Can Veterans Become Our Superheroes?

Jan. 22, 2013 - PRLog -- With hundreds of thousands of military men and women returning home after tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and thousands more joining them in the coming years, http://www.MindBrigade.com has launched several initiatives, including publication of a graphic novel, animated video clips, and development of a unique gaming platform, intended to ease the veteran’s transition back into the business world.

“Powerful visual content, like graphic novels, video clips, or games, can draw far more and sharper attention, especially when it comes to veterans’ employment,” says Shay Yellin, founder of MindBrigade. “It can make more employers understand and comprehend what a vet can contribute to their business, and it can also inspire civilians and businesses to help bridge the gap between veterans and the civilian world.”

Yellin, himself a veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces and former member of the elite Intelligence Unit “8200,” went on to forge a post-military career as a media and business professional. MindBrigade seeks to bridge a gap between civilians and soldiers and ultimately change perceptions about veterans and educate employers about the benefits of hiring one.

The MindBrigade concept was born out of Yellin’s MBA thesis at the Open University of Israel. In developing his thesis, supervised by Professor Gil S. Epstein of Bar-Ilan University, Yellin identified various military “mindsets” and determined the influence of factors such as time served, branch of the military, and differences between the American and European cultures in transferring these mindsets from military service to business settings.

Yellin interviewed nearly 400 veterans, predominately from American armed forces, who went on to become CEOs, executives and business professionals. In the answers of the former enlistees, Yellin identified 19 distinct mindsets that are later successfully transferred to their business careers. He assigned them designations such as “diehard,” “loyal” and “decisive” and illustrated how the mindsets were created and ingrained from early stages of basic training through the later stages of service in the military.

Armed with the research and data, Yellin turned his treatise into a graphic novel titled A Veteran’s Mind Guide, which was officially released on January 3rd, 2013 in the United States. The 44-page novel presents scenes and characters from all military branches, and depicts the ways in which veterans develop their powerful mindsets that transfer to the business world. A Veteran’s Mind Guide is available for free and can be downloaded gratis to any mobile device, on Apple’s iTunes, Amazon, and very soon on Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Google Books.

Yellin is also taking the animation concept to another level by creating the Commando Brainstorm Game, which is in the final stages of development and expected to be ready for release in 2013. The game, intended for use by veterans and civilians alike, is being touted as “the first Brainstorming Game that uses Military role-playing elements and tactics for brainstorming and tackling Business activities.”

The unique concept behind the game is the simple idea of transforming military characters such as the Infantryman, the Frogman, the Recon and dozens more, into “Personal Business Guides” that creatively and playfully lead the player’s mind in shrewd business directions toward solving a defined “mission” or “problem.” The game’s characters were also developed from Yellin’s research interviews with veterans for his MBA.

Initially aimed for use on devices such as the iPad, iPhone and Android phones, the creators say it is a functional tool in any corporate setting that involves brainstorming.
Individuals must first define their “Business Mission” or “problem,” select their desired Military Roles, follow the simple guided mindset of each character and assume appropriate avatar. They then implement the “translated” military-to-business tactics through guided creative-thinking orders, and go on solving the defined “mission.”
Those interested in acquiring the Commando Brainstorm Game can register now at MindBrigade.com to receive updates via email.

Yellin hopes these creative tools, “and many more to come,” will not only foster understanding between veterans, civilians and employers, but “lead to a higher employment rate for former military members and ease their transition back into civilian life.”