About Executives Mentoring Soldiers (EMS)
What is EMS US?Executives Mentoring Servicemen & Women (EMS US) is an organization that began with a desire to provide transitioning soldiers a safe place to tell their story, gain insight into the civilian world of work, and meet and interact with executives for the sole purpose of helping them take the first next step.
Volunteer executives from all parts of business and industry come together to share their insights, offer suggestions, provide introductions and advice up to six times over three months in a one-on-one capacity. Each mentor has a strong belief in supporting our troops as they are transitioning, and are equipped with unique talents that allow a very beneficial and well guided connection to the soldier’s transition. The program is free to the soldier as a sign of appreciation and gratitude for their service to our country. Why EMS US?The military and the civil working world couldn’t be more different; terms, language, expectations, ranking, how to get things done or managing people. One of the greatest challenges transitioning soldiers will face is how to get “in the door” with a company to begin their career outside the military. Our executives excel at breaking down the language barrier and help shape an understanding of how skills learned in the service can be applied to jobs in the civilian world. They will invest their time to understand who you are, explore your goals-personal and professional, and provide proven wisdom on what next steps could be taken to get you on the right path for success.
How does EMS US work?Soldiers that are transitioning will be contacted with a phone call to invite them to a connecting event with the executives. If the soldier agrees to attend the session, a welcome packet will be sent to them congratulating them on getting started with E-M-S, the E-M-S mission and what to expect at the first meeting.
On the night of the event, each soldier will receive a brief overview of the evening before getting introduced to the Executive mentors. After introductions, they will have an opportunity to meet with three or four executives for 15 minutes. During the breakout session the soldiers and executives will talk about interests, careers and goals they have set out for themselves. Following the breakout sessions the executives will get together to determine what soldier they feel they can have the greatest impact on and assist with the most. Once they determine who they would like to mentor, they will have a 1 on 1 conversation with the soldier on a plan to move forward in a 6-week mentorship. After 6 weeks the soldier and executive will conclude the direct mentoring. It is then up to the mentor and soldier to determine if and how often they chose to continue to meet after the formal mentorship concludes. |
1. Every year, approximately 200,000 men and women leave U.S. military service and return to life as civilians.
2. Roughly 4.4% of Veterans are unemployed. That is roughly 8,800 soldiers that have transitioned and don’t have a job. 3. Soldiers struggle to find a career that they are happy with. They don’t feel that their experience in the service transfers to civilian careers. |
Transition StressOften mistaken or labeled as PTSD, transition stress can occur after a major cultural or situational change.
In the recent essay, Beyond war and PTSD: The crucial of transition stress in the lives of military veterans, authors George A Bonanno, a professor of clinical psychology at Columbia Teachers College, and Meghan Mobbs, a PhD student and former U.S. Army officer, report that a minority of veterans actually develop PTSD, yet a majority experience high levels of stress throughout their transition to civilian life (or transition stress PTSD) has appropriated much of the attention and dedicated research though, leaving many veterans' transition stress misdiagnosed and mistreated as PTSD. The military provides a sense of purpose, well-defined roles and hierarchy, camaraderie, honor and mission - things that can be hard to find or define in the civilian world. So when our veterans transition out of the military, it can spark a loss of identity and meaning of life. Yesterday, they were a member of the world's most elite workforce; today, they're back at square one. This causes anxiety, depression, relational conflicts and other behavior issues. It can be difficult to find a career with camaraderie and purpose. These men and women are used to looking out for each other and pulling their own weight for the betterment of the company. The civilian sector can be interpersonally competitive and self-promoting, which is hard to step into after self-sacrifice and fellowship has been drilled into your mind. Even more so, working on a mission or for a cause greater than oneself is obviously tough to replace. This isn't always easy to find in today's workforce, and can be disheartening. Educating ourselves on the hardships our veterans face in their transition is the first step to helping them. |