From Our Print Edition

During a 10-year career in the Army, James Hartwick (front row center) served in the Persian Gulf in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield and in Panama in Operation Just Cause.

On the surface, the frozen and refrigerated food industries appear to have little in common with the military. But according to Army veteran James Hartwick, who’s worked in a variety of capacities for companies such as Fresh Point, Day-Lee Foods and, most recently, Duverger, there are some similarities. When he was serving in the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and, later, in Panama during Operation Just Cause, Hartwick was fighting to keep America safe. It was literally life and death. But after he left the military, he realized that people need food to stay alive, too. “It’s mission critical,” he explains in terms vets can understand. That’s one of the reasons why so many veterans have found fulfilling careers in frozen and refrigerated food. And the industry is lucky to have them.

“Veterans are well-disciplined, have good work habits, are attentive to the task at hand and show up to work every day intent on accomplishment,” says Moe Cheramie, vp of sales for the skillet meals division at Choice Canning Co., who spent two years conducting research at Walter Reed after being drafted into the Army in 1968.

VETS BRING ADAPTABILITY

Army vet Moe Cheramie
(pictured here with his grandson) spent two years in the research lab at Walter Reed.

But Hartwick says veterans bring another important characteristic to work with them: adaptability. While some employers assume new hires with a military background are rigid, “there’s actually a high level of adaptability,” he says, citing the unofficial motto of the Marine Corps: improvise, adapt and overcome. “That’s an ability that’s not always fully leveraged in the civilian world.” But if the last few years have taught us nothing else, it’s just how important it is to find new ways to deal with unexpected challenges. Fortunately, problem-solving and the ability to remain calm under fire — both literally and figuratively — is second nature to many veterans.

“In the military, contingency planning is one of the most important things you can do as a leader, and the success of a mission often coincides with how well the team responds to adversity,” explains Eric Baker, a 2008 graduate of West Point and retired Army Infantry officer, who now serves as senior director of sales, central division, at nutpods. “In the frozen and refrigerated food industry, the last few years have required us to execute quite a few contingency plans,” he adds. “I know that my experience in the military helped me to embrace those challenges head on and with an adaptable mindset.”

Is that enough to make up for a lack of experience in the food industry? Baker thinks so. In addition to adaptability, “Veterans will enter your organization with a disciplined work ethic, strong attention to detail and a team-first attitude. When you eventually combine those fundamentals with the new skill set they’ll acquire in our industry, you have a recipe for enormous potential.”

That said, Baker continues, it can be difficult for both vets and potential employers to understand exactly how their military experience translates into the civilian workforce since there’s not much call for infantrymen or cavalry scouts. “That’s why when I’ve hired veterans in the past, I’ve often used the phrase, “Let’s get them in the boat first and figure out how we’ll row it later,” he says. “This requires a commitment from both the organization and the veteran to learn, adapt and align on what the best role or position is for all involved,” says Baker, citing a JPMorganChase program that allows vets to train in various departments before collectively determining the best fit as a good example. Yes, he says, the process takes a little longer, but it’s worth it.

West Point grad and former Army Infantry officer Eric Baker (right) was awarded the Bronze Star after a combat tour in Iraq.

Baker suggests companies that lack a formal program talk to veterans in their organization to find out what kinds of assistance might have been helpful to them during their transition to the civilian workforce. “All of that information will help your organization figure out how best to recruit veterans,” he explains. To help retain them, companies should also consider ERGs (employee resource groups) for vets and their families, military certification transferability programs, military-focused family leave and, perhaps most importantly, mentorship programs.

“I was incredibly fortunate to start my career at Foster Farms where I had a mentor named TJ Johnson, who spent countless hours answering questions, explaining the intricacies of the business and helping me identify where I could apply my strengths as a leader,” recalls Baker, who appreciated the opportunity to learn, fail and grow in the business. “I wish every organization had a TJ,” he adds. But for those that don’t, “The most important thing an organization can do for a veteran is to provide an environment where they feel engaged and empowered to both learn and fail. Over time, you’ll find it to be a good return on your investment.”

EASING THE TRANSITION

Cheramie says his experience at Walter Reed gave him a better understanding of the science behind the foods he now sells, making his post-war move to the civilian workforce fairly smooth. But Baker and Hartwick found the transition a bit more difficult. “Some things were minor such as not really knowing what ‘business casual’ was on my first day,” says Baker. “But I also remember struggling with the stark contrast between leading 36 soldiers on a patrol in a war zone to then sitting behind a computer screen for 50+ hours a week.”

Hartwick recalls similar challenges. “I think one of the hardest things for people in the military to get their heads around is the structure of the civilian workplace,” he says. In the military, there’s a rigid chain of command, and everyone has a very specific function. “But the civilian world is structured horizontally — with a lot more cross-functional collaboration — which requires a change in mindset.” That doesn’t mean veteran hires won’t figure it out, says Hartwick. It just means they may need a little more time to adjust.

Even after they leave the service, many veterans continue to serve in the National Guard or Reserves, which often requires more than just one weekend a month and two weeks a year for additional training. So it’s also important that employers recognize the value of that training and provide both needed time off and support.

Finally, says Hartwick, although some veterans may appear very stalwart and rigid, that’s just how they were conditioned to behave. “So don’t let that gruff exterior be a barrier.”

As pro football Hall of Famer and Navy veteran Roger Staubach, who was chairman of JLL Americas prior to his retirement in 2018 put it, “I invest in veterans not to do them a favor; they are actually doing me a favor because the qualities they bring to the workforce are invaluable.”