There are enemy combatants for as far as the eye can see and complex decisions to be made, the ramifications of which must be carefully calculated lest comrades suffer the most dire of consequences.
The battlefield sounds an awful lot like Wall Street, come to think of it.
This Veterans Day, Business Insider commemorates US soldiers who served their country, and then went on to successful careers in finance.
Whether they're experienced Navy SEALs, fighter pilots or Army Rangers, there are countless US military veterans who say that the lessons they learned on and off the battlefield are applicable to everyday life off of it.
Business Insider rallied the (former) troops from the US Navy, the Army and the Marines, and this is what they said about their time in the military, and how it prepared them for life on Wall Street.
Bud Abbott says the pressure soldiers experience can help them prepare for finance
"The military relies on consistent performance especially under pressure. In the military, this means troubleshooting the main navigation system methodically rather than rushing. In wealth management and these times of higher volatility, the initial reaction of many investors is to do the exact opposite of what they should. They sell when the market is going down and they chase investments that have already appreciated considerably."
"For me, leadership comes from confidence and remembering what it was like when you were in the subordinate position. Everyone in the military starts at the bottom and earns their way up. The great leaders I had in the military treated us as equals and remembered what it was like on the other side and gave us the respect that we deserved."
"The military also teaches attention to detail whether it is folding a tee shirt or fixing a multi million dollar radar system. In finance, you need that same quality whether it is trading a stock or analyzing an investment."
John Purcell of Morgan Stanley applied the Navy's standards to private equity
“The Navy gave me a foundation of rigor, focus and high standards that provided me the internal strength and clear guidelines to build a career in a demanding Wall Street environment. For this I am eternally grateful to the service. This same type of training prepares veterans from all services to be strong contributing professionals and leaders across all aspects of the US economy and, will help propel us forward.”
JPMorgan's Ray Ordierno says leaders in the military and on Wall Street need to have peripheral vision
"A military leader needs to be cognizant of more than just strategy; a leader in the financial world has to focus on more than just economics. The political atmosphere, diplomatic relations, security, and public policy all come into play for any given market, and each can significantly affect the others. An effective leader is able to discern how each factor interacts and discern risk and appropriate ways to mitigate risk."
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