The PERCEVD Principles: Preparing Employers to Reintegrate Combat Exposed Veterans with Disabilities (Volume 1)

“The PERCEVD Principles” is a dynamic new book that is designed to provide diversity awareness and enhance understanding towards the common issues and challenges facing transitioning veterans and people with hidden, physical and combat-related disabilities. It also serves as a diversity road-map for organizations towards eliminating disruptive stigma and creating accommodating, fair, flexible, and conducive workplace and social environments. The book is based on the “Preparing Employers to Reintegrate Combat Exposed Veterans with Disabilities” (PERCEVD) diversity training program created by DESTIN Enterprises, LLC in association with Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veteran and board-certified psychiatrist Cynthia Washington, M.D. Author, veteran, entrepreneur and diversity subject matter expert Edward Crenshaw, masterfully illustrates a wide range of perspectives that include: medical and disability conditions, legal issues and compliance regulations, military culture, HR/EEO, proactive intervention and support, etiquette, along with diet, health and wellness towards readiness. The topic is very timely and the significant impact of multiple tours in the longest war in US history, presents unprecedented challenges for veterans, employers, colleges, families and care-givers.

Edward (Ed) Crenshaw is a dynamic public speaker, US Navy Veteran, author, publisher and the CEO and Founder of DESTIN Enterprises, LLC (DESTIN), a diversity training, consulting and solutions firm in Columbia, MD. In 2006, he partnered with former OIF US Army Veteran and board-certified psychiatrist Cynthia Washington M.D., to develop a diversity training program that would: eliminate misconceptions regarding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), enhance disability awareness, bridge the gap between military paradigms and corporate culture and mitigate other social challenges. That dream was realized with the development of the “Preparing Employers to Reintegrate Combat Exposed Veterans with Disabilities” (PERCEVD) diversity training program. Today, the PERCEVD 125-point diversity audit continues to define the standards for "Veteran and disability friendly" workplaces. Ed is regarded as an innovator, entrepreneur and diversity thought-leader regarding “best practice” diversity strategies. He emphasizes a strong commitment from senior management, along with organizational work-life balance, innovative accommodations, proactive intervention programs, flexibility and the strategic application of diversity audits and sensitivity training. These are the keys to efficient diversity recruitment, retention and conducive social environments. Ed states, “While many employers may consider it altruistic to hire transitioning veterans, some may inadvertently exacerbate conditions by exposing employees to potential trigger issues within the workplace. The goal of PERCEVD is to establish combat-related diversity and disability awareness as a moral imperative. It serves a major injustice to our Veterans to have them suffer in silence and/or increase their chances of failure by subjecting them to insensitive and harmful social conditions. PERCEVD efficiently supports the business case for diversity by presenting best-practice HR methodologies that reduce costly absenteeism and attrition rates, mitigate litigation, eliminate stigma and prevent issues like substance abuse and workplace disruption. The impact of the program helps to recognize the 650 million global disability community, enhance sensitivity, support employees in crisis, increase productivity and provide other measurable forms of return on investment.”