SIOP Launches Advocacy Initiative on Veterans Transition

In honor of Veterans Day, SIOP is proud to announce a new initiative that applies I-O evidence-based research to the transition of service members to the civilian workforce.

This effort is a collaboration between Lewis-Burke Associates LLC and the Government Relations Advocacy Team (GREAT) at SIOP. Lewis-Burke will spearhead the government relations outreach, connect with key policymakers, and seek opportunities to profile I-O findings to federal stakeholders interested in veterans’ transition. These efforts will be in close collaboration with an expert SIOP team led by Adam Kabins that includes Meredith Kleykamp, Julia Bayless, Peter Reiley, and Chris Stone. The team will coordinate SIOP efforts and I-O research and practice findings relevant to the transition of veterans to the workplace; they will provide timely feedback and expertise to Lewis-Burke on pressing federal issues as they arise.

Adam Kabins has worked with Lewis-Burke to develop an advocacy statement for the SIOP website that outlines the critical importance of I-O research-backed solutions to enhance veteran employment experiences. This guidance document is meant to better inform policymakers about I-O psychology’s data-driven approach to identifying and alleviating a wide range of modern employment challenges facing veterans, including the translation of skills, decision-making capabilities, and support networks from military life into civilian settings, as well as the difficulty for civilian employers in recognizing promising veteran candidates. 

As the advocacy initiative continues to take shape, members of the SIOP veterans transition advocacy team will be looking to connect with other SIOP members interested in identifying the best use of I-O findings in this space. The goal is for the science and practice of I-O psychology to contribute more effectively to improving the lives of those who have served to protect the freedoms of US citizens so honorably.

Learn more about SIOP and Lewis-Burke's advocacy initiatives on the SIOP Government Relations page, including notes from SIOP's 2014 congressional briefing on veterans in the workplace.