When speaking on the labor shortage with various professionals in our industry there is a common theme among hiring managers: Hiring good, honest and hard-working people is often more important than industry experience itself. High school and trade school graduates, along with current PHCP-PVF industry pros are popular pools to search when hiring, but one you may not have thought to explore is the U.S. armed forces and/or veteran population.

A recent conversation with Quawnishia Morgan, warehouse and logistics manager at ADS, Inc., military equipment supplier that provides tactical equipment, procurement, logistics, government contracts and supply chain solutions, provides some insight into the specific skillet U.S. armed forces members and veterans carry that can be of use in supply chain logistics roles.

One year ago it seemed as though the term “the new normal,” was flying around constantly. The world was thinking about what post-pandemic life would look like. What things would change? How do businesses operate post-pandemic? Little did we know post-pandemic life would be much further away than many originally thought.

As I book flights and hotels for upcoming industry events, (my brand new luggage set I bought last February will finally see the world) I can’t help but reflect on where we were last March, April and May. So much has changed. We have learned, adapted and found silver linings through all of this, all while individuals and businesses have experienced a lot of loss and hurt. The resiliency and growth is especially evident to me as we prepared this issue, specifically the annual Premier 150 list. 

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

“Members of the U.S. Armed Forces have the innate ability to think outside the box and search for external solutions to existing logistical challenges,” Morgan says. “Sometimes the critical status of the mission may force them to seek solutions that may create a pain point elsewhere. For example, if an aircraft cannot fly due to a missing part, and that part is on backorder for two months, they may source this item by cannibalizing another aircraft that has a working part. This method eventually creates twice the work, but the desired aircraft can now fly on its mission.”

With the supply chain disruption we are facing today, it’s important to have quick-thinkers, problem solvers and go-getters on your team.

“While serving, there is not an option to not perform a specific task or to report that something cannot be done,” Morgan says. “Through process of elimination and strategy, they often land on the desired solution in order to support the mission. These are your 'go-getters,' the hard chargers — the people that believe in a certain level of professionalism and importance to the job at hand.”

When it comes to what training and education is best for employing armed forces members, Morgan says it’s very much up to the individual or employer.

“The training and education needed when employing an armed forces member to a logistics role should be building upon an existing foundation of the industry as a whole,” she says. “I do not believe that a specific degree has to be obtained in order to be successful in a logistics role, and it is very much up to the individual. However, I do believe that in the logistics industry, it is often respected and appreciated by others when someone has a formal education in the logistics field to support their work history.”

Choosing to look into this pool of candidates can help secure career paths for veterans after they retire from the military, helping reduce the country’s veteran unemployment rate. Morgan notes she’s seen veterans succeed in various supply chain roles.

“I have personally seen armed force members excel in the areas of operations managers, project managers and program managers. Those roles often have set processes, much like many of the programs within the military today,” she explains. “When logistics and distributor hiring managers source talent directly from military resources, it ensures that the talent pool is built from a foundation of core values instilled from any military branch.”

The May 2020 list was full of uncertain projections; distributors were unable to project or make plans for the remainder of the year because of the pandemic. As I read comments from the 2021 survey, it was beautiful to see the record-setting sales some achieved in their businesses, along with the optimism for the year ahead and thankfulness to be in an essential industry.

There are still some unknowns, and factors making it hard to project 2021 and beyond, but you all note being armed and ready, having endured the unthinkable over the past year. Even those demographic areas where distributors have been particularly impacted by the pandemic commented on plans for the future, not dwelling on the hardships but instead having faith in our industry and your teams.

At ASA’s Women in Industry event ELEVATE2021 Virtual (which took place April 20-23) both Tracie Sponenberg of The Granite Group and motivational speaker Tami Evans spoke about ways to connect and engage your team in a virtual setting, and the importance of check-ins for team moral and the mental health of your employees. 

Sponenberg advised to be extra-available to your team, and plan more frequent meetings than you normally would. Evans emphasized the importance of levity and how laughter can help your team be more positive and more focused. Something as simple as scheduling a 15-minute meeting at the beginning or the end of your week can give employees a chance to share how they’re doing, pros and cons of the week or offer a status update for your business. 

Maybe ask your employees to reflect on the pandemic-year and say one thing they’ve learned or one change they like that has come from it all. Never underestimate the power of a positive attitude.

So here we are, finally living in that “new normal” we all talked about; preparing for projects to pick back up and more technologically savvy than ever before. You’ve made it. Take a moment and be proud of that. 

Natalie Forster is chief editor of Supply House Times. You can reach her at forstern@bnpmedia.com or 224-201-2225.