RSSVetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 9:02, Friday, February 1, 2008
www.vetjobs.com
The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members and friends and supporters of VetJobs.
VetJobs is exclusively sponsored and partially owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (www.vfw.org) and endorsed by The Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org), The Naval Reserve Association (www.navy-reserve.org), and The Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.modernveterans.com).
This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by BNSF Railway and TECHEXPO Top Secret
Contents:
1. Message from the Top
2. Entry Level Jobs Strong
3. Top 10 Degrees in Demand
4. Fund Offers Scholarships for Veterans Returning from OEF/OIF
5. Military Retiree Alert
6. Pay in Veterans Work Program Ruled Tax-Free
7. Digital Dirt Derailing Job Seekers
8. National Guard and Reserve mobilized as of January 30, 2008
9. Significant events this month in military history
Thank you for reading this VetJobs Veteran Eagle newsletter. If you like the newsletter and what VetJobs, the VFW and other veteran service organizations do to assist veterans and their family members find employment, please go to http://www.weddles.com/poll.htm and vote VetJobs for the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award!
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1. Message from the Top
January 24 saw a little publicized anniversary, the 36th year of the All Volunteer force. We now have two generations of Americans who have had no contact or experience with the military. In 1970, one in ten working adults in the United States had served in the military. Today, about one in 250 have had any military experience and that number is growing rapidly. This is also reflected in the Congress, which has seen a drastic reduction in the number of people who have had any military experience. It behooves those who have served to be sure the American Public and our elected officials understand the problems the military must face and the fact that the men and women of the military do their duty voluntarily.
To put this in perspective, today there are only 1.4 million on active duty and 1.3 million in the Guard & Reserve. This means that only .8% (yes, only eight tenths of one percent) of our population is defending the other 99.2%. We have a much smaller, but vastly more capable military today than in the past. So join all the veteran service organizations for which you qualify so you have voices in Congress fighting to ensure our military and veterans are treated fairly!
On February 14 we celebrate Valentine’s Day! Be sure to remember your special person.
On February 18 the country celebrates President’s Day. The original purpose of President’s Day was to honor Washington and Lincoln, but is now the day we honor all of the presidents who have served the United States.
On the economic front, January was a roller coaster ride. The stock market has been swinging up and down due to the problems generated by the housing market and the totally irresponsible housing lending practices of the banking and finance community over the last several years.
It never made sense to me why a bank or mortgage company would give a home loan on just interest payments to a person who was not credit worthy. That is NOT good business. Now Reuters reports that the FBI’s investigation of 14 corporations in a crackdown on improper subprime lending could expand to other companies. However, due to the complexity of the probes, it may take some time before any charges are brought. The housing and lending problems caused the economy to brake sharply in the fourth quarter of 2007. January closed as an uncommonly volatile month financially.
To underscore what is happening, it is interesting to note that of the 237 companies as of January 30 in the S&P 500 that have reported fourth-quarter earnings so far, earnings are down 19.4%. According to Thomson Financial, if you strip out the financial sector the results show earnings grew 11.4%. That is 52% greater than the long-term average growth rate in earnings! This again demonstrates that the fundamentals of our economy are sound, but due to the greed and possible illegal activities that took place in the financial sector related to housing loans, everyone else is suffering. The final effect of the financial market on the rest of the economy, especially related to jobs, is yet to be determined.
At VetJobs, we continue to see the number of new jobs on the site increase and continue to hear from employers that they are having trouble finding qualified candidates, especially in the engineering and technology areas (see article #3 below). VetJobs is now averaging nearly 26,000 jobs a day. In many areas of the country there still exists a severe labor shortage.
Mickey D. Levy, chief economist at Bank of America when predicting that the United States would not go into a recession commented in the Wall Street Journal on October 9 that “Once again, turmoil on Wall Street doesn’t necessarily translate to contraction on Main Street.” Only time will tell us if this prediction is true. But from my point of view, I see the job market remaining somewhat steady, so long as you are not seeking a job in the housing or finance sectors.
If you know of any companies that should be hiring veterans, transitioning military and their family members, please send in the referral so we may contact the company.
As always, if there is anything we at VetJobs can do for you, please do not hesitate to call or email.
Remember, Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans
Best regards,
Ted Daywalt
President
/—February Veteran Eagle sponsor is BNSF Railway—-\
BNSF Railway Company is actively seeking applicants with military experience. At BNSF, we salute those with service, value their skills and welcome the unique experiences of our service members. From skilled craftsmen to first-line supervisors, we filled over 3,000 positions this year and expect to surpass that amount in 2006. BNSF offers challenging and rewarding career opportunities for those in transition from military to civilian life as well as veterans, retirees and members of National Guard and Reserve components.
For more than 150 years, BNSF Railway has been quietly delivering cars, coal, clothing, games and nearly anything else found in homes and businesses. Today, our focus is on using speed, agility and resourcefulness to help expand the global marketplace for goods and services. Through world-class people, processes and technology, BNSF Railway provides an easy, relevant choice for all types of shippers in a wide variety of locations. If you are seeking a challenging and rewarding career that appreciates your military experience, then visit http://www.bnsf.com/careers/military/index.html.
\—–Please visit your February Veteran Eagle sponsor BNSF Railway—-/
2. Entry Level Jobs Strong
Jobweb reports the chances of getting an entry-level job is very good. According to many of the employers who are currently recruiting, this is the healthiest job market in three years. Overall, according to Job Outlook 2008, employers plan to hire 16% more graduates in 2007-08 than they did in 2006-07. The growing demand for entry-level employees and new graduates is a result of an increased demand for employers’ products and services. It’s also important to note that many employees are retiring, and other employees are leaving organizations for new opportunities. Employers expect the good job market to continue – or perhaps get better!
/—February Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\
TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are February 5 & 6 at AFCEA’s WEST 2008 in San Diego, CA; February 13 in Baltimore, MD and February 20 in Arlington, VA. Interview with leading government contractors. Full schedule, event details, & pre-registration at www.TechExpoUSA.com. For professionals with active security clearance only. Free admission.
\—–Please visit your February Veteran Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/
3. Top 10 Degrees in Demand
Employers plan to target business, engineering, and computer-related degrees in 2007-2008. The Top 10 degrees in demand are: Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Business Administration and Management, Economics/Finance, Information Sciences & Systems, Marketing/Marketing Management, Computer Engineering, Management Information Systems/Business Data Processing.
4. Fund Offers Scholarships for Veterans Returning from OEF/OIF
The New York-based Fund for Veterans’ Education provides undergraduate scholarships for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The awards, which are renewable, are intended to cover financial need not met by need-based grants and military education benefits. In the first round of scholarships, The Fund provided more than $300,000 to 96 veterans across the country. Scholarships may be used to study at public, private, community and technical or vocational institutions. Application materials will be available April 1st and the application deadline is June 30, 2008 for the 2008-2009 school year. For more information and application, visit: www.VeteransEducationFund.org
5. Military Retiree Alert
Military retirees need to check their beneficiary information on the reverse side of their Military Retiree Account Statement. Some retirees have reported an unauthorized beneficiary name change. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service said it has no way of ascertaining whose identity may have been stolen, resulting in a beneficiary change. If this becomes a widespread issue, they most likely will put out at notice. Those retirees that have the wrong beneficiary on their statement should contact DFAS immediately to change their beneficiary, and let them know it was changed without their authorization. The DFAS number is: 1-800-321-1080.
6. Pay in Veterans Work Program Ruled Tax-Free
Payments provided to veterans under two specific programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) and Incentive Therapy (IT) programs, are no longer taxable, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Veterans who paid tax on these benefits in the past three years can claim refunds.
Veterans who paid tax on these benefits in tax years 2004, 2005 or 2006 can claim a refund by filing an amended tax return using IRS Form 1040X. Nearly 19,000 veterans received CWT benefits last year, while 8,500 received IT benefits.
7. Digital Dirt Derailing Job Seekers
More than one-third of employers have eliminated a candidate after digging up “digital dirt,” according to ExecuNet, an executive job search and recruiting network. In a recent survey of 100 executive recruiters, 35% said they dropped a job candidate because of information uncovered online, up from 26% one year ago. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they use search engines to learn more about prospective employees.
8. National Guard and Reserve mobilized as of January 30, 2008
The total number currently on active duty in support of the partial mobilization of the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 73,197; Navy Reserve, 5,024; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 7,231; Marine Corps Reserve, 8,695; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 334. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been mobilized to 94,481, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel, who are currently mobilized, can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan2008/d20080130ngr.pdf .
9. Significant events this month in military history
1763 – Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War in Europe
1778 – The American frigate Ranger carried the Stars and Stripes to a foreign port for the first time as it arrived in France
1795 – Navy Supply Corps established
1813 – The American ship USS Hornet sank the British sloop HMS Peacock in an action off the coast of Guiana (north coast of South America) during the war of 1812
1836 – Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna began his siege of the Alamo Spanish mission in San Antonio, Texas.
1863 – General Joseph Hooker organized the Army of the Potomac
1863 – The Confederate ship Nashville was destroyed by the Union ironclad vessel USS Montauk on the Ogeechee River in Georgia during the Civil War
1865 – The battle of Petersburg (American Civil War)
1898 – The battleship USS Maine was sunk following an explosion in the harbor of Havana, Cuba.
1916 – The German Fleet was given orders to attack armed Allied merchant ships without warning during WWI.
1916 – Beginning of the battle of Verdun, in France, which lasted ten months (WW I)
1917 – British intelligence intercepted the “Zimmerman telegram,” sent to the Mexican government by the German foreign minister, promising Mexico that the lands taken from it by the U.S. during the 1846-1848 war would be returned if Mexico entered World War I on Germany’s side and the Germans won. The message was promptly relayed to the U.S. Government
1942 – A Japanese submarine surfaced off the coast of California, shelling the coastline near the town of Ellwood.
1943 – Women’s Marine Corps Auxiliary established.
1943 – The German Afrika Korps defeated American forces during the battle of Kasserine Pass, in Tunisia (WW II)
1944 – Beginning of the German Army offensive against the Anzio bridgehead in Italy (WW II)
1944 – U.S. Marines seized Parry Island from Japanese forces, completing their takeover of the Marshall Islands in the Central Pacific (WW II)
1945 – U.S. Marines began the invasion of Iwo Jima in the Western Pacific (WW II)
1966 – Operation White Wing, a search and destroy mission during the Vietnam War.
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