Hiring Veterans Is Good for Business: Lessons from Beau Higgins

When companies talk about diversity, innovation, and grit, they often overlook a group that already checks all those boxes: military veterans. In a recent episode of the Vector Accelerator Podcast, retired Marine Colonel and former Amazon military hiring leader Beau Higgins made a compelling case for why hiring veterans isn’t just patriotic—it’s smart business.

After 25 years in the Marine Corps and seven years leading Amazon’s veteran initiatives, Beau knows both sides of the transition story. He built programs from the ground up, including SkillBridge internships, apprenticeship pathways, and military spouse initiatives. His message to corporate America? Veterans are one of the most underutilized talent pipelines available.

“If you hire veterans, you get diversity. You get grit. You get problem-solvers,” Beau said.

A Business Case Backed by Numbers

One of Beau’s biggest insights from his time at Amazon was how to turn a values-based decision into a business case that resonated with leadership.

“Every business, it's about the bottom line,” he said. “If you use the SkillBridge program, that's basically 12 free weeks of an intern. There’s a cost. We pay a lot of interns to come in in the summer… [but] the veterans that came in through SkillBridge were basically free.”

Beyond SkillBridge, Beau highlighted the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) as another incentive. Veterans often qualify for this credit, creating direct savings for companies willing to hire them.

“A dollar you spend on hiring veterans goes farther than a dollar you spend on hiring non-veterans because of the tax credits, the SkillBridge program, [and] the apprenticeship programs. The government’s paying for this. You might as well tap into it,” Beau emphasized.

Veterans Offer More Than Technical Skills

While incentives help open doors, Beau stressed that what makes veterans truly valuable goes far beyond what shows up on a resume.

“Veterans have what I call diversity of thought,” he explained. “They look at problems differently… We're often asked to do things with limited resources and limited time with limited guidance.”

In fast-paced environments like Amazon—where problem-solving and adaptability are essential—veterans often outperform expectations.

“That idea of grit, the ability to do more with less… who better than veterans to come in and be problem solvers?”

Internal Advocacy and Education

Despite widespread support for veterans in theory, Beau shared that one of the biggest challenges is educating internal stakeholders on how to translate military experience into civilian roles.

“Amazon’s not one big monolithic company. It's dozens of companies inside one brand,” Beau said. “So it was probably more internal work than external work to get [programs] up and running.”

This meant constant internal marketing, building relationships with hiring managers, and showing how veterans could fill talent gaps across functions—from robotics to logistics.

Owning the Transition, Empowering the Employer

While Beau is a fierce advocate for veterans, he also believes that successful hiring starts with the veteran doing the work of self-reflection.

“You have to own your own transition,” he said. “People are dying to help you… but you have to take the first step. Start by figuring out what you want to do and what you don’t want to do.”

That level of clarity, he says, makes it much easier for someone like him to open doors. When veterans come with a clear goal, even a broad one, he can leverage his network to make meaningful connections.

“If you do your homework and come to me and say, 'Hey, I was a machinist mate in the Navy. I think I’d be good in a maintenance job at Amazon,' I can help you get through the ATS system. I can give you a little nudge.”

A Win-Win Worth Building On

Veteran hiring is more than a feel-good initiative; it’s a strategy that benefits the individual, the team, and the bottom line. Beau’s time at Amazon proves that when companies invest in understanding and integrating veteran talent, they don’t just make a difference—they make smart business decisions.

“You're going to get people who are gritty, who are problem solvers, who are loyal, who are punctual, who are value-based,” Beau concluded. “They're going to make your company better.”

In a world where finding and retaining top talent is more competitive than ever, maybe the best hire you can make is one who’s already led a team through uncertainty, challenge, and change.

And maybe it's time more companies saw veterans not just as heroes—but as high-performers.