RSSVetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 10:6, Monday, June 1, 2009
www.vetjobs.com
The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members and friends and supporters of VetJobs. Feel free to forward the newsletter to veterans and friends.
This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by: Apriva and TECHEXPO Top Secret
Search over 28,000 of jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!
Contents:
1. Message from the Top
2. VetJobs Recommends: Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System
3. West Point Graduate Is 7th Generation at the Academy
4. Carefree RV Resorts
5. VFW Real Estate Services
6. Cash Bonus to Replace ‘Stop Loss’ for Deploying National Guard Soldiers
7. Obama Concurrent Receipt Plan Details
8. Navy First Service to Offer Sabbaticals
9. Executive Job Outlook Improves
10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of May 26, 2009
11. 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 endorsing veteran service organizations do to assist veterans and their family members find employment, please go to 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
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994 is a federal law intended to ensure that persons who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard or other “uniformed services:” are promptly reemployed in their civilian jobs upon their return from duty and are not discriminated against in employment based on past, present, or future military service. In essence, USERRA requires the job of a National Guard or Reserve member be protected while they are called to active duty.
Historically, employers overwhelmingly supported the policy as National Guard and Reserve members were only gone for thirty to ninety days. However, DOD changed the rules on the employers and members of the National Guard and Reserve are now called up for one to two year deployments. Understandably, employers are upset as they can not run their businesses with employees, especially key or executive employees, being called away for two years at a time. This particularly hurts small businesses which are the back bone of the American economy.
And to add insult to injury, employers are not compensated by DOD for the loss of a producing employee and must still pay for the called up employee’s benefits. Private sector employers see members of the National Guard and Reserve as their employees on loan to DOD, not the other way around.
And while DOD says its policy is to call up members of the National Guard and Reserve only one year in six, the reality is many members of the National Guard have had multiple call ups since 9/11. Some National Guard units are on their third and fourth call up!
Over the last six months VetJobs has been receiving anecdotal reports of a disturbing trend regarding the treatment of members of the National Guard and Reserve by employers in reaction to the current call up policy. Under the guise of the recession employers are targeting members of the National Guard and Reserve to be laid off.
Employers have found a loop hole. If a company lays off a member of the National Guard and Reserve before the participating member receives their orders to be activated or before an employee notifies the employer they are being called up, USERRA does not apply. Thus, companies have been targeting active members of the National Guard and Reserve during this recession so as to not have to carry the financial burden or the loss of productivity of a called up member of the National Guard or Reserve.
We have heard from members of the National Guard, Reservists, DOL employees and ESGR employees that when the rumors start that a particular National Guard brigade or Reserve contingent is to be called up to active duty, they start hearing of members of the National Guard or Reserve in that area being laid off before orders are delivered. While this tactic by employers is technically legal, it is not fair to the member of the National Guard or Reserve.
While much of the information we have is anecdotal, I am looking to document the use of this type of lay off tactic by employers to use in Congressional testimony. If you have been subjected to a lay off and think it was due to your participation in the National Guard or Reserve, or you know of someone that has experienced this activity, please forward the contact information and some of the facts to info@vetjobs.com. If you want to remain anonymous, please indicate that in your email and your identity will not be disclosed.
I want to emphasize that 99.9% of employers are very pro military. In fact, I personally think employers understand the importance of having and maintaining a strong military better than some members of Congress. I have found that employers want to hire prior military that are totally separated after one or two tours, wounded warriors and retired military. But when it comes to an active member of the National Guard or Reserve, surveys by the Society of Human Resource Management, Business Law Review and Workforce Management Magazine indicate that over half of employers will not now hire as a new employee an active member of the National Guard and Reserve. This lay off tactic by certain employers is a direct response to the current DOD call up policy. The United States National Guard and Reserve system can not work without the support of employers. It all comes down to costs and the way DOD changed the rules on employers.
I look forward to reading your responses.
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In June, we celebrate the following special days:
June 6 – D-Day
June 14 – 234th Birthday of the U.S. Army
June 14 – Flag Day
June 21 – Father’s Day
June 21 – First day of summer
If you meet an Army person this month, say Happy Birthday!
D-Day was the turning point in World War II. June 6, 1944 saw the start of the largest air and sea operation in military history. On D-Day, the Allies landed around 156,000 troops, of which 73,000 were Americans. The amount of equipment used was staggering. In the airborne landings on both flanks of the Normandy beaches, 2,395 aircraft and 867 gliders of the RAF and USAAF were used on D-Day. Operation Neptune involved huge naval forces, including 6,939 vessels: 1,213 naval combat ships, 4,126 landing ships and landing craft, 736 ancillary craft and 864 merchant vessels. Some 195,700 personnel were assigned to Operation Neptune: 52,889 US, 112,824 British, and 4,988 from other Allied countries. By the end of the 11th of June, 326,547 troops, 54,186 vehicles and 104,428 tons of supplies had been landed on the beaches.
There is no “official” casualty figure for D-Day. Total Allied casualties on D-Day are estimated at 10,000, including 2,500 dead. British casualties on D-Day have been estimated at approximately 2,700. The Canadians had 946 casualties. The US forces lost 6,603 men. On June 6, take time to reflect on what took place on the beaches at Normandy and appreciate the sacrifice made by so many to ensure the continuation of our free market economy and our Federal Republic. Their sacrifices helped give us the freedoms we enjoy today.
Flag Day was first observed in 1877 on the 100th anniversary of the Continental Congress’ adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. In that year, Congress asked that all public buildings fly the flag on June 14. The idea quickly caught on and many people wanted to participate in waving the flag. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Flag Day as a national celebration. However, the holiday was not officially recognized until 1949 when President Harry Truman signed the National Flag Day Bill. Although Flag Day is not celebrated as a Federal holiday, Americans everywhere continue to honor the history and heritage it represents.
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This month we also celebrate the creation of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a department of DOD. Founded in 1972, ESGR has been the leading advocate supporting members of the National Guard and Reserve. Over 4,500 volunteers, ranging from business executives, senior government representatives, educators and military personnel, serve on local ESGR Field Committees. With help and resources from the National ESGR Headquarters in Arlington, VA, the 56 ESGR Field Committees conduct employer support programs, including informational briefings, mediation and recognition of employers whose policies support or encourage participation in the National Guard and Reserve. By explaining the missions of the National Guard and Reserve and by increasing public awareness of the role of the employer, ESGR works to develop a dialogue among employers, the ESGR Committees, and local National Guard and Reserve unit commanders and service members. If you want to get involved, visit www.esgr.net and click on your state to volunteer!
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On the economic front, more than 90% of economists predict the recession will end this year, although the recovery is likely to be bumpy. That assessment came from leading forecasters in a survey by the National Association for Business Economics. It is generally in line with the outlook from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues.
About 74% of the forecasters expect the recession, which officially started in December 2007 and is the longest since World War II, to end in the third quarter. Another 19% predict the turning point will come in the final three months of this year, and the remaining 7% believe the recession will end in the first quarter of 2010.
One of the major forces that plunged the economy into a recession was the financial crisis that struck with force last fall due to the corruption on Wall Street and the effort by members of Congress to use the Community Re-investment Act to conduct social engineering. Economists say recoveries after financial crises have always tended to be slower.
Current unemployment is 8.9% and is expected to marginally climb this year. Companies won’t be in a rush to hire until they feel certain any recovery is firmly rooted and they can trust what this administration is doing to the economy. The economic moves by the Federal Government so far are not creating the sense of security many in the private sector would like to see.
With joblessness rising, consumers, who are the major shapers of overall economic activity, will likely remain cautious, making for a tepid turnaround. And given the big bite the recession has taken out of household wealth, notably the values of homes and investment portfolios, consumers probably will stay subdued for some time. The forecasters believe the worst is already behind the country in terms of lost economic activity. The only areas that are showing any signs of increased hiring at this time are healthcare and federal government jobs.
What is the bottom line if you are unemployed or looking for a new job? You will have to work harder! The last recession had a jobless recovery. This recession will be a “less jobs” recovery. If you are in the market, be sure to visit the Employment Assistance section on VetJobs and read through the articles. They will definitely help you plan your job search, learn how to network, build a resume and successfully pass an interview, especially the all important behavioral interview.
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In the April newsletter, I gave the economic definitions of capitalism and socialism. However, many readers pointed out that I had left out the definitions for fascism and communism. So, here all four definitions:
Capitalism – an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange of wealth are privately or corporately owned and development is proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained in a free market
Fascism – A social and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state or nation is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms; a governmental system led by a dictator (an individual or a governmental dictatorship) having complete power, marked by stringent social and economic control, a strong, centralized government regimenting all industry and commerce.
Socialism – Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy, preferably in government controlled markets. Socialism is the stage in Marxist-Leninist theory intermediate between capitalism and communism, in which collective ownership of the economy under the dictatorship of the proletariat has not yet been successfully achieved.
Communism – a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.
Watch what is happening in the American economy today and using the above universally accepted definitions, decide for yourself where the economy of the United States is headed.
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I was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA for the Memorial Day weekend. Having been raised in a military family and then spent over 27 years in the Navy and Naval Reserve, I have always attended Memorial Day ceremonies due to what Memorial Day represents. So this was a very special honor for me. If you would like to read what I said, you can see the text to the speech in the Media Center on VetJobs at http://vetjobs.com/media/category/article-of-the-month/. The speech will be posted to YouTube.
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Finally, I am proud to announce that VetJobs has another veteran service organization supporting the VetJobs mission. The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) has signed a mutual support agreement. You will be seeing their logo on the VetJobs site. MOPH joins the Veterans of Foreign Wars (www.vfw.org – VFW is the sponsor of VetJobs), the Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org), the Naval Reserve Association (www.navy-reserve.org – soon to be the Association of the US Navy), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org), the Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org) and Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org) in supporting VetJobs mission of providing jobs for transitioning military, veterans and their family members.
Of special note, MOPH has launched a site at www.vetsjobs.net to assist veterans in finding federal employment. We welcome MOPH to the VetJobs family. VetJobs is supported and endorsed by more veteran service organizations than any other military related job site!
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If you know of any companies that should be hiring veterans, transitioning military and their family members, please send in the referral to info@vetjobs.com so we may contact the company.
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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
2. VetJobs Recommends: Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System
From time to time VetJobs finds exceptional books or films we recommend and like to bring to your attention. This month we highlight Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System. This is Peter Weddle’s newest book on conditioning your career for sustainable success. Designed specifically for the challenging workplace of the 21st Century, Work Strong not only tells you what to do for career success, but when, where and how to do it.
-Career Fitness includes both a revolutionary philosophy of work and a regimen of daily, weekly and monthly activities that empower you to apply that philosophy to your career.
-Using physical fitness as a metaphor, it introduces an approach to career self-management that is appropriate for everyone from senior executives and seasoned professionals to recent graduates and those who are reentering the workforce after an extended absence. Work Strong helps you tap both sides of your brain in learning how to build a healthy career.
-It encourages you to use your reasoning ability on the left side of your brain by presenting all of the information you need to Work Strong in your career. That’s the Career Fitness System
-It also encourages you to use your creative ability on the right side of your brain by presenting a fictional account of what it would be like to Work Strong. That’s The Diary of a Career Activist.
In today’s world of work, you have only two choices: you can be the master of your career or you can be its victim. Get the tools you need to take charge of the one-third or more of your life you spend at work. Get Work Strong today! You’ll increase the paycheck and the satisfaction you bring home from work! To order a copy, visit http://www.weddles.com/jobcatalog.htm.
/—June Veteran Eagle sponsor is Apriva—-\
Founded in 1999, Apriva is the leading wireless solutions provider integrating the hardware, software and network infrastructure required to develop and deploy high-performance high-reliability solutions in the Point of Sale (POS) and Secure Mobile Messaging markets. Apriva offers end-to-end solutions for Point of Sale that make it easy and cost-effective to develop, deploy and maintain highly secure and reliable business critical mobile applications.
Apriva provides an end-to-end wireless solution that enables merchants to process financial transactions from any location using major credit card processors. The product, which is compatible with industry-standard point of sale equipment, is powered by Apriva’s Intelligent Gateway and delivers highly secure, efficient and reliable transaction processing. Apriva offers customers easy-to-use devices, industry standard payment processing functions, wireless wide area network access, web based reporting and centralized management tools.
Search on the VetJobs jobs database for Apriva and apply today!
\—–Please visit your June Veteran Eagle sponsor Apriva—–/
3. West Point Graduate Is 7th Generation at the Academy
When Caroline Miller marched across the stage at West Point, she was the seventh generation in her family to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy. Members of Miller’s family have been attending the academy dating back 173 years, to when Andrew Jackson was president. The Miller clan forms a long gray bloodline longer than any still existing at West Point. Miller’s ancestors have fought in the Civil War, World War I, World War II and Vietnam.
/—-June Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\
TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:
6/16, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Baltimore, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm
6/16, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs, 1775 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm
6/18, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Sheraton Reston, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm
Interview with leading government contractors. Full schedule of event details, & pre-registration at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm. For professionals with active security clearance only. Free admission
\—–Please visit your June Veteran Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/
4. Carefree RV Resorts
Carefree FV Resorts offers a 50% discount to active and retired military service members and their families at 35 parks in Florida, Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina and California. The offer is valid Sunday-Thursday stays, space available, through December 31 (not on July 4 or Labor Day weekends). Veterans must show their military ID or other form of identification that shows their service in the military. Carefree RV Resorts offers a wide variety of RV parks and campgrounds for every type of RV vacation experience. Each park has wifi and park model rental cottages, which can accommodate people who don’t have their own RV. To learn more, visit www.carefreervresorts.com
5. VFW Real Estate Services
Buying or selling a home is a major life decision and VFW Real Estate & Mortgage Services can help simplify the process by providing VFW members and their families with exceptional services.
Real Estate Services
VFW Real Estate & Mortgage Services provides you the highest quality assistance nationwide. Whether you’re moving down the block or across the country –with a referral network that is nationwide – you’ll have all the support you need to buy and sell your home, vacation home or investment property.
All VFW members and their families receive premium services, including a written guarantee with your Real Estate agent promising the highest professional service in the industry. Our referral agents agree to be graded upon customer satisfaction by an independent third party. This preferred network of professionals has received a 94% approval rating nationwide – a record unmatched in the industry.
Moving Services
Once you choose a new property, VFW services team will help you with your actual move. VFW Real Estate & Mortgage Services gives you access to competitive moving rates, special offers and knowledgeable personnel who will answer your questions and walk you through the process.
Call today to find out more about Real Estate Services, Mortgage Services, and discounted Moving Van services for you and your family.
Call 1-800-329-2199 or visit www.vfwhomeandloan.com
6. Cash Bonus to Replace ‘Stop Loss’ for Deploying National Guard Soldiers
A new program that provides special pay for soldiers deploying past their end-of-service dates is set to take effect September 1 for the National Guard. The Deployment Extension Stabilization Pay program replaces the “Stop Loss” involuntary extension program and pays a cash bonus of up to $6,000 to soldiers in units set to deploy who elect to stay in past their end-of-service date to deploy. The bonus is not a lump sum payment, and the amount of the incentive depends upon when the soldier decides to extend their enlistment contract. For more information, please visit http://www.ngb.army.mil/news/archives/2009/05/052909-Cash.aspx.
7. Obama Concurrent Receipt Plan Details
More details have surfaced concerning the Administration’s proposal to expand concurrent receipt to service members who were medically retired, sometimes referred to as Chapter 61 retirees. Under the Administration’s Omnibus proposal, all Chapter 61 retirees will become eligible for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) over a five-year period starting in January 2010. The expansion will come in two phases.
The first three years of the five year phase-in opens CRDP eligibility to the more severely disabled Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service.
-On January 1, 2010, Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service and a VA rating of either 90% or 100% become eligible
-On January 1, 2011, Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service and a VA rating of either 70% or 80% become eligible
-On January 1, 2012, Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service and a VA rating of either 50% or 60% become eligible.
The remaining two years of this phase-in extends CRDP to Chapter 61 retirees, regardless of years of service, with a VA rating of less than 50%.
-On January 1, 2013, all Chapter 61 retirees with a VA rating of either 30% or 40% will become eligible
-On January 1, 2014, all Chapter 61 retirees with any VA rating become eligible
Once this plan is completed, the only disabled retirees ineligible for CRDP will be non-medical retirees with 40% or lower VA disability ratings. The 10-year cost of the expansion is estimated to be $5.8 billion. This new initiative represents a 180-degree turnabout from the positions of all previous Administrations, Republican or Democratic.
8. Navy First Service to Offer Sabbaticals
Determined to keep its best officers and enlisted men from leaving the service entirely, the U.S. Navy has become the first branch of the armed services to allow personnel to step out of their uniforms, and maintain their health benefits, for up to three years, before rejoining the Navy. Part of the Navy’s effort to become a more flexible employer, the Career Intermission Pilot Program is currently allowing 20 officers and 20 enlisted sailors to take sabbaticals so they can do things such as go back to school or care for an elderly parent. The program is intended for “high performers” or those quickly climbing through the ranks who need some time away from their duties. The Navy intends to continue the pilot project until 2012, and if deemed successful, will then make it permanent. Sailors in the program retain their TRICARE health benefits for them and their families, and they receive a small portion of their salary. But in return for their time off, the sailors must then fulfill a commitment in active service that is twice as long as their sabbatical, in addition to any other outstanding obligations.
9. Executive Job Outlook Improves
ExecuNet’s Recruiter Confidence Index ticked slightly higher in April, 2009, indicating that the market for executive jobs is showing signs of growth after bottoming out in November, 2008. In April, 41% of 142 executive recruiters polled by ExecuNet said they’re confident that the executive job market will improve in the next six months. Half of respondents believe their search assignments will increase at least 10% over the next six months. Only 15% of search professionals say they’re pessimistic about the future of the market for executive jobs. April marked the Recruiter Confidence Index’s second consecutive increase since March, 2008.
10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of May 26, 2009
The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 109,076; Navy Reserve, 6,562; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 15,386; Marine Corps Reserve, 9,199; and the Coast National Guard Reserve, 758. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 140,981, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2009/d20090526ngr.pdf
11. Significant Events this Month in Military History
1775 – The United States Army was founded. The Continental Congress named Colonel George Washington of Virginia Commander-in-Chief of the American Army.
1865 – The American Civil War ended with the surrender of the last Southern forces, led by GEN Edmund Kirby-Smith, at Shreveport LA (Civil War)
1877 – Henry Ossian Flipper, the first African-American graduate of West Point, was commissioned a second lieutenant.
1916 – Congress authorized The Army Reserve Officers Training Corps.
1927 – Captain Charles A. Lindbergh, an Army reservist, completed the first non-stop transatlantic airplane flight from New York to Paris in 33.5 hours.
1940 – The British began evacuating 338,000 British and French troops from Dunkirk, a Belgian coastal city. (WW II)
1941 – Allies invade Syria and Lebanon (WW II)
1941 – Germany attacks the Soviet Union (WW II)
1942 – The decisive Battle of Midway opened in the Central Pacific. (WW II)
1944 – D-Day invasion of Normandy by Allied troops. Operation “Overlord” was the largest air and sea operation in military history. (WW II)
1944 – The Battle of Saipan (WW II)
1944 – GI Bill signed into law.
1949 – The first African-American graduate of the Naval Academy was W.A. Brown.
1950 – The Korean War began with US troops arriving on June 29th. (Korean War)
1951 – The US Eighth Army launched attacks against Chinese forces all along the front lines in Korea, slowly driving the enemy back. (Korean War)
1967 – The USS Liberty was attacked by Israel, a controversy that continues today.
1972 – The National Committee for Employer Support of the National Guard and Reserve created.
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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), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org), the Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org), the Military Order of the Purple Heart (www.purpleheart.org) and Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org).
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