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Hiring Veterans - It's the right thing to do

By Dee Albritton, Fast Forward

VeteranHiring Veterans - It’s the right thing to do
Veterans have the training, work ethic, proven skills and a vast resource of capabilities that will immediately add value to your business. Our veterans have been trained in a wide spectrum of disciplines, including health care, transportation, logistics, public safety, engineering, construction, and many others.   When hiring a veteran, you'll be contributing to America's global competitiveness and the strength of our economic base.  "The returning veterans are bringing skills that seem to be on the wane in American society, qualities we really need now: crisp decision-making, rigor, optimism, entrepreneurial creativity, a larger sense of purpose, and real patriotism”.   Many of them are jumping back into civilian life as social entrepreneurs and business leaders, rebuilding communities in the United States.  Joe Klein, “The New Greatest Generation”, Time Magazine, Aug. 29, 2011.

It makes sense (cents)

Hiring veterans can make a financial difference. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s, Work Opportunity Tax Credit, companies can take a tax credit of up to $9,600 if they hire a veteran who was:

  • Discharged or released from active duty within the past five years, and in receipt of unemployment compensation for at least four weeks during the past year
  • A member of a family that received food stamps for at least three months during the past fifteen months
  • Entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability, and discharged or released from active duty during the past year
  • Entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability, and unemployed for a period or periods totaling at least six months during the past year

And, sometimes it’s the law

If you’re a company doing business with the government, new benchmarks are being set for hiring veterans, which will require your company to document your annual outreach efforts for hiring veterans. Any contractor (or subcontractor) with a contract of $25,000 or more must take affirmative action to hire and promote qualified veterans including: special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam era, any other veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized, and any veteran during the one-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty.  Instructions, information and follow-up assistance is provided at VETS-100.  www.dol.gov/vets/programs/fcp/main.htm

How do we match our desire to hire veterans with the veterans?  There are resources available in every area to help companies find the veteran who is right for them, including: 

Army Career and Placement Center  - register to have access to the employer database and get information on job fairs. www.hrc.army.mil/site/active/tagd/acap/
Army Career and Alumni Program Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  Find experienced veterans to fill your job needs. www.jackson.army.mil/Directorates/HRAcap.htm
AMVETS Career Center – There are over 65 centers across the country.  Employers can list jobs. www.amvets.org   
Career One-Stop Military Transition - There are more than 3,400 One-Stop Career Centers offering employers assistance to connect with and recruit veterans. Many of the centers offer resources including Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVERs) and Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) staff.  To access these resources, locate your local One-Stop Career Center. www.careeronestop.org

Also visit the following Web resources to understand more about hiring veterans:

CareerOneStop's Military to Civilian Occupation Translator shows which military skills and experience are the closest match for a variety of civilian occupations. The Army Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) provides an opportunity for businesses of more than 500 employees to partner with the U.S. Army to provide quality jobs to qualified youth after serving their country. www.careeronestop.org/militarytransition/employers.aspx
Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program/Local Veterans Employment Representative www.dol.gov
Clearance Jobs – Jobs that require security clearances.   www.clearancejobs.com
Corporate Gray - Links employers with transitioning and former military personnel through military-to-civilian career transition books, Job Fairs, and Corporate Gray Online.  www.corporategray.com
Department of Defense Turbo TAP -Transition and employment services for veterans. www.turbotap.org/portal/transition/lifestyles/Employment
Farmer Veteran Coalition -Helps Veterans find employment, training, and places to heal on America's farms.  www.farmvetco.org
Helmets to Hardhats- Connecting former military personnel with career opportunities in the construction trades nationwide. www.helmetstohardhats.org
Hire a Hero - Offers an online military community for Veterans, employers, and volunteers to aid Service Members and their families with securing employment. www.hireahero.org
Hire Heroes - Hire Heroes USA (HHUSA) offers transition assistance, job search assistance, and job placement services to veterans and their spouses. HHUSA prioritizes veterans statistically most likely to be unemployed: veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn and veterans who are wounded or disabled.   www.hireheroesusa.org
Hire Patriots - Employment opportunities for current, transitioning and former members of all branches of service. www.hirepatriots.com
Job Connections for Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Soldiers. Presents information on how to search for jobs and post resumes and provides information on employers and educational programs. http://wtc.army.mil/soldier/careers_and_employment.html
Job Opportunities for Disabled American Veterans- Job opportunities for disabled American veterans. www.jofdav.com
Jobs4vets -Employment site offers a job database, career email notifications, a resume database and distribution, a career event calendar and a continuing education guide. www.jobs4vets.com/
Milicruit -Provides virtual career fairs for veterans. www.milicruit.com/employers.html
Military Connection -an employment resource that includes employers and job listings for military members and veterans. www.militaryconnection.com
Recruit Military - A nationwide, full-service, military-to-civilian recruiting firm. www.recruitmilitary.com   
US Army Reserve and National Guard Employer Partnership- Employer Partnership (EP) provides America’s employers with a direct link to some of America’s finest employees – service members and their families. www.employerpartnership.org
VA VR & E Service - Offices are located in Department of Veteran Affairs Regional Offices. Every state has at least one regional office. http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1
Veteran Employment - Search and apply for jobs online including positions available at businesses and agencies nationwide that offer veteran hiring preferences. www.veteranemployment.com
VetJobs - Employers can easily find military, National Guard, Reserve Component Members. A leading source for technology skills and security clearances.    www.vetjobs.com   
Veterans Today - Job fairs and career center, job search, resume posting. www.veteranstoday.com/career-center

In Columbia, South Carolina contact Fast Forward at (803) 343-2577 for information.  Fast Forward is a community-focused, 501 © (3) non-profit corporation providing technology education and computer access to those who have been underserved through traditional programs in the Midlands.

We offer free computer use, instructor-led and on-line classes, a pre-school program, an after-school program, summer camps for children, technology classes for nonprofits and a program that helps veterans obtain the technology and business skills needed to re-enter the workforce. For more information, call (803) 343-2577 or visit http://fastforwardctc.com.