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VetJobs Agency Eagle – April

Ted Daywalt — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:18:27 +0000

Issue 13:04, Sunday, April 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. Veteran Owned Businesses

3. SVA Relaunches Chapter Location Map

4. Demand for Mechanical Engineers Up

5. War for Talent is Underway

6. HHS Issues Final Rule for State-Run Health Exchanges

7. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of March 29, 2012

8. Significant Events this Month in Military History

Thank you for reading the VetJobs Agency Eagle recruitment ad agency newsletter. If you like this newsletter and what VetJobs and the VFW do to assist veterans and their family member 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

While some in government like to say the United States is out of the recession, we at VetJobs still are dealing with hundreds of thousands of veterans and their spouses who are seeking employment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in February there were 777,000 unemployed veterans. The good news was that the 18 to 24 year old veteran Current Population Survey (CPS) unemployment rate had fallen to 12.4%. Their unemployment rate had been 37.9% back in November. So there has been progress, but I expect to see it go back up as many National Guard and Reserve (NG&R) units start returning. Plus, the returning NG&R will be competing with 140,000 military personnel the administration is cutting from our military. When that cut takes place in the next few months, the NG&R will be larger than the active military!

This will create some new challenges for employers who are seeking veteran employees. With the NG&R representing over half of the military, you will be seeing more applicants from the National Guard. You will need a strong reach into the NG&R to meet your veteran hiring requirements. Fortunately, VetJobs is the leader is assisting members of the National Guard find employment. And I am happy to announce that the National Guard Association of the United States has endorsed VetJobs!

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April is the month when working people have to submit their tax reports to the Internal Revenue Service. For some, it means a tax return, but for many, it means paying more money to the government. Tax Freedom Day 2012, the day when a person starts working for themselves rather than the government will arrive on April 17 this year, five days later than in 2011. That means Americans will work well over three months of the year, from January 1 to April 17, before they have earned enough money to pay this year’s tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels.

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This month we celebrate the 104rd anniversary of the United States Army Reserve! Over the last century the Army Reserve has proven itself on the battlefields of seven major wars and multiple overseas operations. Today it plays a prominent role in both Afghanistan and Iraq. If you meet a member of the Army Reserve this month, tell them Happy Birthday and thank them for their service! To learn more about the Army Reserve, please visit http://www.usar.army.mil/

April has several other important dates, including:

April 1 – April Fool’s Day
April 6 – Good Friday
April 6 – Army Day
April 7 – Passover begins
April 8 – Easter
April 9 – National POW Recognition Day
April 15 – Orthodox Easter
April 16 – Income Tax Day
April 22 – Earth Day
April 25 – Administrative Professionals Day

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On the economic front, the United States and many other countries’ economies continue to remain in an economic malaise. The political strife and conflict currently taking place in Washington is adding to the economic problems because companies want certainty and this administration has developed a reputation for not being business friendly. Over the last three years due to actions in Congress there has been no certainty to give a business person confidence in investing or growing a business.

The U.S. economy has now been in growth mode for 33 months…ever since the Great Recession ending in June 2009. However, U.S. economic growth has averaged a 2.4% real (inflation adjusted) annual growth pace since the expansion began, the weakest economic expansion since the 1940s.

Here is a quick look at the negative and positive factors for March:

On the negative side:
-Orders for long-lasting U.S. goods climbed 2.2% in February from January, below the 3% gain expected. Excluding the transportation segment, durable goods orders rose 1.6%, slightly less than the 1.7% expected

-Rising prices at the gas pump and for groceries are dampening spending by consumers.

-The Conference Board’s reading on consumer confidence came in at 70.2 in March, lower than an upwardly revised 71.6 in February. The reading was slightly under expectations of 70.3.

-The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas shows home prices fell 0.8% on a non-seasonally adjusted basis in January, a slightly bigger decline than the 0.6% drop expected. Home prices were down 3.8% from a year ago, in line with estimates

-Existing home sales fell 0.9% in February to an annualized rate of 4.59 million units, slightly less than the 4.62 million rate expected, according to the National Association of Realtors

-Sales of new single-family homes fell 1.6% in February to a 313,000-unit annualized rate, short of the 325,000-unit rate expected

-A bout of weak factory data on major economies in Europe and Asia is taking a toll on Wall Street, sparking fears that global headwinds could stunt the U.S. recovery

On the plus side:
-Conventional thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.92% in recent weeks, the lowest level in 60 years

-Consumer spending in the U.S. jumped 0.8% in February, largely because of higher energy costs, even though income rose a much smaller 0.2%

- A final reading on U.S. gross domestic product showed the economy expanded at an annualized rate of 3% in the fourth quarter of 2011, matching previous readings and in line with estimates

The bottom line is that the country is moving forward, but at a very, very slow and anemic rate, hindered by the ongoing political problems in Washington. The good news is that some employers are hiring! Today VetJobs has over 43,000 REAL jobs posted by several thousand employers, up over 19% from the same day last year.

If you are having problems finding a job, definitely visit the Employment Assistance section on VetJobs (www.vetjobs.com) and review the articles and the lists of vetted job boards.

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Finally, as I am finishing this newsletter I checked the traffic on the VetJobs site and see that there are 2,208 visitors on the site looking for jobs. The VetJobs traffic has continued to climb the last few months which is a good thing for employers seeking to hire veterans.

VetJobs is growing. We have added two new sales people at a time with Monster.com has laid off 400 people and is now up for sale! Thank you for your support!

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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

/—April Agency Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

4/3, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Security clearance is required for attendance. Register at www.techexpousa.com

4/4, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, The Sheraton Reston Hotel, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Security clearance is required for attendance. Register at www.techexpousa.com

TECHEXPO Top Secret job fairs bring you face to face with security-cleared professionals. For 2010 event schedule, contact Nancy Mathew 212-655-4505 x225 or NMathew@TechExpoUSA.com. http://www.TechExpoUSA.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/

2. Veteran Owned Businesses

The SBA recently released information regarding veteran businesses. According to the Census Bureau, in 2007 there were 2.45 million businesses with majority ownership by veterans. Of these, 491,000 were employers and 1.956 million were nonemployers. They represented 9 percent of all U.S. firms. Nearly one third of all veteran-owned firms were in two industry groups: construction and profes¬sional, scientific, and technical services. By state, California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Georgia had the largest numbers of veteran-owned businesses. Ranked by the veteran-owned percentage of businesses in the state, the top five states were South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama.

/—April Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

CRI University provides informative and dynamic one-hour webinars and recorded educational sessions on important HR topics that impact every employer who employs fifteen or more people. CRI University topics are offered both live and as recorded sessions for registrants who choose to view the materials and listen to the recording at their leisure.

These webinars and educational sessions are as important to CEOs, COOs, and CFOs as they are for HR personnel due to the myriad of changes in employment laws, regulations, discrimination findings and court case findings in 2009 and thus far in 2011.

April webinars are:

EEOC and OFCCP Compliance
Wednesday, April 4, 2012, 11:00 AM Central Time
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 11:00 AM Central Time

Understanding the Achiever in the Selection and Development Process.
Friday, April 13, 2012, 11:00 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. SVA Relaunches Chapter Location Map

Student Veterans of America have relaunched the Chapter Map. Now, student veterans and service providers can locate chapters easily by searching an interactive Google Map. The SVA Chapter Map links local leaders to incoming student veterans, other nonprofit organizations, and companies interested in supporting veterans in higher education. The Student Veterans of America Chapter Map may be accessed by visiting the link below.

http://www.studentveterans.org/?page=Chapter_Map

4. Demand for Mechanical Engineers Up

Wanted Analytics, reports that during February, more than 9,000 job ads were placed online for Mechanical Engineers. Despite slow job growth in manufacturing industries that typically utilize these power-producing machines, hiring for Engineers to design and build machines has grown quickly in the past years and is approaching pre-recession levels. The volume of job ads has increased 10% year-over-year growth from February 2011, 87% compared to 2010, and more than 65% versus 2009.

5. War for Talent is Underway

Dr. John Sullivan wrote a heads-up alert for you: be prepared because not only will the infamous “War For Talent” be returning to impact your firm, but it is already underway in its full intensity here in the Silicon Valley. Begin planning for this next round of talent wars, because once the intense competition begins, there simply won’t be time to catch up with, no less get ahead of your talent competition. If you’re not familiar with the “war for talent” phenomena, it involves a prolonged period of intense competition where top applicants are both scarce and arrogant, employees leave by the droves, firms regularly raid each other for talent, and bidding for top talent is commonplace. For more on this, please go to http://www.ere.net/2012/03/19/the-war-for-talent-is-returning-dont-get-caught-unprepared/

6. HHS Issues Final Rule for State-Run Health Exchanges

On March 12, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a final rule outlining a framework for state-run health care exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The exchanges are intended to offer private health insurance options that meet government standards and to coordinate the eligibility of low-income individuals for premium tax credits and other assistance. For more information visit http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/benefits/Articles/Pages/HealthExchangesRule.aspx

7. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of March 29, 2012

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 52,267; Navy Reserve, 4,749; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 9,722; Marine Corps Reserve, 4,714, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 774. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 72,226, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20120327ngr.pdf

8. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1775 – British troops under LTC Francis Smith, with MAJ John Pitcairn, Royal Marines, as second in command, marched to Lexington MA and fired on American minutemen on the town green, beginning the American Revolution (Revolutionary War).

1776 – The Continental brig Lexington captures the British ship Edward.

1836 – General Sam Houston and his Texan forces defeated Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto (War for Texas Independence).

1861 – South Carolina state troops under GEN P.G. T. Beauregard began the bombardment of Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, SC, beginning the Civil War

1865 – General Robert E. Lee surrendered his remaining Confederate forces to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War.

1893 – Rank of Chief Petty Officer created in the United States Navy

1900 – The US Navy acquires its first submarine, a 53 foot craft designed by Irish immigrant John P. Holland

1908 – United States Army Reserve established

1915 – Poison gas was first used in battle by the Germans against the British at the Battle of Ypers, Belgium (World War I).

1917 – The Navy takes control of all wireless radio stations in the United States.

1941 – German Luftwaffe raid on the city of Coventry, England. Much of the city was destroyed, including parts of the medieval cathedral. Winston Churchill, the British prime minister, had advance notice of the raid as the Allies had the German “Ultra” code, but Churchill could not warn the city, lest the Germans became aware of how Churchill had received the information (WWII).

1942 – Fall of Bataan and start of the Bataan Death March (WWII).

1942 – The Navy accepts African Americans for general service.

1945 – Lieutenant Junior Grade Ann Purvis and Ensign Jane Kendeigh become the first Navy flight nurses to land on an active battlefield (Iwo Jima).

1945 – Carrier aircraft defeat the last Japanese Navy sortie at the Battle of East China Sea; Yamato, the world’s largest battleship, and five other ships are sunk.

1945 – Invasion of Okinawa began (WW II).

1945 – German Unconditional Surrender to Italian Allies (WW II).

1945 – American planes sank the IJNS Yamato, largest battleship ever built, off the Japanese coast. The Yamato had never fired a shot against an enemy vessel (WWII).

1949 – NATO was established.

1953 – Battle of Pork Chop Hill (Hill 255) began (Korean War).

1968 – Operation Pegasus was launched by the 1st Air Cavalry Division to relieve the marines at Khe Sanh (Vietnam War).

1975 – The former imperial capital of Hue fell to North Vietnamese troops, along with the entire Thua Thien Province (Vietnam War).

1979 – The first Trident submarine, USS Ohio (SSBN 726), is launched at Groton, CT.

1991 – Persian Gulf War official cease fire begins (Persian Gulf War).
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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 Association of the US Navy (www.ausn.org), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org), Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org), Military Order of the Purple Heart (www.purpleheart.org), Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (www.usawoa.org), The Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org) and the National Guard Association of the United States (www.ngaus.org)
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VetJobs Agency Eagle – March

Ted Daywalt — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:34:21 +0000

Issue 13:03, Thursday, March 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top – 2012 Market Projections

2. VA Home Loans – A Story of Success

3. Defense Budget Calls for Military Families and Retirees to Pay More

4. EEOC Issues Revised Publications on Employment of Veterans with Disabilities

5. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of January XX, 2012

6. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

Over the last few months I have heard from many of your clients about the shortage of qualified candidates, particularly when it comes to the skilled trades. This includes machinists, toolmakers, plumbers, welders, electricians and technicians. As the manufacturing industry starts to make a comeback, the skilled labor shortage in the United States has become a national crisis. For example, three years ago a welder would have been happy to make $23 an hour. Today, a skilled welder can make $45 an hour in Texas and the upper mid-western states like Minnesota and the Dakota’s.

With over 14 million unemployed, America is fast becoming a country seriously out of balance when it comes to the demand for labor and the availability of qualified labor that have the skills that are needed. We have way too many people who thought they needed to go to college when they should have gone to a trade or technical school. But our secondary schools looked down on technical and trade schools and as a result we have critical shortages of skilled workers. We also have way too many who have found that unemployment pays enough to where they can live on the public dole rather than be a productive citizen.

If you talk to a CEO and ask them what is the most important ingredient in the success of their company they will almost always tell you it is their labor force. The talent and commitment of a company’s workforce frequently mean the difference between success and failure, especially in times of economic turmoil which we still face in the United States.

The country just missed a great opportunity to create thousands of new jobs with the Keystone XL Pipeline. This issue is still to be resolved and many in congress want the Keystone XL Pipeline to be approved. If it is approved, that would be tens of thousands of new permanent jobs for veterans. VetJobs will continue to pursue this issue as it means more jobs for veterans.

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On the economic front, the indicators are still mixed but slightly positive. Fourth quarter performance of the U.S. economy was revised slightly higher which is a good thing. The American economy grew at a 3.0% real (after inflation) annual rate during the October-December 2011 quarter, up slightly from the 2.8% rate initially reported. Ironically, 3.0% was the consensus forecast when the data first came out in late January

The 3.0% growth pace during 2011’s final quarter was the best of the year, following real annual growth rates of 0.4%, 1.3%, and 1.8% in the three prior quarters of 2011. The 3.0% fourth quarter 2011 growth pace was also the best since 2010’s second quarter. Still, the economy’s real growth place of 1.7% during 2011 badly trailed the 3.0% real growth pace of 2010.

The U.S. economy has averaged a 2.4% real annual growth pace since the current economic expansion officially began in July 2009. Such growth ranks as the weakest economic rebound from recession since the 1940s. Not a stellar record. And it leaves the country flat with unemployment remaining well above 8.0%. Some analysts and reporters think DOL’s 8.3% CES unemployment rate is low, that it should be more like 10% to 11%. If you are one of the unemployed, it doesn’t matter what the unemployment rate is as you are in an economic depression. Let’s hope our politicians and the administration will start thinking in terms of creating a business friendly environment, which has been missing for the last three years and put America back on track to a free market economy!

As Jeff Thredgold’s Tea Leaf report (http://www.thredgold.com/tea-leaf/) points out, the “headwinds” of
1) weak housing markets across the country, with home values down roughly 35% since their 2006 peak;
2) still high unemployment (by two measures much higher than the currently reported official 8.3% rate); and
3) enormous anxiety about the size, growth, and direction of the U.S. government (think $1,300,000,000,000 annual budget deficits for four years now) have lessened corporate interest in expansion and new hiring, as well as pooh-poohed consumer interest in more aggressive spending. Yes, the economy added more than 400,000 net new jobs during the past two months…only 5.5 million more net new jobs to go and we will be back to “square one” of 2007. As Jeff points out, we have a long way to go before things will turn around.

Here are some of the major economic indicators.

On the negative side:
-The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas shows home prices dropped 1.1% on a non-seasonally adjusted basis in December from November. Economists forecast a smaller 0.9% decline.
-The Commerce Department reports orders for long-lasting goods dropped 4.0% last month, the biggest decline since January 2009. Economists were expecting a drop of 1%
-The Producer Price Index climbed 0.1% in January from December, a smaller rise than the 0.4% economists expected. Excluding the food and energy components, prices rose 0.4%, quicker than the 0.2% forecast.
-U.S. retail sales rose 0.4% in January, less than the 0.7% expected. Excluding the auto segment, sales were up 0.7%. December retail sales were revised from 0.1% to unchanged
-According to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), business at US manufacturers expanded at a slower pace in February ISM said its manufacturing index declined to 52.4% last month from 54.1% in January. Economists had expected a reading of 55% for February based on improving regional results and employment data. Readings over 50% indicate that manufacturers are expanding
-Construction spending fell 0.1% in January from December, a weaker reading than the 1% gain economists were expecting

On the plus side:
-Home real estate markets and banking conditions are improving across most of the nation, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book reading of economic conditions released Wednesday
-The National Association of Realtors reports contracts for pending sales of previously-owned homes jumped 2% in January, the highest level since April 2010
-The Conference Board said its index of consumer attitudes increased to 70.8 in February from a revised 61.5 the month prior, zipping past estimates of a reading of 63. The reading was the highest since February 2011
-New claims for unemployment benefits remained at 351,000 last week. Economists had expected them to rise to 354,000. The four-week moving average, which helps smooth volatility in the weekly reports, hit its lowest level since March 2008
-Existing home sales rose 4.3% in January to an annual rate of 4.57 million units, the highest rate since May 2010. Economists had been expecting a 1.9% increase to an annual rate of 4.65 million units. However, sales in December were revised significantly lower to a rate of 4.38 million units from 4.61 million
-Housing starts rose 1.5% in January to a 699,000-unit rate, topping estimates of a 675,000-unit rate. Permits to build new homes rose 0.7% to a 676,000-unit rate, slightly less than the 680,000-unit rate expected
-The Commerce Department reports personal income rose 0.3% in January on a month-over-month basis, while spending increased 0.2%, just below analysts’ expectations
-The Labor Department reports initial filings for state unemployment benefits ticked lower to 351,000 last week from 353,000

Overall the good news is the economy is starting to grow anemically, but not nearly fast enough or strong enough to get us out of our current economic malaise.

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In March we wish a Happy Birthday to the United States Military Academy (USMA). It was in March of 1802 that the United States Congress established the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. USMA has graduated many outstanding leaders who have been instrumental in the leadership not only of the Army, but the country as well. If you meet a West Point graduate this month, say “Happy Birthday”!

On March 2, 1915, the United States Congress established the United States Naval Reserve by combining 17 state naval militias into a single federal force. This year is the 97th birthday of the United States Naval Reserve. So if you meet a Naval Reservist this month, tell them “Happy Birthday” as well. The U.S. Navy Band celebrates its 86th birthday on March 4.

On March 5, 1942, Admiral Ben Moreell was granted the authority to establish a naval construction force and officially call its personnel Seabees. This month we celebrate 70 years of “Can Do!” spirit for the Seabees!

On March 17 many will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.

Be sure to remember to change your clocks forward an hour on March 11 for Daylight Savings Time.

The first day of spring is March 20.

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Finally, VetJobs is working with the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) and National Guard and Reserve units in Kuwait to set up a Kuwait NG&R Career Fair for the first week of April. It appears a grant will be forthcoming that will pay for about 25 recruiters to be flown over to Kuwait. Once there, the units will provide invitational orders which will cover local travel and lodging. All participants will need to cover their cost to get to Dulles International Airport, Washington, DC which will be the debarkation point.

If you would like to have one of your clients represented at the Kuwait NG&R Career Fair, please respond to me ASAP at info@vetjobs.com as space is limited. If your client already has recruiters in Kuwait or surrounding countries, we would appreciate their participation. I look forward to hearing from you!
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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

/—February Agency Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

3/6, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Tysons Corner Ritz Carlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd. McLean, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, pre-register at www.techexpousa.com

3/7, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, pre-register at www.techexpousa.com

3/20, TECHEXPO Top Secret, Sheraton Columbia Town Center, 10207 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, www.techexpousa.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/

2. VA Home Loans – A Story of Success

Home loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs continue to have the lowest serious delinquency and foreclosure rates in the mortgage industry. Veterans have also taken advantage of their home loan benefit in record numbers, as VA loan originations reached their highest total in eight years. Last year, VA helped 72,391 Veterans and Servicemembers who were in default on their mortgage loan retain their homes or avoid foreclosure, an increase from 66,030 from the prior year. At the same time, foreclosures on VA guaranteed loans dropped by 28%. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association National Delinquency Survey, VA’s foreclosure rate for the last 14 quarters and serious delinquency rate for the last 11 quarters have been the lowest of all measured loan types, even prime loans. Since 1944, when home loan guaranties were first offered under the original GI Bill, VA has guaranteed more than 19.4 million home loans worth over $1.1 trillion. More information is available at www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans.

/—February Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

March webinars are:

EEOC and OFCCP Compliance
Thursday, March 08, 2012, 11:00 AM Central Time

Understanding the Achiever in the Selection and Development Process.
Friday, March 09, 2012, 11:00 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. Defense Budget Calls for Military Families and Retirees to Pay More

The Obama administration’s proposed defense budget calls for military families and retirees to pay sharply more for their healthcare, while leaving unionized civilian defense workers’ benefits untouched. The proposal is causing a major rift within the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials. Several congressional aides suggested the move is designed to increase the enrollment in Obamacare’s state-run insurance exchanges. The disparity in treatment between civilian and uniformed personnel is causing a backlash within the military that could undermine recruitment and retention. The proposed increases in health care payments by service members, which must be approved by Congress, are part of the Pentagon’s $487 billion cut in spending. It seeks to save $1.8 billion from the Tricare medical system in the fiscal 2013 budget, and $12.9 billion by 2017. Many in Congress are opposing the proposed changes, which would require the passage of new legislation before being put in place.

Administration officials told Congress that one goal of the increased fees is to force military retirees to reduce their involvement in Tricare and eventually opt out of the program in favor of alternatives established by the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. Military personnel from several of the armed services voiced their opposition to a means-tested tier system for Tricare. Under the new plan, the Pentagon would get the bulk of its savings by targeting under-65 and Medicare-eligible military retirees through a tiered increase in annual Tricare premiums that will be based on yearly retirement pay. The plan calls for increases from 30% to 78% in Tricare annual premiums for the first year. After that, the plan will impose five-year increases ranging from 94% to 345%, more than 3 times current levels. The new plan hits active duty personnel by increasing co-payments for pharmaceuticals and eliminating incentives for using generic drugs. The changes are worrying some in the Pentagon who fear it will severely impact efforts to recruit and maintain a high-quality all-volunteer military force. Such benefits have been a key tool for recruiting qualified people and keeping them in uniform. The massive increases beginning next year appear timed to avoid upsetting military voters in a presidential election year, critics of the plan say. Current law limits Tricare fee increases to cost of living increases in retirement pay.

4. EEOC Issues Revised Publications on Employment of Veterans with Disabilities

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released two updated publications about Veterans with disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Veterans and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A Guide for Employers and Understanding Your Employment Rights Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A Guide for Veterans. The guides explain changes to the law due to the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which make it easier for Veterans and others with many different kinds of disabilities to get reasonable accommodations that can help them succeed at work. For more information visit http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/ada_veterans_employers.cfm and http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/ada_veterans.cfm

5. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of February 29, 2012

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 53,373; Navy Reserve, 4,703; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 9,523; Marine Corps Reserve, 4,994, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 698. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 73,291, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20120228ngr.pdf .

6. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1802 – Congress established the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

1815 – Congress declared war against the Barbary Pirates in Algeria, seeking an end to their interference with American shipping in the Mediterranean Sea.

1836 – End of 13 day siege of the Alamo, San Antonio TX, where 183 Americans held off 3,000 Mexican troops before being overwhelmed.

1846 – American forces under General Zachary Taylor moved across the Rio Grande River into Mexican territory, officially beginning hostilities during the Mexican War.

1862 – Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia destroyed Union vessels USS Cumberland and USS Congress, and damaged the USS Minnesota in waters off Hampton Roads and Fort Monroe, VA.

1915 – Congress established the U. S. Naval Reserve.

1918 – Second Battle of the Somme in France began with a German offensive.

1931 – President Hoover signs legislation making the Star Spangled Banner the official national anthem of the United States.

1941 – General Erwin Rommel began his first offensive against the British Army in Libya.

1942 – The first American “Seabees” saw action in New Caledonia, an island in the southwest Pacific, as they landed and began construction of base facilities.

1949 – U.S. Air Force Captain James Gallagher completed the first non-stop flight around the world, refueling several times in mid-flight.

1965 – First US ground combat force, the 3,500 man 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, arrived at Danang, South Vietnam for the start of the Vietnam War.

1972 – North Vietnamese forces launched a massive attack south across the Demilitarized zone, during the Vietnam War.

1995 – Somalia Campaign ended.

2003 – Operation Iraqi Freedom began.
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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), Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org) and The Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org).

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Veterans make the best employees!
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VetJobs Agency Eagle – February

Ted Daywalt — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:21:08 +0000

Issue 13:02, Wednesday, February 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret, CRI University and The Herman Group

Contents:

1. Message from the Top – 2012 Market Projections

2. 2012 WEDDLEs User’s Choice Award Recipients

3. VetJobs Presenting Virtual Career Fairs

4. VETFORCE CVE Verification Survey

5. SHRM Launches Internet News Program

6. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of January 31, 2012

7. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

Great news! For the ninth year in a row you have voted VetJobs to the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award (www.weddles.com)! Of the nine years this prestigious award in the internet world has been in existence, VetJobs is one of only four employment sites that have been voted in all nine years! The other three are CareerBuilder.com, Monster.com and DICE.com. Heady company for a niche site like VetJobs!

This award marks VetJobs as one of the top 30 job boards out of over 200,000 career sites on the Internet. Your votes have confirmed once again that VetJobs is the leading military related job board and one of the top career sites on the Internet! The staff of VetJobs wants to personally thank all of you who voted. We appreciate your support and will continue to work hard to earn your votes again for the 2013 WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award.

See article 2 below for the thirty recipients of the 2012 WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award. I congratulate the other three sites that have been selected all nine years along with VetJobs as they are the cream of the employment web sites on the Internet.

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As we move into 2012, VetJobs is expanding its services and adding four Virtual Career Fairs. Our first Virtual Career Fair will be March 1 through 15. For more information, see article 3 below.

VetJobs will additionally be conducting some brick and mortar career fairs. One will be at the VFW National Convention, Reno, NV, in July. We will be sending out more information in March.

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We celebrate several holidays in February:

February 2, marks the 111th anniversary of the inception of the Army Nurse Corps. If you meet an Army nurse, tell them Happy Birthday!

February 12 is Lincoln’s birthday.

February 14, we celebrate Valentine’s Day! Be sure to remember your special person.

On February 20 the country celebrates President’s Day. The original purpose of President’s Day was to honor Washington and Lincoln, but it is now the day we honor all of the presidents who have served these great United States.

February 22 is Ash Wednesday.

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On the economic front, indicators continue to be mixed, but the outlook for jobs in 2012 is slowly starting to improve, but not nearly fast enough. I find it interesting that there are growing reports questioning the unemployment reports. This is to be expected during an election year. But whether the unemployment rate is 8.5% or 10.0% (as claimed by some), the real issue is America needs incentives and a more favorable business climate to encourage employers to start hiring again!

On the plus side:
-December payroll jobs were up in 239 of the 372 metro areas
-A final reading on consumer sentiment for the month of January checked in at 75, higher than both a preliminary reading of 74 and an expected reading of 74.1, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan. The index is at its highest level since February 2011
-December leading economic indicators up 0.4%; seven components make positive contributions
-Orders for long-lasting goods climbed 3% in December from November, topping estimates of a 2% gain. Excluding the transportation segment, orders rose 2.1%, beating estimates of a 0.7% gain and marking the biggest month-to-month jump since March 2011.

On the negative side:
-December jobless rates down over the year in 329 of 372 metro areas
-The ADP National Employment Report shows the private sector added 170,000 jobs in January, fewer than the 185,000 anticipated.
-The December employment figures were revised down to 292,000 private sector jobs added from an initially reported 325,000.
-Fitch sliced the credit rating of Italy, Spain and three other eurozone countries on Friday. The ratings company affirmed Ireland’s rating and said its outlook is negative for all six sovereigns.
-A preliminary reading on U.S. gross domestic product for the fourth quarter showed the economy expanded at an annualized rate of 2.8%, up from 1.8% in the third quarter but slightly under estimates of 3%. The jump was the biggest since the second quarter of 2010.
-Sales of new U.S. single-family homes fell 2.2% in December to a 307,000-unit annualized rate. Economists had been expecting sales to climb to an annualized rate of 320,000. This was the first sales decline since August 2011 and the largest drop since July 2011.

The good news is that unemployment for all veterans in December fell to 7.7% (CPS). But the unemployment rate for the 18 to 24 year old veteran, a large number of who were in the National Guard and Reserve is at 31%. There were 74,000 unemployed veterans in that age group per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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CORRECTION: Last month I stated: Welcome to 2012! Starting at midnight December 31, 2011, you have 525,600 minutes to spend in 2012. Seems I was wrong. Jim Hutcheson caught the error and pointed out that this is a leap year, so there is one extra day in February! Fortunately this error is only made once every four years. Thanks for catching it, Jim!

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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

/—February Agency Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

2/7, The Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City – 1250 South Hayes St. Arlington, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, pre-register at www.techexpousa.com

2/9, BWI Marriott – 1743 West Nursery Road Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, pre-register at www.techexpousa.com

2/29, Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs – 1775 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd Colorado Springs, CO, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, pre-register at www.techexpousa.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/

2. 2012 WEDDLEs User’s Choice Award Recipients

For nine years recruiters and candidates have been able to vote for those Internet employment sites they think are the best of the Internet. This award is the pinnacle of achievement for an internet site as the award is vetted by the users! VetJobs congratulates these awardees as they are the best of the best!

Absolutely Health Care
AfterCollege.com
AHACareerCenter.org
AllHealthcareJobs.com
Career Network
CareerBuilder.com
Climber.com
CollegeRecruiter.com
CoolWorks.com
Dice.com
EHSCareers.com
EmploymentGuide.com
FlexJobs.com
Hcareers.com
HealthCareerWeb.com
HEALTHeCAREERS Network
HigherEdJobs.com
HospitalDreamJobs.com
Indeed.com
Job.com
Jobing.com
JobsinLogistics.com
Military.com
MilitaryHire.com
Monster.com
National Healthcare
Net-Temps
SimplyHired.com
SnagAJob.com
TopUSAJobs.com
VetJobs.com

/—February Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

February webinars are:

EEOC and OFCCP Compliance
Thursday, February 09, 2012, 11:00 AM Central Time

Understanding the Achiever in the Selection and Development process.
Friday, February 10, 2012, 11:00 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. VetJobs Presenting Virtual Career Fairs

VetJobs is pleased to announce a series of Virtual Career Fairs. These VeteransCONNECT events will be sponsored by VetJobs and PSI, the premier Diversity Job Fair Producer.

The first event will be March 1-15. Early employer registration is now open and employer loading will start February 15th. Candidate loading will begin March 1st. We are anticipating 25-30 employers and a population goal of 2,000 Veterans.

This event is being promoted through banner advertising on VetJobs (average 90,000 impressions a month), E-mail newsletter (reach of 500,000 readers a month), e-mail blast to VetJobs resume database, announcements to TAP/ACAP offices worldwide, national Radio promotion , FaceBook promotion, PSI and VetJobs sales activity and PSI Diversity database.

Early registration is taking place NOW. To register or request additional information, please contact VetJobs at 877-838-5627 or send a request to info@vetjobs.com and we will forward you an electronic flyer for the virtual career fair.

/—February Agency Eagle sponsor is The Herman Group—\

IS YOUR COMPANY AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®?

Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Email info@EmployerOfChoice.com for more information. Or order the electronic version of the Employer of Choice book on your desktop for only $17.80 @ http://hermangroup.com/store/books_all.html#2.

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor The Herman Group at www.hermangroup.com——/

4. VETFORCE CVE Verification Survey

VET Force has been working with the veteran community, executive branch and legislative branch personnel to demystify and simplify VA’s verification process. Much of the information presented and discussed to date has been anecdotal. This survey is intended to provide quantitative feedback to help the VET Force to recommend policy, standards, process, statutory and regulatory changes that veteran business owners feel will improve VA’s verification program. If you are a veteran owned business, please participate at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N53V9V3

5. SHRM Launches Internet News Program

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has debuted “Focus on HR,” a biweekly, 10-minute online news program showcasing the latest news and information in business, HR and SHRM. Veteran CNN correspondent Kathleen Koch hosts the program. For more information, visit http://www.shrm.org/about/news/Pages/InternetNews.aspx

6. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of January 31, 2012

This week the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard announced a decrease in activated reservists while the Army and Air Force announced an increase. The net collective result is 1,393 more reservists activated than last week. At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 54,536; Navy Reserve, 4,518; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 9,438; Marine Corps Reserve, 5,224, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 763. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 74,479, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20120131ngr.pdf .

7. 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 American 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.

1901 – Army Nurse Corps is established.

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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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), Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org) and The Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org).

To REMOVE or CHANGE your subscribed address, click here:

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VetJobs
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
877-Vet-Jobs (877-838-5627)
770-993-5117 Office
770.993.2875 Fax

Veterans make the best employees!
Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans!

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

VetJobs Agency Eagle – 2012 Market Projections

Ted Daywalt — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:18:24 +0000

Issue 13:01, Sunday, January 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top – 2012 Market Projections

2. DOL Sets Historic Hiring Goal for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors

3. Top Cities for Growth

4. Rising Wages in Tough Times

5. Overwhelming Majority of Workers Plan to Look for New Job in 2012

6. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of December 27, 2011

7. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

Welcome to 2012! Starting at midnight December 31, 2011, you have 525,600 minutes to spend in 2012. Your success in working with your clients and in your career depends on how well you spend those 525,600 minutes, as well as the attitude you take when facing problems! Even when times are tough, keeping a positive attitude can mean a lot in terms of your success. And when your clients need quality employees, you know to refer VetJobs!

VetJobs is now in its thirteenth year of service to employers wanting to hire transitioning military, veterans, National Guard & Reserve, and their family members. 2011 was a difficult but good year for VetJobs. While many job boards are down in sales and job postings and other job boards have gone out of business, VetJobs sales finished 2011 up over 11%. In this deep recessionary market, that is an accomplishment! It is you the recruitment ad agency partners who refer VetJobs to your clients that have helped keep VetJobs in the forefront. We thank you and look forward to working with you more in 2012!

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On January 16 we celebrate Martin Luther King Day. MLK Day was founded as a holiday promoted by labor unions. After King’s death in 1968, Congressman John Conyers introduced a bill in Congress to make King’s birthday a national holiday, highlighting King’s activism on behalf of trade unions. Unions did most of the promotion for the holiday throughout the 1970s. In 1976, trade unions helped to elect Jimmy Carter, who endorsed the King Day bill. At the White House Rose Garden on November 2, 1983, Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King. It was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986.

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On the economic front, the country continues in the economic malaise that was started by the events put into motion from the Community Reinvestment Act in 1977. After 30 years the Act ultimately crashed our financial system and has given the United States record unemployment. The promises of a “Summer of Recovery” and the lowering of the unemployment rate to 8% have yet to occur.

In December the government reported CES unemployment rate went from 9.0% to 8.6% with only 120,000 new jobs created. Mathematically that is impossible but DOL got to 8.6% by saying 315,000 people dropped out of the workforce. Many people have asked DOL the methodology used to determine how many have “dropped out” and basically are told it is done by a formula. I suspect that we really do not know how many have actually dropped out. Some economic analysts have put back all the hundreds of thousands that DOL says have “dropped out” and discover that the CES unemployment rate is over 11%, which is probably closer to the truth. But this is an election year so you have to expect games. To be fair, every president since Eisenhower has played a little with the unemployment rates.

Please understand that to move the unemployment rate down 1% you have to have at least a 3.5% to 4.0% per month GDP growth rate for a year. At this point in time, our economic growth is anemic. For more on what the employment picture will look like, see my 2012 Job Market Predictions below.

At 34 months and counting, this is the longest streak of greater than 8% unemployment since tracking started in 1948! For more on this issue, see Steve Tobak’s commentary on CBS at http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57337159/lies-damn-lies-and-unemployment-data/?tag=mncol;lst;4.

After three years of high unemployment, falling home values, failing banks, municipal and state governments going broke and the incredible $14.3 trillion debt the administration has fostered on American taxpayers, it is easy to understand why the consumer confidence index has not been doing well. While hard for some to understand, this administration has created more debt than all the previous administrations combined going back to President Washington! Just as you as an individual cannot borrow your way out of debt, countries that try to borrow their way out of debt collapse into bankruptcy. That is why the credit rating for the United States has been lowered and that affects every citizen!

There are other factors specifically affecting companies which are the true source of job creation as governments do not create jobs, companies create jobs.

One is the economic malaise that has brought constant pressure to perform which is causing workforce fatigue. There is an all-out drive to increase productivity, drive quality, reduce costs and create efficiencies in every aspect of US industry.

Another big unknown is election year politics. As Oliver Bell points out in his 2012 Labor & Employee Relations Trends, there is concern about what candidates will do in the process of seeking the presidency as well as other elected offices that will impact employers and employees. Amazingly, President Obama’s decision to postpone construction of the Keystone XL pipeline means tens of thousands of new US jobs won’t be created, jobs veterans could have been filling. Ultimately, the Keystone XL Pipeline would have brought 400,000 new jobs! And the administration wants to raise taxes to compensate for the millions of lost tax dollars the pipeline would have generated.

Another big concern is the ever increasing federal, state and local regulations that hinder businesses. Some regulation is necessary. But DOL, EPA, DOE and other agencies have gone past what is basically needed and entered into the realm of seriously hindering our economy.

Recent reports from EEOC and OFCCP indicate that litigation rates are well above normal and financial consequences are more severe. If employers are bad actors then this is a good thing. However, if this is the result of government overreach, then employer’s and citizen’s tax dollars are working against their own best interests.

In the area or labor relations, government pushed rules that lead to easier organizing for unions will drive up employer administrative costs 17% to 25%! That is what has been found in studies to be the administrative cost difference of managing in a union shop state versus a right-to-work state.

Hidden are the hard to see costs of unionization that will rise as organized labor pushes their “each one, reach one” growth campaign. There are 16 million union members in the US, 7% in the private sector and 35% in the government sector. The easing of organizing rules by some projections would create the circumstances where unions could increase their current membership by 100%, or another 16 million. The cash windfall to unions would exceed $5 billion, which means more money for certain politicians.

If any of our readers can give me an example of where a company ran smoother with lower costs and better profits after unionization, I would appreciate hearing about it as to date I have yet to find such an example.

But all is not doom and gloom. The country is slowly moving forward as companies are starting to hire again. We see this at VetJobs as our job postings have been up 3% to 11% over same day last year. That is good. While it is tough for the unemployed, there are jobs available.

Edgar Ortiz, CEO of Strategic Analytic Solutions, Inc. has laid out very concisely what is needed to get the US economy turned around.

First, he notes that a strong and growing manufacturing sector is vital to our prosperity, standard of living and national security. To fix the manufacturing issue, he suggests following the National Manufacturing Association’s recommendation of reversing the current course of expanding trade deficits, outsourcing jobs overseas and ballooning national debt. Does it make sense to outsource the manufacture of defense equipment, ships, planes, etc. to non-US companies? I think not.

Second, fix the tax rates. The American tax rates are the highest in the world. Lower rates provide an incentive to allow corporations to repatriate billions of dollars in profits from overseas operations so they can invest capital in the United States economy.

Third recommendation is trade policies. Our government needs to demand greater transparency and compliance from our trade partners. Illegal subsidies, forced transfer of technology, dumping and intellectual property theft make it difficult and costly for American businesses to compete fairly.

And lastly, improve education and skills. Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace increasing the demand for workers with specialized skills. Everyone does not need to go to college, which is why the United States has a shortage of qualified candidates in many disciplines.

Put bluntly, America cannot survive on its current socialist path of growing deficits, increasing foreign debt, underperforming students and ballooning national debt. The longer we postpone the making of the tough choices needed to correct the imbalances and reverse the move towards socialism back to a free enterprise economy, the higher will be the cost passed to future generations.

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Each January it is my custom to make labor and market predictions. It is a challenge this year as there are many conflicting economic trends in the market. The country is improving, albeit slowly, by disproportionate rates depending on location. Critical is whether you are in a union shop state or a right-to-work state. The Southeast and Southwest are growing the best, but the Northeast and union shop states are having serious problems. With that said, here are my baker’s dozen 2012 predictions:

2012 Market Predictions

1. A high unemployment rate is here to stay

Unemployment will probably remain in the 8% to 9% range throughout 2012, unless the DOL decides for political reasons more people have “dropped out”. The recovery will continue at a relatively slow pace in 2012, with real GDP creeping up to 2.0% or slightly higher. Third quarter GDP growth for 2011 was 1.8%.

2. Labor shortages will persist

In spite of high unemployment, labor shortages of qualified candidates will continue to grow in the following areas: healthcare, petroleum, technicians, mechanics, welders, engineers and manufacturing. While some labor reports like to tout that there are 5.87 unemployed people for every available job that is not the way to look at the problem. Employers do not hire someone just because they are a living being. Employers hire to fill a need thus look for “qualified” candidates. When one looks at the unemployment problem from the standpoint of how many qualified applicants exist, you get negative numbers in occupations like plumbers, electricians, welders, nurses, technicians, etc. The good news for those seeking work is many of Manpower’s top 10 hardest jobs to fill don’t require a college degree, so they’re more accessible.

3. Jobs are starting to come back to the United States!

You will be reading a lot this year about “On-Shoring”. Some of the work that had been more efficient or economical to perform overseas has reached an economic tipping point. The fact that many of the countries to which jobs were exported do not protect copyrights and patents is also a factor. Global wages in manufacturing are moving upward. This is similar to what happened after WWII when it seemed everything was “Made in Japan”. As the Japanese work force became skilled, they wanted higher wages and the Japanese companies off-shored their jobs.

4. The workforce will be older

In the last decade or so, the life expectancy of the average U.S. citizen has increased every year. As a direct result, companies are seeing their employment populations develop more and more age-related disabilities and become more diverse. Companies may have as many as five generations of people in their workforce.

5. Demand for knowledge workers will increase.

As technology constantly improves, the need for qualified IT related employees continues to grow. There are shortages of qualified DBAs, network administrators, certain programmers, certified internet security candidates, etc.

6. Job openings will take longer to fill

There will be job openings aplenty in the trades as baby boomers retire but there is a shortage of qualified replacements. Many of the unemployed will need to be trained in new skill sets. Example: qualified welders are now making $45 an hour with lots of overtime in TX, MT, ND, SD and WY due to the shortage of qualified welders!

7. Health-care careers overall will likely enjoy job security.

According to the U.S. Labor Department, 13 of the 20 fastest-growing occupations through 2014 are related to health care.

8. Regulatory concerns

Several federal agencies, DOL, NLRB, NMB, FLRB, EEOC, and OFCCP have recently made or proposed changes that will negatively impact employers in 2012 driving up costs and the need for lawyers

9. Employees will be job hopping at increasing rates

From The Herman Group (www.hermangroup.com) we learn that the overwhelming majority of employees plan to change employers in 2012. Right Management found that 84% of the respondents to an online poll said they “plan to look for a new position in 2012”. That number is almost double the number found by Randstad in their recent poll.

10. Workforce development will increase in importance.

As communities realize the disparity between desired skills and those skills people actually possess, the issue of workforce development will become more important.

11. The United States and Europe will lag behind Asia and South America in job growth and profits

Asia has now become the major financial center and many Americans are migrating to Asia to find jobs. While their cost to manufacture is generally lower than the United States, quality and legal issues have actually caused many companies to return to the US. But if you are an investor or involved in finance, Asia is still very attractive.

12. Older workers will be more highly valued.

Older workers will be in higher demand as the baby boomers move into retirement. Public and private sector employers will be facing labor shortages and they want to retain the intellectual capital that their older workers have from being in the workforce. Older workers offer stability and maturity not found in many younger workers.

13. Employers continue to be dissatisfied with public schools

Managers are frustrated with the low level of preparation of the entry level workforce coming from many of the public school systems. Corporate executives are demanding greater performance from public schools, technical, community, and four-year colleges. It is disappointing that many high school graduates cannot read properly, write a letter, do basic math or received adequate education in history, business and economics. 25% of applicants today cannot pass the basic military entry test. Political correctness and teacher unions combined with legal issues, ACLU law suits and having to deal with unfunded federal mandates has brought our educational system to an all-time low. The public primary and secondary education system has to be improved if America is to maintain a strong economy. Interestingly, home schooled and private school students are excelling on the SAT!

It will be interesting to see where we are at the end of 2012.

Best regards,

Ted Daywalt
President

/—January Agency Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

1/18, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, The Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive
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2. DOL Sets Historic Hiring Goal for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors

The U.S. Department of Labor is proposing a new rule that would require federal contractors and subcontractors to set a hiring goal of having 7% of their workforces be people with disabilities, among other requirements. The department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs invites public comment on this proposal, which was published in the December 9 edition of the Federal Register.

OFCCP’s proposed rule would strengthen the affirmative action requirements established in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 obligating federal contractors and subcontractors to ensure equal employment opportunities for qualified workers with disabilities. The proposed regulatory changes detail specific actions contractors must take in the areas of recruitment, training, record keeping and policy dissemination — similar to those which have long been required to promote workplace equality for women and minorities. In addition, the rule would clarify OFCCP’s expectations for contractors by providing specific guidance on how to comply with the law.

/—January Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

January webinar is:

EEOC and OFCCP Compliance
Thursday, January 12, 2012 11:00 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. Top Cities for Growth

NewGeography’s top cities for job growth include five Texas towns: Fort Hood, El Paso, College Station, Midland and Austin. Also on the list: Bismarck, ND, New Orleans, LA, Dubuque, IA, Manhattan, KS and Pascagoula, MS

4. Rising Wages in Tough Times

While past data can’t predict future raises, it can tell you where average salaries continued to go up during the recession. The Brookings Institute’s MetroMonitor Index shows nearly 50 cities where wages have been rising since the recession began at the end of 2007 through the first quarter of 2011. The top 10 were: Bakersfield, CA, 6.8% wage increase; Modesto, CA, 4.5%; Palm Bay, FL, 3.7%; District of Columbia, 3.5%; Augusta, GA, 3.3%; El Paso, TX, 3.0%; Fresno, CA, 3.0%; Virginia Beach, VA, 2.8%; San Diego, CA, 2.6%; Oklahoma City, OK and Wichita, KS, 2.5%

5. Overwhelming Majority of Workers Plan to Look for New Job in 2012

The Herman Group (www.hermangroup.com) reports that in a study recently released by Right Management, 84% of the respondents to an online poll said they “plan to look for a new position in 2012”. That number is almost double the number found by Randstad in their recent poll. Only 7% said a move was “unlikely” or that they expected to stay in their current positions.

6. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of December 27, 2011

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 66,935; Navy Reserve, 4,421; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 10,180; Marine Corps Reserve, 5,220, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 769. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 87,525, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20111227ngr.pdf .

7. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1777 – General George Washington defeats the British led by British General Lord Charles Cornwallis, at Princeton, New Jersey (War of Independence)

1911 – Naval Lieutenant Eugene Ely became the first man ever to land an airplane on the deck of a ship, the converted cruiser USS Pennsylvania, in San Francisco Bay.

1915 – Congress established the United States Coast Guard.

1923 – American occupation forces, stationed in Germany since the close of World War I, were recalled.

1942 – U.S. and Filipino troops complete their withdrawal to a new defensive line along the base of the Bataan peninsula (World War II)

1944 – Allies Land at Anzio, Italy (World War II)

1945 – The Battle of the Bulge ended (World War II)

1951 – Chinese communist forces captured Seoul, Korea, from United Nations troops (Korean War)

1951 – Operation Thunderbolt began (Korean War)

1959 – Fidel Castro took control of Cuba.

1966 – American forces move into the Mekong Delta for the first time (Vietnam War)

1967 – Operation Cedar Falls began against the Communist-held Iron Triangle area north of Saigon (Vietnam War)

1968 – Battle of Khe Sanh began (Vietnam War)

1968 – Tet Offensive began (Vietnam War)

1968 – Battle of Hue began (Vietnam War)

1973 – Signing of the Vietnam Peace Accord (Vietnam War)

1991 – Allies start Operation Desert Storm with attacks on Iraq (Persian Gulf War)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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VetJobs Agency Eagle – December 2011

Ted Daywalt — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:20:14 +0000

Issue 12:12, Wednesday
December 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. Congress Passes Veterans Job Bill

3. PVA, Changing Lives and Building Futures for All Veterans with Disabilities

4. VA Telephone Support Program for Spouses

5. CIA Officers Mark Death of Agent with Rare Request

6. Agencies Delay Deadline for Health Benefit Summaries

7. Charges Filed with EEOC Hit Record High in Fiscal 2011

8. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of November 29, 2011

9. Significant Events this Month in Military History

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
1. Message from the Top

SPECIAL NOTE: VetJobs is taking a new approach to assisting military personnel who are transitioning off active duty and have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. VetJobs has been invited to conduct job transition and career seminars at Camp Arifjan on 31 December and Camp Buehring on 7 January in Kuwait. We will be assisting nearly 10,000 troops prepare for their job search, interviews, resumes, etc. These will be very exciting events as VetJobs now goes overseas to assist military personnel who will be departing the military and getting them prepared before they return to the United States!

During this trip, VetJobs is organizing a Career Fair for current active VetJobs members to be held on January 7, 2012 at Camp Buerhing. If you have a client who wants to attend, there will be a nominal registration fee and the company must pay their own travel and lodging. Transportation from hotels in Kuwait City to Camp Buerhing will be provided. To learn more and register, please forward an email to info@vetjobs.com with Kuwait in the subject line and a member of the VetJobs staff will contact you. As president of VetJobs, I will be going over to direct the seminars. This will be a great opportunity for your clients to have first look at nearly 10,000 returning Army, National Guard, Reservists, Navy and Air Force personnel. Most have some level of security clearance. This is the first time such an event has been organized and will lead to other similar events. I would be pleased to see your clients represented to these troops!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) sponsored VetJobs is now in its thirteenth year of service to veterans and their family members! Last month we were endorsed by another veteran service organization, The Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org).

It is exciting to see how VetJobs has been recognized over the past twelve years by the industry evaluators as THE leading military related job board on the Internet. VetJobs awards include: CareerXRoads Top Site; AIRS Top Recruiting Site; WEDDLE’s prestigious User’s Choice Award; Workforce Management’s Top 10 Recruiting Site; 2010 AOL Hot Job Site Award and was the only military job board selected by Reader’s Digest and BusinessWeek. No other military related site has received all these awards. Last month, VetJobs was one of five finalists for the US Chamber’s 1st Annual Lee Anderson Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Award!

As an employer, you know personally how the recession has caused many companies to be more selective as to where they advertise their jobs. And even though there are many unemployed people, there are shortages of “qualified” candidates such as nurses, healthcare, technicians, engineers and sales people. As an employer looking for quality candidates, all these disciplines and more are represented in the veteran community. And VetJobs is your ticket for the largest reach into the veteran candidate market!

* * * * * * * * * *
December 7 is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Let us never forget that 70 years ago Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor Naval Base and Hickam Air Field in Hawaii, killing more than 2,300 Americans. The following day President Franklin Roosevelt, addressing a joint session of Congress, called December 7, 1941, “a date which will live in infamy.” Declaring war against Japan, Congress ushered the United States into World War II and the United States abandoned isolationism.

Our parents and grandparents became the “greatest generation” for liberating the world from the threat of fascist domination which at that time was dominant in Germany, Italy and Japan. Today our youth defend us from a new threat of tyranny from Islamic zealots and terrorists whose sole goal is world domination and the murder of anyone who disagrees with their fanatical interpretation of Islamic religious beliefs. Keep our military personnel who fight for our freedoms in your prayers this holiday season. While the administration is bringing home troops from Iraq, the wars America faces are not over.

On December 13 we celebrate the 375th birthday of the National Guard! The National Guard traces its origin to an event in 1636 when the first muster of three militia regiments took place in Salem, MA. The National Guard is an integral part of today’s military and is active in nearly 100 countries around the world. The National Guard has been called up for combat more times in the last decade than in its entire history! So if you meet a member of the National Guard, say Happy Birthday and THANK YOU for defending our freedoms!

Other celebrations in December include Hanukkah (December 21), Christmas (December 25) and Kwanzaa (December 26).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
On the economic front, Jeff Thredgold in his monthly Tea Leaf reports what we now call the Great Recession officially began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009. It was the longest, the deepest, and the most painful recession since the Great Depression. The current expansion has been less than satisfying both statistically and emotionally, with major headwinds still in play involving weak residential and commercial real estate markets, uncomfortably high unemployment, major European financial risk, and elevated levels of anxiety about the direction of the federal government.

The current U.S. economic expansion has been especially lackluster when considering the massive and unprecedented levels of both fiscal and monetary stimulus from the government. The massive stimulus packages did not do what was needed. While modest economic growth has returned, a “recession of confidence” remains center stage. Economic growth for 2012 will be slow with most forecasts congregating around a 1.5%.The nation’s unemployment rate has averaged 9.0% for the past three years. Most forecasters see an unemployment rate of not less than 8.5% by the end of 2012, while others say it could go back to 10%.

Any way you look at the current economy, it is not good. But, in spite of the bad news, many employers are hiring. I hear regularly from human resource personnel and recruiters of shortages of “qualified” candidates to fill jobs for technicians, engineers, healthcare, sales and senior executives.

Economic reporting for the past month gives the following:

On the plus side:
-Retail sales rose 0.5% in October, a larger increase than the 0.3% economists had been expecting. Excluding the auto segment, retail sales rose 0.6%, the largest jump in seven months.
-National Association of Realtors reports U.S. existing home sales rose 1.4% in October to an annualized rate of 4.97 million units, topping economists’ estimates of a 2.2% drop.
-Heralding a rare moment of bipartisan agreement, President Barack Obama signed into law Monday legislation aimed at helping unemployed veterans find work while putting more cash in the hands of companies with government contracts. The legislation, which creates tax breaks for companies that hire jobless veterans, marks the first proposal from Obama’s $447 billion jobs bill to be signed into law. The rest of the package of new taxes and spending has largely failed to garner support from Republican lawmakers.
-The number of institutions on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.’s problem list in the third quarter of 2011 declined for the second quarter in a row and the industry posted its ninth-straight profitable quarter
-Personal spending rose 0.1% in October from September, less than the 0.4% economists had expected, while personal income rose 0.4%, slightly higher than the 0.3% expected.
-Orders for long-lasting goods fell 0.7% in October from the month prior, a shallower fall than the 1% decline economists forecast. Excluding the transportation component, orders were up 0.7% compared with estimates of no change.
-Sales of new U.S. homes rose 1.3% in October from September to an annualized rate of 307,000 units, missing estimates of a 315,000-unit rate, but still an increase.
-The ADP employment report shows the private sector added 206,000 jobs in November, topping estimates of 130,000 jobs. It will be interesting to see what the DOL jobs report says tomorrow!
-The National Association of Realtors’ pending home sales index jumped 10.4% on a monthly basis, its biggest increase since November 2010, blowing past estimates of a 1.5% increase.
-The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index rose to 56 in November, the highest level since July, from a revised 40.9 in October.
-The Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing PMI gauge rose to 52.7 in November from 50.8 in October, topping estimates of 51.5.

On the negative side:
-U.S. producer prices fell 0.3%, a steeper drop than the 0.1% economists had been expecting. Excluding the food and energy component, prices were flat. Economists had been expecting a 0.1% increase.
-Tech talent is the most in-demand field currently in the US and more than 220,000 unique job listing were posted online during October. Despite seeing high demand, this field has begun to see slowing growth, which is mostly likely due to seasonal trends. The volume of job ads during October represents a 5.7% growth versus October 2010. (WantedAnalytics)
-Panel announces it has not reached an agreement on saving $1.2 trillion over 10 years, saying in a statement that it was unable ‘to bridge the committee’s significant differences.’
-The U.S. economy grew at a 2.0% pace in the third quarter, down from an initial estimate of 2.5%, mainly because companies reduced inventories and did not invest as much
-Orders for long-lasting U.S. goods fell 0.7% in October, largely because of weaker demand for commercial aircraft. Bookings for electrical equipment and computers also fell
-A final reading on consumer sentiment for the month of November checked in at 64.1, slightly less than a preliminary reading of 64.2 and below estimates of 64.5, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan.
-Credit rating agency Fitch maintains AAA rating for the United States but downgrades outlook to ‘negative’ from ‘stable’
- New claims for unemployment benefits rose to 402,000 last week from an upwardly-revised 396,000 the week before. Economists had anticipated a drop to 390,000 from an initial reading of 393,000.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As December is a travel month for many, please remember to take donations to your local USO. The demands of the holiday season will be great and the USO needs your support and donations!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Finally, each December I like to close with A Different Christmas Poem. Snopes.com cites the origin from the International War Veterans Poetry Archive (IWVPA) saying the identity of the author is Michael Marks who wrote the poem in December 2000 as the first in a series of patriotic writings (http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/glurge/different.asp). Enjoy!

A Different Christmas Poem
-Michael Marks

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn’t loud, and it wasn’t too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn’t quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood; his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me and my wife and my child.

“What are you doing?” I asked without fear,
“Come in this moment, it’s freezing out there!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!”

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.
To the window that danced with a warm fire’s light
Then he sighed and he said “It’s really all right,
I’m out here by choice. I’m here every night.
It’s my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I’m proud to stand here like my father’s before me.
My Gramps died at ‘ Pearl on a day in December,”
Then he sighed, “That’s a Christmas ‘Gram always remembers.
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ‘ Nam ‘,
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I’ve not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures. He’s sure got her smile.”

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue… an American flag.
“I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother
Who stand at the front against any and all
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.
So go back inside,” he said,” harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I’ll be all right.”

“But isn’t there something I can do, at the least,
Give you money,” I asked, “or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you’ve done,
For being away from your wife and your son.”

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
“Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we’re gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you, as you mattered to us.”

* * * * * * * * * *
From the staff at VetJobs, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! And have a safe, Happy New Year!

Best regards,

Ted Daywalt
President

/—December Agency Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

12/8, TECHEXPO To Secret Career Fair, The Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City, 1250 South Hayes St, Arlington, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Register at www.techexpousa.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/

2. Congress Passes Veterans Job Bill

The House unanimously passed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, a comprehensive veterans’ jobs bill that combined the best of two separate House and Senate bills with a tax credit proposed by the White House. The president is expected to sign the bill into law early next week. VFW National Commander Richard DeNoyer said he was proud to see Congress come together to pass a law to address the daunting veterans’ unemployment crisis. VFW had previously testified in support of comprehensive veterans’ employment legislation before both the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees.

/—December Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

December webinars are:

EEOC and OFCCP Compliance
Thursday, December 15, 2011, 11:00 AM Central Time

Understanding the Achiever in the Selection and Development process
Friday, December 16, 2011 11:00 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. PVA, Changing Lives and Building Futures for All Veterans with Disabilities

When our veterans return home after valiantly serving their country, they will need advocates to help them successfully transition into their new lives. PVA provides advocates to assist them in securing quality healthcare, timely access to their veterans’ benefits, and support in finding jobs and/or adaptable housing. For veterans who are suffering from spinal cord injuries as a result of their military service, their needs are even more complex.

For more than 65 years, Paralyzed Veterans of America (www.pva.org) has been dedicated to helping those who have served our country. From providing comprehensive assistance with VA benefits, to offering access to quality healthcare and a barrier-free America, to striving for a cure for paralysis and promoting adaptive sports and recreation, Paralyzed Veterans is dedicated to empowering our heroic veterans-and all people with disabilities-by providing tools to help them maximize the quality of their lives.

Veterans who live with spinal cord injuries face many physical and day-to-day challenges. The National Service Officers (NSOs) at Paralyzed Veterans of America help to meet these challenges and are highly trained in VA law, benefits and healthcare. All of these NSOs serving veterans are also veterans themselves, and many have some type of disability. As a result, they have a unique understanding of the concerns and challenges that impact paralyzed veterans and their families. Most importantly, these NSOs are able to offer the specialized attention and support these heroic men and women deserve, at no cost to the veteran. To learn more about Paralyzed Veterans of America and their ongoing mission to change lives and build futures for all veterans with disabilities, please visit www.PVA.org.

4. VA Telephone Support Program for Spouses

VA is implementing a telephone support program to help spouses of returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans after a pilot telephone support program showed significant reduction in stress for the spouses. “Returning to civilian life after living in constant combat readiness can be a shocking transition, and it is the immediate family, the spouses and children, who bear that brunt of that transition with those who served,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “The more support we can provide to the family, the better the outcome will be for our Veterans.” The spouse telephone support program, which is part of VA’s Caregiver Support Program, builds spouses’ ability to cope with the challenges that reintegration to civilian society can bring, helps them serve as a pillar of support for returning Veterans, and eases the transition for families after deployments. Spouses in the pilot program reported decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety, with an increase in social support. Local caregiver support coordinators are available to assist Veterans and their caregivers in understanding and applying for VA’s many caregiver benefits. VA also has a Web page, www.caregiver.va.gov, with general information on spouse telephone support and other caregiver support programs available.

5. CIA Officers Mark Death of Agent with Rare Request

The Associated Press reports that CIA officers are asking people to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of the first American killed in the Afghan war by donating to help the children of their fellow fallen. Since the death in 2001 of CIA officer Mike Spann, a total of 23 stars have been added to the wall at the CIA’s Langley, VA., headquarters that honors CIA operatives lost. Many were killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The clandestine world rarely breaks its silence, especially when it comes to family, but the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation notes about 56 children of those killed in the line of duty will need educational support over the next 17 years. For more information, visit http://ciamemorialfoundation.org/

6. Agencies Delay Deadline for Health Benefit Summaries

SHRM reports that three federal agencies announced in November via an online frequently asked question (FAQ) response that they will not require sponsors of group health plans to comply with the requirement to create and distribute to employees a uniform Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) and Uniform Glossary beginning March 23, 2012, as they had originally proposed. The U.S. departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services, the agencies responsible for implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), said that compliance with the SBC requirement will not be required until the agencies publish a final rule with a new applicability date providing sufficient time for group health plans to comply.

7. Charges Filed with EEOC Hit Record High in Fiscal 2011

Discrimination charges filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have hit another record level. According to the EEOC’s annual Performance and Accountability Report, released Nov. 15, 2011, the agency received 99,947 charges of employment discrimination in fiscal year 2011—Oct. 1, 2010, through Sept. 30, 2011—which is the largest number of charges filed in one year since the agency was established in 1965. The report revealed that the agency hit other milestones in 2011, including a record 10 percent reduction in the EEOC’s backlog of pending cases and $364.6 million in back pay and penalties paid to victims of workplace discrimination. In addition, the EEOC’s private-sector national mediation program hit a milestone by collecting more than $170 million in monetary benefits for plaintiffs and by resolving 9,831 cases—another record.

8. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of November 29, 2011

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 68,491; Navy Reserve, 4,563; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 10,116; Marine Corps Reserve, 5,969, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 789. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 89,928, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20111129ngr.pdf .

9. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1775 – The first official American flag (not the Stars and Stripes) was raised for the first time over the Navy flagship Alfred.

1778 – British troops under COL Archibald Campbell occupied Savannah, GA (American Revolution).

1812 – The US frigate Constitution defeats the British frigate Java (War of 1812).

1814 – Treaty of Ghent (Belgium) signed, ending the War of 1812 between the United States and England.

1846 – American troops occupied Ciudad Victoria in northeastern Mexico (Mexican War).

1860 – South Carolina secedes from the Union and South Carolina troops seize the Federal arsenal in Charleston (Civil War).

1898 – The Treaty of Paris was signed by American and Spanish representatives, ending the Spanish-American War.

1921 – The first helium-filled balloon, a U.S. Navy dirigible, flew from Hampton Roads, VA to Washington, D.C.

1941 – Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. The United States declared war on Germany, Japan and Italy (World War II).

1944 – Battle of the Bulge began (World War II).

1946 – The official end of World War II.

1972 – The Paris Peace talks temporarily fail and President Nixon orders a resumption of full-scale bombing of targets in North Vietnam (Vietnam War).

1989 – Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama, begins.

1991 – The USSR went out of existence after 74 years.

1992 – Operation Restore Hope – America’s intervention in Somalia began.

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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), Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org) and The Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org).

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VetJobs
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
877-Vet-Jobs (877-838-5627)
770-993-5117 Office
770.993.2875 Fax

Veterans make the best employees!
Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans!

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

Agency Eagle Newsletter – October 2011

Ted Daywalt — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 21:13:52 +0000

Issue 12:10, Saturday, October 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. USAJobs Overhaul in October

3. New IRS Worker Classification Settlement Program

4. Manufacturer Group Tries to Block Union Rights Notice Rule

5. Year-End Hiring Outlook Dismal for Professional Services Markets

6. USAF Voluntary Separation Measures Continue

7. Firing Employees for Facebook Posts Violated NLRA

8. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of September 27, 2011

9. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

Next month VetJobs will be exhibiting at Onrec’s new annual U.S. fall event THE RECRUITING CONFERENCE (TRC). The conference is a global summit designed to stimulate beneficial partnerships, discussions, and debate among sourcers, recruiters, HR professionals, and other members of the recruiting industry. The vision of THE RECRUITING CONFERENCE is global and local, as the conference serves as The Hub for the Recruiting Industry – a place where professionals gather and benefit from a high-level exchange of information and ideas. THE RECRUITING CONFERENCE is being held November 1 & 2 at the InterContinental O’Hare, Chicago, IL. You can register to attend at http://www.therecruitingconference.com/. We look forward to seeing you there!

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This month we celebrate the 236th birthday of the United States Navy. At an October 13, 1775 meeting in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress voted to fit out two sailing vessels armed with ten carriage guns and swivel guns. The frigates were to be manned by crews of eighty and to cruise the Atlantic for three months to intercept transports carrying munitions and stores to the British army in America. This was the original legislation out of which the Continental Navy grew and as such constitutes the birth certificate of the Navy. If you meet a current or former member of the Navy, say Happy Birthday!

Other events celebrated this month include:

October 8 – Yom Kippur

October 10 – Columbus Day

October 13 – Navy Day.

October 31 – Halloween.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
On the economic front, things still are not getting any better. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) had announced the recession that started in December 2007 ended in June 2009. NBER is the group charged with determining when recessions officially begin and end. The NBER said the economy bottomed out in June 2009, followed thereafter by a slow expansion and was the longest recession since the end of World War Two. Of course, to the 14 million people who constitute the current 9.1% unemployment rate the recession is still going strong.

The good news is that this is not a jobless recovery. I find it interesting that with so many people unemployed, I continually hear from employers who say they cannot find enough qualified candidates, which is mentioned in article #5 below. This is a direct indictment of our secondary educational system.

Here is a brief review of economic indicators for the past month:

On the negative side:
-Sales of new single-family homes fell 2.3% in August from July to an annual rate of 295,000 units, in line with estimates.

-In August, employers took 1,587 mass layoff actions involving 165,547 workers. Mass layoff events rose by 8 from July, and associated initial claims rose by 20,547. The manufacturing sector reported 391 layoff events resulting in 48,997 initial claims.

-In August, 26 states and the District of Columbia reported over-the-month unemployment rate increases, 12 had decreases and 12 had no change. Nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 30 states and the district and increased in 20 states.

-The Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s gauge of manufacturing activity came in at -17.5 in September, slightly worse than the -15 economists forecast, but higher than the -30.7 reading in August. Readings above zero point to expansion, while those below zero indicate contraction.

On the positive side:
-The National Association of Realtors reports pending sales of previously-owned homes fell 1.2% last month, a smaller decline than the 1.8% drop that had been expected.

-Existing home sales rose 7.7% in August from July to a 5.03 million unit rate, topping the 1.4% gain economists had expected.

-A preliminary reading on consumer sentiment for the month of September rose to 57.8 from 55.7 in August, topping estimates of 56.5, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan.

If your clients are in the market for qualified employees, the competition will continue to be tight, but hiring a veteran is an effective way to meet their needs! Give us a call at 877-Vet-Jobs (877-838-5627) if you would like to post jobs on behalf of a client!

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Finally, October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime, and women 20 to 24 are at the greatest risk. Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police. And men are victims, too. More than 834,000 men report being domestically assaulted annually. People who are abused often feel as though no one will believe them, or they think they have nowhere to go for help.

While we cannot concern ourselves with every detail of a person’s life, we can be aware of changes in behavior, moods and certainly appearance of those around us. If you are in a leadership position, part of the responsibility of being a leader is taking care of those for whom you are responsible. It is your responsibility to make sure your people are okay, both at work and at home. The mark of a good leader is the ability to listen and then act. Please be aware. For more information, visit the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence at http://dvam.vawnet.org/. No one deserves to be abused!

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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

/—October Agency Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

10/4, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, DoubleTree Hotel, 1775 East Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard, Colorado Springs, CO, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, www.techexpousa.com

10/19, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, www.techexpousa.com

10/20, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Sheraton Reston Hotel, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, www.techexpousa.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/

2. USAJobs Overhaul in October

Federal Communication Week reports the USAJOBS.gov system is undergoing its first major revamp in seven years by separating its data from Monster.com and transitioning to a new in-house operating system developed and run by the Office of Personnel Management. The USAJOBS.gov website will shut down from October 6 to October 12 while five billion rows of data are transferred to the new system. No new jobs will be offered, and no job applications will be due, during the offline period. The new system will begin operating October 13. OPM rebuilt the site “from the ground up” to create the new version, called USAJOBS 3.0. The new iteration uses Extensible Markeup Language and an open architecture, and features stronger security. Resumes and personal data for 19 million people who applied for federal jobs on USAJobs.gov no longer will be commingled with corporate data from Monster.com, which has operated USAJOBS.gov since 2004. In the new USAJobs.gov system, all the applicants’ data will be brought in-house and operated on OPM’s servers. In 2007, hackers breached Monster.com’s system and OPM data was compromised in the bargain. The new USAJOBS.gov system will enhance the federal job application experience for applicants, agencies and vendors.

/—October Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

October webinars are:

Friday, October 07, 2011 11:00 AM Central Time
Friday, October 21, 2011 11:00 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. New IRS Worker Classification Settlement Program

Douglas Stamer of Solutions Lawyers, P.C., reports the September 22, 2011 launch by the Internal Revenue Service of a new Voluntary Worker Classification Settlement Program (“Settlement Program”) is the latest signal to businesses using independent contractors, leased employees or other non-employee workers of the need to take steps to confirm and strengthen the defensibility of their existing non-employee and exempt employee classifications in response to rising scrutiny and challenging of these characterizations the IRS and a host of other federal and state regulators, as well as workers and others in private litigation.

Echoing the growing scrutiny by the IRS and other agencies on monitoring and enforcing worker classification compliance, the IRS says the new Settlement Program established under Announcement 2011-64 reflects the widespread emphasis by the IRS and other federal and state regulators on uncovering and redressing misclassification of workers as non-employees by businesses for purposes of tax and other laws. The IRS’ launch of the Settlement Program follows its September, 2010 kickoff of a three-year audit program under which the IRS planned to audit the appropriateness of employer worker classification and other payroll tax practices of approximately 6000 employers. By following up with the establishment of the Settlement Program, the IRS is sending another strong signal to employers to use the Settlement Program to clean up questionable worker classification practices now to avoid significant payroll tax liability from an IRS audit or other enforcement action.

Under the program, eligible employers can obtain substantial relief from federal payroll taxes and penalties owing from past misclassification of workers by reclassifying workers under the program, filing and paying the required settlement fee to the IRS and meeting other Settlement Program requirements. As welcome as the opportunity to resolve potential payroll tax exposures through participation in the Settlement Program, businesses considering using the Program need to understand and be prepared to address various challenges in the Program, as well as its interaction with worker classification risks under other laws.

4. Manufacturer Group Tries to Block Union Rights Notice Rule

SHRM reports the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from implementing a new rule that would require most U.S. employers to post a notice informing workers of their rights to unionize. The NAM lawsuit claims that the NLRB overstepped its authority in issuing the regulation, which was set to take effect on November 14, 2011. Under the rule, most private-sector employers, including labor unions, will be required to post a notice of employee rights where other workplace posters are usually displayed. The new requirement applies to businesses that are subject to the National Labor Relation Act (NLRA). It excludes agricultural, railroad and airline employers. Attorneys for NAM filed a four-count complaint on September 8, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the NLRB rules. The suit asserts that the board has no authority under the NLRA “to create and promulgate a new unfair labor practice and that the NLRB’s authority to enforce federal labor law is triggered when workers file a union representation petition or a complaint of unfair labor practices.”

5. Year-End Hiring Outlook Dismal for Professional Services Markets

From SHRM: A majority of executives surveyed said they expect no change in their professional level staffing for the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a report released Aug. 31, 2011, by global staffing and consulting firm Robert Half International. However, companies that do plan to hire expect challenges in finding the right skilled professionals for available jobs. The Robert Half Professional Employment Report is based on telephone interviews with more than 4,000 U.S. C-level executives and other leaders from a variety of fields, who were asked about their hiring plans and level of optimism for the upcoming quarter. Survey respondents—all of whom have hiring authority—included more than 1,400 chief financial officers (CFOs); 1,400 chief information officers (CIOs); 500 senior human resources managers; 100 law firm attorneys and 100 corporate attorneys; and 125 advertising executives and 375 marketing executives. 82% of respondents reported their companies don’t intend to step up hiring in the fourth quarter of 2011. 12% of respondents said their companies are planning to hire professional-level staff in the fourth quarter of 2011, while 5% foresee making cutbacks. The resulting net 7% increase in hiring activity is up four points from the third-quarter forecast. 59% of executives interviewed said it is challenging to find skilled professionals today; this is up 17% points from the third quarter of 2011. In fact, fourth-quarter 2011 hiring projections were still higher than the third-quarter 2011 forecast in nearly all professional segments.

6. USAF Voluntary Separation Measures Continue

The Air Force will continue to offer voluntary officer-separation measures in Fiscal 2012 in order to help the service draw down to its Congressionally authorized end-strength level of 332,800 active duty airmen by the end of that fiscal year. Under the Fiscal 2012 officer 10-8 commission waiver program, eligible officers in certain competitive categories may seek to retire with reduced active commissioned service. Those categories are: line of Air Force, line of the Air Force-judge advocate general, chaplain, biomedical service corps, and medical service corps. Officers ineligible for that program—including some colonels eligible for a selective early retirement board next year—may seek to separate under another initiative: the Fiscal 2012 officer limited active duty service commitment program, according to Air Force manpower officials.

7. Firing Employees for Facebook Posts Violated NLRA

SHRM reports A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administrative law judge (ALJ) has found that a Buffalo nonprofit organization unlawfully discharged five employees after they posted comments on Facebook concerning working conditions, including workload and staffing issues (Hispanics United of Buffalo Inc., NLRB ALJ, No. 3-CA-27872, Sept. 2, 2011 (released Sept. 6, 2011)). This is the first NLRB decision regarding social media websites that didn’t target the organization’s social media policy itself, according to Richard M. Betheil, an attorney with Pryor Cashman in New York City. It also is the first social media case that involves a nonunionized workplace.

8. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of September 27, 2011

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 70,251; Navy Reserve, 4,719; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 11,145; Marine Corps Reserve, 5,681, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 674. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 92,470, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20110927ngr.pdf .

9. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1781 – British troops under General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, effectively ending the American Revolution.

1775 – The US Navy was established.

1901 – The first British Navy submarine was commissioned.

1944 – Battle of Leyte Gulf (WW II)

1950 – The invasion of North Korea started. (Korean War)

1952 – Battle of Hill 598 began (Korean War)

1957 – The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, first man-made earth satellite.

1962 – The U.S. began its blockade of Cuba to compel the Russians to remove long-range missiles aimed at the United States.

1964 – The Chinese exploded their first atomic bomb.

1965 – The Battle of the La Drang Valley (Vietnam War)

1968 – The Bombing of North Vietnam ended (Vietnam War)

1969 – Battle of Loc Ninh (Vietnam War)

1971 – Operation Jefferson Glenn, the last major operation in which US ground forces participated in Vietnam (Vietnam War)

1973 – Egypt and Syria launched military offensive against Israel

1983 -Terrorist attack on Marine Barracks, Beirut

1983 – Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada

1993 – Battle of Bakhara Market, Mogadishu, Somalia

2000 – Bombing of the USS Cole by Al-Qaeda terrorists

2001 – Operation Enduring Freedom began in Afghanistan

2001 – War on Terror Began
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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).

You were opted-in when you as a recruitment ad agency brought an employer member to VetJobs, were referred to VetJobs or were part of an organization which opted-in to VetJobs.

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VetJobs
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
877-Vet-Jobs (877-838-5627)
770-993-5117 Office
770.993.2875 Fax

Veterans make the best employees!
Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans!

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

VetJobs Agency Eagle – September

Ted Daywalt — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 07:30:34 +0000

Issue 12:9, Thursday, September 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. History of Labor Day

3. Transitional Health Care for National Guard and Reservists

4. ProfessionalSoldiers.com Outs Political Faker

5. 100 Fastest Growing Careers

6. NLRB Mandates Notification of Union Organizing Rights

7. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of August 30, 2011

8. Significant Events this Month in Military History

Thank you for reading the VetJobs Agency Eagle employer newsletter. If you like this newsletter and what VetJobs and the VFW do to assist veterans and their family member find employment, please go to http://www.weddles.com/poll.htm and vote VetJobs for the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
1. Message from the Top

VetJobs and the Veterans of Foreign Wars have always been at the forefront of assisting transitioning military, veterans and their family members find employment. VetJobs has been recognized as the leading military related job board on the Internet by Workforce Management Magazine, Reader’s Digest, AIRS, AOL and WEDDLE’s. VetJobs has been recognized by many press organizations including USA Today, BusinessWeek, Military Times, Fox News and featured on CBS 60 Minutes. StatBrain (www.statbrain.com) confirms VetJobs traffic now leads the military niche job boards with over 4,600 visitors a day, or 140,000 visitors a month.

If you want to expand the reach of your clients into the transitioning military and veteran candidate market, send the VetJobs VP of Sales, Tom Cushman, and email at tcushman@vetjobs.com and he will be happy to assist you and your clients!

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Monday, September 5, is when the United States celebrates Labor Day! I give a brief discussion of the history of Labor Day in article #2 below. But when celebrating Labor Day this year, let us recognize not only the American labor movement and all it has brought about, but also those in the military who labor to protect our country. Many of our active duty, National Guard and Reserve brothers and sisters will not have the luxury of celebrating the holiday with their families. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to defend our country!

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September has many military and religious related dates:

9/2 is V-J Day when Japan formally surrendered in 1945, effectively ending World War II.

9/10 celebrates the incorporation of the Naval Sea Cadet Corps. September is Sea Cadet Month.

9/11 is Patriot Day established to remember those who perished in the attack on the United States by radical Islamic terrorists.

9/14 celebrates the writing of the Star Spangled Banner in 1814.

9/16 is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. If you would like to order POW/MIA items, please visit http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=97

9/17 celebrates the approval of the United States Constitution in 1787.

9/18 is the birthday of the United States Air Force. If you meet a member of the USAF, say Happy Birthday!

9/23 is Native American Day

9/25 is Gold Star Mother’s Day

9/29 is VFW Day when the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) was established. The VFW is the oldest continuous combat veteran service organization in the United States! The original purpose of the VFW was to assist returning veterans from the Spanish American War to receive healthcare and find jobs. The VFW is still fighting for veterans today! If you are eligible, please become a member by visiting www.vfw.org.

9/29 is Rosh Hashanah

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On September 11 we commemorate those who died from the attack on America by radical Islamic terrorists. The day will be marked throughout the United States and abroad with services of remembrance. Please observe a solemn moment of silence on the morning on September 11 as we remember not only the terror, but also the heroism of those who stood in harm’s way.

Since that fateful day in 2001, there have been many radical Islamic terrorist attacks against democracies worldwide. In many of the debates about the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, I notice that people forget to remember that it was the United States that was attacked on September 11. Unfortunately, we have too many apologists in our midst who seem to think America is the problem in the world. Such is not the case. The United States did not initiate attacks on Islam or other Islamic countries. Never forget that the world is involved in a prolonged conflict with a non-state, radical religious ideology that wants to eliminate the nation state as we know it and the freedoms that have come to identify the democracies of the world and our free market economies.

I maintain that we cannot negotiate with the radical Islamic terrorists since their sole goal is our elimination and the restoration of the Caliphate. Conflict theory teaches you cannot negotiate with an entity whose sole purpose is your elimination. The radical Islamists care not for who they kill in order to reach their goal of expanding their interpretation of Islam. As a result, this conflict will be with us for a long, long time. This has many ramifications for the type of military the United States needs to maintain, as other conventional threats and historical enemies of America are re-emerging, especially Russia and China who are actively re-arming. The Chinese are building three aircraft carriers which have only one purpose. The United States and other democracies did not start the conflict with radical Islam, but we will not back away from it! Let us pray that our leaders have the will to sustain this fight to the finish and commit whatever resources are necessary to win.

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On the economic front, the news is still not good and I am not sure it is going to get better anytime soon. I was on Fox News’ Bulls & Bears this week (http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1137767465001/daywalt-rein-in-regulation-boost-job-growth/) discussing what it will take to get the economy turned around and give businesses the positive climate necessary to foster growth. The items I emphasized included cutting the size of the federal government, reduce substantially corporate tax rates, reduce and/or eliminate many onerous government regulations and total repeal of Obamacare. I am not confident the current administration will do what is necessary as they adhere to an ideology of larger government and more taxes. That has not been the American business tradition.

Today the White House has predicted the U.S. jobless rate will fall to 8.8% this year, down from a prior estimate of 9.3%. Of course, this is the same White House that said unemployment would not get above 8.0%. In its Mid-Session Review, the White House Office of Management and Budget also said that the unemployment rate would be 8.2% in the fourth quarter of 2012 – just as President Barack Obama competes for re-election. I personally think these are rosy political statements, not based on the facts of what is happening in the market.

Note that the August unemployment numbers remain at 9.1% and no net new jobs were created, the first time that has happened since February 1945. Economists had thought the economy had created 78,000 jobs, but that did not materialize. Worse, the unemployment numbers for June and July were revised downward an additional 58,000 jobs. None of this is good news.

Next week the president is scheduled to give a speech on what he will do to get the economy turned around. I am not confident the president will do what is necessary to turn our economy around and create a positive business climate for your agency and your clients.

That said, here is quick review of the current economic indicators;

On the plus side:

-Labor Department reports weekly jobless claims drop by 12,000 to 409,000 as continuing claims fell to 3.7 million. Productivity for the second quarter was revised down to 0.7%, the steepest drop since fourth quarter 2008.

-The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas dropped 0.1% on a seasonally-adjusted basis in June. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, home prices ticked up 1.1%.

-Durable goods orders rise 4% last month, topping forecasts of a gain of 2%. Excluding the transportation component, orders were up 0.7%, also beating expectations of a decline of 0.5%.

On the negative side:
- Employers added no net workers in August for the first time since February 1945 as unemployment rate remains unchanged at 9.1 percent

-ISM Report shows U.S. manufacturing came in at 50.6 in August, compared to 50.9 in July, but topping expectations of 48.5. Construction spending decreases 1.3% to $789.5 billion.

-The Conference Board reported consumer confidence crumbled to 44.5 in August from 59.2 in July, its lowest level in more than two years, and far weaker than the 52 economists forecast.

-The final August reading of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index was at 55.7, down from 63.7 the month before.

-U.S. gross domestic product was revised down to 1% in the second quarter from 1.3%, missing economists’ estimates of 1.1%.

-The Commerce Department reported sales of single-family homes dropped 0.7% to an annual-unit rate of 298,000 last month, missing expectations of 310,000 annual rate.

-The National Association of Realtors reported July pending home sales dropped 1.3% to 89.7 from 90.9 in June

-U.S. existing home sales fell 3.5% in July from June to an annual rate of 4.67 million units. Economists had been expecting a 3.8% increase to a 4.9 million-unit rate.

-The Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s gauge of manufacturing activity came in at -30.7 in August, far short of expectations of 3.7. Readings above 0 point to expansion, while those below 0 indicate contraction.

-Standard & Poor’s Downgrades U.S. Credit Rating to AA+

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Recent data reveals the number of Americans who are now relying on food stamps to meet their basic living needs increased to a record high of 45.8 million in May. This figure is a 12% increase from one year ago. In order to be eligible, individuals’ annual income may not exceed $14,088 per year, or $1,174 per month.

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Finally, check out www.TheHugsProject.com. They’re a nationwide troop support nonprofit doing great things for those in harm’s way. More than one million cooling ties have been sent which reduce troops’ body core temps by 7+ degrees and over 400 tons of care packages. Oklahoma founders, Ray and Karen Stark, are lifetime members of the VFW. Email them at: TheHugsProject@cox.net and learn how to donate to help with the $62,000 Christmas postage bill or to get your company or club involved. The Hugs Project sends more than 8,000 care packages per year.

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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

/—September Agency Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

9/20, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Tysons Ritz Carlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd, McLean, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, www.techexpousa.com

9/21, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, www.techexpousa.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/

2. History of Labor Day

As the Industrial Revolution took hold of the United States, the average American in the late 1800s worked 12-hour days, seven days a week in order to make a basic living. Children were also working, as they provided cheap labor to employers and laws against child labor were not strongly enforced. With the long hours and terrible working conditions, American unions became more prominent and voiced their demands for a better way of life. On Tuesday September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers marched from City Hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first-ever Labor Day parade. Participants took an unpaid day-off to honor the workers of America as well as vocalize issues they had with employers. As years passed, more states began to hold these parades, but Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later.

/—September Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

September webinars are:

Friday, September 09, 2011 11:00 AM Central Time
Friday, September 30, 2011 11:00 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. Transitional Health Care for National Guard and Reservists

Leaving the military way of life can be stressful for service members and their families. When service members leave active duty, TRICARE offers a transitional health care option for eligible beneficiaries and their families while they look for new health coverage. The entire family is covered for an additional 180 days. This program is predominately for National Guard or Reservists separating from active duty and returning to a reserve program. The program is called Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) and extends TRICARE eligibility for sponsors and their family who involuntarily separate from the military prior to retirement. In order to qualify, the service member must:
- Be involuntarily separated under honorable conditions.
- Be a National Guard or Reservist who is separated from the military, following an active duty period of more than 30 consecutive days.
- Separate from the active duty, but be involuntarily retained for reserve duty.
- Separate from active duty, following a voluntary agreement to stay on active duty status for a period of less than one year.
- A sponsor who receives a sole survivorship discharge.
- Be separated from active duty and who agrees to become a member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of a reserve component.

Under TAMP the sponsor and family members are automatically covered under TRICARE Standard and Extra. During TAMP, dental care provided in military dental treatment facilities is on a space-available basis. For more info visit the TRICARE Dental Program website at www.tricaredentalprogram.com or to learn more about TAMP and enrollment options, go to the TAMP website at www.tricare.mil/tamp.

4. ProfessionalSoldiers.com Outs Political Faker

A Philadelphia city council candidate has apologized after a watchdog group outed him as a phony Army Special Forces officer. Republican candidate David Oh claimed he was a Green Beret officer in 1988 before returning to Philly in the early 1990s and becoming a successful attorney. He leveraged his Army resume in politics, working for then-Mayor Ed Rendell and later Gov. Tom Ridge during a trade mission to South Korea. But an online watchdog group that investigates claims of Special Forces qualifications uncovered evidence that Oh was never a tab-wearing Green Beret.

5. 100 Fastest Growing Careers

According to the latest edition of 100 Fastest-Growing Careers, there are many careers that are growing in spite of the economy. In the book, author Michael Farr identifies and discusses the 100 occupations with the highest growth projections through the year 2018, based on information from the US Department of Labor. Below are some of the fastest-growing occupations, outside of healthcare, featured in 100 Fastest-Growing Careers:

Teachers: 32%
Computer Network, Systems and Database Administrators: 30%
Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: 28%
Market and Survey Researchers: 28%
Accountants and Auditors: 22%
Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Managers and Specialists: 22%
Computer Software Engineers and Computer Programmers: 21%
Barbers, Cosmetologists and Other Personal Appearance Workers: 20%
Construction Laborers: 20%

6. NLRB Mandates Notification of Union Organizing Rights

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a final rule that will require most private-sector employers to notify workers of their rights guaranteed under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). According to NLRB officials, the rule is set to appear in the Federal Register on Aug. 30, 2011, and will take effect 75 days after publication, on Nov. 14, 2011. Under the new rule, most private-sector employers (including labor unions) will be required to post a notice of employee rights where other workplace notices are normally displayed. The new notification requirement applies to all businesses that are subject to the NLRA, which excludes agricultural, railroad and airline employers. In response to comments received after the proposed rule was published, the NLRB agreed to exempt the U.S. Postal Service because of the postal service’s unique set of compliance rules under the NLRA. In addition, the notification rule will not apply to small employers that conduct less than $50,000 worth of business across state lines.

7. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of August 30, 2011

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 71,128; Navy Reserve, 4,454; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 10,295; Marine Corps Reserve, 5,956, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 740.This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 92,573, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20110830ngr.pdf

8. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1780 – Benedict Arnold gives the British the plans to West Point (Revolutionary War)

1783 – The Peace Treaty of Versailles was signed between the USA, Britain, France, and Spain, ending the American Revolution.

1787 – United States Constitution Approved

1814 – US Naval Captain Oliver Hazard Perry defeated a British flotilla in the Battle of Lake Erie (War of 1812).

1814 – During a British naval attack on the City of Baltimore, Francis Scott Key composed a poem entitled “The Star Spangled Banner.”

1847 – American forces captured Mexico City, effectively ending the Mexican War.

1862 – Battle of Chantilly – Confederate forces attack retreating Union troops in Chantilly, VA (Civil War).

1863 – Battle of Chickamauga begins (Civil War)

1864 – Confederate troops abandoned Atlanta in the face of continuing attacks by federals under General W.S. Sherman (Civil War).

1899 – Founding of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

1908 – LT Thomas E. Selfridge was killed at Ft. Myer, VA, in a plane flown by Orville Wright. Selfridge was the first man to die in an airplane accident.

1939 – German troops invaded Poland, beginning World War II.

1939 – Britain and France declared war on Germany (World War II).

1941 – British Naval forces sank the German battleship Bismarck off the French coast (World War II).

1942 – Japanese float plane drops an incendiary bomb in Oregon (World War II)

1943 – The allied invasion of Italy began (World War II).

1945 – V-J Day, Japan signed formal surrender (World War II).

1947 – US Air Force established.

1951 – The United States, Australia and New Zealand sign a mutual defense pact, called the ANZUS Treaty.

1951 – Battle of Heart Break Ridge began (Korean War).

1954 – USS Nautilus, first atomic submarine is commissioned in US Navy

1962 – United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps Incorporated

1965 – 1st Calvary Division arrives in Vietnam

1967 – Siege of Con Thien Began (Vietnam War).

1969 – President Richard Nixon ordered resumption of heavy bombing of North Vietnamese targets (Vietnam War).

1982 – The United States Air Force Space Command is founded.

1983 – Korean Air Flight 007 is shot down by a Soviet Union jet fighter when the commercial aircraft enters Soviet airspace. All 269 on board are killed, including United States Congressman Lawrence McDonald (Cold War).

1994 – Operation Uphold Democracy began (Haiti).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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).

You were opted-in when you as a recruitment ad agency brought an employer member to VetJobs, were referred to VetJobs or were part of an organization which opted-in to VetJobs.

To REMOVE or CHANGE your subscribed address, click here:

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VetJobs
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
877-Vet-Jobs (877-838-5627)
770-993-5117 Office
770.993.2875 Fax

Veterans make the best employees!
Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans!

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

Agency Eagle – August 2011

Ted Daywalt — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:58:22 +0000

Issue 12:8, Monday, August 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. VetJobs Has New Vice President of Sales

3. Science, Tech Jobs Pay More, Lead In Growth

4. National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo

5. Minimum Wage & Job Loss from 2006 to 2010

6. SHRM Say Affirmative Action Requirements for Veterans Should Not Differ

7. EEOC Warns Employers about Combining Health Records

8. OFCCP Issues New Directive on Functional Affirmative Action Programs

9. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of July 28, 2011

10. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

To read the national press, it would be easy to think that all veterans are unemployed, have PTSD or lack civilian work skills. Fortunately, that is NOT the case. The real story is that most veterans are finding jobs and the unemployment rate for all veterans has always been lower than the national unemployment rate! But there is a problem among the younger aged veterans, particularly those who are in the National Guard.

The use of the National Guard and Reserve (NG&R) has exploded in the last 20 years. The Federal Reserve was created in 1904. There was a partial call up of the NG&R for WWI, a full call up for WWII, and a partial call up of the NG&R for the Korean War. Of the 37,000 members of the NG&R who fought in Vietnam, all but about 150 volunteered to go fight. Those recalled to active duty were medics and pilots called up to train medics and pilots going to Vietnam. But since 1991, there have been over 25 full call ups of the NG&R. Many individual state NG groups have been called up as many as five times in the last nine years. That makes it very, very hard for them to keep a job.

The unemployment rate for all veterans has always been lower than the national unemployment rate. See http://vetjobs.com/media/2011/07/10/unemployment-rate-for-all-veterans-has-always-been-lower-than-national-unemployment/ for a chart using BLS CPS data that goes back to 1986 comparing veteran unemployment with non-veteran and the national unemployment rates. Veterans have always fared better because employers want the skills, leadership and other attributes veterans bring to a job.

Where there is a major veteran unemployment problem is in the 18 to 24 year old veterans. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Population Survey (CPS) unemployment report showed the unemployment for the 18 to 24 year old veterans went from 26.8% in April to 31.9% in May then fell to 26.2% in June. The unemployment rate for the non-veteran 18 to 24 year old group is 16.5% so the veteran unemployment rate for this age group is nearly double their civilian counterparts. The unemployment rate for ALL veterans in June was 8.8%, up from 8.3% in May, which is still below the national unemployment rate. If veterans were having such a hard time or did not have skills, their overall unemployment rate would not consistently be below the national unemployment rate.

The driving cause for the high younger veteran unemployment rate is a large portion of the 18 to 24 year old veteran group is participating in the National Guard and Reserves (NG&R). If an 18 to 24 year old person is on active duty they are considered to be employed. Most 18 to 24 year old persons who go into the active military are finishing out their 4, 6, or 8 year obligation. Thus to be an unemployed member of this group one is likely in the NG&R. There were 60,000 unemployed in this group for May and 53,000 for June.

The main reason for the NG&R being unemployed is the current DOD call-up policy. The Society of Human Resource Management and Workforce Management Magazine found in separate surveys that employers are hiring veterans who are totally separated, retired or wounded warriors. They hire them for their skills, leadership, etc., but do not want to hire someone who will be taken away for 12 to 24 months. A business cannot effectively run their business with their most critical element, their human capital, being taken away for 12 to 24 months. That is common sense to anyone in business, but not to some decision makers at DOD.

The unemployment problem in the NG is reflected in the unemployment rate of returning NG brigades where many NG component personnel have been losing their jobs just prior to deployment. Here are some examples of unemployment rates when these NG brigades returned:

-Jacksonville, FL NG Brigade, December 2009, 750 of 2,500 unemployed, 30% unemployment
-Rochester, NY NG Brigade, February 2010, 60 of 500 unemployed, 12% unemployment
-Minnesota NG, February 2010, 30 of 200 unemployed, 15% unemployment
-Oregon NG, April 2010, 1350 of 2700 unemployed, 50% unemployment
-Nashville, TN NG Brigade, July 2010, 320 of 700 unemployed, 45.71% unemployment
-Iowa NG, July 2011, 750 of 3,000, 25% unemployment rate (estimate)

Another way of looking at this problem is the rapid increase in the number of USERRA complaints:

2004 to 2006, 16,000 informal and formal complaints – roughly 5,333 complaints a year
2007 saw implementation of 12 to 24 month call up policy
2008 – 13,090 complaints
2010 – 34,612 complaints

The exponential increase in USERRA complaints is employers who are not so quietly saying they will no longer support the current call-up policy. Employers want to support the military, but they also have to be profitable to remain in business. An employer cannot function when their most important asset is taken away!

There is now a secondary effect of the two year call-up policy. The suicide rate in the NG has more than doubled from 50 in 2009 to 112 in 2010. Of the 112 NG suicides, financial distress from not having a job was one of the leading factors. 43% of Army NG suicides reported insufficient income or unemployment issues. 62% were between the ages of 17 to 26 years of age.

The above information has many ramifications. With 39 years of an all-volunteer military, America now has two generations of citizens that have no idea of what really goes on in the military and the importance of having a strong military. This lack of understanding impacts political, economic and social attitudes towards the military.

The NG&R are suffering greatly from the constant call-ups. I agree that we need an operational NG&R, but DOD needs to reconsider how the NG&R are being used so the NG&R does not become broken. What is needed is to reduce the use of the NG&R or give employers direct financial incentives (not tax credits) to hire members of the NG&R. There are solutions, but no solution is free and many are not politically viable. But a solution needs to be found before the NG&R unemployment rate rises higher and more commit suicide.

I would ask that you encourage your clients to make an effort to hire a member of your state’s National Guard. These people are fighting for our country and deserve your support. Anything you can do would be appreciated! If you have a comment about this issue, please forward it to me at info@vetjobs.com.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
While there are no federal holidays this month, we do celebrate the birthday of the US Coast Guard. The United States Coast Guard (USCG), one of America’s five armed services, is a unique agency of the federal government. USCG traces its history back to August 4, 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws and to prevent smuggling. Known variously through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as the Revenue Marine and the Revenue Cutter Service, USCG expanded in size and responsibilities as the nation grew. Until the Navy Department was established in 1798, USCG served as the nation’s only armed force afloat. USCG continues to protect the nation and has served proudly in every one of the nation’s conflicts. With the continued threats facing the United States, the Coast Guard plays a vital role in the defense of our country both at home and overseas. If you meet a member of the Coast Guard this month, tell them “Happy Birthday!”

Today we celebrate Air Force Day, which was established on August 1, 1947 by President Truman in recognition of the personnel of the victorious Army Air Forces and all those who have developed and maintained our nation’s air strength. August 1 was chosen to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment, in 1907, of the Aeronautical Division in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army. Be sure to thank our friends in the United States Air Force!

For Muslims, Ramadan starts on August 1.

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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

/—August Agency Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

8/17, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. NOTE: Security Clearance (past or present) is required to attend this event. www.techexpousa.com

8/18, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Sheraton Reston Hotel, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. NOTE: Security Clearance (past or present) is required to attend this event. www.techexpousa.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/

2. VetJobs Has New Vice President of Sales

As discussed last month, Buddy Inlow has retired from VetJobs after nearly 11 years with the company. His replacement is Tom Cushman. Tom brings 40 years of Sales and Sales Management experience from multiple Industries and disciplines. His expertise has been to assist companies to IPOs, acquisition, and re-organization as well as channel and vertical growth. He has served in numerous capacities with such companies as American Hospital, Medtronic, Toshiba, GE, Banta, and Cox Media.

Originally from North Carolina, his military service posted him around the world. Tom is a former qualified Green Beret, and fixed wing aviator. A true “Mustang”, Tom was an NCO, Chief Warrant Officer and received a direct commission to Captain of Infantry.

Tom is a cum laude graduate of Union College in Schenectady, NY. He worked his way through college on the GI bill and flying for the Reserves, after his service as an Army Aviator in Vietnam.

His business strengths and experience will contribute to the continued growth of VetJobs. He and his wife Cindy live outside Louisville, in Shelbyville, KY.

We welcome Tom to the VetJobs family!

/—August Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

August webinars are:

Friday, August 05, 2011 11 AM Central Time
Friday, August 19, 2011 11 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. Science, Tech Jobs Pay More, Lead In Growth

USA Today reports jobs in science, technology, engineering and math fields pay an average 26% more than other occupations and grew three times faster the past decade, according to a Commerce Department study. STEM jobs include computer programmers, statisticians, civil and nuclear engineers, chemists and lab technicians. Many employers lament a dire shortage of highly skilled workers despite 9.2% unemployment. ESA chief economist Mark Doms blames the worker shortage on limited training programs at community colleges. Julian Alssid, head of the non-profit Workforce Strategy Center, says many colleges are unaware of employers’ needs. From 2000 to 2010, STEM jobs grew 7.9% to 7.6 million, three times the rate of other fields. They’re expected to swell 17% from 2008 to 2018, vs. 9.8% for other jobs.

4. National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will host the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo, August 15-18, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA. The largest nationwide conference of its kind, the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo provides Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs and SDVOSBs) with an opportunity to learn, network and market their businesses. The conference will offer a variety of sessions on navigating the Federal acquisition process including finance, compliance, business development, marketing, strategy, contract management, human resources, technology, and program management. A VA Open House has been added to the event to give Veterans from both the conference and local region the opportunity to experience the wide range of resources available to the Veteran community. The National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo is open to both government and non-government personnel. For more information and to register for the conference, go to www.nationalveteransconference.com.

5. Minimum Wage & Job Loss from 2006 to 2010

In 2006, the last full year in which the U.S. federal minimum wage was a constant value throughout the whole year before 2010, approximately 6,595,383 individuals in the United States earned $7.25 per hour or less. For 2010, the first full year in which the U.S. federal minimum wage was a constant value through the year since 2006, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that an average of just 4,361,000 individuals in the United States earned the same equivalent of the current prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 or less throughout the year. In terms of jobs lost, that means that 2,234,383 of the jobs lost in the U.S. economy since 2006 have been jobs that were directly impacted by the series of minimum wage increases that were mandated by the federal government in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Interestingly, the average number of employed members of the civilian labor force in 2006 was 144,427,000. In 2010, the average number of employed members of the civilian labor force in the U.S. was 5,363,000 less, standing at 139,064,000. In percentage terms of the change in total employment level from 2006 to 2010, jobs affected by the federal minimum wage hikes of 2007, 2008 and 2009 account for 41.8% of the total reduction in jobs seen since 2006.

6. SHRM Say Affirmative Action Requirements for Veterans Should Not Differ

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), along with the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) on July 11, 2011, on the proposed regulations implementing the affirmative action provisions of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA). The proposed regulations were published in the Federal Register on April 26, 2011, and would amend the current regulations at 41 CFR Parts 60-250 and 60-300. While SHRM and CUPA-HR strongly support the goal of the proposed rules—improving employment opportunities for veterans—they concluded that “although well-intended, unfortunately, the regulations as proposed focus primarily on expanded processes and steps for federal contractors that will significantly increase the burdens and costs on federal contractors without improving employment opportunities for veterans.” In addition, SHRM and CUPA-HR are concerned that by creating “a completely separate and distinct series of affirmative action procedures and processes that are unique to veterans” that differ materially from federal contractors’ obligations for other protected groups, the proposed regulations would undermine the goal of equal employment opportunity for all. “Our concerns with respect to the proposed regulations, and, in particular, the additional processes that would be unique to veterans, can be summarized in the common theme that will be sounded throughout our response: veterans should be treated like all other protected groups,” the comments said.

7. EEOC Warns Employers about Combining Health Records

SHRM reports that a U.S. employer that retains an employee’s personal and occupational health information in a single electronic record runs the risk of violating federal disabilities bias law, federal genetic discrimination law, or both, according to an opinion letter issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The opinion letter, dated May 31, 2011, and signed by EEOC Legal Counsel Peggy R. Mastroianni, informs an unidentified writer soliciting an opinion that though U.S. employers and some health providers have legitimate rights to access personal health information under certain circumstances, a combined electronic medical record (EMR) could lead to violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).

8. OFCCP Issues New Directive on Functional Affirmative Action Programs

SHRM reports the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), on June 28, 2011, issued a directive outlining how the agency will process requests to establish affirmative action plans (AAPs) based on business function or line of business instead of by geographic establishment. Approval of contractor requests to develop functional affirmative action programs (FAAPs) or to renew existing FAAPs had been suspended last spring. “The FAAP is back and is better than before,” OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu said in a June 28 statement. “Over the past year, I have listened to comments from the contractor community and employee groups and determined that this is a useful tool for ensuring that federal contractors and subcontractors meet their obligations to provide equal employment opportunity for everyone.” Signed June 14, 2011, by Shiu, the directive supersedes one issued in March 2002, which established procedures for processing contractors’ requests to develop FAAPs under 41 C.F.R. § 60-2.1(d)(4). The original directive provided that a functional or business unit “may” have its own managing official and “may” have personnel transactional activities “that are distinguishable from other parts of the company.” The criteria OFCCP would use to evaluate an FAAP request “will be whether the contractor operates with distinct functional or business units.”

9. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of July 28, 2011

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 71,378; Navy Reserve, 4,618; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 9,808; Marine Corps Reserve, 6,052, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 746. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 92,602, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found online at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20110726ngr.pdf.

10. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1782 – The Purple Heart Medal was established by Congress.

1790 – US Coast Guard established.

1801 – The USS Enterprise seized the Tripolitan corsair Tripoli in naval action in the Mediterranean Sea (War with Tripoli).

1863 – Battle of Little Rock, AR (American Civil War)

1864 – Battle of Petersburg, VA (American Civil War)

1864 – Admiral David Farragut, USN, exclaiming “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead,” ran through a Confederate minefield at Mobile Bay, Alabama, and captured a defending group of Confederate ships (American Civil War).

1898 – U. S. and Spanish skirmish outside of Manila, Philippines (Spanish American War)

1907 – U. S. Army Signal Corps forms an Aviation Section, which later becomes the United States Air Force

1914 – Germany declared war on Russia and France declared full mobilization for war (World War I).

1914 – Britain declared war on Austria-Hungary (World War I).

1941 – Beginning of the three-year siege of Leningrad by German troops (World War II).

1942 – US Marines landed on Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands, the first American amphibious operation in World War II.

1945 – The US Army Air Force bomber Enola Gay, piloted by COL Paul Tibbets, dropped the first atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. (World War II).

1945 – The second atomic bomb is dropped by a U.S. plane on Nagasaki, Japan.

1945 – The Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allied forces, ending World War II.

1950 – Defense of Pusan/Naktong Perimeter began (Korean War).

1952 – The Battle of Bunker Hill (Hill 122) began (Korean War).

1982 – Eight hundred U.S. Marines landed in Beirut, Lebanon, as part of a multinational force overseeing the withdrawal of PLO fighters.

1990 – Operation Desert Shield began.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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).

You were opted-in when you as a recruitment ad agency brought an employer member to VetJobs, were referred to VetJobs or were part of an organization which opted-in to VetJobs.

To REMOVE or CHANGE your subscribed address, click here:

http://mh.databack.com/c.php?L=agencyeagle&E=#email#

VetJobs
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
877-Vet-Jobs (877-838-5627)
770-993-5117 Office
770.993.2875 Fax

Veterans make the best employees!
Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans!

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

VetJobs Agency Eagle – July 2011

Ted Daywalt — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 02:10:58 +0000

Issue 12:7, Friday, July 1, 2011

www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. Crackdown on Employers Hiring Illegal Immigrants

3. Ten Best Places for Business & Careers

4. DOD, VA Top Government Effort to Hire Vets

5. Jobs for People Over 50

6. National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo

7. Jackson Named SHRM President, CEO

8. USCIS Launches I-9 Central Site

9. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of June 21, 2011

10. Significant Events this Month in Military History

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

1. Message from the Top

In every company there are major milestones. Next month VetJobs will pass through yet another milestone when Carry F. Inlow, commonly known as “Buddy” to his customers, retires after over 10 years with VetJobs! On February 9, 2001, Buddy joined VetJobs as an Account Manager and continued his career in sales. Due to his heavy sales experience and background in other industries, Buddy quickly rose through the ranks to Sales Manager and then to the Vice President of Sales. Throughout the last 10 years Buddy has been a stalwart. He has been instrumental in growing the company, developing the substantial list of repeat customers over the years and our many marketing and customer service campaigns. Many of you knew Buddy personally and always liked seeing him at career fairs and SHRM conferences.

More importantly, Buddy brought true passion to his job. Buddy was a Navy petty officer during the Vietnam War and then went to the University of Tennessee Knoxville to obtain a bachelor degree. Buddy understands what today’s transitioning military and veterans go through trying to find meaningful employment. Like all VetJobs employees, Buddy wore a double hat and counseled thousands of veterans and their family members seeking help to find meaningful employment.

During July, Buddy will be turning his accounts over to Anna Cox and our new Vice President of Sales, Tom Cushman. Tom joined VetJobs in September 2010 after a very successful career at Cox Enterprises. Tom has 30 plus years in sales, was in the Army during Vietnam and is a service connected disabled veteran. You can expect to hear from Tom Cushman as he matriculates into the Vice President’s role.

For those of you who would like to say good bye to Buddy, he can still be reached at binlow@vetjobs.com . If he does not respond immediately, it will be because he is on his boat at Lake Allatoona, down in the Florida Keys or working on his wife Marsha’s honey-do list. Buddy will definitely be missed at VetJobs and by his customers. To use an old naval blessing, we wish Buddy fair winds and following seas.

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This past week we enjoyed meeting with old friends and making new acquaintances at the 63^rd SHRM National Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, NV. I am proud to note that VetJobs is the longest continuous military related organization to exhibit at the SHRM Annual Conferences!

For those of you who were in attendance, you saw that participation was up slightly from last year’s convention in San Antonio, CA. Reportedly, this year there were 13,000 plus human resource (HR) attendees and a sold out exhibition hall. That is a good sign that the United States may be starting to move out of the recession.

Nearly all of the HR decision makers we spoke with indicated they have started doing some hiring or plan to hire this year. Of interest to me were three steel wire companies and six mining companies that came by to get information on hiring veterans. When wire and mining start hiring, that is a good deep forward leading indicator that things are moving in the right direction. I am still waiting for strong signs that the small and mid-size companies are ramping up hiring as that will be another key indicator we are moving out of this recession.

I am also pleased to report that SHRM held its second veteran’s event on the Sunday morning of opening day before the Conference started that afternoon. SHRM had many excellent presenters including Lisa Rosser of The Value of a Veteran. She and others presented to over 200 human resource professionals the reasons why their companies should be hiring transitioning military, veterans and members of the Guard and Reserve. It is good that SHRM is supporting the hiring of veterans. This was a great week for veterans at the SHRM Conference!

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This month we celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, a time when families throughout the country attend picnics, races, parades, political rallies and fireworks displays. Congress established Independence Day as a holiday in 1870. In 1938 Congress reaffirmed it as a holiday. I would encourage everyone to learn and understand the history of the Fourth of July and recognize that it is NOT just a holiday to kick off the summer. Knowledge of our history is what will keep the Fourth of July and the Constitution near and dear to the hearts of all Americans.

Here is some background about our Independence Day: During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4.

One of the most enduring myths about Independence Day is that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The myth had become so firmly established that, decades after the event and nearing the end of their lives, even the elderly Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had come to believe that they and the other delegates had signed the Declaration on the 4th. Most delegates actually signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776. In a remarkable series of coincidences, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers of the United States and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become president, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States’ 50th anniversary.

You should display a flag on the 4^th of July. If you need a flag, you can order one from the VFW Store at www.vfwstore.org.

In addition to the 4^th of July, the 27th of July is the anniversary of the end of the Korean War, frequently referred to as the “Forgotten War”. The 1950-53 conflict cost America 33,651 killed in action and 103,284 wounded. More than 1.5 million American men and women fought in Korea. Here at VetJobs, our prayers and thoughts go out to the Korean War veterans and their extended families for the sacrifices they sustained to protect our federal republic and our free market economy.

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On the economic front, the country continues to muddle through an anemic recovery from the continuing recession. The so called Summer of Recovery did not work last summer, and apparently is not working this summer. Unemployment continues to remain high with the CES (Employer Survey) unemployment rate being 9.1%. 14 million people in the United States continue to have problems locating a job. The $850 billion dollar taxpayer bailout last year did not work or take the unemployment rate below 8.0% as promised by the administration. The president put it well when he admitted that “shovel ready” projects were not as ready as he had thought.

The economist Jeff Thredgold summed up what is happening very well when he said: “I have noted before that if one’s household earns $60,000 annually, but spends $100,000, life is good…that cool vacation, a new car, that big screen TV, etc. The following year, if one’s household earns $65,000, but spends $110,000, then more of the same. One simply borrows the difference. The problem is that pesky request to begin paying back the formerly borrowed money, along with that annoying interest expense. This cycle can continue as long as one can find additional lenders and one can make requested payments on time. Unfortunately, this whole approach to “living beyond your means” comes home to roost when the lenders say no more, when the cost of the debt payments and interest payments finally overwhelm the household. Welcome to the Greece of today…..and possibly the United States of tomorrow!”

The same logic applies to the budget of our country. The voters in the United States for too long have allowed both political parties to put our country into debt. The heavy debt that comes from socialism is why there are riots in European countries, most recently Greece, and you will see major problems in the United States as the debate about raising the debt limit continues.

A big part of what is happening is that there is no more room for the Democrats and the Republicans to compromise. We are down to the basics of will the United States continue to slide into socialism and face the problems all socialist states have faced when they run out of other people’s money, or will the United States go back to being a free enterprise economy. Only time will tell and it may take a few elections to get the country turned around.

What I find interesting is that while the country has a high unemployment rate, many of you are starting to complain you are having trouble finding candidates that meet the needs of your new jobs, especially in engineering, IT, technicians, healthcare and R&D. This is a good thing from the standpoint that required skill sets change at the end of each recession and it takes a while for the labor force to catch up to the changes. America has not yet turned the corner towards recovery.

So to review where the country is at economically this past month, on the NEGATIVE side we have the following:

-The unemployment rate rose to 9.1% for May

-Only 54,000 jobs were added in May

-The Conference Board says its consumer confidence fell to 58.5 in June from a revised 61.7 in May, its lowest level since November

-Consumer spending was flat in May, the weakest reading since June 2010

-GDP update showed economic growth for first quarter was only 1.9%

-Sales of new single-family homes fell 2.1% in May from April to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 319,000 units, slightly higher than the 310,000-unit rate economists had been expecting

-Initial jobless claims came in worse than expected last week, rising to 429,000 from a revised 420,000 the week prior. Economists had expected a smaller increase to 415,000

-The Federal Reserve cut its view of 2011 GDP growth to a range of 2.7% to 2.9% from the 3.1% to 3.3% offered in April. The outlook for 2012 was also lowered, and the Fed’s estimate for inflation was raised.

-The Federal Reserve said it is leaving its target on short-term rates in the 0-0.25% range

-The Federal Reserve said the economy is recovering more slowly than expected and the labor market is weaker than anticipated

-Consumer sentiment for the month of June came in at 71.5, slightly lower than a preliminary reading of 71.8 and also lower than the 71.9 economists had expected, according to the latest Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan survey

On the POSITIVE side:

-Jobless rates were lower in May than a year earlier in 274 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 85, and unchanged in 13

-Nonfarm payroll employment was up in 201 metropolitan areas over the year, down in 157, and unchanged in 14

-The National Association of Realtors reports contracts for pending sales of previously-owned homes rose 8.2% in May, higher than the 3.8% increase Wall Street had expected.

-Home sales are up 13.4% from May of last year.

-The S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas shows home prices rose 0.7% in April on a non-seasonally-adjusted basis, topping estimates of a 0.3% gain

-Housing starts rose 3.5% in May to a 560,000-unit rate, topping economists’ estimates of a 540,000-unit rate

-Personal income rose 0.3% in the first quarter

-Wanted Analytics reports over 37,000 new marketing jobs have been posted on Internet job boards

-The pace of growth in the U.S. manufacturing sector accelerated in June for the first time in four months, according to the Institute of Supply Management

Overall, this month’s data flow suggests that while the economy is not getting worse we still have a long way to go before we leave the bottom of this recession. Many analysts and economists are resigning themselves to several more years of no or slow growth.

If your company is hiring, we definitely want you to hire veterans. Give us a call at 877-838-5627 (877-Vet-Jobs) to purchase a membership and post jobs! Your support of veterans and their family members is appreciated.

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On Tuesday I was one of the people interviewed for PBS Frontline’s program Educating Sergeant Pantzke. There is definitely a problem with the way some higher education programs are abusing the GI Bill and targeting veterans and their spouses. While PBS Frontline concentrated on for-profit schools, there are some state and private schools that have similar problems. You can view the program at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/educating-sergeant-pantzke/

I want to emphasize that not all for-profit schools are bad, but those that are bad, are very, VERY bad and unfortunately they negatively affect the good for-profit school programs. There is definitely a demand and a niche for the for-profit schools. Unfortunately, many of the for-profit schools could not qualify for accreditation through traditional accrediting agencies such as SAC or the AACSB. So to claim “accreditation”, they created their own accrediting agencies, which are not recognized by other traditional brick and mortar schools or state departments of education/DOE. Not knowing any better, veterans were conned by the bad for-profit schools claims that they were accredited. To learn more, visit http://www.geteducated.com/diploma-mills-police/college-degree-mills/204-fake-agencies-for-college-accreditation . To learn more about legitimate school and college accrediting agencies, please visit http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

I decided to get VetJobs involved when we learned of veterans and their family members who had to declare bankruptcy due to their for-profit college loans. We also learned of veterans who had online degrees that were not being recognized for graduate school programs, credits not transferable to state and traditional schools, and more importantly, were being hired at a lower level in a company because the companies were not recognizing the online degree. When this happens, the veteran’s GI Bill has been wasted. Fortunately, there are people in Congress who now recognize the problem and are working to ensure federal dollars are only used for training programs and degrees that will give the student gainful employment.

PBS Frontline will have more programs on this issue. If you have had a problem with an educational institution as an employer, please forward your story to me at info@vetjobs.com .

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Finally, if one listens to the mainstream press, one would think that the majority of veterans are unemployed, have PTSD or lack civilian work skills. Fortunately, that is not the case. The REAL story is that most veterans are finding jobs! For 25 years the overall unemployment rate for veterans has always been lower than the national unemployment rate. The unemployment rate for all veterans in May was only 8.3%. But there is a problem among the younger aged veterans.

The May Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Population Survey (CPS) unemployment report showed the unemployment for the 18 to 24 year old veterans jumped back up from 26.8% in April to 31.9% in May. Their unemployment rate is unusually high for several reasons, but the driving cause is a large portion of the 18 to 24 year old group is in the National Guard and Reserves (NG&R).

A driving reason for the NG&R being unemployed is the current DOD call-up policy. The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Workforce Management Magazine found in separate surveys that employers want to hire veterans because of their skills, leadership, etc., but do not want to hire someone who will be taken away for 12 to 24 months. A business owner cannot effectively run their business with their most critical element, their human capital, being taken away for 12 to 24 months. That is common sense to anyone in business, but not to some decision makers at DOD.

This problem is reflected in the unemployment rate of returning NG brigades whose members lost their jobs in the months prior to deployment. Here are some examples of unemployment rates when these NG brigades returned:

-Nashville, TN NG Brigade, 320 of 700 unemployed, 45.71% unemployment

-Jacksonville, FL NG Brigade, 750 of 2,500, 30% unemployment

-Rochester, NY NG Brigade, 12% unemployment

-Oregon NG, 50% unemployment

-Minnesota NG, 15% unemployment

Another way of looking at this unemployment problem is the number of USERRA complaints being filed. During the time period just prior to the announcement of the current call-up policy (2004 to 2006), there were approximately 16,000 informal and formal complaints, an average of 5,333 per year. The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) reports the number of inquiries regarding USERRA violations after the implementation of the January 2007 call-up policy jumped to 13,090 in fiscal 2008, then to 34,612 in fiscal 2010! This is an exponential increase in USERRA issues. The bottom line here is employers are not so quietly saying they will no longer support the current call-up policy.

Now there is a secondary effect that can partially be attributed to the current call-up policy. The suicide rate in the NG has more than doubled from 50 in 2009 to 112 in 2010. Of the 112 NG suicides, financial distress was one of the leading factors. 43% of Army NG suicides reported insufficient income, civilian job dissatisfaction or unemployment issues. 62% were between the ages of 17 to 26 years of age.

I am concerned that some people in DOD are looking at this problem wrong. DOD’s response to the high unemployment rate among younger veterans is more training to prepare for civilian life. If the military was an untrained work force, their overall unemployment rate as reported by DOL BLS would not be 7.7% in April or 8.3% in May! Again, the real story is that most veterans ARE finding work.

Getting more money out of Congress to fund yet another training program at DOL, VA or DOD will NOT reduce the high unemployment rate in the NG&R, and now the high NG suicide rate. What is needed is a better balanced use of the NG&R, or a system that provides an employer an incentive to hire members of the NG&R. There are solutions which VetJobs is exploring, but no solution is free and many are not politically viable. A solution needs to be found before the NG&R unemployment rate rises higher and more commit suicide. VetJobs will continue to monitor this issue as the country needs an operational NG&R to fight our wars, but the component members also need jobs.

So while you are listening to press reports about veteran unemployment, remember that the rate for all veterans is only 8.3%. The real story is most veterans are in demand and are getting jobs!

If your company has an issue with USERRA or related problems, I would be interested in your story. You can send it to me at info@vetjobs.com .

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Have a great 4^th of July holiday!

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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

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2. Crackdown on Employers Hiring Illegal Immigrants

The Obama administration intensified a crackdown on employers on Wednesday, June 15, 2011, notifying 1,000 companies that they will be subjected to inspections of hiring records. The surge brings the number of companies audited by immigration authorities to 2,338 in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, surpassing last year’s record 2,196. The total amount of fines levied against employers for breaking labor and immigration laws reached $7.1 million compared with $6.9 million for the entire previous fiscal year.

/—July Agency Eagle sponsor is CRI University—\

July webinars are:

Thursday, July 07, 2011 11:00 AM Central Time
Thursday, August 04, 2011 11:00 AM Central Time

Each webinar is $65 and the website to register for a webinar is www.criuniversity.com

\—–Please visit your July Agency Eagle sponsor CRI University at www.criuniversity.com ——/

3. Ten Best Places for Business & Careers

According to Forbes, the following cities are the ten best places for business and careers. The locations are ranked from #1 to #10: Raleigh, NC; Des Moines, IA; Provo, UT; Lexington, KY; Fort Collins, CO; Nashville, TN; Austin, TX; San Antonio, TX; Denver, CO; and Dallas, TX.

4. DOD, VA Top Government Effort to Hire Vets

Government Executive reports despite a decrease in overall hiring, the federal government brought on more veterans in fiscal 2010 than in fiscal 2009 based on a report released by the Office of Personnel Management. This is the “first report on veterans’ employment data since President Obama issued an executive order in November 2009 to make hiring veterans a priority. Defense and Veterans Affairs departments saw the most new veterans hired.

5. Jobs for People Over 50

RetirementJobs.com, a leading career website for job-seekers age 50+, announced its rankings of Fortune 500 employers by their percentage of workers over age 50. The findings, drawn from public records and surveys of employers and employees, show the airlines industry as having the highest percentage of employees in that demographic. American Airlines held the #1 position with 39% of its staff over age 50. Google ranked among the last on the list, with just 13% exceeding age 50. For the full list, visit http://bit.ly/lO1cEj

6. National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will host the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo on August 15-18th, 2011, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA. The largest nationwide conference of its kind, the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo provides Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs and SDVOSBs) with an opportunity to learn, network and market their businesses. The conference will offer a variety of sessions on navigating the Federal acquisition process including finance, compliance, business development, marketing, strategy, contract management, human resources, technology, and program management. A VA Open House has been added to the event to give Veterans from both the conference and local region the opportunity to experience the wide range of resources available to the Veteran community. The National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo is open to both government and non-government attendees. For more information and to register for the conference, please go to www.nationalveteransconference.com .

7. Jackson Named SHRM President, CEO

Henry G. “Hank” Jackson was officially named the president and chief executive officer of SHRM on June 26 at the SHRM 63^rd National Convention held in Las Vegas, NV.

8. USCIS Launches I-9 Central Site

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched I-9 Central, an online resource center dedicated to providing information about the federal government’s I-9 form for employment eligibility verification. For more information, visit www.uscis.gov/I-9Central .

9 National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of June 21, 2011

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 72,231; Navy Reserve, 5,147; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 10,232; Marine Corps Reserve, 6,199, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 785. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 94,594, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20110621ngr.pdf .

10. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1775 – George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, MA. (American Revolutionary War).

1814 – American force led by GEN Jacob Brown defeated British force led by GEN Phineas Riall at Chippewa River, just north of British Fort Erie (near Niagara Falls, NY). A gray-uniformed Brigade led by young American BG Winfield Scott drove the British back. Scott’s men wore gray because Army contractors had run out of blue cloth. To this day, West Point cadets wear gray to commemorate this victory (War of 1812).

1863 – Confederate forces under GEN Robert E. Lee, defeated after three days of fighting at the battle of Gettysburg, PA, began their withdrawal to the South (American Civil War).

1898 – American naval victory over the Spanish at Santiago, Cuba (Spanish-American War).

1907 – Founding of the Aeronautical Division of the US Army Signal Office; the forerunner of the US Army Air Force and later the U.S. Air Force

1914 – World War I began

1915 – U.S. Marines landed in Haiti following the assassination of the Haitian president Vilbrun Guillaume. The Marines remained as occupation forces for nine years.

1918 – Beginning of the Second Battle of the Marne in Northern France between German forces on one side and French, American, British, and Italian troops on the other side. The battle ended on 4 August (World War I).

1926 – U.S. Army Air Corps established.

1943 – The U.S. Army’s Fourth Division, part of General Omar Bradley’s II Corps, captured San Stefano in Sicily (World War II).

1944 – The island of Saipan in the Marianas (Western Pacific) fell to U.S. troops following their defeat of Japanese defenders (World War II). Napalm was used for the first time during the American invasion of Tinian in the Marianas.

1950 – General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was named commander of all UN forces in Korea (Korean Conflict).

1953 – The Korean War ended.

1970 – Siege of Fire Base Ripcord began (Vietnam War)

1973 – Congress refuses to extend the military draft law. The military draft in the United States expired automatically on July 1, 1973.

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VetJobs Agency Eagle – June 2011

Ted Daywalt — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:51:25 +0000

Issue 12:6, Wednesday, June 1, 2011
www.vetjobs.com

VetJobs is an appropriate employment service delivery system for EEOC, VEVRAA/JVA and OFCCP compliance support!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and other recruitment advertising agencies. The VetJobs Agency Eagle is the VetJobs newsletter for recruitment advertising agencies.

This issue sponsored by TECHEXPO Top Secret and CRI University

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. What Are the Best Jobs for 2011?

3. Impact of Minimum Wage Increases

4. DOD Recruiting & Retention

5. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of May 17 2011

6. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

The Department of Defense department called Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is conducting a National Survey of Employers. This is the largest study of its kind since the United States entered sustained military operations nearly 10 years ago in the aftermath of September 11th, 2001. For this survey, a random sample of employers across the United States from public and private sectors were selected and received ticket numbers to participate. Therefore, not all employers will be able to access the survey. If you were one of the 80,000 companies selected, please be sure to fill out the survey.

VetJobs supports this survey. In 2007, there were surveys conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management and Workforce Management Magazine that indicated many employers do not want to hire active members of the National Guard and Reserve (NG&R) due to the call up policy. We know that employers are very enthusiastic about hiring veterans that are totally separated from the military, retired from the military, or are wounded warriors/disabled veterans. Employer support has been very gratifying. However, employers cannot go broke supporting a member of the NG&R when they are taken away for 12 to 24 months. It is very difficult to run a company when employees are taken away for extended periods of time. The National Survey of Employers will help to gauge the current attitude regarding the hiring of NG&R participants.

So be sure to send in your survey if you were one of the selected companies.

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The DOD Retention and Recruiting numbers were released last month and the numbers are still strong thanks to the recession (See article #4 below). This is a pattern that repeats itself recession after recession. During the recession, recruiting and retention numbers remain strong due to lack of jobs in the civilian sector. But once the recession is over and there are ample job opportunities, recruiting and retention falls. I suspect the same will happen when this recession is finally over.

While retention in the military is still strong, there is definitely an employment problem for members of the National Guard and Reserve (NG&R) in terms of finding jobs. The BLS CPS unemployment report notes that the unemployment rate for veterans 18 to 24 years old has fallen to 26.8% from a recent high of 31.9%! For the 25 to 29 year old veterans it is 14.5%. Both well above their civilian counterparts. Yet the CPS April report has the unemployment for ALL veterans at 7.7%. Why the big discrepancy?

If you are active duty in the military, you are considered to be employed. But if you are drilling in the NG&R but have no civilian job, you are considered to be unemployed. Most veterans in the 18 to 24 year old age group are still finishing their 4, 6 or 8 year obligation. Thus, the high unemployment rates of 26.8% in the 18 to 24 year old age group are primarily members of the NG&R. This is reflected in the unemployment rate of returning NG brigades. Here are some examples of unemployment rates when these NG brigades returned:

-Nashville, TN NG Brigade, 320 of 700 unemployed – 45.71% -Jacksonville, FL NG Brigade, 750 of 2,500 – 30% -Rochester, NY NG Brigade – 12% unemployment -Oregon NG – 50% unemployment -Minnesota NG – 15% unemployment

The high unemployment rate in the NG&R is directly related to the advent of the DOD two year (now one year) call-up policy implemented in 2007. Companies want to hire veterans due to their training, leadership skills and a whole host of other reasons. But a company cannot operate with employees being taken away for 12 to 24 months. That is common sense to anyone in business, but not to some decision makers at DOD.

There is now a secondary effect of the two year call-up policy. The suicide rate in the NG has more than doubled from 50 in 2009 to 112 in 2010. Of the 112 NG suicides, financial distress was one of the leading factors. 43% of Army NG suicides reported insufficient income, civilian job dissatisfaction or unemployment issues. 62% were between the ages of 17 to 26 years of age.

Another way of looking at this unemployment problem is the number of USERRA complaints being filed. The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a DOD agency which handles USERRA complaints for members of the NG&R, reports the number of inquiries regarding USERRA violations jumped from 13,090 nationally in fiscal 2008 to 34,612 in fiscal 2010. In fiscal 2010, 3,202 of those turned into cases, up from about 2,664 in fiscal 2008. The exact number of employment/USERRA problems or potential violations is difficult to determine as many members of the NG&R are not aware of the legal protections and some opt to seek private legal help, so they aren’t reflected in the data. The bottom line here is employers are not so quietly saying they will no longer support the current call-up policy.

I am concerned that some people in DOD are looking at this problem wrong. Their response to the high unemployment rate among younger veterans is more training to prepare for civilian life. If the military was an untrained work force, their overall unemployment rate would not be 7.7%! The real story is that most veterans ARE finding work.

>From our perspective in the field here at VetJobs, the largest group of veterans having a tough time finding a job are in the NG. Just getting more money out of Congress to fund yet another training program at DOL, VA or DOD will NOT reduce the high unemployment rate in the NG, and now the high suicide rate. What is needed is to reduce the use of the NG&R. There are solutions, but no solution is cheap and many are not politically viable, such as expanding the size of the active forces or implementing a draft.

I fear we may have to endure many more NG suicides before DOD recognizes that America cannot sustain the current call up policy. I would be interested in your views. All responses will be kept confidential. Please send them to info@vetjobs.com.

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In June, we celebrate the following special days:

June 6 – D-Day
June 14 – Army Day
June 14 – 236th Birthday of the U.S. Army June 14 – Flag Day June 19 – Father’s Day June 21 – First day of summer June 25 – 60th Anniversary of the Korean War

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.

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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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Two hundred and thirty-six years ago, the United States Army was established to defend the United States. From the Revolutionary War to the current worldwide operations, the soldiers of the US Army remain Army Strong with a deep commitment to their Army’s core values and beliefs. This 236th birthday commemorates America’s Army – Soldiers, Families and Civilians – who are achieving a level of excellence that is truly Army Strong. Being Army Strong goes beyond physical endurance and mental preparedness. It encompasses an indomitable spirit, and high ethical and moral values. These are not only desirable traits in a person, but in a Nation that wishes to live up to the ideals and vision of its founders. If you meet a member of the Army this month, be sure to say Happy Birthday and thank you for serving! For more information, visit www.army.mil/birthday/236/

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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 a 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. I strong ly recommend that you get involved in your states’ ESGR committee! Visit www.esgr.net and click on your state to volunteer!

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On the economic front, after a disappointing growth rate in Q1, most economists were expecting a rebound in Q2 but it did not materialize. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell to 60.8 in May from a revised 66 in April due to continuing bad employment news. Economists had been expecting an increase to 67. But, despite the first decline in employment activity in all regions in 2011, job prospects remain significantly brighter for 2011 than in 2010. The average USA Hiring Index for May is 100.5, up 11.5 points from May 2010. The National Association of Colleges and Employees reports that employers expect to hire more new college graduates in 2011. To see where the jobs are, read article #5 below.

Pending sales of existing U.S. homes dove 11.6% in April to a 7 month low (economists had been expecting a 1% drop). The latest housing data continues to be dismal with the housing market being the worst since 2006. The housing recovery is even more distant as demonstrated by the Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas that reported home prices fell a worse-than-expected 3.6% in March from a year ago confirming a double dip recession in housing. Pending home sales have collapsed and the foreclosure pipelines remain very bloated. Now would be a great time to buy a house, but a lousy time to be selling a house. Other sectors of the economy may be improving, albeit anemically. Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction, manufacturing, healthcare and utilities continue to improve.

The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy created 244,400 new jobs in April. This was the third consecutive month of job growth in excess of 200,000. Manufacturing was one of the sectors with the largest growth for April. In 2011, 141,000 jobs were added in the Manufacturing sector.

Healthcare jobs are hot and their demand shows no signs of slowing. As the nation’s need for healthcare escalates, so do the salaries for many of the most in demand positions in the industry. The 2011 Compensation Data Healthcare survey results found the average base salary for occupational therapists has increased from $65,600 in 2009 to $69,700 in 2011. This represents an increase 6.3%.

Physical therapy assistants have seen salary increases of nearly 6% since 2009, while EMTs have seen a spike in pay of 5.3%. The pay for staff nurses has steadily continued to increase, going from $55,300 in 2009 to $57,600 in 2011. Staff pharmacist salaries have risen from $106,200 to $111,400, which is an increase of 4.9%. Medical assistants, though highly in demand, have seen pay increases of less than 1% since 2009.

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Finally, if you do a lot travelling, please remember to stop in the USO at the airport and thank the veterans for their service. Additionally, feel free to take boxes of store bought cookies, drinks or paper goods as the USO always needs the donations! Your support is appreciated.

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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

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2. What Are the Best Jobs for 2011?

What are the top job positions in the nation today? It depends on the criteria you use. Careercast.com has conducted a study based on the work environment, average income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress. Based on the criteria used, here is their list of the best (and worst) jobs for 2011, along with average income.

Best Jobs for 2011
1. Software Engineer – $87,140
2. Mathematician – $94,178
3. Actuary – $87,204
4. Statistician – $73,208
5. Computer Systems Analyst – $77,153
6. Meteorologist – $85,210
7. Biologist – $74,278
8. Historian – $63,208
9. Audiologist – $63,144
10. Dental Hygienist – $67,107

Worst Jobs for 2011
1. Roustabout – $32,143
2. Ironworker – $34,127
3. Lumberjack – $32,109
4. Roofer – $34,168
5. Taxi Driver – $21,127
6. Emergency Medical Technician – $30,168 7. Welder – $35,126 8. Painter – $34,152 9. Meter Reader – $34,171 10. Construction Worker – $29,211

Wanted Analytics which tracks internet job postings reports the following increases over the last 90 days:
-Marketing Manager jobs up 36,000
-Computer Programmers jobs up 220,000
-Recruiters jobs up 10,700
-Manufacturing jobs up 141,000
-IT Project Managers jobs up 18,700
-Sales Manager jobs up 78,000
-Healthcare jobs up 280,000

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3. Impact of Minimum Wage Increases

Political Calculations Blogspot reports that in 2006, the last full year in which the U.S. federal minimum wage was a constant value throughout the whole year, approximately 6,595,383 individuals in the United States earned $7.25 per hour or less. For 2010, the first full year in which the U.S. federal minimum wage was a constant value through the year since 2006, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that an average of just 4,361,000 individuals in the United States earned the same equivalent of the current prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 or less throughout the year. In terms of jobs lost, that means that 2,234,383 of the jobs lost in the U.S. economy since 2006 have been jobs that were directly impacted by the series of minimum wage increases that were mandated by the federal government in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Interestingly, the average number of employed members of the civilian labor force in 2006 was 144,427,000. In 2010, the average number of employed me mbers of the civilian labor force in the U.S. was 5,363,000 less, standing at 139,064,000. So, in percentage terms of the change in total employment level from 2006 to 2010 jobs affected by the federal minimum wage hikes of 2007, 2008 and 2009 account for 41.8% of the total reduction in jobs seen since 2006.

4. DOD Recruiting & Retention

The Department of Defense announced recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for fiscal-year-to-date 2011, through April.

Recruiting – Year to Date. All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal-year-to-date 2011, through April.
-Army – 39,096 accessions, with a goal of 38,400; 102% -Navy – 18,482 accessions, with a goal of 18,482; 100% -Marine Corps – 12,932 accessions, with a goal of 12,897; 100% -Air Force – 16,153 accessions, with a goal of 16,153; 100%

The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force all continue to exhibit strong retention over the first seven months of fiscal 2011.

Five of the six reserve components met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal-year-to-date 2011, through April.
-Army National Guard – 31,188 accessions, with a goal of 30,015; 104% -Army Reserve – 17,914 accessions, with a goal of 16,081; 111% -Navy Reserve – 4,685 accessions, with a goal of 4,685; 100% -Marine Corps Reserve – 5,836 accessions, with a goal of 5,252; 111% -Air National Guard – 4,006 accessions, with a goal of 4,000; 100% -Air Force Reserve – 5,279 accessions, with a goal of 5,350; 99%

All reserve components are on target to achieve their fiscal year attrition goals.

5. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of May 17, 2011

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 69,267; Navy Reserve, 5,468; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 9,947; Marine Corps Reserve, 6,040, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 800. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 91,522, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20110517ngr.pdf .

6. 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 on June 25 with US troops arriving on June 29. (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 as an entity within the Department of Defense.

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