84 Lumber Advocates for Veterans on National Hire a Veteran Day
The 84 Lumber recruitment call center will be open on National Hire a Veteran Day, July 25, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. EDT
EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. (July 23, 2024) – 84 Lumber, the nation’s largest privately held building materials supplier, proudly supports U.S. veterans and calls on companies to recognize the importance of National Hire a Veteran Day on July 25th, 2024. This day serves as a critical reminder for employers to consider hiring American military veterans transitioning into civilian employment.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, roughly 200,000 veterans enter the civilian workforce each year. Finding a job and finding a purposeful career tops their list of challenges. National Hire a Veteran Day, founded in 2017 by Marine Corps veteran Dan Caporale, is one way to remind potential employers that the best way to honor a veteran is to hire one.
America’s Veterans Are an Underutilized Talent Pool
Michelle Horn retired from the Army in 2019 after 21 years of service. Her last assignment was as a spokesperson and press officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. Michelle was also a transportation officer and commanded a transportation company that deployed three times to Kuwait and Iraq. As a truck platoon leader in Germany, she deployed to Kosovo.
Horn knows all about the transition to civilian life. She is currently vice president of communications at Fisher House Foundation in Rockville, Maryland, which builds comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital.
“Veterans face unique challenges when entering the civilian workforce,” said Horn. “Many transitioning veterans have never applied for a job since so many join the service straight from high school or college. On top of that, many civilian employers aren't educated about the specifics of military life and are unaware how a veteran's broad military experiences translate into private sector employment skills.”
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“Amid today’s talent shortage and the need to find people who will engage, commit, and deliver tremendous value to your organization, veterans may be among your best choices to hire,” she said. “Military veterans share a common set of characteristics that make them great civilian employees, including leadership, initiative, self-discipline, teamwork, and an excellent work ethic,” said Horn.
Horn also stressed the importance of veterans' transferable skills.
“Veterans have developed problem-solving skills through their military service, learning to think on their feet and identify solutions quickly. This intuitive thinking is highly valued in business, where a simple mistake can cost a company thousands, if not millions of dollars. Military life also trains individuals to communicate respectfully and effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.”
Why Veterans Thrive at 84 Lumber
According to a poll from Employ Inc., 81 percent of hiring professionals are having trouble filling jobs.
“Veterans should be the first stop in filling those open roles in today's competitive job market,” said Joe Jena, director of talent acquisition at 84 Lumber, who emphasizes the company's commitment to veterans.
Ultimately, it’s about respect for their service and their training.
“Veterans bring extremely competitive skills to civilian jobs, along with core values military service cultivates like dedication, teamwork, and pride,” he said.
“Veterans are key contributors to 84 Lumber,” continued Jena, observing these individuals are not afraid of hard work and are willing to do what it takes to get the job done. “With our ‘Promote from Within Culture’, individuals who have served in the U.S. military thrive in 84 Lumber’s environment and move up the ladder quickly,” he said. “Individuals receive hands-on training, allowing them to utilize the vast skillset acquired during their service. “We’ve found that 84 Lumber aligns very well with the values of military veterans. When someone retires from the military, they’re typically used to a very structured, hard-working environment where they can grow and move up the ranks. That’s why veterans tend to thrive at 84 Lumber and become some of our most successful associates,” explained Jena.
Jena also acknowledged the unique challenges in hiring veterans.
“Civilian companies hiring military veterans have the added challenge of interpreting unfamiliar experience into valuable, career-based skills – how does being an M1A1 Abrams tank operator or platoon leader translate into civilian life?”
Sometimes knowledge is key. While combat roles seem extreme or foreign to hiring managers of civilian companies, those roles breed problem-solving, disciplined individuals, who thrive under pressure.
Additionally, a relatively small percentage of people who serve in the Armed Forces are in combat roles, meaning many vets served in roles that exist in the civilian world such as healthcare, communications, cybersecurity, logistics, and more.
“Military experience and its related qualities – leadership, respect, teamwork, loyalty, and the ability to produce results under pressure – can help any company reach new heights,” added Jena.
84 Lumber’s Continuing Commitment to Fisher House Foundation
84 Lumber has been supporting Fisher House Foundation since 2019. The organization’s Fisher Houses, built across the globe, provide a “home away from home” for service members, veterans, and their families. Since its start in 1991 when the first Fisher House was opened alongside former President H.W. Bush and First Lady of the United States Barbara Bush, Fisher House Foundation has saved military and veterans’ families around $610 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation. 84 has generously donated over $1 million throughout the years in support of the organization. Fisher House Foundation recently began building its 100th comfort home this year in Chicago.
84 Lumber Recruitment Call Center
“We have opportunities right now across the company and the nation,” said Jena. “You do not need a college degree or prior experience to work at 84 Lumber. We train you from the ground up.”
The call center will be open on Thursday, July 25 – National Hire a Veteran Day – from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. EDT. Call 724-228-1885 to speak with a live recruiter.
Visit 84lumber.com/careers and use the hashtag #HireAVeteran to promote the July 25 awareness day on social media.
ABOUT 84 LUMBER
Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, 84 Lumber Co. is the nation’s largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components, and industry-leading services for single and multifamily residences and commercial buildings. The company operates 320 facilities which include stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, and engineered wood product centers in 33 states. 84 Lumber also offers turnkey installation services for a variety of products, including framing, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, decking, and drywall. A certified national women’s business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy, 84 Lumber was named as one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2024 by Newsweek and was named one of America’s Top Retailers 2024 by USA Today. The company was also recognized as one of America’s Largest Private Companies in 2023 by Forbes. The company also made the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies in 2023. For more information, visit www.84lumber.com and join us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.