Boosting Workplace Opportunities for U.S. Veterans Through Better Research and Smarter Employment Practices

The United States is home to more than 15 million military veterans, and they make up over 6% of the total civilian workforce. Despite these impressive numbers, there is a surprising gap in our understanding of how veterans and other military-connected individuals actually shape the economy and the modern workplace. Much of what employers, policymakers, and researchers assume about veterans is based on limited or fragmented evidence rather than comprehensive, data-driven analysis. A new academic review is now drawing attention to this problem and laying out a roadmap for how research and organizations can do better.

A recently published integrative review examines decades of academic work on veterans and military-connected individuals in the civilian workforce. The study highlights a central issue: the field is still immature, with too little empirical research and far too many unanswered questions. While veterans are often praised for their leadership, discipline, and resilience, there is not enough solid evidence explaining how these qualities translate into measurable workplace outcomes or economic impact.

Why Veteran Workforce Research Has Lagged Behind

The review was led by Daniel Peat, Ph.D., a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business and a military veteran himself. Peat specializes in studying human capital, which refers to the economic value of a person’s skills, experience, and leadership abilities. As he worked through prior research in the field, he noticed something unusual: there was no comprehensive review pulling together what is actually known about veterans in the workforce.

This absence of a unifying review signaled a deeper issue. When an academic field lacks synthesis, it often means the research is scattered, inconsistent, or underdeveloped. To address this, Peat collaborated with Jaclyn Perrmann-Graham of Northern Kentucky University and Christopher Stone of Wichita State University. Together, they analyzed existing studies to identify trends, gaps, and areas that urgently need further investigation.

What the Review Examined

The research team reviewed work from 189 authors spanning more than 60 years of scholarship. This wide lens allowed them to look beyond just veterans and focus on military-connected individuals, a broader category that includes active-duty service members transitioning to civilian life, reservists, National Guard members, military spouses, and family members.

What they found was striking. Not only is quantitative research limited, but much of the existing work focuses on narrow topics rather than providing a holistic understanding of military-connected workers. Many studies also fail to distinguish between different subgroups, treating veterans as a monolithic population despite their diverse experiences.

Key Findings From the Review

One of the most important findings is that employers often underutilize veterans’ skills and experiences. This is frequently due to poor translation between military roles and civilian job descriptions. Skills gained through military service—such as leadership under pressure, logistical planning, and team coordination—do not always map cleanly onto civilian resumes or hiring systems.

The review also suggests that employee performance can improve when organizations provide support specifically tailored to military-connected individuals. Generic onboarding programs may not be sufficient for workers transitioning from a highly structured military environment to a more ambiguous civilian workplace.

Another area highlighted is entrepreneurship. Some newer studies suggest that veterans are about 45% more likely to start their own businesses than non-veterans. However, despite this statistic being frequently cited, there are only two or three rigorous studies that deeply examine military entrepreneurs. This lack of evidence makes it difficult to understand why veterans pursue entrepreneurship or what factors contribute to their success or failure.

Are Veterans a Distinct Workforce Group?

One recurring challenge in veteran research is the need to justify why veterans should be studied as a separate population at all. Critics sometimes argue that leadership, teamwork, and discipline can be found in many professions, not just the military.

The review pushes back against this view. It argues that military-connected individuals are shaped by a unique organizational culture, one that includes strict hierarchy, collective identity, and mission-focused work. These cultural factors influence how veterans approach leadership, decision-making, and workplace relationships long after they leave active service.

Because of this, the authors believe veterans and military-connected individuals should be treated as a distinct class of workers, deserving focused research and tailored organizational practices.

The Most Overlooked Group: Military Spouses

Among all military-connected populations, military spouses are some of the most understudied. The review notes that military spouses often experience higher unemployment rates than comparable civilian populations. Frequent relocations, unpredictable schedules, and gaps in employment history make it harder for spouses to maintain stable careers.

Despite these challenges, there is relatively little scholarly work examining how employers can better support military spouses or how their employment outcomes affect overall family and economic stability.

Beyond the Research: Peat’s Personal Perspective

Peat’s interest in this topic is deeply rooted in his own experience. Over the course of more than 20 years as an Army reservist, he has served in multiple military and government roles, including as a division chief at the U.S. Department of Defense Technical Information Center. He is also an adjunct instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and works closely with the University of Cincinnati’s Office of Veterans Programs and Services.

His co-author Christopher Stone also served in the military, while Perrmann-Graham brings the perspective of a non-veteran with family ties to military service. This mix of backgrounds helped the team balance insider experience with external academic rigor.

Why This Research Matters for Employers

For employers, the implications of this review are practical and significant. Veterans represent a large and experienced talent pool, but without better research, organizations may continue to rely on assumptions rather than evidence. The review encourages companies to invest in better onboarding, mentorship programs, and leadership pathways specifically designed for military-connected employees.

Understanding how veterans contribute to leadership effectiveness, team performance, and organizational resilience could help businesses make smarter hiring and management decisions.

The Bigger Picture: Veterans and the Economy

On a national level, the lack of quantitative data means policymakers also face challenges. Without clear evidence of veterans’ economic impact, it becomes harder to design effective employment programs, evaluate existing initiatives, or allocate resources efficiently.

The review serves as a call to action for researchers to move beyond descriptive studies and toward rigorous, data-driven analysis that can inform both business practice and public policy.

Looking Ahead

The authors conclude that the field is full of opportunity. With better data, clearer frameworks, and more inclusive research that accounts for all military-connected populations, scholars can begin to answer the big questions that remain unanswered.

For now, one thing is clear: veterans and military-connected individuals are a vital part of the workforce, and they deserve more thoughtful, evidence-based attention than they have received so far.

Research reference:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/OMJ-10-2024-2323/full/html