There are all sorts of myths and false beliefs that persist about every single group, tribe and organizations out there.
The military is no different.
A huge majority of the population seem to believe certain things about the military and following that about veterans.
Now these myths can have both positive and negative effects but what should veterans do when the latter happens?
Today’s podcast supplement is going to be talking about those all too common myths that civilian employers have about veterans and what these guys should do without them!
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and dive in!
Myth 1: Veterans have been trained to be mindless drones.
Civilians seem to think that most vets have been conditioned to follow orders and never question anything.
While this may be true for very few vets, it is worth emphasizing that the majority of veterans do not think this way at all!
Most veterans are really flexible and adaptable and are creative free thinkers. This attitude is actually the result of being put in heavily uncertain circumstances and chaotic environments and just having to deal with it.
As this myth isn’t an overly positive one, veterans need to take an active stance to try and overcome this wrong belief.
If the issue does come up, why not try and tell a short story that gives an example about some of the stuff you had to deal with and how you managed to solve that in your own way, and not by necessarily following anyone else’s orders.
Myth 2: Veterans are mentally and emotionally unstable
This myth is one that has been perpetuated by the media. When TV shows and movies portray military guys, they always show them suffering from PTSD, nightmares and other issues.
This is why veterans can sometimes become victimized by this incorrect stereotype when in fact many of us come home from the service with no issues and instabilities whatsoever.
Veterans have to realize that while all these questions about issues and PTSD may come across as prodding, most people simply want to know if you are a threat to them. The best way to deal with this is to find a way to diffuse the situation.
Some people don’t even ask you the question because they are threatened by you. They may just be fascinated or really curious by the stuff that you did while you were in service.
While this fascination in no way justifies the question, knowing and understanding the other person’s intent may help you not reply in a defensive and even accusatory tone.
Myth 3: Veterans are combative and physically aggressive
This particular myth is especially disturbing because it really gives veterans a bad name. People get scared of veterans because of this fact and it can prevent them from getting jobs or even rising up the ranks.
What civilians need to realize is that veterans have seen “real” fights and realize that most fights are truly unfair. They know what really goes down so they will not just jump into a fight because they feel like it.
Instead, they have been trained to diffuse the situation and in many cases, this is what they’ll try to do and only fight as a last resort.
Myth 4: Veterans are foul-mouthed and noisy
It is true that there are certain colorful words that are used often in the military. This could possibly be because there are no women in the infantry which means that the guys tend to watch what they say less.
However if we were to look at the big picture, we will find that everyone tends to swear and curse, especially when there are a few alcoholic drinks involved. There is really no proof that veterans tend to do it more than other veterans.
Just like regular people, there will be veterans that swear and those that have a better and more articulated vocabulary.
Myth 5: Veterans are all hard-working, nose-to-the-grindstone types
Again, this is another one of those generalizations and as generalizations go some are and some aren’t. Of course some veterans will turn out to be hardworking and some will be slackers.
After all veterans are just like other people.
The thing to remember here though is that this is a good myth and that means that veterans should find a way to leverage this.
What you should do is try to prove this myth right so that you have a higher chance of success in your chosen career.
Myth 6: Veterans are tightly disciplined and work within strict boundaries
This myth is quite similar to the first one that was covered. Civilians seem to believe that being in the army meant working under super strict boundaries.
That is really where the misconception lies. In most cases, there were never really extremely strict boundaries in the army.
The reality was that almost everything was undefined and there was almost a lack of information on most things.
That meant that military men and women really had to work with what they had, eliminating that myth of tight boundaries.
While veterans may be disciplined, they are also made to work outside boundaries and so your potential employer should know this for your benefit.
Myth 7: Veterans are always well-dressed and well-groomed
Now we’ve come to the most important myth. Many people seem to believe that because of the rules in the army, military men and veterans have been trained to always look good.
The sad truth is, this isn’t always the case. Many veterans believe that taking the effort to look good is not exactly manly so they can neglect this aspect of their lives.
Our take on this is that veterans should really shake off this idea that dressing well is not manly. Dressing sharp is really not about the clothing or the style.
The way you choose to present yourself can really transform you. The little things like keeping boots shined, and keeping ribbons in place all require attention to detail. If you develop this attention to detail, it can work in so many ways for you and in turn really transform your life.
So that’s it High Speed nation- the 7 myths you need to look out for!
If you do encounter them, remember that most of us have been there before. Just try your best and our tips to dispel them so that you break out of the mold and not only be recognized as a veteran but as a great guy as well!
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