Vet News: Trump says, "You're Hired" and Hires A Vet
The reality television show "The Apprentice" goes to great lengths to teach students about the business world. Its enough to make blue-chip business schools across the country take notice. But the most important lesson may have been taught on this past season’s finale: Hire a Veteran.
Donald Trump closed out the second edition of The Apprentice when out of over a million applicants he hired the one veteran everyone’s talking about now: Kelly Perdew, a graduate of West Point and former Army Military Intelligence Officer. Many felt Perdew personified some of the best military traits: teamwork, leadership, efficiency, and the ability to perform under pressure. And by winning The Apprentice 2, Perdew demonstrated these qualities on network television to illustrate these traits succeed in the boardroom, too, not just on the battlefield.
Perdew’s appointment capped off a full year where the value of a strong military has come front and center on the news, on Wall Street and on Main Street. Exactly a year ago, Time Magazine even named "The American Soldier" it’s Person of the Year for 2003. And the role of the military was also a cornerstone of the 2004 U.S. presidential election.
Every year, over 200,000 military members leave the service. Like Perdew, every one of them is looking to transfer their military skills to a civilian employer. Not all of them can get on TV, though, or meet The great Donald Trump. But his experience brings to light the valuable qualities that can help any organization succeed.
"I am a machine when it comes to business," Perdew deadpanned when asked about his mechanical mannerisms.
The 37-year-old successfully navigated the interview by winning 12 tasks, taking calculated risks and "giving it 100 percent." According to the Associated Press, his secret weapon, which was left on the cutting room floor, was a standard operating procedures manual he created, continually used by his Mosaic team after each task. Perdew said the document consisted of "20 things the project manager needed to do so they didn’t run around like a chicken with their head cut off."
"It’s basically straight out of Ranger School," he said.
Despite his education and computer savvy in creating several e-businesses, attention throughout the second season and last week’s finale — when he was selected over lawyer Jennifer Massey — was given to Perdew’s time spent in the U.S. Army.
And Perdew is quick to add how that experience also set a foundation for his future growth.
"Kelly’s service to the United States Army was exceptional. He was a young, intelligent, energetic officer who tackled, with ease I might add, challenges that far exceeded those expected of a junior officer. Anyone who knows and or has worked with Kelly is aware that he possesses unquestioned integrity and inherent courage to do what is right."
– Andrew Hergenrother (Kelly’s commander in the Army)
