Veterans Bring Much Needed Talent to Logistics Sector

In conjunction with Veterans' Day, the Society for  Human Resource Management (SHRM) released a report that showed the veteran workforce has a lot to offer the logistics field. 

The group noted that veterans "remain one of the most skilled, experienced, and leadership-ready segments of the labor market. These findings underscore a significant opportunity for employers to strengthen their organizations by hiring and developing veterans, particularly as businesses continue to face ongoing skills shortages and talent gaps."

Even as the veteran labor force has declined by more than 40% since 2000, it maintains education levels comparable to nonveterans and this group of potential employees holds professional certifications.

“Veterans and the military community are one of America’s most valuable untapped talent pools,” said Wendi Safstrom, president of the SHRM Foundation, in a statement.

Key findings from the research include:

• Veterans make up roughly 5% of the overall employed population, with the largest concentrations found in industries closely aligned with military-acquired skills, such as:
  • Public administration (14.6%) and utilities (10.1%) – the highest industry concentrations.
  • Protective service (16.4%) and installation, maintenance, and repair (10.9%) – the highest occupational concentrations.
• Veterans are significantly more likely to experience a disability at any age.
  • People aged 16 to 54 are more than twice as likely to develop a disability as nonveterans (15.2 % vs. 6.3%) – highlighting the importance of workplace flexibility and inclusive practices.

SHRM supports veterans through its Military Community at Work initiative and Military Community Ambassadors program. The Ambassadors program works with the business community to bring veterans to their organizations. 

The Warehouse Education and Resource Council also touts the benefits of this workforce.

"Veterans bring a host of professional skills and attributes to their civilian careers. They know how to build and work within teams, lead others effectively to solve problems, are capable of strategic planning, communicate effectively, adapt to challenges, and apply initiative to tackle different and variable job tasks," they note on their site.

Many companies agree and have made it a practice to hire veterans. A March 2025 article in Veterans Magazine talked about why companies value veterans. Traits include:

• Leadership: Many veterans have led teams and managed operations under high-pressure situations.
• Discipline: A strong work ethic and the ability to follow procedures are ingrained in military personnel.
• Problem-Solving: Quick thinking and adaptability are key traits of veterans.
• Technical Skills: Many veterans have specialized training in IT, engineering, logistics, and security.

The article points to companies that specifically hire veterans, including:

Amazon - Has a military recruitment program and uses a Military Skill Translator to help veterans match skills with jobs.

Walmart - Since 2013, the company has hired over 400,000 military veterans and spouses. 

UPS -UPS has a dedicated hiring initiative for veterans, offering positions in driving and warehousing.