With uncertainty growing and labor markets tight, think about a different kind of hire.

The “trade war” talk makes logisticians nervous.  Supply chains can be brittle, and battles – even metaphorical battles – introduce uncertainty.  And with the rhetoric currently flying across the Pacific, uncertainty is certainly getting our attention

You can find candidates trained for this kind of uncertainty.  They come from top schools that graduate global logisticians – often with Masters Degrees – and you might want to think about looking for them as they consider leaving government service: 

• The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, commonly known as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF)
• The Naval Postgraduate School, commonly referred to as Monterrey
• The Joint Forces Staff College
• The National War College
• For less senior but well-grounded hires, look at graduates from any one of the service academies: The United States Military Academy at West Point, the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, or ROTC Programs

Graduates of these schools bring the skills needed to deal with physical conflict and the ensuing uncertainty in the supply chain, not just the metaphorical.  The other thing they bring is leadership skills and operational savviness honed in challenging and diverse conditions, often in complex, chaotic, and austere situations.

There are also solid ROTC programs that develop entry level leaders on campuses across the country.  And let’s not forget the non-commissioned officer pools, who often earn degrees while wearing the uniform.  The point is that if you are looking for leaders in logistics; don’t just think of the traditional college campus. 

Leaders in the military – both uniformed and civilian - know how to make things happen.  Often, they learned how to make things happen when the bullets are flying.  Literally.

They can handle a trade war.