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War on Veterans Preference
By Daniel J. Magoon
As Americans commemorate the invasion of Iraq we reflect on what we did, what we should have done and why we did it. One important aspect that is being forgotten in this conversation is- what are we doing for the men and woman that carried out the mission?
Over the last 5 years it seems more has been done to harm our Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan than to help, especially in the cities and towns we live in. Lately some municipalities are not fully funding Veterans Service Officers. Veterans have faced challenges at a national level battling PTSD treatment, service and compensation claims backlogs at regional VA offices, and our suicide rate is substantially high. We face possible closures at our local Vet Centers because the government will not provide the cash for paid upfront leases on the properties they rent. Of all these problems young Veterans face, the most pressing issue is in the job front.
Recently there have been many reports targeting Veterans and their preference for Civil Service jobs. These targets have painted the picture of Veterans preference and the hiring of Veterans as being negative and a bad idea for Civil Service hiring authorities. One particular war on Veterans preference has stemmed from the Boston Police Department.
In recent news stories, the Boston Police Department has claimed that Veterans are taking all the jobs and it is bearing a negative impact on community policing. The stories claim that the department cannot hire people of color or people that make up the neighborhoods the police serve.
“Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis has been convinced for years that white veterans are squeezing out minority civilian candidates.” -Boston Globe, Mar 2013
“We’re not trying to take a hill,’’ says Davis. “We’re trying to communicate with people.’’ -Boston Globe, Aug 2008
According to Commissioner Ed Davis, we should not be hiring Veterans and we should not be giving preference to veterans after they complete their service to this country. Most Veterans from the area who do join the military and most of who have gone to combat are white. The flagrancy of the department’s hiring preference of skin color opposed to service and experience is becoming a turn off to Veterans looking to join the police force.
“Veterans make up 25 percent of the police officers hired in Boston over the past five years. Statewide figures are higher. Nearly 40 percent of officers hired from the 2009 Civil Service eligibility list are veterans.” -Boston Globe, March 2013
This war on Veterans preference has been bouncing off the walls of many local Veterans’ Halls and has had a severe impact on Veterans pursuing careers as civil servants. Recently Larry Harmon of the Boston Globe reported “Prospects get dimmer for minority officers” and I respectfully disagree. The Department of Defense is an Equal Opportunity employer, all branches of the military will enlist or commission any able bodied American who wishes to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. To demoralize a Veteran that honorably completes their service because they do not look a certain way is not only illegal; it is immoral.
Department of Defense recruiting statistics show an increase in minority recruits. Latest numbers from FY10 show 18.9% of military recruits were black, 75.6% were white and 11.9% were Hispanic. Those numbers are a national average and Massachusetts ranked 47th in military recruiting compared to other states. The 2010 recruit pool numbers were slightly more male, younger, and more racially diverse than 2009.
“They (Veterans) currently jump to the top of the Civil Service eligibility list. But what is the benefit to public safety when a veteran who scores a minimum passing grade of 70 is placed ahead of a community college graduate or City Year volunteer who scores 90 or 100? This symbol of respect for military service has become a symbol of futility for others.” Boston Globe, March 2013
Veterans’ preference is not a symbol of respect; it is a right. It is the right of the Veteran who put his or her life on the line to serve this country. It is the right of the Veteran who raised their right hand and swore to protect and defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. An oath and duty to do so does not and will never equate to someone who attends community college or volunteers for a local charity. For the naysayers who are futile over this right of Veterans preference there are over 30 recruiting stations in Massachusetts that are more than willing to help any American attain the said “preference”.
This issue is critical to the livelihood of Veterans, not only in Boston but everywhere. Once we as a country have told our Veterans to get to the back of the line, and no longer stand behind them or respect their service… we have lost our values, our traditions and our respect to the men and women who allow us to live the way we do.
Current Boston Mayoral candidate John Connolly has also weighed in on this issue. At a recent campaign kick off, now City Councilor Connolly said he vowed to create “a more inclusive Boston Police Department that reflects the city it protects.” How does Mr. Connolly plan on creating an inclusive department, will it be on the backs of the Veterans from his city?
Many Massachusetts business and corporate leaders are going above and beyond to promote the hiring of Veterans. Corporations such as the TJX Companies and Raytheon have made it a goal to hire more Veterans.
“In a study released this week by a national security think-tank, the Center for a New American Security, 69 companies interviewed discussed why they value veterans as employees. The interview subjects – including Massachusetts-based Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) and The TJX Companies (NYSE: TJX) as well as others that have operations in the state – gave 11 reasons why they hire veterans, the study said. The reasons include leadership, teamwork, character and discipline.”
-Boston Business Journal, June 2012
The more people like Ed Davis, Larry Harmon and in this case City Councilor John Connolly defend the “War on Veterans Preference” I respectfully recommend taking a look at the benefits of hiring Veterans. I also recommend they take a page out of the book of some of these “Think Tanks” and corporations that can appreciate the service of a Veteran. To the futile folks of Boston who do not appreciate Veterans’ Preference, join the Military and I can guarantee after your first week away from home, and after that first bullet or mortar goes over your head; you will appreciate it.
“One of the country’s top think tanks has a memo for American employers: Hiring veterans isn’t charity work, nor is it a decision grounded in patriotic duty. Actually, it’s simply smart business.”
–Forbes Magazine, June 2012
The Boston Police department can continue its fight against Veterans. Over the last few years many Veterans have been discriminated against and bypassed because they did not meet the ridiculous fabricated standards of the department. Of the many Veterans who where disparately treated because of their Veteran status many have moved on to take positions with the Massachusetts State Police, the Boston Fire Department and many continue their college studies looking for jobs. Many Veterans in the community know that after years of strict hiring practices, it is cheaper to opt out of taking the police entrance exam. Knowing that the department does not want to hire Veterans, it is conclusive why their numbers are down.
“Boston cops, faced with a dramatic, bewildering drop in candidates for police jobs, are launching a citywide blitz to boost their recruitment numbers, pushing applications at neighborhood meetings, on social media and even at yesterday’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.” –Boston Herald, March 2013
As City’s, towns and corporations defer from hiring Veterans, know one thing -tread lightly. Veterans stick together. When we served in the Military we all served together, as one team, and in one fight regardless of where we came from or what we looked like. We have a common bond and a brotherhood and we will never let another Veteran suffer. Whether it is a job, heath issues, education or family problems, we are always there for one another. The war on Veterans preference has gone on to long and it is starting to trickle outside of big cities like Boston and across the Commonwealth. Respect your Veterans!
DANIEL J. MAGOON, Jr. is a Combat Veteran of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a proud Boston Firefighter and serves as the 3rd Junior Vice Commander for the Disabled American Veterans, Department of Massachusetts and is the founder of the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund.