This isn't entirely popular, but I think it needs to be said, so I'll say it.
We're very quick to discount the experience and position of the private sector, in favor of veterans.
"They had to move, they got shot at for a living, they deserve a spot in the private sector."
First, yes, everyone deserves a spot in the private sector. For people who find that spot, and do well... it's because they worked at it. The military is all volunteer. Each year you serve, you better your position in the service, but worsen your position in the private sector (to some degree, I realize some of the experience also helps in both worlds).
As you learn about intel, or shooting or shiphandling... or anything else, you also lose time to learn any number of skills in the private sector. This works the other way too.... the longer you spend in the private sector, the less time you'll have in the military.
And as you're learning those skills... and doing that military work.... you learn your system. You learn rates and ranks, the chain of command, how to dress, how to speak..... etc. You weren't drafted. You take the good with the bad. Travel the world, see amazing place.... kill and possible be killed. You work bad hours. You're away from family and friends. You make new friends, create stories, and test who you are (or find out who you are).
And the entire time you're doing that.... someone else graduated high school or college. They spent some time looking for a job. They spent some time going crappy grunt work. Sure they probably weren't being shot at, but they probably had to clean and wash dishes or filing paperwork. They knew how to speak to customers or coworkers or bosses. Eventually they moved on to a new employer.... learned more there.... and either stuck with it or moved on. Some went back to college (or went to college for the first time) and looked for work in areas that would take advantage of those degrees. And they worked a little more. Sure, they're ignorant of getting shot at, or taking a life, or being away from family for many months at a time.... but they delt with other things too.
When you leave the military, the private sector is waiting there for you. But your time in a service is not worth a 1-to-1 exchange in experience. You will excell at some things... like dealing with preassure or leading people toward a goal. And you will have trouble with some things.... like the gray areas.... how to talk to people.... and how to accept others who were not trained and raised in the same institutional settings.
Your service does not, and should not, put you at the front of the line "just because." Many leave the military thinking that (but not always saying it.) You'll see the "honor our troops" at sporting events. You'll hear it on the news or from leaders or in ads.
You earn your way into that world. It's not given to you as a "thank you."
So please, lets not pretend that the people we consider heroes are suddently victims after their service is complete. They made a choice. They continued to make that choice over the years with the understand that, while they were moving forward in the military, the longer they were in, the harder the transition might be when it was time to leave.
The 20 year mark is arbitrary. It ignores the needs of anyone under 20 years.... and it creates a false target. It's a liability to the military and the federal government. It's a poor system that only cares for a minority of those who serve, and it ignores more efficient ways to "spread the wealth" while requiring every service member to have a little skin in their retirement, whether it be 5 years, 10 years, 20 years or 40 years.