I took a walk this weekend with my 15-year old daughter Ruby.
That’s become a frequent thing. That’s a good thing. Dads appreciate that:)
I live in western Pennsylvania. Deer o’plenty.
That disclaimer aside, it wasn’t that long ago that it was a sure bet, a 100% chance in fact, that the number of humans we’d see on a walk would outnumber the deer. Not by a little bit. By several orders of magnitude.
But not in our new “post-coronalyptic” world. Ruby and I saw a two trucks, one car, five deer, and yes, we even saw a human!
It was good sized. Dark hair. Definitely part Yinzer. Wore a mask. It was pretty skittish. We tried to appear non-threatening and we even tried to talk to it. But it walked to the other side of the road and avoided eye contact. Maybe next time. Next safari. Maybe we should try spotting for humans at night? Or use bait? I hear they are attracted to toilet paper these days.
May is upon us. For those of us at Viqtory who are in the human business of creating civilian opportunity for the military community, that means National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM).
Established by Congress in 1999, NMAM is a month where Americans express gratitude for our service members, veterans and military spouses. May was chosen because it includes Memorial Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Victory in Europe (VE) Day commemorating the end of WWII in Europe, Children of Fallen Patriots Day, the anniversary of the death of OBL and more.
Traditionally, our towns have parades, businesses offer military discounts and veterans are given free access to theme parks, concerts and sporting events.
“Post-coronalyptic” NMAM may be different.
4 ways to Support the Human Veterans during Military Appreciation Month in this “Post-Coronalyptic” World
Buy Veteran – The federal government’s not the first to figure out that supporting small business is the best way to stimulate the country’s economy. Stimulating the “veteran economy” can be done the same way. About one in seven small businesses is owned by a military veteran. They are restauranteurs, roofers and real estate agents; pub owners, plumbers and painters; jewelers, janitors and junk haulers, and everything in between. They hire veterans to work at their companies and they tend to support veteran-related charities. What better way to support them, and to buy American, than to Buy Veteran? You can find them at www.buyveteran.com. And most will probably give you product or service curbside or at least 6 feet away.
Educate Veteran – Give a veteran a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a veteran to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. By passing the original GI Bill, the Greatest Generation educated an entire generation, and in doing so, ushered in American prosperity. Leaders like John Kamin, Patrick Murray, and many more veterans who advocated for its modern version, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, did the same for post-9/11 veterans. If you’re a college or trade school, and especially if you’re one that offers distance learning and flexible programs for adult learners, establish programs to pursue our veterans as students.
Hire Veteran – If you are a hiring manager or in talent acquisition, especially if you employ people in positions like retail, logistics or healthcare where demand has soared, pursue veterans for those jobs. .
Franchise Veteran – Veterans going through the military’s transition assistance program (TAP) now have the option to take a track in business ownership. Opening a franchise is a lower-risk way for veterans to take the leap into entrepreuenrship. In the military, veterans are taught a strong work ethic, good leadership skills, discipline, ability to execute a plan and are forced to overcome challenges. They’re ideal franchisees. So if you’re a franchisor looking to grow, you’re well-served by pursuing veterans.
Let’s create plenty of Viqtorys for veterans during this post-coronalyptic May.
By Chris Hale, CEO & Co-Founder at VIQTORY
