VetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 14:05
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
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 and encourage them to subscribe.
This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by: The Home Depot, TECHEXPO Top Secret and FranChoice
Contents:
1. Message from the Top
2. Navy Reserve Selects 15th Force Master Chief
3. High Tech Companies Will Partner with the Military
4. TRICARE for Retired Reserves
5. VetJobs Virtual Job Fair, May 18-31.
6. DOD Opposes Purple Hearts for Fort Hood Victims
7. Fraud Attempts on VA’s VetSuccess.gov
8. Transition Assistance Program Update
9. Obama’s Budget Proposal Includes Tricare Hikes
10. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of April 23, 2013
11. Significant Events this Month in Military History
Thank you for reading this VetJobs Veteran Eagle newsletter. If you like the newsletter and what VetJobs, the VFW and endorsing veteran service organizations do to assist veterans and their family members find employment, please go to www.weddles.com/poll.htm and vote VetJobs for the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award!
- – - – - From the VFW – - – - – - – -
VFW Sponsored Insurance and Member Benefit Programs. For information about various member benefits programs plans sponsored by VFW National Headquarters, please call 800-821-2606, option 1.
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NOTE: If you have a resume in the VetJobs database, be sure to update your experience and refresh your resume at a minimum of every two weeks. VetJobs has many new customers using the resume database and as a general rule, they do not look at resumes over 30 days old.
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1. Message from the Top
Following on the successful VetJobs Virtual Career Fairs held in 2012, VetJobs is pleased to announce the first of the 2013 virtual career fairs which will take place May 18 through May 31, 2013. The VeteransCONNECT Virtual Career Fair event is sponsored by VetJobs and PSI which is the premier Diversity Job Fair Producer. Please mark your calendar and update your resume. The supporting employers are hiring NOW. This is an entirely Employer paid event and is open to ALL members of “The United States Military Family”. This includes Officer and Enlisted, Active Duty, Transitioning Military, Reservists, Veterans, Retirees, of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Merchant Marine, National Guard, Navy, NOAA and Public Health Service along with Trailing Spouses, Eligible Former Spouses, Widows, Widowers and Dependents and DOD civilians. To register, visit http://www.veteransconnect.net./home.php.
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The special days of recognition this month include:
Loyalty Day – May 1
National Day of Prayer – May 2
Orthodox Easter – May 5
Cinco de Mayo – May 5
Victory in Europe Day – May 8
Military Spouse Day – May 10
Mother’s Day – May 12
Armed Forces Day – May 18
National Maritime Day – May 22
Memorial Day – May 27
Loyalty Day is on May 1 each year. It is a special day for people to reaffirm their loyalty to the United States and to recognize the heritage of American freedom.
In 1933, Congress decreed May 22 as National Maritime Day and each year since then it has been a day for the United States to observe its proud maritime heritage, honor the men and women who serve and have served as merchant mariners, and recognize the many benefits that result from our American maritime industry.
Victory in Europe Day marks the date when the World War II Allies formally celebrated the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich. Of interest, the Allies had agreed to mark May 9, 1945 as Victory in Europe Day, but Western journalists broke the news of Germany’s surrender prematurely (some things never change!), precipitating the earlier celebration. If you know a World War II veteran, tell them thank you for freeing our world from the Nazi socialist tyranny and for preserving the freedoms and our free market economy we enjoy today!
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War. While Waterloo, NY, was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead.
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On the economic front, we are starting to see some progress. The U.S. economy expanded at an annualized pace of 2.5% in the first quarter, up from 0.4% in the fourth quarter, according to a preliminary estimate from the Commerce Department. Economists expected the world’s biggest economy to grow at a pace of 3.0% in the first three months of 2013
The Federal Reserve held the pace of its asset-purchase program steady at $85 billion a month, and said it will hold short-term interest rates at historic lows until the unemployment rate falls to 6.5%. The central bank also said it sees the economy growing at a ‘moderate’ pace, but unemployment remains ‘elevated.’ Stocks remained deep in the red after the statement.
Arianna Huffington summed things up quite well on April 17 when she wrote: “BREAKING! This just in: the economy is terrible and the country is suffering its worst jobs crisis since the Depression… developing… Of course, this isn’t actually breaking news, it is aching news — and before the tragic bombings in Boston, the most important story going on. But you wouldn’t have known that if you’d been listening to the media, where the long-term jobs disaster that’s been enveloping the country for five years goes virtually unmentioned. Only 88,000 new jobs were produced last month. And for the long-term unemployed, the situation is verging on hopeless. It’s hard to imagine our jobs disaster will get the attention — and the solutions — it deserves if our media doesn’t think it’s a story worth telling.”
Here are some updates as to what is happening in the economy:
On the negative side:
-The Commerce Department reports orders for long-lasting goods dropped 5.7% in March from February, the biggest decline since August and larger than the 2.8% decrease analysts were expecting. Excluding the transportation segment, orders were down 1.4%, compared to estimates of a 0.5% increase.
-The ADP National Employment Report shows the private sector added 119,000 jobs in April, falling short of estimates of an increase of 150,000 jobs. The BLS unemployment report will be released Friday.
-The Conference Board’s gauge of U.S. consumer confidence jumped to 68.1 in April from 61.9 in March, easily topping economists’ estimates of 60.8.
-U.S. existing home sales dropped 0.6% in March from February to a 4.92-million unit annualized rate, less than the estimates of a 5.01-million unit rate, according to the National Association of Realtors.
-The Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s gauge of manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region fell to 1.3 in April from 2.0 in March. The index was expected to rise to 3.0. Readings above zero point to expansion while those below indicate contraction.
-The New York Federal Reserve’s regional manufacturing gauge slid to 3.05 in April from 9.24 in March, coming in considerably weaker than the reading of 7 economists expected. Readings above 0 point to expansion, while those below indicate contraction. U.S. stock-index futures had little reaction to the data.
On the positive side:
-The U.S. economy expanded at a modest or moderate pace in most of the Federal Reserve’s 12 districts, according to the anecdotal Beige Book report. Meanwhile, the conditions in the still-struggling labor market remained broadly unchanged.
-U.S. housing starts jumped 7% in March from February to an annualized 1.03 million-unit rate, easily beating expectations of 930,000. Permits dropped 3.9% for the month to an annualized rate of 902,000 units, falling short of forecasts of 940,000 units
-Inflation at the consumer level fell 0.2% in March from February, compared to expectations of no change. Excluding the food and energy components, prices were up 0.1%, a slightly shallower rise than the 0.2% increase economists forecast. The headline reading climbed 1.5% from the year prior in the smallest year-to-year increase since July 2012.
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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
/—May Veteran Eagle sponsor is The Home Depot—-\
Springtime = hiring time at The Home Depot
The Home Depot is ramping up for a busy spring, and that means the world’s largest home improvement retailer is looking to hire more than 80,000 seasonal associates to assist their customers during the company’s busiest season. As both the company’s busiest hiring and selling period, spring is their annual peak season, similar to the Christmas season for many retailers.
This year, The Home Depot is hiring 10,000 more spring associates than it did last year to support an anticipated increase in sales.
“Spring is always a special season for us when we can offer employment opportunities for literally tens of thousands of Americans,” said Tim Crow, executive vice president—Human Resources. “We find some of our best associates during our peak season, and many of them have built long, meaningful careers with us.”
Job opportunities range from part-time to full-time and are available across the U.S. based on individual store needs and geographical differences in weather. Job seekers can begin applying online today at http://www.careers.homedepot.com.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS
The Home Depot is committed to supporting our nation’s military and has plenty of resources available to help them find their fit. The company recently launched its Military Skills Translator Tool, which is designed to help translate and match an applicant’s military skills to positions that might offer the best career fit.
The company has also partnered with military-focused career fairs and will be participating in multiple events throughout the year.
MILITARY BENEFITS
The Home Depot has hired more than 60,000 veterans since 2004 and that’s a point of pride for the company. But, they also offer support to those veterans even after they’re hired.
The Home Depot offers three main forms of support:
• Job portability & transfer opportunities
• Continuation of benefits
• Supplemental pay
The job portability benefit, in particular, is really helpful for active duty service members and spouses who are reassigned or transferred. The Home Depot’s large network of retail locations and distribution centers provides the opportunity to stay within the organization even if you need to relocate.
VetJobs, G.I. Jobs magazine and Military Spouse magazine have all named The Home Depot a top military-friendly employer.
TAKE A NEW STEP IN YOUR CAREER
The Home Depot is looking for hard working candidates to add to its family of associates. It’s a great opportunity to join a top-flight company, and many of their seasonal associates even transition to more permanent roles later in the year.
If you’re ready to look for a new career, apply today to The Home Depot through the VetJobs website.
The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,256 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. Learn more about The Home Depot and apply online today at www.careers.homedepot.com.
\—Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor at www.careers.homedepot.com —-/
2. Navy Reserve Selects 15th Force Master Chief
Command Master Chief Clarence “C.J.” Mitchell will become the 15th Force Master Chief for the Navy Reserve in October. In his new position, he will be responsible for advising the Chief of Navy Reserve on matters affecting the morale, retention, Sailor development, and general well-being of over 53,000 enlisted Navy Reserve personnel. The Force Master Chief is also charged with ensuring active communications throughout the force, instilling a sense of heritage, and actively promoting Navy core values to all Sailors. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, who enlisted in the Navy Reserve in May 1989, Mitchell currently serves as the command master chief for Navy Reserve Forces Command. He will relieve Reserve Force Master Chief Chris Wheeler and is already looking ahead to his new post.
/—May Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\
TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next career fairs are:
5/21, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register and submit resume at www.TechExpoUSA.com
5/22, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Tysons Corner Ritz Carlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd. McLean, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register and submit resume at www.TechExpoUSA.com
Interview with leading government contractors! Full schedule, event details, & pre-registration are available at www.TechExpoUSA.com. The career fair is for professionals with active or recent security clearances only. Free admission. If you attend a TECHEXPO career fair, please indicate you learned of the career fair from VetJobs.
\—Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret at www.techexpousa.com —-/
3. High Tech Companies Will Partner with the Military
First lady Michelle Obama on Monday announced a partnership between the military and IT companies to help veterans more easily find jobs in the tech sector. About 161,000 service members would gain the necessary certifications for 12 high-demand technology professions with the new program, according to the White House. Michelle Obama has made helping veterans one of her signature issues through her Joining Forces program. Gene Sperling, the director of the National Economic Council, called the IT/military partnership “a triple win,” noting it was a win for service members, a win for businesses and a win for the economy. (Source: The Hill)
/—May Veteran Eagle sponsor is FranChoice—-\
Veterans interested in learning about franchise ownership are invited to join a FREE webinar “Veterans Exploring Franchise Ownership”. Learn how you can leverage your military experience through franchise ownership and how your unique qualifications improve your chances for success.
Senior Franchise Consultant, Laurie Pollock, and retired Army Captain and 2-time franchise owner, Christian Germain, will explain how to evaluate franchise opportunities, the training and support franchisors offer, as well as discounts for veterans – including one franchise in particular that is waiving the entire franchise fee for qualified veterans. They’ll open up the lines at the end of the webinar to answer your individual questions.
The next webinar date is Monday, May 6th at 4:00 PM CST. To register, please visit
http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=E955DE85844E38
Interested veterans who cannot attend the webinar can request a one-on-one consultation. Always free! Contact lauriepollock@franchoice.com or call 800-818-9929
\—–Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor FranChoice—–/
4. TRICARE for Retired Reserves
TRICARE has affordable healthcare programs available for all Reserve retirees – including “gray-area retirees” and actively-participating Air Force reservists, no matter what orders they are on. Reservists who retire before age 60 are eligible for TRICARE Retired Reserve coverage while they are in the “gray area,” which is the waiting period between retiring from active service and collecting their Reserve retirement pay at age 60. While on active-duty orders for more than 30 days, all reservists are covered by TRICARE Prime. When they are in-between active duty orders, reservists can enroll in TRICARE Reserve Select. Both plans provide comprehensive health coverage. To find out more or to enroll in TRICARE’s programs for reservists, visit the TRICARE Reserve Select webpage at www.tricare.mil/trs.
5. VetJobs Virtual Job Fair, May 18-31.
VetJobs is pleased to announce the first of two 2013 online Job Fairs hosted in conjunction with PSI, the premier Diversity Job Fair producer.
Please mark your calendar and update your resume. The supporting employers are hiring NOW. This is an entirely Employer paid event and is open to ALL members of “The United States Military Family”. This includes Officer and Enlisted, Active Duty, Transitioning Military, Reservists, Veterans, Retirees, of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Merchant Marine, National Guard, Navy, NOAA and Public Health Service along with Trailing Spouses, Eligible Former Spouses, Widows, Widowers and Dependents and DOD civilians.
6. DOD Opposes Purple Hearts for Fort Hood Victims
DOD says it opposes giving Purple Hearts to victims of a 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, TX. A position paper, delivered by the Pentagon to congressional staff members, says giving the award, for injuries sustained in combat, to those injured at Fort Hood could “irrevocably alter the fundamental character of this time-honored decoration.” DOD prepared the paper in response to proposed legislation by Rep. John Carter, R-TX, whose district includes the Fort Hood military base. According to ABC, his bill would award combatant status to both military and civilian casualties of the shooting. Thirteen people were killed and 32 injured in the November 2009 shootings on the base. Maj. Nidal Hasan, the alleged shooter, awaits a military trial on premeditated murder and attempted murder charges.
7. Fraud Attempts on VA’s VetSuccess.gov
The Department of Veterans Affairs has recently been notified of potential fraudulent attempts to contact Veterans using VetSuccess.gov. These individuals may be operating under company names such as Auto-Desk, Venus Remedies, or Aesculap Implant Systems. Be aware that these are potential fake inquiries, and you should not communicate with or send any information to these individuals. If you are contacted by an individual or company that is requesting to communicate with you through a suspicious communication method, do not communicate with these individuals. If the individual or company has communicated with you through a suspicious email, do not click on any links in the email, and do not provide any personal information to the individual. If you suspect that you may be victim of these suspicious activities, please contact the VetSuccess.gov team at 202-461-9600.
8. Transition Assistance Program Update
One of VA’s top priorities is to assist Service members and Veterans in charting a course to help them realize their educational, financial and employment goals after they leave the military. With the implementation of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (VOW Act), most Service members will have the opportunity to take advantage of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to gain a basic understanding of how to compete in a tight job market and how to utilize their VA benefits. The VOW Act, which went into effect November 21, 2012, requires mandatory participation in TAP for most Service members transitioning to civilian status; upgrades career counseling options; teaches job hunting skills; and ensures the program is tailored to individuals and the 21st century job market. The Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA), Defense, Education, and Labor in collaboration with the Military Services and Small Business Administration are implementing various benefits, services and programs to support the law. VA’s enhanced benefits briefings, required for all Service members leaving the military to attend as part of TAP, provides a better understanding of Veterans benefits options and how to acquire them. In addition, VA is leading an optional two-day, career-based technical training class, which focuses on transitioning Service members to civilian occupations related to the vocational training of their choice. Other two-day optional courses, led by the Military Services and Small Business Administration include entrepreneurship and education. The enhanced TAP is more interactive, integrated and relevant to meet today’s Service members and their families’ employment, financial and educational needs. Attached is a two page handout that provides additional information about TAP. To learn more on VA benefits and services, please visit http://benefits.va.gov/benefits/.
9. Obama’s Budget Proposal Includes Tricare Hikes
President Barack Obama’s proposed defense budget for fiscal 2014 would introduce an annual enrollment fee for retirees in the Tricare for Life program and would increase the Tricare Prime enrollment fee for working-age retirees under 65. The proposal also includes copay increases for Tricare Prime members. (Source: Army Times)
10. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of April 23, 2013
The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 39,757; Navy Reserve, 4,311; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 8,269; Marine Corps Reserve, 2,464; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 541. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 55,342, 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/MobilizationWeeklyReport042313.pdf
11. Significant Events this Month in Military History
1756 – French & Indian War began, lasting for seven years.
1846 – The U.S. declared war against Mexico. Mexican troops under General Mariano Arista were defeated at Palo Alto, Texas, by U.S. Army under General Zachary Taylor. (Mexican American War)
1863 – Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeated Union troops under Union General Joseph Hooker at the Battle of Chancellorsville, VA, with the considerable aid of Confederate General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, who decisively routed the Union right wing. (Civil War)
1940 – German troops invaded Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. (WW II)
1942 – Congress created the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC).
1942 – Fall of Corregidor (WW II)
1942 – Battle of the Coral Sea, the first major naval action fought without either side having visual contact with enemy forces. (WW II)
1945 – German forces surrendered Berlin to the Russians. (WW II)
1945 – The German military in Europe surrendered unconditionally to GEN Eisenhower and other allied commanders in a French school building at Rheims, France, ending World War II in Europe. V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) was formally proclaimed on 8 May. (WW II)
1968 – Mini-Tet (Vietnam War)
1972 – Operation Linebacker (Vietnam War)
1975 – Capture and Release of SS Mayaguez by Khmer Rouge forces, the first battle action of the United States Navy boarding a ship at sea since 1826.
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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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