Connecting Business: Episode 8: How To Be A Military Friendly Business

As part of Kinetic Business's celebration of Military Appreciation Month, Connecting Business host Christina Munoz and her guests, Sergeant First Class Kris Perkins – Principal Lewisburg HS, AR Army National Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Mason– Arkansas National Guard and Gary Wynn – Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, as they discuss a variety of topics ranging from the importance of education and working with people from all walks of life to being mission focused and how to be a military friendly business. Christina’s guests share stories of how military training provides invaluable skills, such as efficiency, leadership, and team building, that help achieve success in the business world.

Some highlights: 

Munoz: What advice do you have when a business wants to be considered military friendly?

Wynn: Well, I think the very first thing they need to do is ensure the policies in their business allows a reserve component member to serve. A lot of times employers just because they haven't dealt with the military before, they think their policies that are currently written will allow them to support their military employee. [...] A lot of times our employers don't understand that they can actually contact the service members command staff or the commander or the senior leader. And this is a great opportunity to them to find out what their employee does for our national security. And we encourage our employers if a service member invites them to a briefing with the Boss Day or if the service member is getting promoted go to that promotion because they are a part of that team to help their employee get promoted.

Mason: I do think that our employers find some particular benefits to hiring a guardsman and off the top of my head I mentioned that they get a soldier or an airman that's been trained to uphold certain standards and values as well as some general and specific skills training. So I think that along with the things that sort of first-class Perkins and Gary might've said about resilience and supervisory skills, they pay attention to detail and generally being responsible are some of the very good reasons why an employer might find it attractive to hire a guardsman or a reservist.

Munoz: What can communities, businesses, what can we all do to truly show our appreciation for the military?

Wynn: Well, and that's a great question. And I think, and just like you said walking up to someone that's in uniform and thanking them for their service and the freedom that they provide to you. One of the biggest things employers can do to make sure that they show appreciation is again, is get to know your military members that are in your business and make sure that you understand what they do.

For more information on how to be a military friendly employer at any size:

Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve
1-800-336-4590

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You can also watch more episodes of Connecting Business.