Michael Moore, director of business development at Vallen; Tim Hallett, dorector of global product management at Brady; and Ed Solis, sales director at WD-40.

First announced at its Fall Summit last October, VEN was officially rolled out during the ISA25 annual convention March 31–April 2 in Nashville. Like all forces for good, VEN began with an idea but needed horsepower to drive it to fruition – in 2023, ISA CEO Brendan Breen discussed the concept for a national conduit between the industrial channel and the veteran population with Michael Moore, director of business development at Vallen, who had already organized an employee resource group (ERG) for veterans called Salute within his company. But the ISA’s VEN wasn’t going to be a copy-paste project. Moore said that just as Vallen had sought to develop its own clean-sheet charter for Salute, he believed the new VEN would be best served by creating its own unique foundational pillars.

“There are three values that hold this network up,” said Moore, who served 26 years in the U.S. Air Force and retired as a Chief Master Sergeant, Security Forces. “No. 1 is education – helping them navigate the veteran life and helping them to understand our industry. It’s also educating companies and why they need veterans and how to bring them in. No. 2 is about connection and networking, giving veterans a place to be home, to be able to talk among like minds. And No. 3 is to give back. We want to give back to veterans’ initiatives outside of our industry where we can make a difference.”

TRANSITIONING IS TOUGH

Soon, Tim Hallett, director of global product management at Brady, and Ed Solis, sales director at WD- 40, joined with Moore and ISA’s staff liaison, Jennifer Jones, to activate the joint objectives of helping veterans navigate life challenges and helping the channel solve workforce gaps.

Ed Solis, Marine officer

“Transitioning from military life to corporate life can be pretty daunting, and I do believe a lot of veterans struggle to make that transition,” said Solis, a former Marine officer who retired in 2015 after 21 years of service. “So VEN largely exists to provide resources, education, and community to veterans. We want to enable veterans to make that transition as smoothly as possible, but the other part of the equation is helping employers understand the value that is inherent with a veteran. So it’s two-fold.

“Veterans enjoy an extremely rich culture,” Solis added. “Each branch is different, but each has lots of community, camaraderie, and ultimately, purpose. When a service member leaves, there’s a bit of uncertainty – they’re walking away from something known and familiar. VEN can help them cross that bridge and let them know, ‘Hey, it’s going to be okay on the other side.’ There are ways to translate what they did in the military into careers in the industrial supply channel; it just goes by a different name. And it may be as rewarding and more familiar than they think.”

The transition for veterans is more complex than many might realize, Hallett

explained. “I don’t think that a lot of people truly understand what it means to leave the military. When most people talk about their employment, they say ‘I’m part of this company or I do this or that,’ but when someone is in the military, they say, ‘I am a Marine, I am a soldier, I am a sailor.’ It’s not only what you do, but it’s part of your identity.

Tim Hallett, Marine

“So when you leave the military, not only are you facing unemployment, but you’re also facing a loss of that identity, and it can be very, very difficult for people to make that transition,” Hallett continued. “Creating something that is industry-wide is going to have a positive impact not only on the veteran community but also on the industrial markets. I wish I had had something like this when I exited the military, because it is such a massive change.”

WHAT’S IN IT FOR COMPANIES?

VEN’s volunteer leaders agreed from the start, helping even one veteran would make the endeavor worthwhile.

“Ultimately we wanted to have a community for veterans to gather within ISA – to support veterans with common issues we all face and educate veterans on how to take their skills and use them to become successful in this industry,” Moore said. “We also want companies within ISA to understand how to reach veterans – how to go and grab that talent pool that’s out there; this industry often misses when veterans come off of active duty. We want to grow the industry with more veterans, and to do that, we’ve got to let companies know why they should be looking for veterans and then give them the tools to go find them.”

Michael Moore, U.S. Air Force retired Chief Master Sergeant, Security Forces

So, why look for veterans? VEN’s founders assert the industrial channel is an ideal fit with the DNA of a vet, which comprises good character and work ethic, dedication, decisionmaking, leadership, discipline, quick learning, ability to pivot, attention to detail, and moral courage.

At its spring convention, ISA raised $7,500 for Workshops for Warriors, which trains veterans for machining and welding careers.

“The industrial market is well-suited for veterans because it’s so relationship- based; you can get that sense of camaraderie you once had from the military, and it will help you to refocus what your mission is moving forward,” said Hallett, whose company also rolled out an ERG for veterans in May 2024. “Veterans also know how to put business first. In the military setting, mission first means lives are at risk – they take mission very seriously. To be able to harness that amount of dedication from somebody would be a huge boon to the industrial environment . . .

It isn’t just about putting them on a manufacturing floor or in the shipping department. They’ve had leadership experience. They’ve had to learn very quickly under high-pressure environments. They’ve had to communicate at many different levels.

“VEN is here to help companies take advantage of this group of talented individuals who have navigated very difficult situations and can become a great source of talent to help grow their organizations,” Hallett added.

At its spring convention, ISA raised $7,500 for Workshops for Warriors, which trains veterans for machining and welding careers.

VET FRIENDLY VS. VET READY

VEN leaders hope to change the way companies in the industrial channel think, talk, and act as prospective employers of veterans, beginning with a shift away from being just vet friendly and instead moving intentionally toward getting vet ready.

“Today, this country is very patriotic, very vet friendly,” said Moore, “but being vet ready means: Do you know what a veteran is? Do you know what their DNA is? Are you ready to bring them into your family? Are you ready to use those attributes that you now know about and put them into your company to enhance its performance? It’s one thing to say, ‘I love vets;’ now, are you willing to invest in vets because you know what they bring to the table, and that they’re going to be a crucial part to advancing your company’s profitability, growth, and character. That’s being vet ready – making a financial, emotional, and www.coxreels.com time investment in a veteran.”

Vet ready companies are willing to adopt new processes. For example, Hallett suggests assigning a company mentor to the new veteran hire – someone who “gets” vets and can help them navigate business protocols, social mores, and communication styles.

Solis says new thought processes are also critical for companies morphing into vet ready status.

“I like to contrast the Golden Rule with the Platinum Rule,” he said. “The Golden Rule is: I treat others the way that I want to be treated, which I think is noble. But I think you can take it to another level with the Platinum Rule, which is: Treat others the way that they want to be treated. That requires more effort. Rather than projecting my own preferences onto someone else, I’m actually going to take the time to understand their needs and their communication style and meet them on their terms. Vet ready is understanding the needs of a veteran, understanding the skill sets they bring, and then employing them to optimize their abilities.”

VEN is also focusing on providing education and social connections through regular virtual “Vet Connect” meetings.

Further, the group will develop future partnerships with carefully-vetted organizations that provide meaningful help to veterans and their families. An early win on this front occurred at ISA’s Nashville convention, where proceeds from the golf tournament and an event-wide silent auction raised $7,500 for Workshops for Warriors, a nonprofit that provides rapid skills training to prepare veterans for machining and welding careers.

For the volunteers who are investing their own time and talent into VEN, the passion and motivation is highly personal, and they’re calling to everyone in the industrial channel to join them on a mission of support and advocacy.

“Transitioning after I separated from the military was hard, and there wasn’t a lot of help out there,” said Moore. “So when I got the opportunity to try to build something that would make it easier for others, it was self-healing.”

For more information about ISA’s VEN, visit https://www.isapartners.org/networks/veterans-empowerment/