We are proud to announce that on Veterans Day 2020, we received a “HIRE Vets Gold Medallion Award” recognizing our commitment to recruiting, employing and retaining Veterans. The HIRE Vets Act (formally known as the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act) is the only federal award program that recognizes companies that provide opportunities for Veterans to thrive in the workplace after they complete their active duty military service.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia recognized SCP as one of the 675 recipients of the 2020 HIRE Vets Medallion Award, during a U.S. Department of Labor awards ceremony held on Veterans Day. While the SCP team deeply appreciates being recognized for hiring Veterans, our commitment to Veterans began long before we knew that awards were given to companies that recruit and hire them.

Veterans are great employees

“We have long recognized that veterans are great employees. The skills they bring to the table – not only the technical skills but also the soft skills needed to be a good team player and a good leader – are second to none,” said SCP President Monica Gould. She added that SCP first hired retired military leaders to ensure that SCP’s work on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Navy resulted in the delivery of products and services that met (or exceeded) the Department’s high standards of excellence. The Veterans who worked on the first few projects for the Navy did not disappoint; their work contributed significantly to SCP’s growth and success and resulted in several additional contracts within various branches of the Department of Defense.

Since those first few retired military leaders joined the SCP team, every Veteran that SCP has hired for other positions has turned out to be a valuable addition to the team, according to Ms. Gould.

“Veterans are hard-working, disciplined, dedicated, respectful and loyal employees. They’re committed to giving SCP clients their all.” – Monica Gould, SCP President

As an immigrant whose parents moved to the U.S. from India when she was a toddler, Monica Gould has always respected and appreciated members of the military because they ensure the freedom and safety of our country. “It’s a privilege to hire Veterans to join the SCP family. We know some of the challenges that many of them faced during active duty, so we have created a space for them that is open and flexible, and we give them ample opportunity to learn and grow,” she said.

To fill positions as they become available, SCP first turns to recruiting firms that support the hiring of Veterans – some of which work only with Veterans to help ensure that they will find meaningful positions in companies that offer a good fit. “Very often,” said Ms. Gould, “we find that SCP’s values and the values that our Veteran employees bring to the table are the same: loyalty, respect for people as well as policies, and dedication to following clear paths to specific outcomes.”

“As a Veteran, SCP gives me the chance to make a difference”

One Veteran who is part of the SCP family is Accounting Manager Janet Palmer, who was attracted to SCP because it is a small but growing business. “The military trains you to work as a team, that your ideologies can make a difference. Working with SCP, it gives me an opportunity to make a difference, not just in my own career, but as I lead others. I am able to reflect on others and teach them the importance of teamwork, communication, and diversity,” she said. Her bird’s eye view of the whole SCP team, its operations, and its clients made her realize that a significant percentage of the company’s employees are Veterans, so she encouraged SCP Founder and President Ms. Gould to apply for a HIRE Vets Medallion Award.

Ms. Palmer said that being a leader isn’t about rising, elevating and growing herself, but rather about helping others be the best they can be and demonstrating to them that leadership can be diverse and enjoyable. “Being a Veteran has shown me that teaching others to be leaders is an important skill; I’m here at SCP to build leaders and not followers – and that is very meaningful,” she added.

Another Veteran’s perspective on working with SCP

Another Veteran on the SCP team is former U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Tonda (“Toni”) Souther, who serves as Project Manager at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, on an SCP Billeting Support Project. She manages a team of 25 SCP employees who work onsite, including three other Veterans. “I gained logistics and management skills and experience in the military that I’m glad I can continue using as part of SCP team. And it’s great to support the Army as a Veteran,” said Ms. Souther. She also described the importance of finding a good fit with an employer, saying, “It’s great to work for a company that supports active duty military and Veterans. I always know that I have full-hearted support from the team and the staff, and I appreciate that SCP leaders are accessible and will advocate on behalf of employees.”

Targeted efforts to recruit, employ, and retain Veterans produce the best results

Hiring Veterans is an important element in creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace. But the likelihood of success in attracting qualified Veterans by simply posting open positions on LinkedIn, Indeed, or other sites pales in comparison to targeted efforts to attract Veterans more directly.

With nearly a quarter million service members transitioning into civilian life every year and as many as 90% of them saying they have faced challenges when looking for employment*, it is important that companies are prepared to first create an environment in which Veterans will feel welcomed and valued, then to deploy outreach programs to specifically target those whose skills, abilities and potential for growth will contribute to their organization’s mission, vision and values. According to former Army Sergeant First Class Souther, “Veterans should not be afraid to ask for help in the workplace. They should reach out and find the support systems that many companies have in place for Veterans.”

Benefits of employing Veterans extend beyond the obvious

In addition to their work ethic and their willingness to be team players or to take on leadership roles depending on what the circumstances demand, Veterans are dedicated to completing projects on time; they have respect for the chain of command; and they show up and perform even when the going gets tough. “I have never had a negative experience in all of my relationships with Veterans on the SCP team,” said founder and president Monica Gould. The entire SCP team values the opportunity to employ Veterans and is honored to help them build expertise and prosper in their careers.

*Sources: U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and panelists presenting at the Diversity & Inclusion Conference hosted by the Society of Human Resource Management.