(Left-to-right: Robert Irvine, Elton Hart, Troy Born, and Jonathan Lesser).

In honor of Veterans Day, Optimum Business assembled a think-tank discussion around the challenges and opportunities those in the Armed Forces face as they transition into the corporate world. The conversation, in panel form before a live audience of business, partner, and tech leaders, featured three of Optimum's executives who had served in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

To add sizzle to the conversation, Optimum asked Food Network star and author Robert Irvine to join the panel discussion, which was moderated by a local cable TV reporter. Irvine, as many know, is a tireless promoter of veterans who calls upon his struggles and subsequent success in the business world after serving in the U.K.’s Royal Navy.

Each of the veterans—including Irvine, Elton Hart, VP/GM of Optimum; Troy Born, VP, Field Operations; and Jonathan Lesser, Director of B2B SMB Sales—shared their personal stories of life in the military and told how they transferred those skills into serving customers, teams, partners, and their organizations. The messages of entrepreneurship, resilience, and leadership were inspiring, and reminded business leaders and owners of the value of hiring and nurturing veterans.

For channel partners and tech vendors/suppliers looking for talented employees, the panelists left no doubt about the value they can bring to any company. As Irvine said to his fellow panelists, "You take the skills learned in the military and apply those to business."

The message from the panelists was not a clarion call to hire veterans just for the sake of hiring veterans, but to emphasize how these individuals add value, the loyalty they bring to an organization, and their efforts to give back to their communities. Born shared a story of his "Operation Stars and Stripes" initiative, which serves to replace at no cost worn or tattered U.S. flags that are flying at homes or businesses.

Panelists also shared their efforts to adapt and learn new skills after their service. They discussed the struggle to speak the language of business versus military language, which can sometimes be foreign to civilians. For that reason, their advice to business leaders who hire veterans is to provide mentorship and support systems to help with this transition.

There is a great deal of discussion, particularly around Veterans Day, about hiring and supporting veterans, but it was good to see three examples of individuals who have succeeded in the communications industry. While Irvine has achieved enormous business success, a big part of his efforts is tied to supporting veterans and championing their value. He is also investing his company's money in buying veteran-owned businesses, having recently purchased Let's Chow, founded by Jordan Foley, a former U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, whose nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping veterans and military spouses break into the culinary industry through food truck training programs.

Editor’s Note: Irvine will be a keynote speaker at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo on April 13-16 at Las Vegas. Learn more about his background here.