#17 Art De Groat (US Army) - Kansas State Military Affairs Innovation Center

My team’s confidence in my competency as a leader gave me a margin, in the human dimension, from which I could take risks that would ultimately be in their best interest

Our guest this week is Art De Groat, Founder and Director for Kansas State’s Military Affairs and Innovation Center as well as a retired US Army Armor Officer of over 20 years. In his current role at the Innovation Center, Art and his team are conducting applied research and outreach focused on adult developmental aspects of military transition and social reintegration.

Art describes how is military service was a defining pillar in his life – from experiences in the Gulf War where he had to make calculated decisions about how to deal with an out-matched enemy in order to preserve the mental health of his soldiers to dealing with a traumatic life event and having to strike a balance between service to country and family. The strength of character and resilience Art displayed and many veterans, I think, is exactly what should make military veterans attractive hirees to agribusinesses.

His post-military career has allowed him to continue to support the service member, this time during their transition into the private sector, where he’s gathered decades of experiential data and academic research that makes him uniquely qualified to discuss the issues facing veteran transition today and how ag can be a natural fit.