Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Security Leadership and ManagementSecurity Education & TrainingPhysical Security

Security Careers for Military Veterans

By Harold Underdown
SEC0619-Edu1-Feat-slide1_900px
SEC0619-Edu1-slide2_900px
SEC0619-Edu1-Feat-slide1_900px
SEC0619-Edu1-slide2_900px
June 1, 2019

Military veterans transition seamlessly into virtually all types of careers and sectors, but as a U.S. Navy veteran and security training professional for North America’s leading physical security services company, I do believe that the physical security arena can be a match made in heaven for transitioning veterans.

The following are my observations on why military veterans are ideal recruits for the physical security sector and why military veterans should take a fresh look at the physical security sector for their post military career:

 

Talent for Technology

Look at the physical security world today and you will see security personnel experienced with robotics, video analytics, access control and biometric technologies. Military who are transitioning to civilian jobs have high demand, high-tech skills with sophisticated systems and software.

For example, Tactical Operations Centers (TOC) are command posts for the military featuring state-of-the-art technology with specially trained military personnel who guide members of an active tactical element during a mission. Similarly, the physical security sector has Monitoring and Response Centers (MaRC), managed by security professionals, which combine the monitoring of physical security systems with access control, video surveillance and intrusion detection devices with operational security platforms including critical incident management, threat awareness and situational intelligence.

Moreover, military veterans, who train and learn to survive the rigors of war, understand better than anyone that continual training is part of a successful mission whether it is in Afghanistan or at corporate headquarters for a Fortune 500 company. They actively seek out the learning opportunities and ongoing training available to them.

 

Advance through the Ranks

With “private security service revenues forecast to rise 3.2 percent annually to $70 billion annually in 2021,” the physical security sector is full of many opportunities for advancement.  The security sector boasts many recruits who start their career as an officer and are promoted to site supervisor, division manager, vice president and even division president positions. Advancing in the physical security sector demands many of the qualities military veterans are known for, including their battle-tested real-world experience, trainability, adaptability, dependability and ability to deliver quality work under pressure. Physical security companies honor, recognize and applaud employees who seek to continually improve their skill set. It’s the proactive employees who seek continual improvement who reach out daily for the next rung on the education ladder.

 

Clear to Report

“Over 90 percent of those in the military have had extensive background checks for various levels of security clearances,” reports VetJobs.com. Military background checks are rigorous as many military positions involve classified information pertinent to national security. Even if the military job is entry-level and has no security clearance, the military will conduct a background check to ensure a candidate is “reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character, and of complete and unswerving loyalty to the United States.”

Physical security companies welcome the background check procedures that military veterans have already undergone, making a quick start date possible.

 

Emotional Intelligence

What is emotional intelligence and what is the relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership? I look at emotional intelligence as the integration of one’s emotions to facilitate greater understanding and kinship with others. In the military, cultivating a keen sense of emotional intelligence can mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield.  Military personnel ‘look under the hood’ to get a comprehensive understanding of the people they are serving with in order to build trust and comradeship. They know about their hobbies, marriage and family status. Think about the manager who jumps down the throat of an employee who shows up late one day at work versus the emotionally intelligent manager who recognizes that this tardy employee is dealing with an autistic child who is settling into a new school. The emotionally intelligent manager, capable of transformational leadership, has a 360-degree understanding of their employees and knows when to play soft vs. hardball.

 

Small Team Expertise

Military are experienced working with small teams, which are generally from three to eight members. Military examples of small teams include artillery teams, large aircraft crews, surveillance teams, sensor or warfare teams on warships, armored vehicle crews, infantry assault groups and others. In the security sector, small teams include account teams in service of a client, technology center personnel, administrative teams, etc. Military veterans bring to the corporate world the skills they have honed working with small, nimble teams that are expert at achieving their goals.

 

Team Players

Teamwork is a vital lesson all military veterans learn. In the military, you live and work together, and are taught to support your team members and efficiently collaborate with the people around you. This is an invaluable skill in the security sector whether you are seeking an entry level or management position.

 

Workplace Diversity

Veterans represent diversity and collaborative teamwork in action having served with people from diverse economic, ethnic and geographic backgrounds as well as race, religion and gender. According to Pew Research Center statistics released in 2017, racial and ethnic minority groups made up 40 percent of Defense Department active-duty military in 2015, up from 25 percent in 1990. There is no place for discrimination or intolerance in the military and security sectors.  Both sectors understand the importance of treating every person fairly and promoting job performance.

 

No Military to Civilian Decoder Needed

Veterans need a “military to civilian decoder” system to help explain the significance of their military skills and how they translate to the general employment landscape. The physical security sector, however, understands the language of the military and do not generally require military responsibilities be coded into language that non-military can understand.

The physical security sector features a wide variety of jobs from entry level, middle management to senior positions. A retired veteran with a pension may look to the security sector for part-time or full-time entry-level work. Other former military, who are not eligible for retirement benefits, may secure mid-level appointments with the goal of climbing the ladder to the highest rungs.  The flexibility and opportunity are unparalleled in the security sector.

Veterans generally enter the workforce with identifiable skills that can be transferred to the physical security world and are often skilled in technical trends pertinent to business and industry. And what they don’t know, they are eager to learn – making them receptive and ready hires in physical security environments that value ongoing learning and training.

KEYWORDS: military physical security

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Harold underdown 200px

Harold E. Underdown is Vice President of Training and Development at Allied Universal.  Prior to joining the security sector, Underdown served a distinguished 30-year career with the United States Navy as Command Master Chief SEAL Team FOUR / Master Chief Special Operator.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Security Enterprise Services
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Security Leadership and Management
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    Logical Security
    By: Charles Denyer
Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

  • Duty of Care
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Integrating Technology and Physical Security to Advance Duty of Care

Popular Stories

Coding

AI Emerges as the Top Concern for Security Leaders

Half open laptop

“Luigi Was Right”: A Look at the Website Sharing Data on More Than 1,000 Executives

Shopping mall

Victoria’s Secret Security Incident Shuts Down Website

Laptop with coding on ground

Stepping Into the Light: Why CISOs Are Replacing Black-Box Security With Open-Source XDR

Gift cards and credit cards

Why Are Cyberattacks Targeting Retail? Experts Share Their Thoughts

2025 Security Benchmark banner

Events

June 24, 2025

Inside a Modern GSOC: How Anthropic Benchmarks Risk Detection Tools for Speed and Accuracy

For today's security teams, making informed decisions in the first moments of a crisis is critical.

July 17, 2025

Tech in the Jungle: Leveraging Surveillance, Access Control, and Technology in Unique Environments

From animal habitats to bustling crowds of visitors, a zoo is a one-of-a-kind environment for deploying modern security technologies.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • American flag on flag pole

    How veterans use military lessons in the private sector

    See More
  • SEC0520-career-Feat-slide1_900px

    Intelligent Succession Planning for Security Careers

    See More
  • edu4-900px.jpg

    The 10 Best Cybersecurity Programs for Veterans

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • security culture.webp

    Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

  • Physical-Security-and-Safet.gif

    Physical Security and Safety: A Field Guide for the Practitioner

  • Photonic-Sensing.gif

    Photonic Sensing: Principles and Applications for Safety and Security Monitoring

See More Products
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing