That is a very interesting issue. Scientific studies done in the past 20 years, and I had a hand in many of them, show that return to work is very dependent, during the rehabilitation phase, on an early connection with the workplace. I am not just talking about veterans but in general. For a veteran who has done little or no work as a civilian, return to work is even tougher, but there needs to be a link with the employer. I think that veterans, as an organization, certainly have the potential to establish ties with employers and to facilitate that transition.
But, to be quite blunt, we need to show them the workplace, what it is. How can someone who has never held civilian employment or who is injured and feels like a lesser person or who has psychological issues return to a workplace? We have to show them that workplace. We have to facilitate their return to work. We have developed methods to help do that.
I believe the report really recommends using this new knowledge so that reintegration into civilian life and employment is very much tied to the workplace.