This upcoming weekend is more than the official kickoff to the summer season for Americans. While it took until 1971 before Memorial Day became an official holiday, we have been honoring our fallen soldiers, sailors and other heroes with a national day of remembrance since just after the Civil War.
In towns and cities of all sizes, Memorial Day typically begins with patriotic parades and solemn ceremonies for those who lost their lives in service to our country. Cemeteries are decorated with flags and markers designating the military rank or particular sacrifices of the individuals buried there. In the week leading up to the Monday holiday, volunteers are often seen standing outside local stores selling Buddy Poppies to benefit Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) charitable causes.
Memorial Day, in many communities, is still about traditions. Many still take time to honor our forgotten heroes by paying respects not just to those who gave their all, but to those servicemen and women who did return home after their tour of duty. Our freedom doesn’t come cheap, as their physical and emotional scars can attest.
A Strong Group Still Needs Community Support
With an estimated 21 million military veterans in the United States, we have a lot of people to thank this Memorial Day. Many of our returning or soldiers, sailors and airmen could use a hand assimilating back into civilian life. The wounded may need to be (at least temporarily) near Veterans hospitals for follow up care and rehabilitation services. Many simply need a job and the support of family, friends and their communities.
That hand up is what we can all give to our veterans on Memorial Day. My father, who served in Indo-China during World War II, helped me and my siblings understand the sacrifices our troops and their families make each day. He introduced us to veterans who lost limbs and those who were suffering the long-term emotional effects of battle.
Most of all, my father taught us the value of listening and offering support, setting the example as he helped many get the training they needed to secure good jobs in our small community. He also made us realize that Memorial Day is an occasion to honor those who came back as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Honor Returning Veterans
The IT community is in a unique position to help our veterans. Our industry has a significantly higher number of job openings than most business sectors, and the skills gap continues to grow. The hand up we can offer our veterans is access to advanced training and certification programs; something that many individuals, companies and associations (including CompTIA) have stepped up to provide.
But with so many returning to civilian life after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, more support is needed. In addition to a multitude of training and certification options for our veterans, CompTIA and its members are leading the charge in other ways, including:
- Troops to Tech Careers: this program helps veterans ease the transition from military to civilian life by providing them a pathway to successful careers in IT. Its mission is to ensure that returning servicemen and women, and their spouses who have an interest in an IT career can receive the education, credentialing and job placement resources needed to be successful.
- Creating IT Futures: as the philanthropic arm of CompTIA, this foundation supports programs and initiatives that help people build family-sustaining careers in the IT industry. The charitable organization assists those who have encountered barriers converting military experiences into civilian careers, as well as those under-represented populations in IT (i.e. women, ethnic minorities).
- Wounded Warrior Project: this worthwhile cause has been supported by several peer-led CompTIA Communities and Councils over the years. One of the organization’s key missions is to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.
- Grace After Fire: this non-profit organization serves women veterans by helping them transition back into family life and the workplace. This worthwhile cause has received significant support from CompTIA and its peer-led member communities.
- CompTIA also participates in USTechVets.org, an online portal connecting vets with open jobs in the private sector as well as career resources like mentoring, training and networking.
Memorial Day truly is truly a day to honor those who suffered, labored and gave their lives defending our country. The date should also serves as a reminder that we can better support the ongoing needs of our veterans AND gain greater access to a highly disciplined pool of talent.
While enjoying what is often considered the unofficial kickoff to spring, a day off with picnics and parades, think about what you can do to help our veterans. Consider donating directly to one of the causes mentioned above or simply join one or more of the 11 CompTIA Communities. Each of those collaborative groups makes a sizable donation to the IT-related charity selected by its members each year — in addition to all the collaborative work they do on behalf of the industry.
Regardless of any actions you may take afterward, be sure to take a minute this Memorial Day and think about the sacrifices millions of men and women have made on your behalf for more than 240 years. Not to mention the many freedoms we enjoy thanks to their efforts.
Brian Sherman is founder of Tech Success Communications, specializing in editorial content and consulting for the IT channel. His previous roles include chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and senior director of industry alliances with Autotask. Contact Brian at Bsherman@techsuccesscommunications.com.
