Beyond the Hero: Redefining Veterans in the Civilian Workforce

“The expectations people have of you are often as heavy as the armor you left behind.”

After leaving the military, I thought the hardest part of the transition would be learning to be a civilian again—figuring out life without a chain of command, creating my own schedule, and not being ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. But what I wasn’t prepared for was the weight of the labels that followed me. Chief among them was the “hero veteran” label. It sounds honorable at first, but it comes with invisible baggage—baggage that many of us who served carry into our post-military careers.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m proud of my service, just like many of you are. The problem is that this “hero veteran” narrative can box us in. It elevates us to a pedestal where people assume we’re one-dimensional. Either we’re indestructible warriors or we’re broken, needing to be “fixed.” No in-between. I’ve seen it when friends interviewed for jobs, and the interviewers only focused on their military experience, overlooking the diverse skill sets they picked up along the way—problem-solving, leadership, adaptability. We’re seen through a narrow lens that doesn’t always reflect our full potential. And this limited perception has real consequences.

For starters, veterans are often pigeonholed into certain industries—security, law enforcement, or anything related to defense. Those can be good options for some, but they’re not for everyone. It’s like they forget we were also logistics experts, tech specialists, medics, and analysts. The result? Many veterans struggle to find jobs that align with their interests and strengths, leading to higher unemployment or underemployment rates within our community. And let’s be real, trying to convince someone that you’re not just the “tough guy” or “gal” but also a capable leader in a corporate setting can feel like an uphill battle.

I had a friend, a Navy vet, who was told in an interview, “You must be used to just taking orders, right?” That line hits hard. It’s as if years of leading a team, making split-second decisions under pressure, and managing complex operations didn’t matter. The civilian world often forgets that military service equips us with more than just physical grit. We bring soft skills—empathy, communication, teamwork—that are just as valuable, if not more so, in many work environments.

This hero narrative can also contribute to feelings of isolation. When people expect you to be unbreakable, you might feel less inclined to admit when you’re struggling. It can lead to veterans feeling disconnected from their peers, both in the workplace and in everyday life, because no one expects a “hero” to need help. But we all do at some point, and asking for help doesn’t make us less capable.

So, how do we break out of this box? First, we need to tell our stories. We need to share the nuances of our experiences—not just the combat or the action, but the day-to-day lessons that shaped who we are. We need to show that we’re more than a trope.

Secondly, companies need to learn how to ask better questions. Instead of focusing solely on our military service, they should dig into how those experiences translate into skills for the job at hand. Lastly, organizations like ValorWell, which understand the challenges veterans face, can help bridge the gap, ensuring that vets aren’t just seen as “heroes” but as the well-rounded professionals they are.

Being a veteran should be a badge of honor, not a limitation. It’s time we change the narrative, for ourselves and for the generations that will follow us into the civilian world. We’re more than the labels others put on us. By sharing our full stories and advocating for our diverse skill sets, we can start to reshape how the world views veterans. Remember, you’re not just a hero—you’re a human with unique talents, and the world deserves to see all of that.