Renata Skýpalová – AMBIS university, Department of Economics and Management, Lindnerova 575/1, Prague, Czech Republic
Kristýna Binková – University of Defense, Faculty of Military Leadership, Department of Resources Management, Kounicova 65, Brno, Czech Republic
Keywords:
Military organization;
Sociology;
Soldiers;
Second career;
Labor market;
Transition;
Czech Armed Forces
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/ERAZ.S.P.2022.57
Abstract: The paper focuses on the means of support during soldiers’ labor market integration after the termination of military contracts. To find out how the military personnel of the Czech Armed Forces cope with their training for a second career and whether they are interested in the support tools used abroad, the research included 176 students of military studies at the University of Defence and 284 soldiers in active military service. Broadening their knowledge and skills for a better opportunity in the labor market is the wish of 90 % of respondents. More than four-fifths of the respondents have not started training for their second career yet. According to the results, the respondents are interested in helping with preparation for a second career. However, compared to other NATO countries, a systematic approach is not being applied in the Czech Republic at this time.


8th International Scientific ERAZ Conference – ERAZ 2022 – Selected Papers: KNOWLEDGE BASED SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, Online-Virtual (Prague, Czech Republic), May 26, 2022
ERAZ Selected Papers published by: Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans – Belgrade, Serbia
ERAZ conference partners: Faculty of Economics and Business, Mediterranean University, Montenegro; University of National and World Economy – Sofia, Bulgaria; Faculty of Commercial and Business Studies – Celje, Slovenia; AMBIS University, Prague – Czech Republic; Faculty of Applied Management, Economics and Finance – Belgrade, Serbia
ERAZ Conference 2022 Selected Papers: ISBN 978-86-80194-61-5, ISSN 2683-5568, DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/ERAZ.S.P.2022
Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission.
Sugested citation
Skýpalová, R., & Binková, K. (2022). Preparation for the Career outside the Army: The View of Soldiers of the Czech Armed Forces . In V. Bevanda (Ed.), ERAZ Conference – Knowlegde Based Sustainable Development: Vol 8. Selected Papers (pp. 57-71). Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans. https://doi.org/10.31410/ERAZ.S.P.2022.57
References
Ahern, J., Worthen, M., Masters, J., Lippman, S. A., Ozer, E. J., & Moos, R. (2015). The challenges of Afghanistan and Iraq veterans’ transition from military to civilian life and approaches to reconnection. PloS One, 10(7), 1–13. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128599
Ainspan, N. D., Penk, W., & Kearney, L. K. (2018). Psychosocial approaches to improving the military-to-civilian transition process. Psychological services, 15(2), 129. DOI: 10.1037/ser0000259
Alonso, N. A., Porter, C. M., & Cullen-Lester, K. (2021). Building effective networks for the transition from the military to the civilian workforce: Who, what, when, and how. Military Psychology, 33(3), 152-168. DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2021.1897489
Aronson, K. R., Perkins, D. F., Morgan, N., Bleser, J., Davenport, K., Vogt, D., & Gilman, C. L. (2019). Going it alone: Post-9/11 veteran nonuse of healthcare and social service programs during their early transition to civilian life. Journal of Social Service Research. DOI: 10.1080/01488376.2018.1493410
Batka, C., & Hall, K. C. (2016). What’s Good for Business and for Veterans. Perspective.
D., Wellman, G., Mahmood, M., Freye, R., Remund, D., & Samples, P. (2015). Survey of retired military pharmacist’s transition to a civilian pharmacy career path. Military Medicine, 180(12), 1219–1224. DOI:10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00531
Bilan reconversion 2014. (2015). Paris: Défense Mobilité.
Binková, K. (2019). Applicability of Former Soldiers at the Labour Market. Czech Military Review, 28(2), 82-98. DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.28.2019.02.082-098
Binková K. (2018). Retraining of Soldiers. Czech Military Review. 27 (4), 105-119. DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.27.2018.04.105-119
Binková K. & Bednář Z. (2017). Outplacement in the Defence Sector Environment. Czech Military Review, 26(1), 22-39. DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.26.2017.01.022-039
Brunson, B. H. (1996). Life satisfaction and retirement: Military mid-life career change. (Doctoral dissertation, Texas Tech University, 1996). Dissertation Abstracts International, 57(7-A).
Buzzetta, M., Hayden, S. C. W., & Ledwith, K. (2017). Creating hope: Assisting veterans with job search strategies using cognitive information processing theory. Journal of Employment Counseling, 54(2), 63–74. DOI: 10.1002/joec.12054
Career Transition Partnership. (2018). GOV.UK United Kingdom: Ministry of Defence. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/career-transition-partnership
Castro C. A. & Kintzle S. (2017). The state of the American veteran: The San Francisco Veterans Study. USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families. Retrieved April 14, 2021 from http:// joiningforces.issuelab.org/resources/30042/30042.pdf.
Cooper, L., Caddick, N., Godier, L., Cooper, A., & Fossey, M. (2018). Transition from military into civilian life: An exploration of cultural competence. Armed Forces & Society, 44(1), 156-177. DOI: 10.1177/0095327X16675965
Curry Hall, K., Harrell, M. C., Bicksler, B., Stewart, R., & Fisher, M. P. (2014). Connecting veterans and employers. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. DOI: 10.7249/RB9829
Delbourg-Delphis, M. (2014). A relational approach to hiring veterans. Employment Relations Today, 41(1), 11–17. DOI: 10.1002/ert.21438
Elnitsky, C. A., Blevins, C. L., Fisher, M. P., and Magruder, K. (2017). Military service member and veteran reintegration: a critical review and adapted ecological model. Am. J. Orthopsychiatry, 87, 114–128. DOI: 10.1037/ort0000244
Elrond, A., Stoltenberg, C., Nissen, L., Nielsen, A., & Pedersen, J. (2019). Labor market affiliation after deployment: Danish soldiers fare well, but face increased risk of long-term sickness absence when returning from Afghanistan. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, 45(3), 289-297. DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3773
Ford, D. G. (2017). Talent management and its relationship to successful veteran transition into the civilian workplace: Practical integration strategies for the HRD professional. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 19, 36–53. DOI: 10.1177/1523422316682736
Gaither, D. (2014). Military transition management. Career Planning and Adult Development Journal, 30(3), 215.
Gati, I., Ryzhik, T., & Vertsberger, D. (2013). Preparing young veterans for civilian life: The effects of a workshop on career decision-making difficulties and self-efficacy. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83(3), 373-385. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvb.2013.06.001
Geraci, J., Murray, C., Kapil-Pair, K.N., Herrera, S., Sokol, Y., Cary, J., Landa, Y., Goodman, M., 2020. The modern-day Odysseus: how mental health providers can better reintegrate modern warriors and mitigate suicide risk. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 76 (5), 878– 895. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22923
Ghosh, A., & Fouad, N. A. (2016). Career transitions of student veterans. Journal of Career Assessment, 24(1), 99-111. DOI: 10.1177/1069072714568752
Gonzalez, J. A., & Simpson, J. (2021). The workplace integration of veterans: Applying diversity and fit perspectives. Human Resource Management Review, 31(2), DOI: 10.1016/j. hrmr.2020.100775
Gordon, K., Burnell, K., & Wilson, C. (2020). Outside the military “bubble”: Life after service for UK ex-armed forces personnel. Frontiers in public health, 8. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00050
Gray, A., Wilson, R., Jenkings, K. N., Harrison, D., & Martin, M. (2017). Information-sharing in services for military personnel in transition to civilian life. Public Money & Management, 37(1), 15-22. DOI: 10.1080/09540962.2016.1249226
Grimell, J. (2016a). The story of the self in the aftermath of crisis: A case study. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 29(1), 66–79. DOI: 10.1080/10720537.2015.1079509
Hachey, K. K., Sudom, K., Sweet, J., MacLean, M. B., & VanTil, L. D. (2016). Transitioning from military to civilian life: The role of mastery and social support. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, 2(1), 9-18. DOI: 10.3138/jmvfh.3379
Hall, A. F., Jr. (2017). Veterans stories: A narrative inquiry research study examination of veterans navigating second careers (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (Order No. 10258880).
Hamilton, A. B., Williams, L., &Washington, D. L. (2015). Military and mental health correlates of unemployment in a national sample of women veterans. Medical Care, 53, S32– S38. DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000297
Hines, L. A., Gribble, R., Wessley, S., Dandeker, C., & Fear, N. T. (2015). Are the armed forces understood and supported by the public? A view from the United Kingdom. Armed Forces & Society, 41(4), 688-713. DOI: 10.1177/0095327X14559975
Chopade, M. P., & Gupta, K. S. (2020). A Soldier’s Preparation for Second Innings–A Review. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 29(12s):2480-2485
James, A. (2017). A phenomenological study: Female veteran commissioned officers’ successful transition to the civilian workforce (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (Order No. 10267210)
Jonsson, M. (2014). What do you know? Easing Soldiers´ transition to the civilian labour market by making knowledge understandable. Sweden, University of Gothenburg.
Keeling, M. (2018). Stories of transition: US veterans’ narratives of transition to civilian life and the important role of identity. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, 4(2), 28–36. DOI: 10.3138/jmvfh.2017-0009
Keeling, M., Ozuna, S. M., & Millsap, C. (2018). Employment after the military. In E. L. Weiss & C. A. Castro (Eds.), American military life in the 21st century: Social, cultural, and economic issues and trends (pp. 497–509). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, LLC.
Keeling, M., Ozuna, S. M., Kintzle, S., & Castro, C. A. (2019). Veterans’ civilian employment experiences: Lessons learnt from focus groups. Journal of Career Development, 46(6), 692–705. DOI: 10.1177/0894845318776785
Keeling, M., Kintzle, S., & Castro, C. A. (2018). Exploring US veterans’ post-service employment experiences. Military Psychology, 30(1), 63-69. DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2017.1420976
Kintzle, S., Rasheed, J. M., & Castro, C. A. (2016). The state of the American veteran: The Chicagoland veterans study. Los Angeles, USA: University of Southern California
Kleykamp, M. (2013). Unemployment, earnings and enrollment among post 9/11 veterans. Social Science Research, 42(3), 836–851. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2012.12.017
Lee, J. E., Dursun, S., Skomorovsky, A., & Thompson, J. M. (2020). Correlates of perceived military to civilian transition challenges among Canadian Armed Forces Veterans. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, 6(2), 26-39. DOI: 10.3138/jmvfh-2019-0025
H. & Golby, J. (2017). Midlife crisis? The all-volunteer force at 40. Armed Forces & Society, 43(1), 115-138. DOI: 10.1177/0095327X16641430
Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic (2021). The Czech Armed Forces Development Concept 2030. Retrieved August 12, 2021 from https://www.army.cz/images/id_8001_9000/8503/CAFDC.PDF
Minnis, S. E. (2017). Preface: Veterans in career transition and employment. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 19(1), 3–5. DOI: 10.1177/1523422316682951
Morin, R. (2011). The difficult transition from military to civilian life. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.
Owings, W. A., Kaplan, L. S., Khrabrova, I., & Chappell, S. (2015). Troops to teachers update: Changing, but still pleasing principals with high teaching quality. NASSP Bulletin, 99(1), 70–98. DOI: 10.1177/0192636515571933
Pease, J. L., Billera, M., & Gerard, G. (2016). Military culture and the transition to civilian life: Suicide risk and other considerations. Social Work, 61(1), 83–86. DOI: 10.1093/sw/swv050
Perkins, D. F., Aronson, K. R., Morgan, N. R., Bleser, J. A., Vogt, D., Copeland, L. A., Gilman, C., et al. (2019). Veterans’ use of programs and services as they transition to civilian life: Baseline assessment for the Veteran Metrics Initiative. Journal of Social Service Research (pp. 1–15). DOI: 10.1080/01488376.2018.1546259
Pollak, M., Arshanapalli, B., & Hobson, C. (2019). The business case for hiring military veterans/reservists: Stock price performance of military friendly firms. Journal of Veterans Studies, 4(2), 52. DOI: 10.21061/jvs.v4i2.99
Rekonwersja kadry i byłych żołnierzy. (2017). Wojskowa Komenda Uzupełnień w Radomiu. Retrieved February 13, 2021 from http://radom.wku.wp.mil.pl/pl/6786.html
Robertson, H. C. (2013). Income and support during transition from a military to civilian career. Journal of Employment Counseling, 50, 26-33.
Roy, D., Ross, J., & Armour, C. (2020). Making the transition: How finding a good job is a risky business for military Veterans in Northern Ireland. Military Psychology, 32(5), 428-441. DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2020.1785805
Sayer, N. A., Orazem, R. J., Noorbaloochi, S., Gravely, A., Frazier, P., Carlson, K. F. & Oleson, H. (2015). Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans with reintegration problems: differences by veterans affairs healthcare user status. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(4), 493-503. DOI: 10.1007/s10488-014-0564-2
Shepherd, S., Kay, A. C., & Gray, K. (2019). Military veterans are morally typecast as agentic but unfeeling: Implications for veteran employment. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 153, 75–88. DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2019.06.003
Schulker, D. (2017). The recent occupation and industry employment patterns of American veterans. Armed Forces & Society, 43(4), 695-710. DOI: 10.1177/0095327X16659875
Skomorovsky, A., McCuaig Edge, H. J., Lee, J. E., Wan, C., & Dursun, S. (2020). Military to civilian transition challenges, caregiving activities, and well-being among spouses of newly released Canadian Armed Forces Veterans. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, 6(1), 15-27. DOI: 10.3138/jmvfh-2019-0026
Smith, R. T., & True, G. (2014). Warring identities: Identity conflict and the mental distress of American veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Society and Mental Health, 4, 147–161. DOI: 10.1177/2156869313512212
Stern, L. (2017). Post 9/11 veterans with service-connected disabilities and their transition to the civilian workforce: A review of the literature. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 19, 66–77. DOI: 10.1177/1523422316682928
Stone, C., & Stone, D. L. (2015). Factors affecting hiring decisions about veterans. Human Resource Management Review, 25(1), 68-79. DOI: 10.1016/j.hrmr.2014.06.003
Stone, C. B., Lengnick-Hall, M., & Muldoon, J. (2018). Do stereotypes of veterans affect chances of employment? The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 21, 1–33. DOI: 10.1037/mgr0000068
Stonebraker, I., Maybee, C., & Chapman, J. (2019). Undergraduate students’ experiences of using information at the career fair: A phenomenographic study conducted by the libraries and career center. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 45(4), 358–367. DOI: 10.1016/j.acalib.2019.05.002
Vigoda-Gadot, E., Baruch, Y., & Grimland, S. (2010). Career transitions: An empirical examination of second career of military retirees. Public Personnel Management, 39(4), 379-404.
Weinburger, C. M., Strider, S. H., & Vengrouskie, E. F. (2015). Social media job searches and the strength of veteran ties. Human Resource Management Research, 5(6), 133–153. DOI: 10.5923/j.hrmr.20150506.01
Wilson, P. A. (2015). The experience of enlisted female veterans transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (Order No. 3687617).
Wilson-Smith, K. M., & Corr, P. J. (2019). Help with finding a civilian job. In Military Identity and the Transition into Civilian Life (pp. 79–98). Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Pivot; Cham: SpringerNature.
Yanchus, N. J., Osatuke, K., Carameli, K. A., Barnes, T., & Ramsel, D. (2018). Assessing workplace perceptions of military veteran compared to nonveteran employees. Journal of Veterans Studies, 3(1), 37-50. DOI: 10.21061/jvs.v3i1.3
Zarecky, A. (2014). How strengths-focused coaching can help military personnel in their transition to ‘civvy street’. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, Spec Issue 8, 54–66.
Zoli, C., Maury, R., & Fay, D. (2015). Missing perspectives: Servicemembers’ transition from service to civilian life — data-driven research to enact the promise of the post-9/11 GI bill. Syracuse, NY: Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University.