Veterans are downplaying or avoiding mention of military experience in their workplace, according to a new report. Although 89 percent of veterans believe themselves to be ambitious, a majority of veterans found a greater sense of purpose and meaning in the military than their current job. Often, veterans find that they are limited in their jobs due to colleagues' presumptions and a company's inability to unlock their valuable skillset.

"Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce," published Nov. 3, is a 125-page exploration of veteran life in the U.S. workforce. Published by Michael Abrams and Julia Taylor Kennedy in association with Center for Talent Innovation, a non-profit think tank based in New York City, the report offers a frank snapshot of U.S. veterans in the workplace. The research found that 64 percent of veterans say they aren't using three or more skills relevant to corporate context.

According to the study, 26 percent of veterans avoid drawing attention to their history in the service. Also, Hispanic veterans are far more likely than other veterans to avoid discussing time spent in in the military. Forty-three percent of Hispanic veterans downplay military history, compared to 34 percent of black, 35 percent of Asian and 23 percent of white veterans. Hispanic veterans were most likely to to avoid telling others about time served in the military. While 39 percent avoid discussing military service, just 14 percent of white veterans were likely to do the same.

The report showed that 38 percent of senior leaders are not capable of seeing full potential, and senior staff often fail to utilize leadership and skills of veterans in the their workplace. Approximately 64 percent of veterans say they want a greater sense of meaning and purpose at work, similar to what was provided to them in the military. They want work to that will allow them to save lives, provide social services, improve the lot of mankind, develop deep camaraderies, promote global health and save lives. Additionally, language fluency, accounting, statistical analysis, team building, transparent decision-making, social media and relationship are among the skills that veterans hold but don't use.

"The extraordinary skills veterans developed while in the military, and the commitment that compelled them to serve their country, fail to translate into career progression" Julia Taylor Kennedy, senior vice president, senior fellow at the Center for Talent Innovation and co-author of the book, said according to the press release. "They feel underutilized and underappreciated. No wonder the veterans we surveyed 'checked out.'"

The nationwide survey of 1,022 veteran employed in white-collar occupations yielded other important findings. For instance, while a stunning 89 percent of veterans believe they're ambitious, approximately 57 percent of respondents have no aspiration to rise above the position they presently hold. Contrastly, 43 percent of veterans aspire to a superior position and 39 percent feel hindered in their careers.

There are numerous factors that contribute to the suffocation of veteran talent. Around 64 percent or veterans believe they had a greater sense of purpose in the military than their current job, although as much as 83 percent of veterans stated purpose and meaning is very important to them in their careers. Nearly half of veterans (49 percent) of veterans said colleagues made incorrect or false assumptions about them due to their experience in the military (ie. violent tendencies, PTSD, politically conservative, gun enthusiast, killed someone in combat). Also, 30 percent of veterans with service-related injury or disability refrain from disclosing their injury or disability to their employers, likely due to stigmatization.

The report also showed that just 13 percent of hiring managers are aware of veteran resources or ways to unlock a veterans' potential. The report suggests coordinating a employee resource group comprised of veterans and civilians. Additionally, connect veterans to civilian and veteran mentors, accommodate any disabilities, provide educational materials to managers of teams with veterans, connect veterans to philanthropic efforts, celebrate veterans and frame veterans' roles in terms of purpose and meaning.