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ACCOUNTABILITY When civilians start a new job, over time they learn the company culture whereas in the military, accountability is ingrained in troops from the first day. “If soldiers do not

hold each other accountable, someone is going to die,” Robbie Green, executive coach at Talking Talent, told _AARP Veteran Report_. “The business of the military is life and death.” This

gravitas of accountability carries over to the workplace when veterans transition from military to civilian life.  “The veteran’s expectation is everyone should be doing what they are

responsible for,” said Green. “And when they are not, veteran leaders bring it to their team’s attention immediately. Unlike many civilian leaders, veterans do not find accountability

confrontational—they find it necessary.” GRATITUDE “Veterans tend to be very grateful,” Rocky Belmonte, senior operations director at Grainger, told _AARP Veteran Report_. Belmonte, a staff

sergeant in the Army National Guard, pointed out that veterans know what it’s like “to go without” and therefore do not take things for granted. Veterans appreciate work, teammates and hard

tasks because “there is great satisfaction in achieving what some see as unachievable.” She added: “We love opportunities to work hard and have that work shine, and are grateful for every

chance we get to demonstrate our hard-earned military skillsets in our civilian lives.” BELIEF IN AUTHORITY Respecting the chain of command is key in the military and veterans also have the

ability to lead and teach by example. “When you transition to civilian work you have to learn how to influence without authority, which is a skill that needs to be developed over time,” said

Belmonte. In the Army, Belmonte's goals centered around helping troops improve their physical fitness achievements and firing range success. In the civilian workplace, the goals can be

more about helping team members advance their education and career. Belmonte has found that civilian employees want to understand the “why” behind the directive or request. “And I love the

opportunity to coach and teach those I lead,” she said. _You can _subscribe here_ to _AARP Veteran Report_, a free e-newsletter published twice a month. If you have feedback or a story idea

then please _contact us here_._