Thousands of veterans are returning from American engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan, and their transition back to civilian life hasn’t been easy. It’s been estimated that up to 20 percent of the U.S. force suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. But while PTSD is a major issue facing veterans and gets a lot of attention in the mass media, there’s a host of other issues veterans face as they leave the military for civilian life. 

And benefits brokers and agents across the country already have started to feel the impact. Some estimates state that half of American workplaces have a returning veteran or an employee with a returning veteran in their family on staff. So if the calls haven’t started, they’re bound to. And those calls will be calls for help. 

Employee assistance programs saw a surge in requests from their clients about veteran issues. And as forces continue to leave Iraq and soldiers return from extended tours in Afghanistan, EAPs are bracing for an even larger demand.

Brokers and agents would be wise to bone up on their EAP providers and what they’re doing for veterans as well. 

“Inform yourself about EAPs that have a good and comprehensive module,” recommends Ann Clark, CEO and founder of ACI Specialty Benefits in San Diego. “Make them show you what they’ve got and if they don’t have it, go to another EAP that’s concerned about veterans. It’s not enough to say to an HR director that you have a seminar about veterans coming up. Veterans are very sensitive to their issues. It’s not only your duty, but there’s a profit motive—it’s humanistic self-interest. You can improve your service and your service to customers by demanding that the EAP produce an outstanding veterans program.” 

Returning veterans face myriad issues when they come home and many of them or their colleagues will turn to their EAP for guidance. Industry insiders say they receive the most requests in areas such as workplace re-integration and family issues. Veterans also call EAPs looking for help with finances, legal problems and services. 

“I think it’s a permanent aspect of what EAPs should be doing now,” says Rich Paul, senior vice president of health and performance at Value Options in Norfolk, Va. “We’ve been in wartime now for quite a while and that’s raised people’s consciousness around these issues. But we have 24.3 million veterans in the country and not all them from Iraq and Afghanistan, so I think that all EAPS should maintain this on their radar.” 

At work

There are host of reasons for employers to prepare for returning veterans. Some need to transition an existing employee back into their jobs. Other employers are adding former military to take advantage of their special skill sets and work ethic. Others are hiring veterans because of tax credits or veteran’s hiring preferences. No matter the reason, employers need to prepare.  

“Have a good policy to bring them back. Stay in contact with the family during deployment. And when they come back to work, renegotiate what they’re there to do,” says Sharon O’Brien, vice president of EAP and work-life operations for Ceridian Life Works in Toronto. “Obviously this person has changed tremendously. Just as they return to the family a different person, they return to the workplace a different person.”

But the civilian workplace differs greatly from the military and often times the transition can be tricky. Some times, veterans have trouble adjusting to life outside the rigid discipline of the military command structure. 

“Communications strategies are different in the military— it’s direct, it’s top-down,” says Bernie Dyme, CEO of Perspectives Ltd of Chicago. “When you get in the workplace, it’s a lot more indirect and so that poses a challenge that causes problems. They’re used to following orders. There may be some more discretionary decisions they get to make. The workplace has a little more latitude than the military.”

EAPs often step in to help train managers and supervisors about how to work with employees who are returning veterans. Some times, it’s one-on-one coaching while other companies train brigades of managers in a seminar setting. 

Other times, veterans face issues adjusting to their co-workers. EAP counselors report that veterans can feel a sense of isolation in the civilian workplace because they may not have many co-workers with similar experiences. Employees may also report some unease about a returning veteran—they may have the wrong idea about PTSD, or work alongside a veteran with a missing limb or have trouble adjusting to the non-military co-workers.

At home

After the welcome-home party ends, veterans often face the some times difficult task of re-integrating into their families. 

During deployment, a veteran’s relationship with spouses, children, parents and other family members can change dramatically. Parenting challenges such as reestablishing parental roles, spousal intimacy and financial responsibilities are common issues for veterans. EAPs provide much guidance for returning veterans and family members to work through these issues.

One thing brokers and agents should find out about their EAP is who can use it. Many EAPs allow family members to use their services.  Ceridian even allows boyfriends and girlfriends to use their service. Opening the EAP up to these people means the EAP can help the veteran through issues without the veteran event having to call in.

Financial issues also crop up in a returning veteran’s household. Often times, a spouse takes over financial management of the household and returning veterans may be expecting a return to financial responsibilities that were in place before their deployment. And EAPs routinely link veterans and their spouses to resources that can help them work through these issues. 

EAPs are also saying they’re helping out with returning veterans’ living situations. Homelessness among returning veterans are surprisingly high. Some veterans return to foreclosed homes or find out they’ve been evicted from their off-base housing.  

At life

Of course, veterans aren’t immune from some of the problems non-military workers face in the workplace. Returning veterans may need help finding childcare or eldercare services when they return home. Veterans also may need legal referrals for a variety of reasons. 

But EAPs also have become adept at helping connect soldiers, sailors and airmen to veteran’s resources when they return. There are many organizations devoted to helping veterans get access to support services and navigate the federal bureaucracy, some times the challenge is locating them. Some times, EAPs are called on to help do paperwork. 

“The Veterans Benefits Administration required a lengthy application document that had to be filled in by hand so the vet, who had a huge medical file, had to go through his record and fill out the form. We can step in and perhaps negotiate some help for the vet,” Clark says. “Our people are trained to cut through the bureaucracy. We’re talking about $1,600 per month in support for this aging vet so it’s life and death thing.” 

Of course, brokers and agents need to help their clients communicate their value to returning veterans in the workplace. 

Just in time for Veterans Day, ACI launched a new module in November aimed at veterans and family members. The idea was to provide clinical services and life management resources to meet veterans’ needs. What made the program cutting-edge is its utilization of new communications methods to reach veterans. 

The module included extensive social media utilization, including a presence on Youtube to provide training, outreach and consultation.  

So, if there’s patriotism in doing a job, then brokers and agents, if they haven’t already, need to devote some time and attention to returning veterans. Do your bit for your country.