The Bitcoin community reflects the mission of freedom that Veterans committed themselves to.

This is an opinion editorial by Mickey Koss, a West Point graduate with a degree in economics. He spent four years in the infantry before transitioning to the Finance Corps.

In the spirit of Veterans Day, I would like to take the time to talk about the Veteran community and how it can serve as a strategic asset in our quest for hyperbitcoinization.

I hear jokes all the time about what people want to be when they grow up and get a real job. I’ve heard it from 19 year old privates and 45 year old colonels alike with decades of service under their belts. Nobody can stay forever. So what to do when a service member inevitably decides it’s their time to go?

Bitcoin.

Community And Culture

One of the hardest things about leaving the military is leaving the community and culture. I think it’s perhaps one of the driving factors for the epidemic of veteran suicide.

One problem is that many veterans are not looking for a new job or a new career. They’re looking for a new mission, a new community, a new sense of purpose and belonging. Something that so many places seem to lack as evidenced by the prevalence of suicide. It’s hard to feel like a member of a team when you and your former coworkers would voluntarily risk their lives for each other; sometimes as a routine part of the job.

Bitcoin fixes this. I think Bitcoin companies can fill that gap, forming a symbiotic relationship with an already driven and freedom loving subsection of the population.

Narratives like Aleksandar Svetski’s recent “Responsibility Go Up” article are incredibly appealing to most service members I know. The culture and community I have found in the Bitcoin space is the perfect fit for a transitioning veteran. The radical responsibility, laser-like focus on the mission, the values of freedom and self-sovereignty all align perfectly.

Veterans might just be one of the largest, untapped resources for many companies in the space. Here’s how you can start building relationships with them for up to six months risk free.

Department Of Defense Skillbridge

Every year more than 200,000 service members leave the military according to the Department of Defense’s Skillbridge website. As a perk of service, members are allowed up to 180 days of full paid administrative leave during their last six months on active duty in order to participate in special internships and training programs. A pretty good overview has already been written here.

Though employers are required to actually intend to hire these individuals, it affords companies not only a long, risk free trial run, but an opportunity to train a new employee without having to foot the bill. With employee turnover being one of the most expensive costs for a company, why not take the chance to hand select and groom a prospective veteran on someone else’s dime?

DOD Skillbridge has a few different rules and caveats with every service branch. Companies can register to receive cohorts or work one on one selective internships. For companies and individuals interested, official information can be found here.

Hiring Our Heroes Organization

Hiring Our Heroes is a DOD and Department of Commerce partnership that works hand-in-hand with the Skillbridge Program. In addition to fellowship programs, they also help facilitate recruiting events and job fairs in areas around military installations. For companies, Hiring Our Heroes helps to navigate the DOD Skillbridge process and helps recruit talent that the companies are seeking. For individuals, Hiring Our Heroes helps veterans navigate the DOD Skillbridge process and helps them find a company that aligns with their future career goals. Think of them as a useful marketplace.

They also have a lot of resources on the site to help guide you through processes like the Veteran Employer Roadmap which explains the lengthy process and opportunities service members go through on their way out the door.

I’ve been told by a friend who recently did a Skillbridge with one of the large, publicly traded mining companies that companies who have existing relationships with Hiring Our Heroes are much more likely to be approved through official channels for Skillbridge internships.

End Of Mission

I know many Bitcoiners who do not agree with the United States’ role in global conflict over the past two decades. Know that soldiers don’t choose the fight they are placed into. Many volunteered in the wake of 9/11, out of a sense of patriotic duty. Others out of necessity for job training or citizenship. I’ve seen and served with all types. Obviously no service member is the same, but many were drawn to the military to support the values of freedom, liberty and individual responsibility. They swore oaths to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, which is a code based system. The transition to the Bitcoin code-based system that encourages the same values is very natural.

Though many may not have formal education in the traditional sense, I would take a good, seasoned noncommissioned officer for an operations management role or something similar any day of the week. The discipline and ability to learn, adapt and lead is ingrained in them. Most already have the values and many of the skills that Bitcoin companies are looking for. The Skillbridge program is a low risk way for companies to realize this and grab that talent.

Bear markets are for building. Reach out to Hiring Our Heroes and build your talent.

This is a guest post by Mickey Koss. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.