{"id":80004,"date":"2024-09-23T21:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-23T21:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/09\/23\/spouses-and-vets-are-key-to-changing-broken-narrative-experts-say\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:02:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:02:35","slug":"spouses-and-vets-are-key-to-changing-broken-narrative-experts-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2024\/09\/23\/spouses-and-vets-are-key-to-changing-broken-narrative-experts-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Spouses and vets are key to changing \u2018broken\u2019 narrative, experts say"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A growing trend is painting a picture that military spouses and veterans are \u201cchallenged and broken,\u201d and spouses and veterans themselves will be key to changing that narrative, according to a veteran and consulting firm co-founder who is aiming to change that narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning those perceptions around \u2014 toward a more positive view of the military experience \u2014 could be key in addressing issues of military spouse unemployment<\/a> and veteran unemployment, as well as larger issues around recruiting and retention, according to Kevin Schmiegel, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who is chief executive officer of ZeroMils, a social impact consulting firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo us, painting a picture that veterans and spouses and our families are broken, are challenged, isn\u2019t right,\u201d Schmiegel said earlier this month at the Defense News Conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He and another Marine founded the consulting firm several years ago \u201cin response to growing trends that we saw in the public, private and nonprofit sectors that painted a picture about veterans, military spouses and our families that we didn\u2019t like,\u201d Schmiegel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changing that narrative will help move the needle on spouse and veteran unemployment, he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s on us to change the narrative, veterans and military spouses, one at a time,\u201d Schmiegel added<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ZeroMils was founded \u201con the premise that we could work with multiple corporations, multiple nonprofits to change the narrative about how our community is seen and heard in the workplace and society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are other big issues at stake, he said: military recruiting and retention. \u201cThe fact is, young people think veterans, military spouses and our families are challenged and broken,\u201d Schmiegel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He cited a Defense Department statistic that 62% of young people think all veterans have a psychological disorder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s largely driven by a narrative from a host of nonprofits that paint a picture that we are broken, we are victims,\u201d he said. If that narrative can change, Schmiegel thinks the numbers of young people with the propensity to join the military will increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently just about 9% of young people between the ages of 16 and 21 have the propensity to serve in the military, according to a 2022 survey by the National Military Family Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kevin Schmiegel of ZeroMils and Lindsay Krueger of RTX’s Collins Aerospace, discuss issues surrounding spouse unemployment and veteran unemployment during a panel at the 2024 Defense News conference. (Defense News)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Too often, veterans and military spouses have the wrong approach in talking about their service, Schmiegel said. When it comes to hiring military spouses, sometimes employers think it\u2019s a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut the landscape has changed. Ten and a half million unfilled jobs in America is a lot of unfilled jobs. As a talent pool, as a resource, there is no better talent pool than veterans and military spouses. We have to start talking to employers that way. When we go into an interview and we\u2019re looking for meaningful employment, I think we need to take the narrative back and talk about our service in a different way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For companies and other organizations to say they are \u201cmilitary-friendly and military-ready\u201d isn\u2019t good enough, Schmiegel said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat does that mean? You\u2019re doing us a favor by giving us a job? You\u2019re being friendly to us? What are you doing to help us grow and thrive? Culturally, companies have to consider that this is not just about putting butts in seats,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you have a skills gap of hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands, you have to build a culture that gives veterans and military spouses more than just a job\u2026. What else are you doing to help them find purpose through continued service?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some employers might provide employee resource groups to help veterans and spouses connect with each other, share experiences, and focus on helping them take care of their physical and mental health. Employers need to create a culture for veterans and spouses that improves job satisfaction, performance and retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\t