6 Reasons Veterans make good Private Investigators

With Veterans Day coming up around the corner on Sunday, November 11, 2012, I thought it would be a good time to write about why I believe veterans are likely to make good private investigators. I was fortunate enough to be enlisted in the Army from 1998 to 2002. And during that time I met and served with several great men and women. I did my basic training at Fort Benning, GA, Advanced training at Fort Gordon and was stationed at Fort Hood during my time in the Army.  The time I spent in the military helped me become a better man, a hard worker, and a well-rounded employee.

I still have a few friends that remained in the Army and I am thankful for their service. The friends of mine that got out after they completed their contracts went on to be Law Enforcement Officers, Engineers, Helicopter Mechanics and involved in Telecommunications which have turned out to be great careers for them. I have had the pleasure of working with several military veteran private investigators over the years. Those investigators all turned out to be great investigators and were assets to the companies that employed them.

I can’t say all veterans would make good private investigators but typically those who served in the military carry many of the following traits that I believe are essential to becoming a great private investigator. The following are 6 reasons why I believe veterans make good private investigators.

Flexibility

The military environment can be very unpredictable. Each day plans are made, revised, then changed altogether. During my time in the Army it was almost routine to be told one specific thing and it would change entirely by the end of the day. Soldiers are constantly adapting to unexpected long work days and the changing of objectives. Family men and women, in my opinion, had it even harder because their families constantly had to adapt to their soldier’s schedule.

Private investigators have to deal with an unpredictable schedule through a variety of assignments that will never be consistent. Whether you work for yourself or for a company, your client’s needs end up superseding you and your family’s needs more times than not.

Patience

Hurry up and wait. If you’re a veteran you know exactly what I am referring to. When given tasks a soldier would be prepared for the task at hand and would have to wait for extended periods of time for their superiors to go forward with the assignment. Though I give one specific example, soldiers are taught patience through numerous events that take place in the career of a soldier. To be a private investigator, patience is a trait you must have to be successful in the industry.

Stamina

Stamina can really encompass patience and flexibility. Soldiers work long days in a variety of elements. There are moments of busyness and moments of nothing. The long days can wear on a person.

Surveillance investigators may go to their assignment thinking they are working a normal 8 hour day and find that they end up working a 15 hour day. Stamina, flexibility, and patience all play a part in the stamina of a private investigator.

Loyalty

Soldiers have loyalty to their country, their families and those they work side by side with. They will go above and beyond for those they work with. This type of loyalty will carry on long after their Army careers are completed.

Private investigators need to be loyal to the company they work for. Without that loyalty, they may be unlikely to take a last minute assignment or put all their effort into an assignment. Investigative companies need go-getters to ensure that their assignments are worked to the fullest.

The military veteran investigators I have known in the past have been very loyal and dedicated to the companies that employ them. Those companies are lucky to have those investigators working for them. Quality investigators can be hard to come by.

Trainability

Military veterans don’t enter the private investigation job pool with bad habits or bad attitudes formed from other investigative companies.  Soldiers are always training in one way or another and typically there is a quick learning curve.

Adaptability

If there is any trait that is critical as a private investigator is being able to adapt to different situations, especially if you conduct surveillance.  Soldiers are always adapting to new environments and new situations.  Adapting quickly in the military can be the difference between completing an objective or the difference between life and death.

Surveillance investigators, in particular, adapt every day to different environments and situations.  Investigators go new places and deal with new people every day. This is yet another reason why veterans make good private investigators.

Finally

Now more than ever we need to make sure our soldiers and veterans know they are appreciated. Our soldiers make huge sacrifices for our country and quite frankly they should be thanked every day for what they do. Our veterans should be thanked every day for what they have done.

If you are a young adult and are considering the career path of a private investigator, I personally would first consider a college path or a military service path. I have been down both paths and I can say that each path has the potential has the potential to help you in your journey to becoming a private investigator.

Thanks for reading,

Andrew