Military Veterans unwelcomed in Civilian Federal Workforce? #military #veterans #disabledveteran

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]After traveling around the country playing golf with veterans, talking with veterans, laughing with veterans, and hearing some of the same concerns over and over again, I can't help but to think it is time that we ask the question out loud. Are military veterans truly welcomed in today's civilian federal workforce?

[00:00:20]or some of veterans being hired for their military service and then quietly punished, judged, or held back because of the same service.

[00:00:32]This video is not about attacking every agency, every supervisor, or every civilian employee. It is about opening the discussion, a discussion, because too many veterans are telling me the same thing. I feel like I have to hide my military background. I feel like my service connected disability is being used against me. I feel like my military leadership experience means nothing once I become a civilian employee. And honestly, I don't know if this is happening everywhere, but I've heard it enough that I cannot ignore it anymore.

[00:01:10]I know um this video is a little different, but it's tough for me, but we're going to keep it going. For those of you that are new here, my name is Rufus, but a lot of people know me as Happy. I created this channel around golf, but this channel has always been about more than golf. Golf is the bridge. The real story is the connection. It is veterans getting together, talking about life, laughing about old military stories, talking trash between branches, and sometimes opening up about things we normally keep to ourselves. But you know, we're monk's friends, so we know we can do that. When I started playing golf with veterans from different states, different services, different backgrounds, I expected to hear funny stories. And trust me, I did. I expected to hear about bad knees, bad backs, bad swings, and bad decisions on the golf course.

[00:02:03]And trust me, I heard those, too.

[00:02:06]But I also started hearing something else. Something way more serious than I expected. A lot of veterans feel like today's workforce does not value them the way they previous generations did.

[00:02:19]And some of those veterans are federal civilian employees.

[00:02:24]And to me that hits different because for a long time, you know, back when I was in transitioning from military service into federal civilian service was seen as a natural path. You served your country. You gained leadership experience. You learned accountability, discipline, crisis management, teamwork, communication, and how to get things done under pressure.

[00:02:52]Then you brought those same skills into the civilian federal workforce that used to be respected, right? At least this is how many of us understood it. But now I keep hearing a different story.

[00:03:07]Very tough story.

[00:03:09]Let's talk about my personal story about joining the Air Force because in in order for me to go a little deeper with this I need to do that. Um this is hard for me guys as you know I don't really do outside try to stay away from politics but just bear with me here because this is deep.

[00:03:29]Let me take you back for a minute.

[00:03:31]Before I was a federal employee myself, before this golf channel, before anybody called me happy in a professional setting, I was just a young man in Hawaii trying to figure out life just like everybody else. That was a long time ago. The kids today say, "Oh, back in the 1900s." Yeah, sure. Back in the 1900s. But I worked odd jobs. I did some temp jobs. It was tough in Hawaii, but I registered for college, but nothing really felt like it fit me. And all right, let me and I say this jokingly, but I could not find anything that matched my awesomeness.

[00:04:09]If you know, you know. Okay. But one day, I was walking near Pearl City Mall in Hawaii and I came across a few military recruiting stations. If you're from out there, you know what I'm talking about. Now, I had three generations of military before me. So naturally, I told myself I was never going to join the military. I wanted to be different. Well, that did not last long. I walked into the recruiting station and that same day I signed up for the delayed entry program into the United States Air Force.

[00:04:43]And I'm going to be honest with you, the Air Force said that they would help me pay for college. And that's why I did it. It wasn't serving the country or any of the above. just being honest, back then they had these commercials that said, "Hey, we'll pay for your your uh college and all that stuff and I just wanted to go to college, but that was enough for me, right?" So, I signed up around November of 1999 and was scheduled with a scheduled delayed entry date of around March 2000.

[00:05:12]The day before I left for military, after finishing my MEP's requirements, I drove around the island for a while by myself. The island of Aahu for those that don't know. I needed to clear my mind because I signed up for the military. Didn't know what all I was doing. Whatever the case may be. I just I didn't know if that was the right thing to do. You know, I'm just being honest with you. So, I ended up sitting on a beach near Northshore area somewhere out there. To this day, I still don't know which beach I was at, but I was it was later in the day, so I was there. But I ended up sitting there for hours, and that was not the plan.

[00:05:48]But a few locals noticed I was there alone, started talking to me, found out I was leaving for the military the next morning, and they insisted on cooking me a meal and sharing laughs. But that's Hawaii. It's community Hawaii for those that know. That night, I finally made it back to Red Hill area where I lived. And when I pulled up, there were people everywhere, man. I mean, friends, neighbors, people I barely knew, people I had not seen in years. I felt like 70 people were outside my house waiting for me. There were hugs, jokes, food, gifts, and people telling me that they were proud of me. The next day, just awesome feeling. But the next day, I drove myself to the Honolulu airport because I was not ready to go. And I'm going to tell you, for most of you, u when you sign up for the military, they have a bus that takes you to make sure you get there. I I did not take the bus. I said, "I'll drive myself." But anyway, I ended up making it there. I got through security, made it to the gate, and there were still more friends waiting for me.

[00:06:51]Maybe 20 or 30 people. They showed up just to see me off. That kind of support stays with you. That is why this conversation matters so much to me because I remember a time when serving in the military was publicly respected.

[00:07:06]People were proud of you. They saw value in service. They saw value in sacrifice.

[00:07:11]They saw value in the person who stepped forward.

[00:07:19]I could go on and on about that, man.

[00:07:21]But let's talk about what it taught me though because I can go on to this story. But my first duty station was in Okinawa, Japan. And during my first year of service, 911 happened. Like many veterans, my military experience shaped the way that I saw the world. It taught me accountability. It taught me camaraderie. It taught me service before self. It taught me strategic communication. It taught me emotional intelligence. It taught me resource stewardness, stewardship rather. It taught me critical thinking. It taught me crisis management. And I know a lot of veterans watching this can relate. We did not just learn how to wear a uniform. We learned how to operate under pressure. We learned how to take care of people. We learn how to follow, how to lead, how to adapt, and how to keep moving when things get uncomfortable. So when a veteran transitions into civilian federal service, these skills should not disappear.

[00:08:23]They should not be dismissed. They should not be treated like a liability.

[00:08:29]But this is exactly what some veterans are telling me they are experiencing.

[00:08:38]It's just tough, man. I'm not going to lie to you. This is tough.

[00:08:47]During my travels, I've heard veterans say they feel like they are better off hiding their military background.

[00:08:55]That sounds so crazy to say out loud, but I've heard it more than once. Some veterans feel like when they mention military leadership experience, it gets brushed off.

[00:09:09]Some feel like their supervisory experience in uniform does not count when civilian leadership opportunities come up. Some feel like if if they receive veterans preference points or were hired under a disabled veteran authority, people look at them differently. And some feel like their service connected disability becomes a silent label. Not a qualification, not a protected part of their story, but a label. A reason for some people question their judgment. A reason for some people to say they cannot handle stress. A reason for some people to assume they are aggressive, rigid, emotional, or difficult. And let me be clear, I'm not saying every veteran is perfect. By no means am I saying that we are not. And I am not saying every workplace issue involving a veteran is discrimination.

[00:10:03]It is not. And I am not saying every supervisor who questions a veteran's actions is wrong. That wouldn't be fair.

[00:10:12]But I am asking this.

[00:10:14]Are some veterans being viewed through a stereotype instead of being evaluated as individuals?

[00:10:21]Are some veterans seen as too military when they actually bring a structure, accountability, and experience?

[00:10:34]Are some disabled veterans being reduced to their disability instead of being respected for their full capability?

[00:10:41]That is the discussion I want to open.

[00:10:47]Now, here is why it matters in the federal space. Let's just be clear.

[00:10:51]Let's get to it. Veterans are not accidental hires.

[00:10:57]They are federing. There are federal hiring authorities specifically designed to help veterans enter the civilian federal workforce. For example, there is the veterans recruitment appointment, often called the VRA. There is also the 30% or more disabled veteran hiring authority. These authorities exist because military service has value.

[00:11:18]because the country made a decision that veterans bring something meaningful to public service. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans in 2025 was 3% which was lower than the nonveteran unemployment rate of 4.2%.

[00:11:41]So the issue may not be whether veterans can get hired.

[00:11:46]The deeper question may be what happens after they get hired after veterans. Are veterans being developed? Let's talk about it. Are they being promoted? Are they being mentored?

[00:12:01]Are their military skills being translated properly? Are civilian connected disabled veterans being supported?

[00:12:10]Or are some veterans being brought on in the door then quietly left standing still?

[00:12:17]That is the part I want to talk about.

[00:12:21]Recently, I had an experience of my own in my own agency that made me look at this issue quite differently. I'm not going to go into full details in this video. That will be for another time. I know you guys want to hear it. But when I can speak on it responsibly, I will gladly share all the details about it.

[00:12:42]But the short version is this. I felt verbally assaulted at work. I notified leadership.

[00:12:50]I left work early and I ended up going to the emergency room with chest pain.

[00:12:56]Thankfully, the me medical testing came back positive. But afterwards I started thinking deeply about how the situation was interpreted.

[00:13:06]Was there genuine concern for my health health? Possibly.

[00:13:11]But I also had to ask myself something very very uncomfortable. You know, was my status as a disabled veteran influencing how people viewed my ability to handle stress?

[00:13:25]Was my judgment being questioned through the lens of a stereotype?

[00:13:31]I do not have all the answers, but I know the question bothered me. And when I connected that experience with the conversations I had with other veterans, I realized this may be bigger than just one person, one office, or one situation.

[00:13:49]Well, let's talk about why I'm talking about this. Because I could get so deep on this, guys. It is ridiculous. Why am I talking about this on a golf channel?

[00:13:58]Now, I know people are asking me that.

[00:13:59]Happy, what does this have to do with golf? And my answer to that is everything. Because the golf course is where a lot of these conversations are happening. A round of golf gives people time to talk. Veterans will joke for 15 holes and then suddenly say something real on the 16th box. And that is just how we are. We laugh first, then we get a little deep a little later.

[00:14:25]This channel is dedicated to military veteran golfers. And if a veteran in this community are dealing with something that affects their careers, any of the veterans, their confidence, their mental health, their families, and their future, then it belongs here.

[00:14:43]Golf is just the setting. The people are the mission.

[00:14:51]All over the world, the same message.

[00:14:56]I'm traveling, I'm playing, and I'm hearing it. It makes me revisit some of the conversations that I had. But I want to You know what?

[00:15:09]So, I want to hear from you, especially if you are a veteran, especially if you are a disabled veteran. Especially if you are a federal civilian employee, former federal employee, supervisor, HR professional, union representative, or someone who has seen it from the inside?

[00:15:27]Have you ever felt like your military experience was dismissed in the civilian workforce? Have you ever felt like your service connected disability was used against you? Have you ever felt like you were hired because you were a veteran but then held back well because you're a veteran? Or have you had the opposite experience? Have you had a great supervisor who one who valued your military background? Have you worked in an agency that genuinely supported veterans? I want both sides because this is not about creating anger by any means. It's about creating awareness. If there is a problem, we need to talk about it. If there are resources, we need to share them. If there are leaders doing it right, we need to highlight them, too. There's a lot of people deployed right now, a lot of people preparing. We need to make sure things are set set up for them as well.

[00:16:30]So, to wrap this thing up real quick because this could go on. I'm really, really passionate about this and I hope this is coming through. This is going to be a three-part series. In this first video, I wanted to introduce the issue and open the floor for discussion. In part two, I want to talk about why I believe veterans may be in the position we are today. And your comments will help on that. Why does it feel like the respect for military service has changed? Why do some veterans feel misunderstood? And why do some workplaces struggle to translate military experience into civilian value?

[00:17:06]Then in part three, I want to focus on resources. I want to share the resources from the comments. So if you have some, leave them down here. I need those. I want to share them with everybody. I want to share um and I want to talk about what veterans can do next. not just to survive in the workplace, but to be respected, developed, promoted, and heard.

[00:17:29]So, what I'm asking from you is to help me with this conversation.

[00:17:33]Drop a comment below, share your experience, be honest, but you know, we all, you know, we old folks and we got some young folks. So, I'm just asking you to be respectful. Um, some of the folks that may share their experience are may be dealing with something right now. So, let's be respectful if you don't mind.

[00:17:53]Do not attack individuals. Do not name drop. I know we want to, you know, I know we want to, but don't name drop just to tear them down. But tell the truth about what you have seen, what you have felt, and what you believe needs to change. Because if this is happening to veterans across the federal workforce, then silence helps nobody. And if there's a story that is more complicated, then we need to understand that, too. Either way, the conversation starts here. My name is Happy. I'm an Air Force veteran, proud one. I'm a golfer still trying to figure out this game. I believe veterans still have value, not just on Veterans Day. And teach these folks the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day, please.

[00:18:42]And not just during a hiring announcement. either. Not just when an agency wants to say it supports veterans, but every day in every workplace at every level. I will see you in part two. And as always, keep swinging.

[00:18:58]One more thing in my description. You want to play golf with me, let me know.

[00:19:03]I'm really wanting to hear more from the women veterans as well, too. I've heard a couple things and um we'll touch on that at a different time. But uh thanks for watching. Please leave a comment below. I'm happy. You guys know me as Happy Patterson, also known as Rufus Patterson. You dig?

[00:19:21]Out.