02/19/2026
After being an infantry soldier in the Army Reserve for 6 years, then Active Duty for 5 years, Mike B. realized he needed to make a change. Though he still wanted to be part of the military, he had been working as a military recruiter and it was taking a toll on his mental health.
His wife Jessica, who worked as a recruiter in the health care space, also needed a change. The health care company she was at was taking a toll on her mental health as well. She eventually took a job at Highmark Health as a recruiter and it was like night and day for her.
"It was my wife's experience that led me to apply here," Mike said. "It was that personal experience and seeing the change in her and her stress level, that made me go, okay, now, that is a company I want to work for." When a campus recruiter job eventually opened up, Mike switched back to Reserve status with the military and took the job.
The hardest part for Mike taking on a civilian job was having to ask for the time off for the reserves. "You constantly feel like your job is in jeopardy while you're being taken away. I will say Highmark has been the best of all civilian employers that I've ever worked for."
In addition to getting 20 days off of military time, which Mike hadn't experienced before at other employers, he gets the support he needs to take the time. "My manager has never given me a hard time about that ever," Mike said. "It's been a very welcoming and easy conversation every time."
Mike is now the recruit and retain lead for the company's V.E.T.S. business resource group, which is a group dedicated to veteran team members and their families. The group has provided Mike with the resources and connections he needs to help navigate the corporate world and he hopes it will help other veterans in the future.
"Veterans should join Highmark Health because it's a company that sees you, feeds your experience, and can help you grow outside of the military," Mike said.
Learn more about how we support veterans: https://bit.ly/4oXySjZ
