Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011

Veterans' Job Training Bill Passes in House

The House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday to provide occupational training to out-of-work veterans as a way to counter growing unemployment in their ranks. The measure passed, 418-6, under suspension of the rules, an expedited procedure requiring a two-thirds majority for passage.

The legislation, HR 2433, the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011, would allow 100,000 unemployed veterans ages 35 through 64 to apply for Montgomery GI Bill (PL 78-346) benefits. Eligible veterans could choose to enhance their skills with up to a year of training for high-demand fields such as information technology and health care. The bill, sponsored by Florida Republican Jeff Miller, Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, would require participating veterans to submit a monthly certification of enrollment in a specific course. The assistance each month would be equal to the basic educational benefits provided under the Montgomery GI Bill - a maximum of $1,426 a month for 2011. Payments would be made from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department's readjustment benefits account.

Read more...

Trainer Position Opening - Denver CO

NVTI TRAINER POSITION OPENING

Are you interested in becoming a trainer with NVTI? If so, here is your opportunity to go for it!

The University of Colorado Denver is seeking a highly skilled trainer/facilitator for a position in the National Learning Center/National Veterans' Training Institute (NLC/NVTI) within the university's Academic Technology and Extended Learning unit (ATEL).

As a premier training provider our mission is to provide high, quality training to our customers enabling and assisting them as they deliver employment and transition services. Our customers include the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs and various state government agencies.

Applications will ONLY be accepted online at the Jobs at CU site http:// www.jobsatcu.com. Refer to job posting number 815213.


To see the complete job listing, requirements, qualifications and application process, go to:
https://www.jobsatcu.com/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp

Application deadline is November 10, 2011.


This position is located in Denver Colorado and is working at the University of Colorado/Denver. One of their missions is to train all veterans representatives throughout the US. Having been through most of their training classes, I can tell you it is an outstanding training facility and the staff were fantastic. If you are interested, use the websites provided and apply.

Read more...

Finding Jobs for Wounded Vets

Finding Jobs for Wounded Vets

Military.com
We all know about the challenges facing veterans looking for jobs: an unemployment higher than the national average, and that's not even taking into account the challenges faced by wounded veterans who are in the civilian job market. One of the initiatives that aims to help wounded vets is the Network of Champions, a project formed in 2008 by defense contractor Northrop Grumman to help wounded soldiers return to civilian life.

More than 70 employers, including Capital One, Northrop Grumman and General Motors, are part of the network, which is dedicated to hiring vets suffering from injuries or illnesses incurred while deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. Essentially, if you apply for a job with any company in this network, if the company does not have a job that fits your skills, they will circulate your resume (with your permission) to other companies within the network.

The companies that belong to the Network of Champions include:

• Able Forces
• Aerotek, Inc
• Bank of America
• Best Buy
• Boeing
• Capital One Bank
• Colonial Circuits
• Cubic

• Deloitte & Touche

• Federal Staffing Resources
• General Electric
• General Motors
• Helmets to Hardhats
• Homeland Security Careers
• Homeland Security Management Institute, Long Island University

• HRworks

• Kelly Connect
• Lockheed Martin Corporation
• National Glass Association
• NAVAIR
• NAVSEA
• Nielsen Associates
• Pinkerton Government Services
• PINNACLE Solutions
• Quantum Executive Group
• Raytheon

• Silverstar Consulting Inc
• Smart Solutions

• SunTrust Bank

• TASC
• Team River Runners
• TELEDYNE

• The Sierra Group
• Travelers Insurance Company
• US Naval Sailing Association (USNSA)
• US Naval Sailing Foundation (USNSF)
For more information on the Network of Champions, see the Northrop Grumman website

Read more...

Wal Mart Job Opportunities

Navy veteran Bill Simon says retail giant is adding stores, jobs and opportunities for those who have served in uniform.
September 01, 2011 11:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time
MINNEAPOLIS- Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon, who spent 25 years in the U.S. Navy, says he will never forget what the “salty old sea captain” of his first destroyer told him when he reported for duty at the age of 22. “He sat me down. He looked me in the eye. He said, ‘I want you to know I trust you, that your country is counting on you, and that while we might make mistakes, we’re all in this together.’ Then he said, ‘Get out there and do your job.’”
“We’re not waiting on government, businesses, or anyone else”

Simon called those words “one of the most enduring gifts I got from my service. The confidence we gained in ourselves, the ability to do things we never thought imaginable, and what we can do together, is what America needs today. It’s what we need to bottle and deliver to our country.”

Now responsible for more than 3,700 Walmart stores and 1.3 million employees across the United States, Simon urged thousands of veterans gathered Wednesday for the 93rd National Convention of The American Legion in Minneapolis to help lead an “American Renewal” that can spring from the talents and capabilities of the newest generation of veterans.“We love to hire veterans,” he said. “Veterans not only have a record of performance under pressure, but they are educated and technologically savvy, quick learners, and team players.”

Simon said the corporation is using a dedicated website – www.careerswithamission.com – to attract veteran applicants and hire them. Among its features, the site provides searchable job listings as well as guidance about how to convert military experience into fulfilling careers. He added that whenever the spouse of servicemember has to leave a Walmart job due to a military transfer, the spouse is offered another Walmart job in the new location.

“Today, after 10 years of war, there’s a new group of American men and women coming home, ready to lead us in the next American renewal,” Simon told the
Legionnaires. “I’ve got to tell you about this generation. They are incredible. When I signed up to serve, we knew combat was a possibility. For this generation, it’s a probability. Two, three, four deployments, and still they answer the call of duty. They are why I am confident everything is going to be OK.”

He said it is up to the nation at home “to create conditions for their success, so that when they come home, they can lead us to a better day. With respect to jobs, now is not a time to retreat or wait. Now is the time to tackle our problems head-on. “I am proud of the jobs we have at Walmart,” he added. “Inside our stores every day, the American dream comes to life. Last year, we promoted more than 140,000 hourly associates, which is like giving all of Dayton, Ohio, a promotion.
“We’re not waiting on government, businesses, or anyone else,” Simon said. “Frankly, if your business plan involves waiting for somebody else, I wish you all the best.”
There are some things the government could do to “put the wind at our backs,” Simon explained. “First and foremost, we can start by taking care of our veterans when they come home. It’s our moral obligation, yes, but they have so much to offer our country. We need to promote American exports because more exports mean more jobs; there’s a couple of free-trade agreements that are ready to go. Let’s pass them and get on with it. Third, we need a comprehensive reform of our corporate tax code to broaden the tax base and lower the overall tax rate. This will unleash America’s job creators.”

Read more...

Disabled Veterans Wish Foundation Event - November 5

Veterans Day Weekend Celebration
Disabled Veterans Wish Foundation of Indiana
Proudly Presents
Rock and Roll Veteran’s Salute


Where: Monroe County 4H Fairgrounds
When: November 5, 2011 I beam from Twin Towers in New York will be on display
Time: 9:00 am to 1:00 am

Bands schedule to appear are: Kings Cave, Anguish Riders, GF Stella, Blind Rebel,Hype War Machine, and Limited Slip.

Silent Auction: Items: Harley Davidson Cooler, Autographs items; Martina McBride picture, Book – Robin Williams, Rick Springfield picture, CD, and book, Jeanie – “I dream of Jeanie” Barbara Eden, Kurt Busch – Picture, Picture and Book – Ted Nugent, License Plate, Picture, Mouse Pad and Autograph Picture – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Hat – Larry the Cable Guy, Grease Movie Poster – John Travolta, Nascar Magazine – Jimmy Johnson, Hat – Paul Jr – Orange County Choppers, autograph CD from Joe Diffie, Diamond Rio, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Nice watercolor drawing from Karsten Mouras and plus more coming in.

Vendors welcome, have space inside building (has sides open but very clean and very suitable, has electric, room for 30 vendors) also have space outside building for vendors.

Registration is on our web site: www.disabledvetwish.org 40 inside & 30 outside.

Corn hole Tournament: 30 dollars per team, each team bring a half of board and their beanbags, 60 percent payback, registration is on our web site.

DVWF/IN sanction fundraiser, all proceeds going to DVWF/IN. A wish does make a difference.

Read more...

Veterans’ unemployment outpaces civilian rate at 24%

Veterans’ unemployment outpaces civilian rate
By Michael A. Fletcher, Published: October 16
CLEVELAND — As soon as Brian Joseph graduated from high school he joined the Army, where he was trained in a series of jobs that seem to exist only in the military.
He was a multi-channel radio operator. Then he worked as a single-channel radio operator. Later, he worked as a psychological operations specialist, tailoring the U.S. war message to residents of Kosovo and, later, Iraq.
But since leaving the Army in 2008, Joseph has found that the rigorous training he gained during 18 years of military service means little to civilian employers.
“When somebody hears about the radio operator gig, they don’t immediately see a civilian application,” he said. “The same for psychological operations. It is really marketing, but they don’t know what it is, and the thing they associate it with is brainwashing.”
Joseph, 43, who has bounced in and out of jobs since returning home, is confronting a problem that is common among job seekers who have left the military in recent years.
Despite the marketing pitch from the armed forces, which promises to prepare soldiers for the working world, recent veterans are more likely to be unemployed than their civilian counterparts.
Veterans who left military service in the past decade have an unemployment rate of 11.7 percent, well above the overall jobless rate of 9.1 percent, according to fresh data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The elevated unemployment rate for new veterans has persisted despite repeated efforts to reduce it.
The latest to attempt it is the White House. In the jobs package President Obama has been promoting across the country is a tax credit of up to $9,600 for each unemployed veteran a company hires.
“If Congress passes this jobs bill, companies will get new tax credits for hiring America’s veterans,” Obama said at a community college in Dallas this month. “Think about it. We ask these men and women to leave their families, disrupt their careers, risk their lives for our nation. The last thing they should have to do is to fight for a job when they come home.”
But employers say such financial incentives for hiring veterans would not address the heart of the problem.
Lionel Batty, vice president of corporate research at GrafTech International, which makes graphite materials integral to products such as smartphone batteries and solar panels, said his firm is moving to hire more veterans, in part by trying to better understand their experiences. But, he said, tax credits have nothing to do with that effort.
“We’ll take them, but we don’t hire people because of tax credits,” he said. “We do what’s right for our business.”
More important than financial incentives for hiring returning veterans is making the skills and experience they earned in the military more understandable for civilian employers, experts say.
“There is not a great deal of knowledge with corporate America on a lot of the skill sets that come from the military,” said Stuart Keeter, a former paratrooper who is a vice president with Alliance International, a recruiting service that specializes in military veterans.
Even as the nation suffers through its longest period of high unemployment in a generation, many employers complain about the difficulty they have finding suitable workers. Some candidates lack the aptitude for certain technical tasks, employers say. Others, they say, are missing the “soft skills” — punctuality, teamwork, the ability to operate independently and take charge of a task.
The paradox for veterans is that those are qualities and skills they possess in abundance. Many employers say they value veterans’ leadership training, discipline and national service. The problem is that employers often have only the vaguest notion of what people learn in the military.
“Hiring veterans is just the right thing to do,” said Thomas G. Tomasula Jr., director of domestic staffing at Lubrizol, a 7,000-employee firm that makes petroleum additives, industrial lubricants and other specialty chemicals. But, he said, translating the military’s defined structure to the civilian world is not easy, which is one reason why Lubrizol has joined a new effort aimed at placing veterans in hard-to-fill manufacturing jobs.
“Clearly, there are some skill sets in the military that can be attractive to what we do,” he said, “but the military is more defined, there’s more black and white. In business, there is more gray. The challenge is to help people be successful in this grayness.”
A Pew Research Center survey released this month found that large majorities of veterans say the military helped them get ahead in life. They say the service builds character, maturity and self-confidence. Yet, 44 percent of veterans who served in the past decade called the transition back to civilian life difficult — nearly double the rate of veterans who served before them.
Veterans receive preference when applying for federal and a wide range of other government jobs. They qualify for government-funded education and job training. Industry groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce host job fairs aimed at veterans. And a host of firms target veterans for jobs they consider hard to fill.
But such programs have not significantly reduced the jobless rate among veterans.
“There are not that many people who have a military background, and they need to go about the process of learning how military skills relate to other jobs,” said Bill Scott, a vice president at Bradley-Morris, a career placement firm that focuses on veterans.
In northeast Ohio, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, a business group, is teaming with the Veterans’ Service group of the state Department of Job and Family Services on a project aimed at matching returning veterans with manufacturing jobs.
The idea is to translate veterans’ military job skills into civilian ones and match them with hard-to-fill jobs, such as machinists and technicians.
“There is a gap between what the military has trained people for and what employers need,” said Judith Crocker, director of education and training at MAGNET. “Also, veterans are often not very articulate in describing what they learned and what they had done in the military.”
The effort has attracted 43 manufacturers interested in hiring returning veterans, for jobs that pay as much as $28 an hour. The employers project filling 240 jobs over the next several months.
Kim Smith, marketing manager for the Pipe Line Development Co., a 97-employee firm that is doing a fast-growing business selling pipeline repair parts, said her company is eager to hire veterans.
“They have sacrificed. We know they are very disciplined and they are trainable,” Smith said.
Some veterans complain, however, that such sentiment does not always translate into jobs.
Trenton Marshall, 25, shipped out for the Navy in 2005. He was in Jacksonville, Fla., for most of that time, training and working as an aviation machinist’s mate. “I was a helicopter mechanic,” Marshall said. “I spent two years training and doing aircraft operations, refueling, launching aircraft.”
When he left the Navy and returned to Cleveland in 2009, he struggled to find work. Places such as Walgreens and McDonald’s passed on him, he said.
He did land a job at Wal-Mart, where he said a supervisor announced that he would be paid $7.40 an hour — 15 cents an hour more than usual rate — because of his time in the service. That job did not last long.
Now he is out of work, waiting to start school at Cleveland State University, where he plans to use his veteran’s benefits to train as a physician’s assistant.
“I hit the revolving door,” he said. “In interviews, people are all smiles. ‘Thank you for your service. You did a great deed.’ All of that. But then you’d get a letter saying you are unqualified, and you sit there like ‘say what?’ ”

Read more...

The time for Veteran Opportunity to Work Act is NOW

The American Legion supports HR 2433 - The Veteran Opportunity to Work Act

(October 11, 2011) As early as tomorrow, October 12 at 5 p.m., the U.S. House of Representatives will take a very consequential vote; one which may determine if this nation's unemployed veterans, of all eras and ages, can expect increased employment opportunities in the near future courtesy of a grateful nation. A nation which will not stand to see her defenders return home from the battlefield empty handed.

H.R. 2433, the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, or VOW Act, introduced this summer by Representative Jeff Miller (FL), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, is scheduled to be voted on imminently on the House floor.

Congress must and should support this bill.

National Commander Fang A. Wong presented that message during a September hearing in front of a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees. Wong presented the Legion's legislative priorities during the hearing, focusing on veterans employment, the Department of Veterans Affairs' claims backlog, and the treatment of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

Wong spoke at length about the job crisis facing the country's veterans. A figure of more than 1 million veterans without employment, including 632,000, ages 35-60. Congress should, he said, pass legislation now creating incentives to promote the hiring of veterans to help reduce those figures.

Furthermore, Wong said a key to turning around the unemployment crisis is both a stronger effort by the federal government to hire veterans and an involved private sector. He praised Rep. Jeff Miller, as well as his Senate counterpart, Sen. Patty Murray (WA), Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, for legislation they've advanced that provide incentives for hiring veterans.

"The American Legion hopes you will collaborate and bring your parties together to get a jobs bill for America's veterans passed," Wong said.
"It is our obligation as a nation to ensure that every single member of the military who chooses to leave the military can effectively transfer his or her education, training and experience into a civilian career field."

With passage of the VOW Act, Congress will take the first step in reaching Commander Wong's goal of helping our nation's unemployed veterans, but we need your help to make sure this bill makes it across the finish line.

Please call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your House member's office. Ask for the staff person following this bill. Identify yourself and tell the aide you request the Representative support H.R. 2433, the VOW Act.

Tell them the VOW Act is the ONLY current piece of veterans' job legislation to specifically address the cohort of 630,000+ veterans aged 35-60. Tell them this bill had strong bipartisan support in Committee and we ask for bipartisan support on the floor. Let them know The American Legion and its members and advocates are counting on their vote! We need to pass this now.

Again, please call 202-224-3121 and support The American Legion and The VOW Act. This is the most important matter facing Congress at this time. The time for VOW is NOW. Call your Congressman TODAY."

Read more...

EFMP Forum & Resource Fair-Indy - Registration Ends 10-21

Read more...

Job Opportunity at Crane

The Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA), Crane, IN, is recruiting for The position of Explosives Handler, WG-5; numerous vacancies.
Starting salary is $16.99/hr.

These are TERM Appointments; positions will be filled in 1 Year increments, but will not exceed a total of 4 years.

Initial work schedule will be Intermittent. At management's discretion the work schedule may Be converted to full-time & employee then becomes eligible for benefits. May require overtime work; may require shift work and/or work on rotating shifts; may require working evenings, weekends & holidays.

Subject to passing physical exam & mental stability test; initial & random drug test; must Be able to obtain & maintain Secret security clearance; must be able to be explosives and/or respirator certified; must be able to obtain forklift license. Candidates MUST build a resume & apply on-line via the Army's Civilian Personnel On-Line (CPOL) website at www.cpol.army.mil.

The vacancy announcement opens 9/28/2011 & closes 10/4/2011, and is open to U.S. citizens. Crane Army Ammo Activity is an equal opportunity employer.
Questions concerning application procedures may be directed to the CAAA HR office at 812-854-6827; 812-854-1262; 812-854-4264; 812-854-4262.

Read more...

Job Fair!!

Read more...

Employment Opportunities

Technician Job Announcement: 11-035-T-Air,
Quality Assurance Specialist

Announcement Number: 11-035-T-Air
Position Title: Quality Assurance Specialist
Grade Level: GS-1910-09/11
Location: 1 vacancy – Fort Wayne, IN
Open: Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Close: Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Point of Contact Information:
Eaton, Phillip J MSG NGIN
Human Resource Specialist
317-247-3299
E-mail Address: phillip.eaton@us.army.mil


Electronics Measurement Equipment Mechanic
Announcement Number: 11-177-T-Army

Position Title: Electronics Measurement Equipment Mechanic
Grade Level: WG-2602-11
Location: 1 vacancy – Indianapolis, IN
Open: Friday, September 09, 2011
Close: Monday, October 17, 2011

Point of Contact Information:
Eason, Brandi MSgt IN NG MIL
HR Specialist
317-247-3300 Extension: 3460
E-mail Address: brandi.l.eason@us.army.mil


Production Controller
Announcement Number: 11-178-T-Army
Position Title: Production Controller
Grade Level: GS-1152-07
Location: 1 vacancy – New Albany, IN
Open: Friday, September 09, 2011
Close: Monday, October 17, 2011

Point of Contact Information:
BRANDI L. EASON, MSgt
Human Resource Specialist
317-247-3460
E-mail Address: brandi.l.eason@ng.army.mil

Manufacturing Positions Available

Franklin IN company looking for individuals to hire for manufacturing positions in Quality/PMR. Salary starts at $13.30 to $14.52 an hour. Please go to Indiana Career Connect to view the opening. Use the search tool and search with Order Number 8466728. If you would like assistance with building a resume or just to have your resume looked over before you submit it, please email it to me as soon as possible for assistance. Any other questions please email me. stephen.gilbreath@us.army.mil
Point of Contact Information:
Gilbreath, Stephen J SGT NG IN ARNG
Central Employment Coordinator
317-247-3300 Extension: 72304
E-mail Address: stephen.gilbreath@us.army.mil

Supervisory Human Resources Specialist
Announcement Number: 11-011-OPM-DEU
Position Title: Supervisory Human Resources Specialist
Grade Level: GS-0201-12
Location: 1 vacancy NDS Term NTE: 27-OCT-2013 – Indianapolis, IN
Open: Monday, September 19, 2011
Close: Monday, October 17, 2011

Point of Contact Information:
Eaton, Phillip J MSG NGIN
Human Resource Specialist
317-247-3299
E-mail Address: phillip.eaton@us.army.mil

Logistics Management Officer
Announcement Number: 11-036-T-Air
Position Title: Logistics Management Officer
Grade Level: GS-0346-12
Location: 1 vacancy – Fort Wayne, IN
Open: Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Close: Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Point of Contact Information:
Eaton, Phillip J MSG NGIN
Human Resource Specialist
317-247-3299
E-mail Address: phillip.eaton@us.army.mil

Aircraft Mechanic
Announcement Number: 11-037-T-Air
Position Title: Aircraft Mechanic
Grade Level: WG-8852-10
Location: 1 vacancy – Fort Wayne, IN
Open: Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Close: Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Point of Contact Information:
Eaton, Phillip J MSG NGIN
Human Resource Specialist
317-247-3299
E-mail Address: phillip.eaton@us.army.mil

Financial Manager
Announcement Number: 11-182-T-Army
Position Title: Financial Manager
Grade Level: GS-0505-13
Location: 1 vacancy – Indianapolis, IN
Open: Friday, September 23, 2011
Close: Saturday, October 15, 2011

Point of Contact Information:
Eason, Brandi MSgt IN NG MIL
HR Specialist
317-247-3300 Extension: 3460
E-mail Address: brandi.l.eason@us.army.mil

Read more...

Walk-In Job Fair For Immediate Openings- Deadline -September 20

Upcoming event on the 20th of September to fill warehousing openings for local southern Marion County and Northern Johnson County warehouse company. This will be open to all with more than 40 positions to fill. If you would like to have your resume reviewed or need a resume or need more information please email me at stephen.gilbreath@us.army.mil for assistance

DO NOT delay you only have until Tues, September 20th to get your resume set to go to this job fair.

Point of Contact Information:
Gilbreath, Stephen J SGT NG IN ARNG
Central Employment Coordinator
317-247-3300 Extension: 72304
E-mail Address: stephen.gilbreath@us.army.mil

Read more...

On The Job Front

12 USAA Magazine FAll 2011 - 13usaa.com

You served your country — now it’s time to find a civilian job. The competition is fierce, so enlist your military experience to get a leg up. Here’s how.
By Greg Campbell
Illustrations by Jonathan Bartlett

On the Front Job
click here for complete article

A mechanic in the U.S. Navy, Benjamin Dunn was responsible for the care and upkeep of multimillion-dollar airplanes and helicopters — not to mention the lives of the pilots who flew them. His skills were a critical part of the U.S. war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11.

But as a civilian, the best job 28-year-old Dunn could find was as a heating and air conditioning repair man in Alamosa, Colo., where he and his fiancé moved to be near her family. It wasn’t nearly as challenging as his previous duties, but it was slid work at decent pay, Dunn says. But with a cold, wet spring in the Rockies, work never picked up, and his boss was forced to downsize.

Now, a year out of the Navy, Dunn is living on his unemployment benefits and couch surfing with relatives in Denver, where he migrated in the hope that jobs would be more plentiful. With a 3-yearold daughter and a wedding on the horizon, Dunn will take any job at any wage, although he would like to return to his specialty — aviation.

“It’s been a full-time job finding a full-time job,” he says. “The biggest challenge I’ve had is matching my skill set with the civilian world equivalent. A lot of my skills are transferable to other maintenance or manufacturing types of positions, but getting that in words on a resume to attract the employers to want to hire me is the hard part. I’ve heard that I’m overqualified too many times.”

The Struggle
By definition, most service members are disciplined, organized and punctual. They’re used to working in high stress environments where failure is not an option. They are used to leading and being led, and, since the U.S. military is an all-volunteer force, they’re passionate about their duties. About 30 percent of active duty military personnel have college degrees; the figure rises to 60 percent when including guardsmen and reservists.

Yet too many like Dunn struggle to find meaningful employment after leaving the military. Among vets ages 18-24, those who’ve served in our most recent wars, unemployment is at a staggering 26.8percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s nearly three times the unemployment rate for the general U.S. population, which in June hovered at around 9 percent. While the overall veteran population fares slightly better at finding a job than the average American — the unemployment rate for vets of all ages was 8.8 percent in June — there are high percentages of extremely skilled, highly educated, well-disciplined young men and women who simply can’t find a job. The problem is worse for those in the reserves or in the National Guard, says Ted Daywalt, a retired 28-year naval officer who is now the president and CEO of Marietta, Ga.-based VetJobs, an online job board for former service members. Reservists and guardsmen must report for regular training and face the possibility of deployments that can last as long as two years. Because employers have a legal obligation to keep jobs for service members, some may be reluctant to hire them in the first place.“It’s become a huge problem,” Daywalt says, noting that some returning National Guard brigades such as those in Tennessee, had unemployment rates as high as 45 percent in 2010.

To help combat the problem, the Labor Department just issued 22 grants, totaling $9 million, to various states to help with workforce development. In addition, first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched a support program for military families called Joining Forces, which includes a major push to encourage employers to hire veterans.

The initiative is about more than just jobs, however. It seeks to support military families in a number of areas, including promoting and highlighting the benefits of hiring service members’ spouses.

14 USAA magazine FALL 2011

De-Jargon Your Resume Step

Translating your military experience into civilian speak can be challenging — but getting it right can make or break your chances of scoring an interview. Here we decode a few common military roles and terms. — Jen Lawinski

For more translations, check out the Military.com Skills Translator.

AAM/ARCOM (Army Achievement Medal/ Army Commendation Medal), n. — Syn. award, recognition for accomplishments, outstanding achievement in a high-stress environment.

AI, abbr. – Syn. additionally skilled in. battalion, platoon or company, n. — Syn. department, unit, organization, agency or group within a company. This language is more understandable to civilians.

Field Grade Officer, n. — Syn. executive, department head or manager responsible for leading projects and supervising workers; self-directed and able to organize a team to execute organizational goals with minimal oversight.

Military Occupation Specialty (MOS), n. — Syn. career specialty. Do not use your MOS on a resume; instead list your duties and responsibilities.

Military Personnel Office (MILPO), n. — Syn. human resources department.

Mission, n. — Syn. task, function, objective or goal.

Operations NCO, n. — Syn. operations manager responsible for setting policies, managing daily operations and planning the use of materials and human resources.

Reconnaissance, n. — Syn. data collection, survey, analysis.

Regulations, n. — Syn. policies, guidelines or instructions.

Sergeant Major, n. — Syn. advisor in fields such as human resources, training
and labor relations; strong communication, negotiation and advocacy skills.

WLC/BNCOC (Warrior Leader Course/Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course), n. — Syn. leadership or advanced leadership-development course.

Schools more attentive to the special needs of so-called military brats; creating more opportunities for post-service higher education at community and state
colleges; and promoting wellness options to help service members reintegrate into their communities. But a major facet of Joining Forces is a push to educate employers on the benefits of hiring vets. On its face, that wouldn’t seem to be a hard sell, given the discipline, commitment and training of today’s military.

The Communication Gap

So why do these men and women, particularly those returning from our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, have such trouble finding jobs? Much of it can be attributed to a general disconnect between those who’ve served in the military and those who haven’t. They simply don’t understand each other. Vince Proffitt, the president of veteran-owned Spartan Medical Inc., a Maryland-based company that distributes specialized equipment for spinal injuries as well as other technologies, sees the problems stemming from civilians being unable to relate to the experiences of service members. Many hiring managers’ only connection to the military is watching Saving Private Ryan; they don’t understand that the skills needed to conduct nighttimepatrols in Iraq are transferable to the jobs they have available.

FALL 2011 USAA Magazine 15 usaa.com

Step 2 Find a Job

You’ve de-jargoned your resume. Now figure out where to apply. CivilianJobs.com identified 35 of the country’s most veteran-friendly employers. Here are a few of the highlights.
Amazon Seattle Sector: Online retailer
Current job openings
Why it made the list: Amazon has spent the past year building out a military talent program, including a team of dedicated military recruiters. Follow them on Twitter.

BNSF Railway Fort Worth, texas Sector: Railroads
Current job openings

Capstone - Alexandria, Va. Sector: Defense contractor
Current job openings
Why it made the list: “71 percent of new employees are veterans or active National Guard or reservists,” according to CivilianJobs.com. “Capstone will create at least 200 new positions in 2011.”

Chesapeake energy Corp. - Oklahoma City
Sector: Energy
Current job openings

Cintas - PuyalluP, Wash. division Sector: Corporate apparel
Current job openings

Concurrent technologies - Johnstown, Pa. Sector: R&D
Current job openings

CSX transportation - JacksonVille, Fla. Sector: Railroads
Current job openings

DaVita - Denver - Sector: Health care
Current job openings

Dollar General - Goodlettsville, Tenn. - Sector: Retail
Current job openings

Fluor - IrvinG, Texas - Sector: Engineering and construction
Current job openings
Why it made the list “Fluor recruits for places ranging from Afghanistan to Peru. During the past 12 months, Fluor has hired more than 1,100 veterans, including a significant number of junior military officers,” according to CivilianJobs.com.

General electric - FairField, Conn. Sector: Diversified financials
Current job openings

Mantech International - FairFax, Va. Sector: National security
Current job openings
Why it made the list: “The company employs more than 10,000 professionals, half of whom are military veterans or active reservists. ManTech hired more than 4,000 employees in 2010, and 50 percent of those were military,” according to CivilianJobs.com.

Northrop Grumman - Falls ChurCh, Va. Sector: Aerospace and defense
Current job openings

Schlumberger - Houston • Sector: Oil field services
Current job openings

Schneider National - Green Bay, Wis. • Sector: Trucking
Current job openings

Sears holdings Corp. -Hoffman Estates, Ill. Sector: Retail
Current job openings

Sprint
Overland Park, Kan. - Sector: Telecommunications
Current job openings

Transocean - Houston • Sector: Offshore drilling
Current job openings
URS, Federal services - San Francisco
Sector: Engineering and construction
Current job openings

USAA - San Antonio - Sector: Financial services
Current job openings
Why it made the list: In 2010, more than 25 percent of USAA’s new hires were veterans or military spouses — and 20 percent of its 22,000-plus employees are former military.

Verizon Communications - New York - Sector: Telecommunications
Current job openings

Waste management - Houston - Sector: Waste management
Current job openings

To see the full list — and why each firm made the cut — visit civilianjobs.com/mve.htm.

“I can recognize the value of what these guys have done, but it doesn’t always translate well [to civilians],” says Proffitt, a USAA member and former Air Force intelligence officer. “The idea of ‘dedication’ doesn’t have the same meaning in the civilian world as what I look for. In our career field, to be great, you have to treat it like it’s a career and not a job. That’s why I look to the military veterans, because they’re used to that. That’s what they did. It wasn’t just a job to them, it wasn’t a 9-to-5. It was a lifetime and lifestyle commitment. I don’t know if people outside of [the military] recognize the value of that.”

Step 3 Get the Interview

But educating employers is only one side of the coin — the veterans themselves must be trained in the ABCs of finding a job which many have never had to do in their lives. “Guys will introduce themselves as an HM3 [Navy hospital corpsman 3rd class], and it doesn’t mean anything to a civilian,” says Eric Greitens, a former Navy SEAL and current Navy reservist who is also the best-selling author of The Heart and the Fist.“But if you explain to someone that you were a Navy corpsman and were responsible for providing lifesaving medical treatment in a high-stress combat environment for a platoon of 20 Marines, if you explain that you’re responsible for maintaining X million dollars of medical equipment, all of those things are understandable to a civilian audience,” adds Greitens, a USAA member who is also CEO of The Mission Continues, a St. Louis-based organization that works to help veterans reintegrate into civilian life through volunteerism and community service.

Retired Rear Adm. Dick Young, the chairman of the Colorado branch of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, sees the same communication gap between employers and vets, some of whom hadn’t so much as bussed tables before joining the military after high school. He recalls one young Army vet who highlighted on his resume that he could fieldstrip and reassemble a rifle in under a minute. “Well, that doesn’t mean anything to the employer,” Young says. “How can he equate that to ‘I’m a good mechanic, I know how to make something work’? I think that’s part of the problem.”

To address it, Young’s group organized a recent job fair for veterans. The first two days of the three-day fair were devoted to teaching vets the basics of finding a job. One class, attended by about 40 people representing every branch of the military, was a crash course in how to dress for a job interview. Among what not to wear were loud clothing, offensive T-shirts, flip-flops and visible piercings. The moderator gave pointers on having sport coats tailored and advice on choosing subtle patterns for dress suits. In another room, civilian volunteers in the human resources field reviewed vets’ resumes to help them reword military jargon into layman’s terms (see “Step 1,” Page 15) and suggested job fields that might mesh with their experience.

“That’s probably the scariest part for them — not knowing where they can go,” says Dawn Beemster, a career services advisor with DeVry University in Denver who volunteered to mentor vets on navigating the job market. “I let them know that they need to be confident in themselves on their resume, and that’s really important.

What is the “perfect resume? The one that gets you hired. That s what Vince Patton tells vets he counsels. “The best way to achieve that goal is to ensure that words and phrases on your resume fit the profile of the position that you’re applying for,” explains Patton, a retired master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard and vice president of corporate outreach at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association. Vets and civilians often make the mistake of creating one resume instead of tailoring it for each position. We’re taught to be vague, but it s best to have three detailed bullet points rather than 10 irrelevant bullet points, says Linda Sykes, project manager with recruiting firm HRWorks. And never underestimate the power of social networking. “There are a lot of groups on LinkedIn that are military specific. Tap into those groups, Sykes recommends.

That worked for Gary Profit, senior director of military recruiting and programs at Walmart. A lot of people that I didn t even know felt an obligation to help me, he says. The only thing they asked of me is that I accept a similar responsibility. People want to help and are willing to help — you just have to ask them. Profit also cautions against ignoring softer skills, such as leadership and teamwork. He sees
many candidates who focus too much on their technological skills and don t recognize the value of the investment the nation has made in their development as leaders.

And finally, don t try to rush things. “I counsel patience, Profit says. If you start early and you do the right things and you’re patient, I think the probability that you’ll be successful is far greater.” — J.L.


usaa.com FALL 2011 usaa magazine 17

Negotiating the Home Front

Levi Coulter, 27, is one of these struggling vets. The USAA member served six years of active duty with the U.S. Army, which included two deployments to Afghanistan, and is now in the Army Reserve. Since returning from duty he has attended classes at the University of Wyoming and worked odd jobs, but he’s looking for work in the security industry, which he feels is a good match with his combat experience. But he says he was advised to go easy on the details of that combat experience when sitting down with a prospective employer. “I need to say I’m used to being on my feet; I’m alert; I’ve got a lot of stamina; I can secure a perimeter, things like that,” he says. “You don’t want to talk about all the shooting and stuff.”

The military has a program to teach job-finding skills, the Transitional Assistance Program, or TAP, but attendance isn’t required (about a third of outgoing service members don’t participate). Plus, it isn’t offered on every installation and it’s not available to those in the National Guard or the reserves, which account for half of the fighting force since 9/11. The biggest shortcoming is that the TAP syllabus hasn’t been meaningfully updated in more than 19 years, around the dawn of AOL.

Ray Jefferson, the assistant secretary for the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, recently launched an initiative to update the TAP program and make it more widely available. And he Hiring Heroes Act, introduced in Congress in May, would require outgoing service members to participate in TAP so that they’re better prepared to enter the workforce.

Jason Caron, who was in the Navy from 1990 to 1996 and then in the Army from 2005 to 2008, says getting his master’s degree in business administration was instrumental to landing a human resources job with the Boulder Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. Before he was hired, he was unemployed for 18 months, a time he describes as scary, especially being married with two kids. “The problem I ran into was that I was going
against people who were massively overqualified. Having the master’s was key,” says Caron, who was at the job fair recruiting new hires. And even Dunn, the former Navy aircraft mechanic, found success with some advice and training. Proffitt’s company, Spartan Medical, hired him to build and test medical equipment. It’s not in the
aviation field as he hoped, but he says it’s better than heating and air conditioning repair.

Despite these successes, finding meaningful employment remains a challenge for many veterans. Until the TAP program is updated and more widely available, it’s up to both the veterans themselves and their prospective employers — with the help of numerous veterans’ service organizations — to bridge the gap. The struggle they face is as old as war itself.

“Have you ever read The Odyssey?” asks Greitens, the former SEAL who runs The Mission Continues. “This problem, as far as we know, is at least 3,000 years old. Every society, every culture has had to find ways to welcome its warriors home. The Odyssey is the story of a man making the journey from a war zone to his home, the same steps people need to take today in order to be successful in that journey home. “No,” he adds, “this isn’t new. It’s as old as war itself”.

Greg CampbeLL is an investigative reporter living in Fort Collins, Colo. He recently published the book Flawless about the largest diamond heist in history.

18 usaa magazine FAll 2011 800-531-USAA (8722)

Read more...

Technician Job Announcements week of 27 Aug- 02 Sept 2011

The following is a list of technician job announcements that were published the week of 27 August - 02 September 2011.

Job Title: Accounting Officer
Job Announcement Number: 11-172-T-Army
Salary: $57,669.00 - $89,858.00 /year
Open: Friday, September 02, 2011
Close: Friday, September 30, 2011
Series/Grade: GS-0510-11/12
Location: 1 vacancy - Indianapolis, IN (USPFO)

NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION.

Please click the following link for more information about this position or to submit your application: http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?OPMControl=2381054

--------------------------------

Job Title: Materials Handler
Job Announcement Number: 11-173-T-Army
Salary: $19.78 - $23.09 /hour
Open: Friday, September 02, 2011
Close: Friday, September 30, 2011
Series/Grade: WG-6907-05
Location: 1 vacancy - Edinburgh, IN (UTES)

NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION.

Please click the following link for more information about this position or to submit your application: http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?OPMControl=2381113

---------------------------
Job Title: Tools and Parts Attendant
Job Announcement Number: 11-174-T-Army
Salary: $21.14 - $24.62 /hour
Open: Friday, September 02, 2011
Close: Friday, September 30, 2011
Series/Grade: WG-6904-06
Location: 1 vacancy - Edinburgh, IN (UTES)

NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION.

Please click the following link for more information about this position or to submit your application: http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?OPMControl=2381164

Point of Contact Information:
Eason, Brandi MSgt IN NG MIL
Human Resources Specialist
317-247-3460
E-mail Address: brandi.l.eason@us.army.mil

Read more...

Temporary Positions

Local company is looking to find 8 to 10 people who would be available to work in Indianapolis from the 15th to the 18th of September. Pay will be $10 an hour selling merchandise at the event location. MUST be available for all of the days do to scheduling limitations. If interested please contact via email, stephen.gilbreath@us.army.mil , with a resume if you have one. Must have names submitted in a timely manner for anyone who wishes to work. Must have a clean background and have own mode of travel.

Point of Contact Information:
Gilbreath, Stephen J SGT NG IN ARNG
Central Employment Coordinator
317-247-3300 Extension: 72304
E-mail Address: stephen.gilbreath@us.army.mil

Read more...