Brian "Ponch" Rivera’s Post

Last year on Veterans Day, I wrote some reflections on my own service: https://bit.ly/3UM0Gvk This year, I’d like to make it a little more practical, and discuss for all of you employers out there why you might want to consider hiring a veteran. Virtually all veterans have four characteristics that make them valuable to all employers: teamwork, leadership, high levels of responsibility, and integrity. Let’s look at each in detail. TEAMWORK: Almost by definition, all members of the military work on a team to accomplish their organization’s mission. There are no solo operators. Working on a team means relying on the work of others and having others rely on their own work, critical skills in almost any workforce. This would also include building communications skills, the ability to see the big picture, and an understanding of how their own work product contributes to the larger strategy. LEADERSHIP: As a young officer right out of the Naval Academy, I was given the management responsibility of leading a fifteen-member team that ran the communications equipment on my first ship, the USS HIGGINS, a guided missile destroyer. And because the military works in a strict hierarchy, even enlisted sailors are given leadership responsibility – even if only over one or two other junior sailors – within their first four years in the Navy. HIGH LEVELS OF RESPONSIBILITY: From driving 500 foot long ships in constricted waters and even 1,000 yards behind an aircraft carrier, to launching heavy munitions (including the newsworthy Tomahawk missiles), to boarding ships going into and out of rogue states in the Middle East, to directing supersonic fighter aircraft, not to mention the management responsibilities discussed above, virtually all members of the military at all levels have had some experience with very important responsibility levels. INTEGRITY: Members of the military are trained to operate with integrity. Given the high levels of responsibility mentioned above, there is no room for integrity lapses that could get others killed, damage critical equipment, or put a mission at risk. As Veterans are considered a diverse group, I would encourage all employers out there to consider hiring veterans for these reasons.

These sessions seem valuable for senior leaders, I am a little curious how well this type of thing is percolating down into the lower ranks. I think the greatest positive or negative recruiting impact for the military in general is not coming from high ranking leaders - - it is coming from our veteran E-4s, E-5s and E-6s, going back to their families and their hometowns, in person and on social media, and talking about their experiences. Talking about how the military has helped them grow professionally, how the military has helped them build relationships. Sadly, I believe the recently reported shortfalls in recruiting, for the Navy in particular, are the fruits of at least 20 years of doing more with less. Sailors are getting burned out and they are not feeling cared for by the bureaucracy. There is only so much encouragement that a leader can offer when you do not have confidence that the broader organization will take care of you. And a poor leader will exacerbate the issues, making things worse. And much of this does start at the end, with how we support those who choose to separate from the military before reaching retirement. Many commands are hesitant to give time to prepare for what comes after, because of a false urgency to get the current mission done with the already and adequate amount of personnel. I have seen sailors denied their full terminal leave, because a squadron couldn't get a replacement until the actual separation date. So instead they stayed on deployment, upset and bitter at their treatment, feeling like they were not being allowed to use benefits that they had earned, and impacting the attitudes of other sailors who now felt the command was no longer on their side. And when does sailors go home, the story they share of their time in the Navy is going to be tainted by that out the door experience.. This particular issue is a policy problem that could be solved at the flag level. Encouraging and promoting the SkillBridge program is another issue that can be solved by policy; but instead recent changes have made it harder to use that program. I got a lot out of my career in the Navy, and I would love to see the organization improve and succeed moving forward, but I fear there are some big challenges to come.

In the U.S. military, the value of a single soldier extends far beyond their individual combat capability. A well-trained, highly motivated soldier can serve as a force multiplier, influencing the effectiveness of their entire unit. Through leadership, resourcefulness, and specialized skills, one soldier can change the outcome of a mission, especially in asymmetric warfare scenarios. The actions of one individual can have a strategic ripple effect, whether through acts of valor, critical decision-making, or specialized technical roles, such as sniping, intelligence, or communications. The psychological impact of a single soldier's actions—particularly in terms of morale, both for their own side and the enemy—can be immense. A soldier’s ability to operate effectively in adverse conditions can disrupt enemy plans, protect vital assets, and inspire their peers to greater performance. Historically, individuals like Sergeant Alvin York, Audie Murphy, and others have demonstrated how one soldier’s determination can shift tactical outcomes, proving that every soldier carries the potential to change history.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company wants to hire our veterans and then chew them up and spit them out when they need medical attention; as if they were chattel. When a power company is ALLOWED to brutally silence whistleblowers, using a medical emergency as catalyst to end a career; it matters. When the energy first responders tasked to remediate your energy emergency are not given the medical resources they need to do their job; it matters. When vapid tone deaf CEOs are ALLOWED to gaslight an entire customer base covering up the crimes committed against their highly skilled workforce; it matters. PG&E brags about hiring veterans for PR purposes, but they don’t tell you that they run their workforce into the ground with a fraudulent, incompetent iron fist and that matters. I will #NEVER stop speaking up against the abuse of power being perpetrated on the MOST vital American workforce behind the iron curtain of PG&E’s unchecked executive class. #TheBootsOnTheGroundMatter https://lnkd.in/gCRy2VSF

Talking to an Airman today: "I used RANGER at (his last base) and it was fabulous." His current base will be getting RANGER soon and he's excited about the prospect. I hear this all the time, but it never gets old. Nothing excites me more than doing awesome things for the greatest folks in the world: USAF Maintainers. Plus, maintainers don't use the term "fabulous" a lot. So that's really saying something. This is because RANGER makes so many processes easier and better. It is good both for the mission and the persons who do the mission. It is designed for maintainers, by maintainers, and with the inputs of literally hundreds of AGE professionals at dozens of bases around the Air Force. We've supported over 60,000 real-world dispatches with the system, at multiple bases, in five different MAJCOMs, and more bases are coming on-line all the time. This is because the reality of it's awesomeness is coming to light. Every base should use RANGER. However, as long as Airmen are dragging around paper dispatch logs and wasting their time hand-jamming that stuff into databases, our job isn't complete. Help us out by getting RANGER for your base. Let us help you! Reach out for more details: harry.stone@stoneacftmx.com

We were required to carry General Powell’s ‘20 Rules for Leaders’ with us at all times in the 82d Airborne Division. I have saved them on my phone and review them regularly as they pertain to the business world as much as they do to the military. Lesson 15 reminds us that we need vital information, but we can’t wait too long to get it or we’ll lose our advantage. There comes a time when you need to make a decision, that you cannot wait any longer. This slide is a good guide to use at that critical moment. Get yourself to the 40-70 range and trust your gut. Then live with the decision!

Is your understanding of John Boyd's work upside down and backwards? How do your competitors understand it? Some might say: "He was just a fighter pilot.." "He did not have a PhD." "His only experience was the military." Let your competitors run with that. Go further and significantly increase your competitive advantage. Don't John Boyd upside down and backwards! More below.

https://lnkd.in/gK5g_yYu While working in my garden, I noticed a new military person, Navy in uniform pulled into the driveway of the home the Lockheed Martin trainer is using to train them with USAF personnel. After checking in for his assignment, they then typically branch out to compliant locations, either in the back, front or on either side of my residence. Today the back. Yet again as yesterday, they picked up with the heart beam, then head after announcing "I hate her." I am sure this is part of war strategy training. They must be confused. This is not a personality contest nor am I trying to win Ms. Congeniality in a rightful battle for my life, and due to war programming they will kill! The fact is, it is fruitless to tell them the truth of this program creating setups, using mind invasive subliminal influence technology and worse on many. As Government issues (G.I.) the truth is not in them, nor can it be! Forgive me but I see absolutely nothing heroic about this monstrous program destroying the lives of men, women and children that has placed our military boys at the helm. There is nothing honorable or heroic about what they are doing today, and the truth is not in them nor can it be. They also have names for each other... Pier-Queer: Air Force term for "Sailor." (The Navy term for Air Force personnel is simply "Queer.") Pier tender: A ship that never gets under way... FAG: Fighter Attack Guy - an F/A-18 Hornet/Super Hornet pilot or naval flight officer ("NFO"). Also a "Fine Academy Graduate" used as a derogatory term to refer to graduates of the Naval Academy. Also "Forward Area Guy" used as derogatory term for submarine personnel other than engineering department, brought upon due to a COB's ban of the term "Coner".

The thrill of landing in new territory is a sensation every pilot and transitioning veteran can relate to. Just as aviation psychology focuses on the delicate interplay between the aviator, the aircraft, and the ever-changing environment, veterans stepping into civilian life must recognise the balance between their strengths, the skills they have honed in service, and the nuances of their new world. In my upcoming book, I write further about the nuances of adapting to a civilian career and how as veterans, one can leverage their military training in a civilian environment with confidence! #VeteranTransition #CareerChange #LeadershipSkills

A new stealth submarine can apparently make 180-degree turns at full speed. The Kronos submarine could well have military, as well as commercial, buyers. #stealthsubmarine #180degreeturns #fullspeed #innovation #nextleveltravel #commutation Credits: InterestingEngineering