelve those who have offered their lives to save others, and b) that the real meat of the issue, is whether the person who refused to employ you on those grounds, did so out of personal choice, or as a matter of company policy.

If it is company policy not to employ veterans, then that is something that ought to be shouted from every news media outlet, every billboard, advertised at every Veterans Association centre, and dragged kicking, spitting and screaming through the halls of power in your country with great ceremony.

I would be willing to bet that if this is NOT the policy of the company concerned, that they would be very disturbed to hear that people are being turned away, simply because they served their nation in war. If it is, that company should be crapped on from the highest height imaginable. I know all you want is a job right now, and I know you have already stuck your neck out for your country, but this seems like an issue which needs addressing. You are the man in that moment. There must be others in the same boat. You banded together once, for the sake of your country. Perhaps it is time you banded together for one another's sake now?

Just a suggestion.

Reading this thread I get the impression some people are living in the past. The last time an american soldier defended his country was WW2 (and even that's arguable). Neither Iraq or Afghanistan were a threat to the USA, and the aggression to those countries was unjustified (by moral standards). The modern "vet" is nothing more than a trained assassin. He's a man who sold his soul to the government, and overall, a distinct negative force in this world. I completely understand why some people may not want to work with a vet. ("Here's a man who would shoot an innocent kid if ordered to." Wow, I'm really looking forward to working with you!)

quattrocinque
Reading this thread I get the impression some people are living in the past. The last time an american soldier defended his country was WW2 (and even that's arguable). Neither Iraq or Afghanistan were a threat to the USA, and the aggression to those countries was unjustified (by moral standards). The modern "vet" is nothing more than a trained assassin. He's a man who sold his soul to the government, and overall, a distinct negative force in this world. I completely understand why some people may not want to work with a vet. ("Here's a man who would shoot an innocent kid if ordered to." Wow, I'm really looking forward to working with you!)

If you want to be technical, this thread isn't about supporting war, what may have been done during war or anything else of that nature. Whether you support war or not, you can still support the men and women who have risked their lives. If this was a thread about whether you supported war or not, the argument could be taken. But this is about denying jobs to returning veterans. There is a difference in what this is speaking to, and what you are speaking to.

You should start a thread about your topic.

reply to post by HardCorps


I got out in 2005 after doing 8 years as a tanker and a few deployments myself.

The job market sucked around here anyways and I took a job working nights at the local Huddle House as a cook until I got on at the local lumbermill which was better, but still.....you'd think after all the big deal they make about the troops on the news and TV that people would treat vets a little better when it comes to jobs. And for me this was back in 2005 when everybody was all "America hell yeah!!"

So I feel your pain bud, keep your head up though, and just focus on the things that you can control in your life.

reply to post by quattrocinque


Wow, I see a whole lot of stereotypical statements in your post.

Trained assassin??

You realize that most Military Occupations have nothing to do with front line combat?

You think soldiers are ordered to go around shooting innocent kids? And you apparently also think that soldiers would obey such an unlawful order?

Nevermind, not even worth my time to type this.

Well that's one of the saddest and most cruel things I've heard this week...and I hear a good bit between here and life. If your an electrician a nice line of work is the live show industry. It's one place I've seen vets well received and depending on your state the rates are quite nice. I don't know how you feel or what your local union is like but IATSE was really good to me and would have laid down the gauntlet over any grievance like that.

How about some devil's advocate in here, as there is more than enough chest beating USA USA types.
Maybe the person in question did not want to hire someone who is statistically in the bottom 5-10 percent of their graduating class?
Or just maybe the person was concerned about hiring someone who not only went back for second helpings, but thirds to an illegal immoral war.
Maybe this person does not see your "service" as valid as you have only served the corporations interest at the cost of hundreds of thousands of civilian lives and not the best interest of the people of the US.
Let's face it the soldiers who come back mentally broken, come back that way because of what they have seen and done.
Playing devil's advocate, but any of these are valid, dontcha think?