RSSVetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 10:7, Wednesday, July 1, 2009
www.vetjobs.com
The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members and friends and supporters of VetJobs. Feel free to forward the newsletter to veterans and friends.
This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by: Maid Brigade and TECHEXPO Top Secret
Search 28,000 jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!
Contents:
1. Message from the Top
2. Sprint Cell Phone Discount Service via VFW
3. US Army Ends Retiree Deployment Program
4. VA Launches Website for Vets in College
5. DOD Announces Transferability Options for Post 9/11 GI Bill
6. National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI)
7. Veterans eligible for cell phone discounts
8. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of June 23, 2009
9. Significant Events this Month in Military History
Thank you for reading this VetJobs Veteran Eagle newsletter. If you like the newsletter and what VetJobs, the VFW and endorsing veteran service organizations do to assist veterans and their family members find employment, please go to www.weddles.com/poll.htm and vote VetJobs for the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award!
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1. Message from the Top
This past week VetJobs exhibited at the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) 61st Annual Convention and Exposition at the Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA. Attendance was down significantly from last year’s convention in Chicago, IL. Last year there were over 11,000 human resource (HR) attendees. This year there were only about 6,000 HR attendees. While attendance was down, I was pleased that the HR attendees were the real decision makers in terms of hiring for their companies.
At the bottom of the last recession in 2002 and 2003, all we heard from the HR attendees at the SHRM conferences was they were not hiring. It was very different this year. Nearly 80% of the HR decision makers we spoke with indicated they are hiring now or plan to hire this year. That is encouraging. The down side is they are not hiring as many as during the last three years. But at least they are hiring!
The last recession lead to a jobless recovery. After talking with the HR managers at SHRM this year, I am convinced that this recovery will be a less jobs recovery. This means that the competition for the available jobs will be very tight. So if you are in the job market, be sure to visit the Employment Assistance section on VetJobs and study up on how to develop a good resume and how to pass the all important behavioral interview!
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I am pleased to announce that VetJobs has been selected by Maid Brigade to be one of the judges on a panel to award 100 free Maid Brigade franchises this fall. Yes, I did say free! This is going to be a very exciting competition. Many studies have indicated that veterans make better entrepreneurs than others because veterans can better assess risk and have better leadership skills than most. So if you have ever wanted to be an entrepreneur and own your own business, you need to consider applying! Visit http://www.maidbrigadegiveaway.com/ for more details on how you could become a winner!
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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 near and dear to the hearts of all Americans.
You should display a flag on the 4th of July. If you need a flag, you can order one from the VFW Store at www.vfw.org.
In addition to the Fourth 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.
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As the VA prepares to launch a broad new program of education benefits for Post 9/11 veterans on August 1, we should remember how education benefits began for America’s war veterans 65 years ago. With the onset of World War II and the largest mobilization of military manpower in US history, President Roosevelt and Congress realized that failure to support returning veterans after the war would have dire consequences. Officially named the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, the first “G.I. Bill” was submitted to Congress by Rep. Harry W. Colmery on January 10, 1944. A former National Commander of the American Legion, Colmery understood the difficulties of veterans in wars past, and wanted to ensure returning veterans were given the opportunity to be successful. With the assistance of the VFW and many other VSOs, Congress passed the bill on June 13, 1944, and President Roosevelt signed it into law on June 22, 1944. The G.I. Bill was one of the most successful pieces of legislation in history, giving almost immediate and widespread returns that helped to drive the nation forward into the second half of the century. Following World War II, the VA assisted some 7.8 million veterans further their education with funds from the bill, with over 2.2 million receiving college degrees. The VA also backed some 2.3 million loans for homes, businesses, and farms, helping Veterans start businesses and improve living standards for their families. The G.I. Bill gave veterans the tools they needed to become the most successful leaders of their generation. The Post 9/11 GI Bill, passed by Congress last year, is the most extensive educational assistance program authorized since the original GI Bill was signed into law. VA projects a 20-25 percent increase in the total number of participants in VA’s education programs. Up to 460,000 students are expected to participate in the program during the first year.
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On the economic front, the unemployment rate in May continued to rise, increasing from 8.9 to 9.4 percent. Steep job losses continued in manufacturing, while declines moderated in construction and several service-providing industries. Job losses have averaged 643,000 per month during the first 6 months of this year.
But it is not just all bad news. The health care industry added 24,000 jobs in May. And the general consensus by economists seems to be that the economy in general and employment specifically are getting worse but at a slower rate. Many economists now say we have passed the bottom and are on the way back up, but it will be a slow and lengthy recovery.
Housing starts bounced back with a vengeance in May, rising 17.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 532,000 after plunging 12.9% in April to a postwar low according to the Commerce Department. The surprising increase was led by a 62% gain in new construction of multifamily dwellings. Starts of single-family homes rose 7.5% to a 401,000 rate, the highest since November. Other data shows the hiring rate, while low, remains unchanged at 3.1% percent with 4,099,000 new hires reported in April.
I am pleased to note that VetJobs have been averaging about 28,000 real jobs a day on the site at www.vetjobs.com. This is a 3% increase over the same time period last year. VetJobs is one of the few job boards on the internet that has more jobs posted than the same time last year. Fortunately, many employers do want to hire veterans and many need people with security clearances. But you must have the necessary skill sets and be able to interview well. I know it is tough out there in the job market, but it is not nearly as bleak as the last recession.
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Finally, I am proud to announce that on June 6, VetJobs signed a mutual support agreement with The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH). Their logo is on the site in the VSO endorsement and alliance pages. MOPH joins the Veterans of Foreign Wars (www.vfw.org – VFW is the sponsor of VetJobs), the Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org), the Naval Reserve Association (www.navy-reserve.org), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org), the Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org) and Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org) in supporting VetJobs mission of providing jobs for transitioning military, veterans and their family members. MOPH is providing assistance to those who are seeking a federal job at www.vetsjobs.net.
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Have a great 4th of July holiday and please remember the real reason America celebrates this day!
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If you know of any companies that should be hiring veterans, transitioning military and their family members, please send in the referral to info@vetjobs.com so we may contact the company.
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As always, if there is anything we at VetJobs can do for you, please do not hesitate to call or email.
Remember, Freedom Is Never Free - Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans
Best regards,
Ted Daywalt
President
2. Sprint Cell Phone Discount Service via VFW
Sprint is offering discounts to VFW members and their families. Sign up today and receive discounts and incentives toward your monthly Sprint services. You can call 1-866-869-6686 or go to their website: www.sprint.com/vfw to find out more about the Palm® Pre™ and gift card offers.
/—-July Veteran Eagle sponsor is Maid Brigade—-\
At Maid Brigade we know that military veterans make excellent franchisees – in fact, over 10% of Maid Brigade owners are veterans. They know what it takes to own and run a successful business – a combination of hard work, leadership and sound judgment.
That’s why Maid Brigade wants to reward as many as 100 qualified veterans who have what it takes to own a business. The Gold Award is a Maid Brigade Select Market Franchise valued at $45,000
Advantages to owning a Maid Brigade Franchise:
- A residential cleaning service, Maid Brigade has been a recession-resistant business, having weathered previous recessions of the 1980s, 1990s and post 9/11, without a drop in same store sales.
- Daytime hours – no nights or weekends
- Low overhead/no accounts receivables
- Top 20% franchisees average over $1.6 million annually
- 25+ years in business with over 400 locations in the US and Canada
Maid Brigade owners manage their businesses – hiring others to do the cleaning. For more information about owning a Maid Brigade Franchise, go to www.maidbrigadefranchise.com.
The contest starts on Independence Day and ends on Veterans Day, so enter now for your opportunity to own an award-winning Maid Brigade Franchise! For more information on the contest, please visit http://www.maidbrigadegiveaway.com/.
\—–Please visit your July Veteran Eagle sponsor Maid Brigade —-/
3. US Army Ends Retiree Deployment Program
The US Army is ending a program that has allowed military retirees to volunteer for missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, disappointing many former service members who have embraced a second chance to serve their country. Lt. Col. George Wright, an Army spokesman who himself became a program participant in 2007, said the program is being terminated because the Army had to reduce personnel to reach a congressionally mandated limit on the total number of soldiers. The program was set up in 2002 under special wartime powers that enable the defense secretary to recall retirees.
4. VA Launches Website for Vets in College
The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a new website to strengthen the connection between college and university mental health professionals and the veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts now studying on their campuses. The site is one of several Internet-based tools VA has developed to assist veterans in dealing with mental health issues. Others include a guide for families of military members returning from deployment and information about a suicide prevention hot line for veterans.
/—-July Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\
TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:
7/21, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Baltimore, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm
7/28, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Sheraton National, 900 South Orme St. Arlington, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm
Interview with leading government contractors. Full schedule of event details, & pre-registration at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm. For professionals with active security clearance only. Free admission
\—–Please visit your July Veteran Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —-/
5. DOD Announces Transferability Options for Post 9/11 GI Bill
The Defense Department announced its policy for transferring educational benefits to the spouses and children of service members under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which takes effect Aug. 1, 2009. Career service members on active duty or in the selected reserve on August 1, 2009, and who are eligible for the “Post 9/11 GI Bill,” may be entitled to transfer all or a portion of their education entitlement to one or more family members. To be eligible, service members must have served in the Armed Forces for at least six years, and agree to serve four additional years, from the date of election to transfer. Service members with at least 10 years of service, who by DoD or service policy are prevented from committing to four additional years, may transfer their benefits provided they commit for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute.
Additionally, to maintain proper force structure and promotion opportunities, temporary rules have been developed for service members eligible to retire between Aug. 1, 2009 and Aug. 1, 2012. Depending on their retirement eligibility date, these service members will commit to one to three additional years, from the date of election to transfer. The services will provide further implementation guidance. Beginning June 29, 2009, eligible service members may make transfer designations by visiting this Web site: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB. The Department of Veterans Affairs administers the “Post 9/11 GI Bill,” and determines eligibility for education benefits. Further information on eligibility, benefit levels, and application procedures can be found at their Web site, http://www.gibill.va.gov .
6. National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI)
For nearly 23 years, a one-of-a-kind institute that develops and enhances the skills and knowledge of the country’s veterans’ employment and training personnel has operated in Denver, Colorado. The institute, known as the National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI), aims to help disabled veterans outreach program (DVOP) service professionals and local veterans employment representatives (LVER) build upon their knowledge base that will in turn, enable them to better serve our nation’s veterans as they seek jobs and training. Skills provided in the training include resume building skills, interview techniques, how to market employment services to employers and providing case management to the hard-to-place veteran clients. While NVTI does not provide services directly to veterans, they do offer training to veterans representatives to assist their veteran clients in becoming gainfully employed. To date 70,000+ veterans’ employment and training professionals have attended NVTI training. Training has been held in Denver, CO, at regional sites throughout the U.S. and at military bases abroad.
While only federal DOL staff are eligible for NVTI training, the Institute has developed e-learning courses that benefit NVTI participants, as well as other users. One of the most beneficial and relevant e-learning courses developed by NVTI is the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) basic on-line course, USERRA 101, found at www.nvti.cudenver.edu/Userra101 This free interactive course goes through several examples of some tricky employment and reemployment issues which allow the learner to gain basic knowledge about USERRA. It is available to anyone who is affected by service members who need to be called away from their employment to serve their country and provides them guidance, information and resources in creating a positive relationship between the service member and their employer. A follow-up course to USERRA 101 has also been created, USERRA 102, which is available at www.nvti.cudenver.edu/Userra102. Employers, human resource personnel, lawyers, service members and a wide range of individuals have benefited from these courses.
In addition, NVTI’s staff produced the award winning (New York Film Festival) 5-part Ultimate Job Search for the 21st Century video series. This program comes with an interactive on-line workbook. More information about this outstanding job search program can be found at http://www.nlc.cudenver.edu/UJS
NVTI is a contract program, funded by the Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment & Training Service (VETS) and is administered by the University of Colorado Denver. For more information about NVTI, please visit www.nvti.cudenver.edu.
7. Veterans eligible for cell phone discounts
The Arizona Republic newspaper reports that military veterans and active-duty personnel are eligible for significant discounts on cell phone plans - if they know to ask. Most veterans are unaware of the potential savings on their monthly cell phone bills. Monthly military discounts range from 15 percent on Verizon Wireless plans to 10 percent off - and no activation fee - on T-Mobile agreements. Alltel, Sprint and AT&T offer similar discounts. While not everyone knows about the discounts, those who do say that getting the companies to register them for the cheaper plans is no easy task. Most services require a military identification card, veteran identification card or military discharge papers as proof of veteran status. Some companies require online registration to get the discount. Many companies, including Verizon, also offer discounted plans for customers 65 and older.
8. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of June 23, 2009
The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 110,364; Navy Reserve, 7,027; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 15,645; Marine Corps Reserve, 8,787; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 739. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 142,562, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun%202009/d20090623ngr.pdf.
9. 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 expired automatically on July 1, 1973.
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VetJobs is exclusively sponsored and partially owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (www.vfw.org) and endorsed by The Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org), the Naval Reserve Association (www.navy-reserve.org), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org), the Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org), the Military Order of the Purple Heart (www.purpleheart.org) and Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org).
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