The Media Center at » Veteran Eagle

Ted Daywalt — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:48:16 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 10:11, Sunday, November 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: Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve and TECHEXPO Top Secret

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. Companies Honoring Active Military & Veterans on Veterans Day

3. Call to Action Assisting Student Veterans

4. AMVETS DVD Task Force

5. Board of Veterans Appeals Expanded

6. VA Links Parkinson’s to Agent Orange

7. VA Staffs Office for Survivors of Veterans

8. Droves of Recruits to Ease Burden on Troops

9. Veterans Curation Project

10. Flag Etiquette

11. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of October 27, 2009

12. 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:
VETERANS DAY – NOVEMBER 11, 2009
Show Your Pride and Patriotism http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=238

VFW INSURANCE
The Veterans of Foreign Wars offers great insurance benefits including auto, health and life. To find out more about these plans and other Insurance Benefits go to www.vfwinsurance.com

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1. Message from the Top

Happy 10th Birthday to VetJobs! As of 11:00 AM on November 11, VetJobs will have been serving the employment needs of transitioning military, veterans, wounded warriors, disabled veterans and their family members for ten years!. During that time, millions of veterans have used the site as a resource for guidance on how to conduct a job search, interviewing, career advice, referral to other appropriate career sites, to find military related job fairs, and most of all, to apply to thousands of military friendly employers who want to hire transitioning military, veterans, wounded warriors, disabled veterans and their family members!

So many new items came with Version 4.0 it would take many pages to describe everything VetJobs offers today. Recent changes include the expansion of the veteran and spouse resource pages that are full of new information. A frequently used tool is the Career Advisor, a career assessment test from one of the country’s leading testing firms, Candidate Resources, Inc (CRI), of Grand Prairie, TX. The test would normally cost $250, but CRI has donated thousands of tests to veterans and their family members. CRI is a true supporter of the military!

VetJobs is pleased to be sponsored and partially owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. In fact, VetJobs been endorsed by more veteran service organizations than any other site. VetJobs has been endorsed and has alliances with the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Association of the United States Navy, the Veterans of Modern Warfare, the Student Veterans of America, Hope4Heroes, and various intelligence related organizations. Being recognized and used as their job board by so many important veteran service organizations has kept VetJobs in the forefront of assisting veterans who need help! Visit the VetJobs Alliances page to see the many companies and non-profits with whom VetJobs has become aligned over the last ten years. Additionally, VetJobs materials are now used in state and federal Department of Labor offices, DOD Transition Assistance Program and Army Career & Alumni Program offices worldwide, as well as Veteran Administration offices.

Due to VetJobs’ leading position in the industry, VetJobs is regularly cited in the press, radio and TV. VetJobs has been highlighted in USA Today, regularly quoted by Military Times, various news services, and was on the CBS 60 Minutes program regarding USERRA last November.

Due to the impact VetJobs has had in the employment market, VetJobs has been elected to the Board of Governors of the International Association of Employment Web Sites, been appointed to the Small Business Council of the US Chamber of Commerce and has been subpoenaed to testify before the President’s Commission on the National Guard and Reserve. VetJobs has testified before Congress and worked with members of Congress regarding veteran and employment issues on many occasions. VetJobs has developed a very strong national reputation for being a major advocate for transitioning military, veterans, wounded warriors, disabled veterans and their family members.

Importantly, over the last ten years VetJobs has come to be recognized by the industry evaluators as THE leading military related job board on the Internet. VetJobs awards include: CareerXRoads Top Site; seven year recipient of AIRS Top Recruiting Site; six year recipient of WEDDLE’s prestigious User’s Choice Award; four year recipient of Workforce Management’s Top 10 Recruiting Site; and was the only military job board selected by Reader’s Digest in its list of 18 top sites! Notably, BusinessWeek is running an article about VetJobs which identifies VetJobs as the leading military job board in the November 16 issue, which comes out November 7 in time for Veterans Day. No other military related job board has received these prestigious recognitions!

It has been an exciting ten years. But the bottom line for the staff at VetJobs and our veteran service organization partners is that millions of veterans and their family members have come to the site seeking and receiving help and guidance on their job search. Thousands over the last ten years have taken advantage of the ability to call and get personal job counseling. More importantly, tens of thousands have found jobs applying to the employers who use VetJobs. And many more were able to get good jobs elsewhere due to the career advice, guidance and referrals to other sources and employers they received from the VetJobs site, their calls and email inquiries. Our mission is to help our brothers, sisters and their family members get jobs, and over the last ten years VetJobs has met that mission!

It is you, the transitioning military, veterans, wounded warriors, disabled veterans and your family members who have made VetJobs what it is today. Because of your service and commitment to our country, VetJobs, our partner veteran service organizations and alliance partners are committed to serving your needs in finding quality employment.

Thank you for serving. I and the staff of VetJobs look forward to continue serving you in the coming years.

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In addition to VetJobs birthday, on November 11 we celebrate Veterans Day. Originally known as Armistice Day, it was created by an Act of Congress on May 13, 1938. It set the 11th of November of each year as a legal holiday to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and be known as Armistice Day, which was set in remembrance of the end of World War I. The Armistice was signed at 11:00 AM on the 11th day of the 11th month. In 1954, after World War II had required the greatest military mobilization in the history of the United States and following the Korean War, the 83rd Congress amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word Armistice and inserting the word Veteran. With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became known as Veterans Day, a day to honor American veterans of all wars. We will forever be in the debt of our veterans as they are the guarantors of our freedoms. Let us honor them accordingly.

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On November 10 we celebrate the Marine Corps’ 234th birthday! If you see a Marine, say Semper Fi and Happy Birthday! To view an outstanding Marine Corps Birthday message, please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Bicfc9dp0

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November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving. The tradition of the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving is steeped in myth and legend. Few people realize that the Pilgrims did not celebrate Thanksgiving, though some of their descendants later made a “Forefather’s Day” that usually occurred on December 21 or 22. Several Presidents, including George Washington, made one-time Thanksgiving holidays. In 1827, Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale began lobbying Presidents for the instatement of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, but her lobbying was unsuccessful until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln finally made it a national holiday with his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation. Now Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. This was set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 and was approved by Congress in 1941, who changed it from Abraham Lincoln’s designation as the last Thursday in November, which could occasionally end up being the fifth Thursday and hence too close to Christmas for businesses.

As you celebrate Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, please remember our troops who are serving in defense of our country in Afghanistan, Iraq and many other overseas locations. For many of the troops overseas, their holidays will be celebrated at the tip of the spear as they continue the fight in the War on Terrorism.

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This past week I attended an incredible roundtable meeting of organizations working on the local level to assist wounded warriors. The roundtable is being run under the auspices of the CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project. Executive Director Laurie Ott has brought together federal agencies, local schools, non-profits, politicians and businesses that can assist wounded warriors at the Eisenhower Army Medical Center. Importantly, she has created a forum for organizations to exchange information. Some of these organizations did not know the others existed or what they offered. As a result, the support for our wounded warriors in the August area is greatly enhanced! This is a program that needs to be duplicated nationwide. See Article 9 below to learn of a program that the CSRA Wound Warrior Care Project is assisting. To learn more about what the CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project is doing please visit http://www.csrawwcp.org/, or contact Laurie Ott at laurie.ott@csrawwcp.org.

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On the economic front, the unemployment rate in September climbed to 9.8% while the unemployment rate for all veterans rose to 8.9%. The unemployment rate for many younger veterans who participate in the Guard and Reserve is exceptionally high due to DOD’s two year call up policy and heavy use of the Guard and Reserve to prosecute the wars. Too many employers will not now hire as a new employee someone who is active in the Guard and Reserve as the candidate will be gone for one to two years. Employers cannot run their businesses with employees gone for such extended periods.

The economy and what is happening to the job market seems to be on everyone’s mind. For many, it is a brutal job market. Yet even with 15 million people looking for work, many employers cannot find enough qualified people for good-paying career jobs. Economists say the main problem is an unequal match between available work and people qualified to do it. The unequal match will make it harder for the unemployment rate to drop down to a healthier level.

Millions of jobs with attractive pay and benefits that once drew legions of workers to the auto industry, construction, Wall Street and other sectors are gone, many forever. Many jobs moved to other areas of the country, but the emplyees cannot afford to move. And the people who lost those jobs generally lack the right experience for new positions popping up in healthcare, energy, biotechnology, information technology and engineering. Many of these specialized jobs were hard to fill even before the recession. But during downturns, recruiters tend to become even choosier and less willing to take financial risks on untested workers.

According to labor analysts, even during this recession companies are having a difficult time finding qualified accountants, health care workers, software sales representatives, actuaries, data analysts, physical therapists, morticians, pharmacists, and electrical engineers. In this last sentence note again the use of the descriptive adjective, qualified. Several pundants complain that there are six people for every job opening, the highest ratio on government records since 2000. They get these ratios by dividing the total number of unemployed by the total number of estimated jobs available. As the pundants generally are pushing a political or economic agenda, they disregard the fact that employers do not hire a candidate just to fill a job. Rather, employers hire “qualified” candidates who are capable of performing specified activities! That is the real world.

Recently there have been news reports that the recession is over or nearly over, and it may be in some areas. I use the word area to mean both geographic as well as industry sectors. But the economy is not one big monolith that moves uniformly. While some parts of the economy and sectors are in recovery others are still heading down. The bottom line is the U.S. economy is still shedding jobs and it is expected that the unemployment rate will rise above 10% in the months to come. While some have referred to this recovery as a jobless recovery, I prefer to use the term “less jobs recovery” as unlike the last recession, many employers are still hiring, but at a greatly reduced rate. There are jobs available, but the competition is fierce even if you are qualified.

What is disconcerting in this recession is the credit markets have not yet recovered. Small-business lending and consumer lending have contracted, if not completely stopped in many areas. And mortgage lending is being entirely underwritten by the government, meaning more taxes to those left working. I believe the lack of lending to small businesses is perhaps the largest cause for concern in this economy because small businesses are and always have been the engines of innovation and job creation that brought America out of past recessions. Small businesses account for the largest proportion of real employment in the United States.

I hear from many employers of all sizes that they know they need to hire new employees because the ones left in the business since the many lay-offs are being over worked. But employers, especially small to medium size companies, are hesitant to start hiring in the current political climate. They are concerned about the ever expanding federal government and who is going to pay for the expanding government; about the way the leaders of the current Congress are attempting to raise taxes in the middle of a deep recession; about the threats of mandatory increased health care costs; and about the lack of access to capital. They are concerned about the way the federal government is now intervening and taking control of major industries and the financial system, thus destroying capitalism, our free enterprise system, and potentially leading the United States into socialism which has failed miserably in Europe.

On top of all this, the United States has one more potential major shock to the economic system coming around the start of January when the commercial real estate sub-prime market is expected to hit. No one seems to know if it will be as bad as the residential sub-prime market collapse, but all agree it will hurt the economy in a major way.

If you are a student of history, you will remember that the Great Depression lasted ten years in the United States, but only about four years in Europe. Unfortunately, the current administration and Congress are repeating many of the same errors today that kept America in the Great Depression for so long during 1930’s. If you are concerned about these events, tell your members of congress that their behavior and activities are not helping the economy recover, making it harder for our veterans and family members to find quality jobs.

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Finally, we welcome the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) as a new sponsor of our newsletters. Please read their message below. If your company has not signed a Statement of Support, then have your appropriate company representative visit www.esgr.mil and sign up immediately! Supporting our National Guard and Reserve is critical during this time of war. 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

/—-November Veteran Eagle sponsor is Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve—-\

Nominate Your Employer for the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award!

It is only possible for our National Guard and Reserve members to perform at their best with the support of loved ones, friends, neighbors and, particularly, employers. Thousands of employers across the nation employ National Guard and Reserve members, fully aware that at any moment they may be called to serve. And when this happens, both the employee and employer face challenges. We are grateful for the many employers who remain patriotically steadfast in support of their military employees, both financially and emotionally, going well beyond the law. Supportive employers allow service members to perform their duties while alleviating concerns about their jobs and loved ones back home.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense agency, invites nominations for the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award

Freedom Award recipients support their Guard and Reserve employees and their families in important ways, both large and small. Past recipients have provided differential pay during deployments, continued insurance benefits and sent comfort items in care packages. Some of the most valued assistance has been the support extended to deployed service members’ families. When one National Guard member was deployed, his employer filled his seat at his sons’ sports games. After another service member’s family hit hard times during a deployment, his employer stacked gifts under the family’s Christmas tree. And during the deployment of a single father, his employer sent his daughters off to school each morning with a wake up phone call.
These seemingly small acts have a significant impact on the lives of National Guard and Reserve members and their families.

Any employer supportive of its National Guard and Reserve employees or their families is eligible for Freedom Award nomination. Past recipients of the award have ranged from a small family-owned farm in Iowa to large corporations, including Chrysler and Microsoft, to public sector employers like the City of Austin, Texas.

The 2010 recipients will be announced in the spring and honored in September at the 15th annual Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award ceremony in Washington, D.C. Recipients of the 2009 award met with President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and received their awards at a ceremony with the keynote given by Dr.
Jill Biden.

Visit www.freedomaward.mil/nominate.aspx? to submit a nomination.

\—–Please visit your November Veteran Eagle sponsor Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve at www.esgr.mil—–/

2. Companies Honoring Active Military & Veterans on Veterans Day

Many restaurants, attractions and retail establishments now honor veterans (and some their families) on Veterans Day or days surrounding Veterans Day. Here is a list of those of which VetJobs is aware offering special deals. Requirements vary, but you will need one of the following: DD-214, military ID card, driver’s license indicating you were military, military leave and earnings statement, veterans service organization membership card or photograph in uniform or wearing uniform that identifies you as a veteran to participate with these great companies who are honoring veterans. As a general rule, when you are shopping or traveling, ask if the store, restaurant or hotel has a military discount. You will be surprised at how many offer these discounts. Enjoy and bon appetite!

-Free Applebee’s meals on Veterans Day
http://www.applebees.com/vetsday/

-McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, Sunday, November 8 http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/featured-promotion/Veterans-Appreciation-Day.aspx

-Golden Corral Military Appreciation, Monday, November 16, http://www.goldencorral.com/military/#

-Knotts Berry Farm, November 1 through November 26
http://www.knotts.com/public/admission/prices/deals.cfm

-Lowes – 10% off on Veterans Day
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=pg&p=Promos/veteransDay07.html&lks=hpsm1

-Home Depot – 10% discounts
http://www.homedepot.com

-Disney’s Armed Forces Salute at Disney Parks
http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=322

-Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks – free park admission
http://commerce.4adventure.com/store/os_application.asp

/—November Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

11/17, 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

11/18, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, 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 November Veteran Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret at www.techexpousa.com—-/

3. Call to Action Assisting Student Veterans

VFW National Commander Tradewell has issued a ‘call to action’ by asking VFW Posts nationwide to mobilize their resources on behalf of student veterans and assist those needing transportation to a VA regional office or college campus. “Today, I urge every VFW Post to reach-out to their respective student veteran communities. One easy way to do this is to first determine if there is a Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapter on campus. The SVA has a chapter locator that can be accessed by going to their website: http://www.studentveterans.org/chapters/chapterlocator.php and makes it easy to contact the student group and offer assistance. Since one of the SVA’s primary goals is to connect with groups with resources from outside their campuses to help meet the common needs of student veterans, they can help coordinate with VFW Posts and students needing transportation assistance. Otherwise, I encourage any VFW Post with a college campus anywhere in their vicinity, to contact the campus veteran’s representative or Dean’s office to help facilitate assistance.”

4. AMVETS DVD Task Force

AMVETS Task Force DVD is an appeal to patriotic Americans to donate their new and used DVDs which will then be shipped to our fighting men and women overseas. For more information, visit http://www.amvets.org/taskforcedvd

5. Board of Veterans Appeals Expanded

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki announced the addition of four new Veterans Law Judges to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA), which will enable the board to increase the number of cases being decided. BVA is an appeals body where veterans, their dependents, or their survivors can go when they’re not satisfied with decisions about claims for benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The board currently has 60 Veterans Law Judges. VA provides a pamphlet entitled, How Do I Appeal, to anyone who isn’t satisfied with the results of a benefits claim that was decided by a VA regional office, medical center or another local VA office. For more information about BVA or to download a copy of the pamphlet, visit VA’s Gateway to VA Appeals webpage at www.va.gov/vbs/bva.

6. VA Links Parkinson’s to Agent Orange

Stars and Stripes reports Veterans Affairs officials added three new illnesses to the list of diagnoses connected to Agent Orange, allowing quicker health care claims for Vietnam veterans suffering from Parkinson’s disease, hairy cell leukemia and ischemic heart disease. The move follows a study by the nongovernmental Institute of Medicine. The group has been studying the effects of Agent Orange since the early 1990s and this summer suggested a link between those diseases and the toxic Agent Orange chemicals. In a statement, VA secretary Eric Shinseki said the additions bring to 12 the number of “presumed” sicknesses linked to Agent Orange. Others include prostate cancer and Hodgkin’s disease. VA officials said that up to 250,000 veterans may benefit from the latest change. In a statement, Veterans of Foreign Wars national commander Thomas Tradewell Sr., a Vietnam veteran, called the additions a significant change and praised Shinseki for the move.

7. VA Staffs Office for Survivors of Veterans

VA News service reports that to strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs programs for survivors of the nation’s veterans and service members, the VA has staffed an office to serve as their advocate, with a charter that includes creating or modifying programs, benefits and services. The office serves as the primary adviser to the secretary on all issues affecting the survivors and dependents of deceased veterans and service members. It will monitor VA’s delivery of benefits to survivors, make appropriate referrals to VA offices for survivors seeking benefits, and explore innovative ways of reaching survivors who are not receiving the VA benefits for which they are eligible. VA benefits for eligible survivors include educational assistance, home-loan guaranties, health-care insurance, and dependency and indemnity compensation. Known as DIC, this is a monthly payment to the survivors of some people who die on active duty and some seriously disabled veterans. The establishment of this office was authorized in the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008. For more information, call 800-827-1000 or visit the VA Web site at www.va.gov/.

8. Droves of Recruits to Ease Burden on Troops

The U.S. military reported the biggest surge in recruits since the end of the draft – an increase that likely will relieve pressure on troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan by allowing them to spend more time at home between overseas deployments. The U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force sent about 169,000 new recruits for training in the fiscal year that ended September 30. The Pentagon said this was the highest figure since 1973, the first year of the modern all-volunteer force. The numbers also exceed the Pentagon’s goal for the year of 164,000 new service members.

9. Veterans Curation Project

The mission of the Veterans Curation Project (VCP) is to provide wounded veterans with job training through the rehabilitation and preservation of archaeological collections owned or administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. On October 20, 2009, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Center of Expertise (CX) for Curation and Management of Archeological Collections (CMAC), St. Louis District, conducted a public opening of a groundbreaking new project. At the VCP laboratory in Augusta, GA, Iraq and Afghanistan returnees along with Vietnam era veterans are taking part in archaeological curation training under the Wounded Warrior Care Project. Two additional laboratories will open in St. Louis, MO, and Washington, DC. The skills obtained by the Wounded Warriors participating in the VCP are readily transferable to jobs in health care, police, fire, administrative, government and engineering career fields. The Augusta VCP, working in collaboration with the CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project, the VA and the Georgia Department of Labor will assist VCP participants in job preparation and placement. To learn more about this exciting new program, contact “Sonny” Trimble at Michael.K.Trimble@usace.army.mil.

10. Flag Etiquette

The “Star Spangled Banner” has been designated as the national anthem of the United States of America since 1931. During the playing of the anthem, when the flag is displayed, persons not in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with their right hand over their heart. Those in uniform should begin saluting the flag at the first note of the music and hold the salute until the last note of the anthem is played. Veterans in civilian clothes have the option of saluting or placing their hand over their heart. Those veterans wearing veteran service organization caps or uniforms of other patriotic organizations should salute.

11. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of October 27, 2009

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 108,131; Navy Reserve, 6,432; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 13,315; Marine Corps Reserve, 8,146; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 683. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 136,707, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2009/d20091027ngr.pdf

12. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1775 – Continental Congress establishes two battalions of Marines. Samuel Nicholas was appointed “Captain of Marines” on 28 November 1775, and promoted to major on June 25, 1776. Because of his senior status among other Marine officers of the Revolution, he is numbered as the first Commandant.

1775 – Americans under General Richard Montgomery capture the British fort of Saint Johns. (War of Independence)

1861 – The Confederate raider Nashville captured and burned the Union clipper ship Harvey Birch in the Atlantic Ocean. (Civil War)

1864 – Union General W.T. Sherman began his march to the sea from Atlanta, GA, in an effort to cut the Confederacy in two. (Civil War)

1865 – Dr. Mary E. Walker, the first female surgeon in the Union Army, is presented with the Medal of Honor, the first woman to receive that award.

1910 – First airplane flight from the deck of a ship.

1917 – American troops were first engaged in fighting attacking German troops near the Rhine-Marne Canal in France. (World War I)

1918 – World War I ends at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month with the signing of an Armistice. (World War I)

1942 – Operation Torch begins with Allied landings in northwest Africa (World War II).

1943 – U.S. Marines landed on Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands, one of the bloodiest campaigns waged by American forces against the Japanese in the Pacific (World War II).

1965 – Battle of Chu Pon-ia Drang River, Vietnam. U.S. 1st Calvary fought North Vietnamese regulars for four days (Vietnam War).

1967 – American troops broke a North Vietnamese assault at Loc Ninh, near the Cambodian border (Vietnam War).

1968 – Battle of Nui Chom Mountain. The 4th Bn, 31st Infantry, 196th Inf Bde fought and destroyed the 21st NVA Regiment on Nui Chom Mountain southwest of Da Nang, Vietnam in a fierce six day battle. Cpl Michael Crescenz received the Medal of Honor as they fought inch by inch up the steep mountain. (Vietnam War)

1979 – Iranian militants seized the US Embassy in Tehran, held 65 Americans hostage.

1999 – VetJobs went live on the Internet.

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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.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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You were opted-in when you posted a resume, were referred to VetJobs or were part of a military organization which opted-in to VetJobs. To REMOVE or CHANGE your address, click this URL: http://mh.databack.com/c.php?L=vetjobs&E=#email#

VetJobs
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
770-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!

Seven year recipient of AIRS Top Recruiting Site
Six year recipient of WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award
Four year recipient of Workforce Management Top 10 Recruiting Site
Only military job board selected by Reader’s Digest
CareerXRoads Top Recruiting Site

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

Ted Daywalt — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:18:28 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 10:10, Thursday, October 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

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. History of Columbus Day

3. History of Navy Day

4. USAF Voluntary Retired Rated Officer Recall Program

5. VA Combat Vet Refunds

6. DOL One Stops

7. VA to Begin Distributing Emergency GI Bill Payments

8. Veteran Courts

9. New Scam Using the VA

10. New Al Qaeda Bomb Technique Seen As Severe Threat to Airline Security

11. Officials Announce Family Program Expansion

12. US Chamber Veteran Event in November

13. Flag Code

14. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of September 29, 2009

15. Significant Events this Month in Military History

From the VFW:
VFW Store – Your Purchase Helps Veterans, Military Troops and Their Families http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=250

Do you need a home loan? Receive a Paid-in-Full Life Membership with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (www.vfw.org) when you obtain a home loan through Guaranteed Rate Mortgage. If you are already a life member, you may donate the life membership to a returning service member or other eligible veteran, or a $400 donation may be made to the VFW in your name. To apply visit https://www.guaranteedrate.com/apply/vfw.php

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1. Message from the Top

Have you ever been to a function where the United States flag is presented and seen people who do not put their hand over their heart as the flag goes by? Or been to a political event and seen individuals who do not rise when the group is saying the Pledge of Allegiance? Unfortunately, this is happening more now than in the past. Much of this improper behavior is due to ignorance. Much can be attributed to the fact that many schools in the effort to be politically correct do not teach flag manners – how to honor and display the American flag.

Case in point, I was recently at a town hall meeting where four protestors deliberately sat through the presentation of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. This was disturbing to many of the attendees, and while it is the right of the protesters to make a political statement by refusing to honor the flag of our country, I considered it an insult and a public display of their gross ignorance. There are better ways to protest than to dishonor the flag of the United States.

For members of the military who have served and fought for our country, few things evoke such strong emotion as seeing the flag presented at a ceremony to honor an event or seeing a flag draped over a coffin as a sign of mourning for a hero or loved one.

An unfurled flag symbolizes the love and pride that we have as a nation. The flag is a poignant reminder of America’s greatness and our fortune to live in a country which values freedom above all else. The flag signifies the commitment made by our forefathers and fallen comrades who battled bravely to defend the honor of this sacred emblem of a free federal republic that signifies American unity, power and purpose as a nation. Our flag continues the promise of liberty, justice and freedom for all. The flag reflects America’s continuing pledge to uphold our democratic based ideas and work for peace throughout the world.

So starting with this newsletter, I will be adding a paragraph each month on how to properly display the flag – See article 12 below. Be sure to fly your flag at both home and at your place of work. If you need a flag, a great place to buy one is at the VFW Store at www.vfwstore.org.

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This month we celebrate the 234th 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, as well as 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 12 – Columbus Day

October 13 – Navy Day.

September 15 through October 15 – Hispanic Heritage Month

October 31 – Halloween.

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Several veterans have called in complaining about having to go to a company URL to apply to a job as it used to be that they could just mail in a resume or hand one to a recruiter. In one case the veteran was frustrated having stood in line at a career fair to talk to a recruiter for nearly 40 minutes only to have the recruiter look at his resume, say it looks good, and told him to go apply on line.

Over the last several years, the US Department of Labor (DOL) has come out with many onerous record keeping requirements levied on employers from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Jobs for Veterans Act (JVA) which amended the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program (OFDCCP). These record keeping requirements are costing the business sector tens of millions of dollars to comply. OFCCP has quadrupled the number of auditors in the last year as DOL has found this practice to be very lucrative and are conducting audits that can cost companies tens of thousands of dollars in assessments, the new politically correct way to say fines. Thus to comply with all the record keeping requirements (many of which contradict each other – go figure!), companies have resorted to using the efficiency of the Internet to keep track of all the things now demanded by DOL. I can appreciate the frustration of those having to deal with these systems, but you need to adapt as the requirements are not going to go away. And for many employers, having a candidate use the Internet portal tells the employer the candidate has some basic computer skills.

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On the economic front, the US economy may have bottomed out and is slowly starting to climb out of the recession. Many pundits and politicians like to claim it is due to the stimulus package passed by congress, but I rather doubt that is the reason since less than five percent of the stimulus package has been spent!

For many sectors, the federal stimulus may provide the economic shot in the arm that is critical to stemming catastrophic job and population losses. But these short-term stimulus projects must be conceived, developed, and managed in the context of a longer-term plan for economic health of the economy. If the economy is indeed resetting itself, as the data suggest, then communities and regions must commit to a longer-term vision, strategies, and implementation plans to ensure continued growth. Few, if any in our various government organizations, have such vision or strategic plans.

Some indications that the economy is improving include:

-Jobless claims fell to the lowest level since July

- The Federal Reserve reported that American households were $2 trillion richer on June 30 than they were three months earlier, the first time in two years that household net worth had increased.

- The Conference Board reported the index of leading economic indicators rose 0.6% in August, the fifth straight increase.

-In some markets home prices have increased the most since 2005.

- Gross domestic product contracted at a 1.2% annual rate from April to June, the smallest drop in a year.

- The “cash for clunkers” effort and first-time homebuyer credits are giving manufacturing and housing, the two areas at the center of the economic slump a boost last quarter, but will not help as the economy moves forward.

-Many economists predict the worst is over and the third quarter will be a strong growth quarter.

- The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index has jumped 57% since it reached a 12-year low on March 9 of this year.

- Encouraged by government subsidies to buy cars, U.S. consumer spending soared 1.3% in August. This is the fastest increase since the post-9/11 shopping binge eight years ago.

- Declines in business stockpiles, which dropped last quarter at the fastest pace on record, have set the stage for a pickup in manufacturing.

- The drag from housing is dissipating. Sales of new homes rose last month to the highest level in almost a year.

- And finally, payroll decline is slowing.

While all this is good news, we still have a long, long way to go before the economy is sound again. Importantly, while the worst of the housing sub-prime debacle caused by the Congress and the socialistic Community Re-investment Act has passed, the country still faces the possibility of a similar debacle in the commercial real estate sector. How that will play out is still very much up in the air.

Let us hope that some of our leaders in Congress will follow the much heralded moves by European governments away from socialism to capitalism. Europe had been the largest test bed for socialism in world history and all the European states have concluded socialism does not work. The ideas were great until they had to start paying the bills. Hopefully our government leaders will learn from the European experience!

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So where are the jobs? According to a recent study by the Partnership for Public Service, federal agencies will need to hire more than 270,000 new employees for mission-critical jobs in the next three years, including more than 11,500 information technology professionals. This will make the federal government the leading employer in the country. This may be the right avenue for you in finding a job. There are pros and cons to working for the federal government, and the labyrinth of the federal application process can be very frustrating. Federal Computer Week has published an excellent article on applying to federal jobs titled 5 Problems with Federal Hiring – 5 Reality Checks. You can read it at http://fcw.com/articles/2009/09/28/management-federal-hiring-process.aspx

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Scams directed at military and their families are again occurring. I have received many reports that Veterans are being contacted by a “Patient Care Group” representing that they are helping administer VA prescriptions and stating that the pharmacy billing procedures have changed and they are therefore requesting Veteran credit card numbers for prescription payments in advance of filling their prescriptions. This is false. The VA does not call Veterans asking to disclose personal financial information over the phone. The VA has not changed its processes for dispensing prescription medicines. For more information, see article 9 below.

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Please look at article 12 below concerning a special program called Business Steps Up: Hiring Our Heroes Summit sponsored by the United States Chamber of Commerce. If you can attend on November 12, you will be participating in a very exciting program. I will be attending and look forward to seeing you there!

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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 OK, 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 Veteran Eagle sponsor is Maid Brigade—-\

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2. History of Columbus Day

The first recorded celebration honoring the discovery of America by Europeans took place on October 12, 1792 in New York City. The event, which celebrated the 300th anniversary of Columbus’ landing in the New World, was organized by The Society of St. Tammany (also known as the Columbian Order). San Francisco’s Italian community held their first Columbus Day celebration in 1869. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison urged citizens to participate in the 400th anniversary celebration of Columbus’ first voyage. It was during this event that the Pledge of Allegiance, written by Francis Bellamy, was recited publically for the first time. Colorado was the first state to observe the holiday in 1905. In 1937, President Roosevelt proclaimed October 12 as “Columbus Day” and in 1971, President Nixon declared the second Monday of October a national holiday.

3. History of Navy Day

In the United States, the Navy League of the United States organized the first Navy Day in 1922, holding it on October 27 because it was the birthday of the Navy-supporting President Theodore Roosevelt. Although meeting with mixed reviews the first year, in 1923 over 50 major cities participated, and the United States Navy sent a number of its ships to various port cities for the occasion. The 1945 Navy Day was an especially large celebration, with President Harry S. Truman reviewing the fleet in New York Harbor. In 1949, Louis A. Johnson, secretary of the newly-created Department of Defense, directed that the U.S. Navy’s participation occur on Armed Forces Day in May, although as a civilian organization the Navy League was not affected by this directive, and continued to organize Navy Day celebrations as before. In the 1970s, the “birthday” of the Continental Navy was found to be October 13, 1775, and so CNO Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt worked with the Navy League to define October 13 as the new date of Navy Day.

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

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

10/6, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs, 1775 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

10/20, 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

10/21, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Sheraton Reston, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

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

4. USAF Voluntary Retired Rated Officer Recall Program

The secretary of the Air Force has initiated two voluntary recalls to active duty programs and expanded the number of eligible Air Force specialties for an existing one to help minimize the service’s critical shortage of rated officers.”The rapid expansion of unmanned aircraft systems as well as other emerging missions and rated requirements that directly support contingency operations created a demand for experienced, rated officers that exceeds current Air Force levels,” said Col. William Foote, the Air Force Personnel Center director of personnel services. The Voluntary Retired Rated Officer Recall Program allows the secretary of the Air Force to order retired Air Force rated officers to active duty. The Voluntary Limited Period Recall Program and Voluntary Permanent Rated Officer Recall Program allow Reserve officers the opportunity to apply for recall to extended active duty. Rated officers include pilots, combat systems officers and air battle managers. More than 225 officers have already received orders and are returning to active duty. Information about the rated recall programs, to include detailed eligibility criteria and application requirements, can be found on the Air Force Personnel Center’s “ASK” Web site. Click on “Voluntary Officer Return to Active Duty” under the Military Quick Links section to learn more. Interested officers may also call the Total Force Service Center at (800) 525-0102. For more information, call A1 Field Operating Agency Public Affairs at (210) 565-2334 or e-mail afpc.pa.dlist@randolph.af.mil.

5. VA Combat Vet Refunds

Many veterans are eligible for a retroactive refund of co-payments they made for medical services and prescriptions associated with treatments related to their combat experience. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is currently reviewing medical records to determine which veterans are eligible for the refunds. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-108) extended the period of enhanced enrollment eligibility and cost-free care for conditions that may be related to combat operations. The law allows any combat veteran, discharged from active duty on or after 28 January of 2003 to be eligible for Priority Group 6 enrollment up to five years after they leave the service. Combat veterans discharged before that date – who did not previously enroll in the VA health-care system – are also eligible for Priority Group 6 enrollment through 27 January of 2011. VHA plans on mailing letters in November to veterans affected by the extended eligibility period, informing them they will receive refunds by the end of December. Combat veterans are encouraged to call VA’s Health Resources Center toll-free with any questions at (800) 983-0932.

6. DOL One Stops

Free Government-Backed Assistance: With a little patience, you can receive job search assistance for free. Each state receives funding from the federal government for career centers. To find a one-stop career center, visit www.servicelocator.org.

7. VA to Begin Distributing Emergency GI Bill Payments

National news services are reporting that the Veterans Affairs Department will begin issuing emergency checks for up to $3,000 to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans whose payments under the new GI Bill have been delayed. Those checks will be distributed at VA regional offices beginning Friday. The agency “says it does not know how many students will request emergency funds, but it has approximately 25,000 claims pending. In order to get the payments out, the VA has said it is calling for mandatory overtime as well as the hiring of more employees. Citing the distance many Veterans would have to travel to apply in person at a VA benefits office, Shinseki announced Veterans can also apply online at www.va.gov, starting October 2. The online application will guide Veterans through the process to supply needed information. Shinseki noted that online applicants will receive their emergency payments through the mail after processing. A map and list of the participating VA regional benefits offices is available on the Internet at http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/division_flsh.asp?dnum=3. The most updated information regarding VA issuing emergency checks will be available at VA’s web site www.va.gov starting October 1.

8. Veteran Courts

The House VA Committee held a roundtable discussion on judicial courts that only hear nonviolent cases involving veterans. Modeled after drug and mental health treatment courts, judges are able to order counseling, substance abuse treatment, mentoring, job training, housing assistance, and job placement services as alternatives to incarceration, which is far more expensive. Ten veterans’ courts currently operate in New York, Alaska, California, Oklahoma, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, with other states working to establish similar programs. Invited guests included three judges from Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Edwardsville, IL, as well as a VA medical center director and others involved in mentoring and treatment programs. For more on the hearing, visit the House VA website at http://veterans.house.gov/.

9. New Scam Using the VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is warning Veterans not to give credit card numbers over the phone to callers claiming to update VA prescription information. Veteran Service Organizations have brought to VA’s attention that callers are misrepresenting the VA to gain personal information over the phone. They say VA recently changed procedures for dispensing prescriptions and ask for the Veteran’s credit card number. Veterans with questions about VA services should contact the nearest VA medical center or call, toll-free, 877-222-8387.

10. New Al Qaeda Bomb Technique Seen As Severe Threat to Airline Security

The CBS Evening News reported Al Qaeda has developed a new tactic that allows suicide bombers to breach even the tightest security. Aviation experts are particularly concerned. When al Qaeda operative Abdullah Asieri tried to kill Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Nayef last month, he avoided detection by two sets of airport security including metal detectors, palace security and spent 30 hours in the close company of the prince’s own secret service agents. Using a trick from the narcotics trade, which has long smuggled drugs in body cavities, Asieri had a pound of high explosives plus a detonator inserted in his rectum. The blast left the prince slightly wounded. As an assassination, it was a failure. But as an exercise in defeating security, it was perfect per Chris Yates, an aviation security consultant. This is the nightmare scenario. On a plane at altitude the effects of such a bomb could be catastrophic and there is no current security system that could stop it.

11. Officials Announce Family Program Expansion

American Forces Press Service reports that the Pentagon’s Office of Military Community and Family Policy are expanding a popular child care. Beginning October 1, YMCA respite child care will be expanded to licensed child care programs at YMCAs in all states that wish to participate in the program. Currently, the service is offered at select YMCAs in nine states to provide temporary relief or a short break for the parent or guardian who is responsible for caring for a deployed service member’s child. The care is provided at no cost for children through age 12 for up to 16 hours of care per month, per child. Eligibility extends to families while their active duty spouse is deployed to a remote location for at least six months, as well as to Title 10 families of deployed Guard and Reserve personnel and those serving at independent duty locations. For a listing of the participating YMCAs and for a copy of the registration form, visit the Military OneSource Web site.

12. US Chamber Veteran Event in November

On November 12 the United States Chamber of Commerce’s National Chamber Foundation will host its second annual Business Steps Up: Hiring Our Heroes summit to focus on employment issues facing returning military, veterans, reservists, National Guard and their families. Key leaders of the U.S. military and members of the veteran’s affairs community, including keynote speaker General Eric Shinseki, will discuss ways the private sector can support our returning military personnel while benefitting from that workforce’s extensive training and experience. For more information, please visit http://ncf.uschamber.com/businessstepsup2009/. If you attend, please be sure to tell the Chamber you heard about the event via VetJobs Early Eagle!

13. Flag Code

The Flag Code, a national guideline on ways in which the flag is to be respected, states that no disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America. When rendering the Pledge of Allegiance, persons should stand at attention, face the flag, and if in uniform, salute, or otherwise place the right hand over the heart. Persons wearing the caps of veteran service organizations may salute. Uniformed organizations like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts should render respect to the flag in accordance with the traditions of the organization whose uniform they are wearing.

14. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of September 29, 2009

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 109,188; Navy Reserve, 6,405; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 15,949; Marine Corps Reserve, 8,559; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 656. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 140,757, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2009/d20090929ngr.pdf

15. 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

1950 – The invasion of North Korea started.

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.

1969 – Battle of Loc Ninh, Vietnam War

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

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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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

Ted Daywalt — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:43:29 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 10:9, Tuesday, September 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 over 35,000 jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. History of Labor Day

3. VetJobs Recommends: Dear America

4. Ruling in favor of Veteran Owned Businesses

5. OPM urges agencies to review age limits for new hires

6. Military Challenge Coins

7. V.E.T.S. Veteran Entrepreneur Training School

8. Federal Hiring Preference for Military Spouses

9. Bill Would Expand Benefits for Those Who Suffer Vaccine-Related Injuries

10. DCVAMC wins Medallion of Excellence

11. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of August 28, 2009

12. Significant Events this Month in Military History

PATRIOT DAY – SEPTEMBER 11TH
Remembering those who perished on 9-11 – Show your American Pride http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=238

POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY – You are Not Forgotten – SEPTEMBER 18th
Honor the commitments and sacrifices made by our nation’s prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action.
http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=97

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1. Message from the Top

It was good to see many old friends who attended the VFW 110th National Convention in Phoenix, AZ, and came by our booth. Thank you for visiting. We passed out thousands of VetJobs tri-folds and the VetJobs red coasters. If you are in need of VetJobs tri-fold flyers to use with candidates, please call 877-838-5627 and we will be glad to forward you the flyers.

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Monday, September 7, 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 who labor to protect our country who are in the military. 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 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.

9/11 is Patriot Day established to remember those who perished in the attack on the United States. In spite of the radical Islamic attack on the United States, America stands united! You can show your pride with items from the VFW Store located at http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=238

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

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!

9/19 is National POW/MIA Day. If you would like to order POW/MIA items, please visit http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=97

9/29 is VFW Day when the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) was established. The VFW is the oldest continuous veteran service organization in the United States! The original purpose of the VFW was to assist returning veterans 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.

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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. We did not attack Islam or other Islamic countries. Never forget that the world is involved in a prolonged conflict with a non-state, radical religious group 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 can not negotiate with the radical Islamic terrorists since their sole goal is our elimination and the restoration of the Caliphate. Conflict theory teaches you can not 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 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 at the very time America’s current leadership wants to disarm the United States. 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, job losses slowed in July as the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell back to 9.4% from 9.5%. Given the margin of error in the unemployment methodology, this is a wash. Economists are in disagreement as to where the unemployment rate is heading. Obviously, it did not stop at 8.0% as the current administration said it would. Some economists think it may go to 10% before it turns around. But if it remains static, that would be a good sign that maybe, just maybe things are finally starting to turn around. And that would be interesting since over 95% of the stimulus package has yet to be spent. Maybe the Congress will wake up and realize that the stimulus package is not causing an economic stimulus, but rather lays an excessive debt burden on our population. The federal deficit toped $1.27 trillion, a new record and in the last seven months has reflected the fastest growth of putting America in debt in our history!

Bank of America reports that as the economy continues its slow crawl toward recovery, the upcoming Labor Day holiday could mark a turning point in the job market. An analysis of layoff trends by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. indicates that the heaviest job-cutting of the year may have occurred in the opening months of 2009, when recession-related downsizing appears to have reached its peak. According to a survey among 500 employers and employees conducted by Robert Half International and CareerBuilder, more than half of employers are saying they plan to hire full-time employees in the next 12 months, and 40% expect to hire contract, temporary or project professionals. The survey also found that 47% of hiring managers cited under-qualified applicants as their most common hiring challenge.

In spite of all the bad economic news, there are some bright spots. Health-care and education added 17,000 jobs. The Institute of Supply Management’s Manufacturing Index, one of the most-watched gauges of production activity, is edging toward recovery. The index measures how much manufacturing is shrinking or expanding, with a reading below 50 indicating contraction. For July, the Index stood at 48.9, just shy of expansion. Though still contracting (for the 18th consecutive month), the index has improved seven months in a row. Most in manufacturing say their situation is improving but marginally.

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I am happy to report that the unemployment rate for all veterans was 7.9% while the national unemployment rate is 9.4%. What we are seeing at VetJobs is most veterans are able to find jobs as reflected in the lower unemployment rate. That is not to say that there are no problems, as there is a huge problem in the National Guard and Reserve (NG&R) component members ability to find employment. Three studies have shown that due to the DOD policy implemented in January 2007 of extending call ups of the NG&R for two years has caused upwards of 60% or more of employers to not want to hire as a new employee an active member of the NG&R.

Now we are hearing reports nationwide of companies using the recession as an excuse to lay off members of the NG due to the two year call up policy. We now have many reports of NG members being laid off after DOD announces their state will be called up. If a component member of the NG is laid off before they receive their orders, USERRA is not applicable. Employers have now figured out how to get around USERRA.

As a former drilling Reservist, I think this action by certain employers is totally wrong. But I can also understand why they are doing it. The rules were changed on them without their input. DOD keeps saying the policy is to call up NG&R only one year in six, yet Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, California, Iowa, etc are on their third, fourth and in some cases, fifth call ups. I don’t understand the new DOD fuzzy math of a call up policy of one year in six when in reality it is much, much greater. I must have missed that class in business school! The bottom line is an employer can not run a company with their employees being called away for one and two years at a time. There is a solution to this, but it is not currently palatable to the members of Congress – expand the active duty forces. Until then, many of the members of the NG&R are going to have a very, very difficult time. I am collecting real examples of NG&R members who have been laid off. If this happened to you or you know of someone, please forward the information to info@vetjobs.com. The examples will be used in testimony.

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Finally, BusinessWeek Special Sections joins Workforce Management Magazine, Reader’s Digest, AIRS and WEDDLE’s identifying the success VetJobs has had in assisting transitioning military, veterans and their family members in obtaining meaningful employment.

BusinessWeek Special Sections will be honoring VetJobs with a special advertising section in the November 16 issue which comes out on November 6, just prior to Veterans Day. If your company would be interested in participating in this advertising event to promote the hiring of transitioning military, veterans, National Guard, Reserve and their family members, please have your human resources or marketing department contact Jonathan Meigs, Producer, Special Ad Sections at jon@meigsmedia.com or call him at 518-329-0332. This would be a great opportunity for your company to show its support of hiring veterans! A great way to celebrate Veterans Day! Those who participate will benefit by demonstrating their support for hiring veterans to the over 4.7 million business executives and key decision makers in corporate America. This event will be a way for any size company to have great exposure before the American business community in America’s leading business magazine, BusinessWeek!

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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

/—-August Veteran Eagle sponsor is Maid Brigade—-\

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 started on Independence Day and ends on Veterans Day, but applications are due by September 30, 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 August Veteran Eagle sponsor Maid Brigade —-/

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 Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

9/22, 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

9/23, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

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

3. VetJobs Recommends: Dear America

From time to time, the staff of VetJobs learns of a movie or book we like to recommend to our readers. This month we strongly recommend the book Dear America, edited by Bernard Edelman for the New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission. The latest version of the book has a new introduction by Senator John McCain. The book is a compilation of letters written by the men and women who fought and served in the Vietnam War. The book inspired an HBO film that received two Emmy Awards, a Peabody and a host of film festival honors. This is a must read book for anyone who has any interest in what really happened in Vietnam. Published by Norton & Company, 1985.

4. Ruling in favor of Veteran Owned Businesses

The Deputy Attorney General of the United States in a Ruling of August 21, 2009, says -there is to be PARITY, and no HUB Zone Priority as a result of the September 2008, GAO Decision that gave HUB Zone Small Businesses priority over us Service Disabled Veterans and other small business groups. This is a major win for veteran owned businesses. Thanks goes to the Small Business Administration for taking on the GAO HUB Zone Decision in the manner they did, as the disastrous after effects of the GAO Decision were felt immediately by veteran owned businesses.

5. OPM urges agencies to review age limits for new hires

The Office of Personnel Management has directed federal agencies to review age limits for job vacancies, after the Merit Systems Protection Board ruled such policies for new hires could violate the preferential rights of veterans. In a memo released on Wednesday, OPM Director John Berry said job seekers with veterans preference can apply for vacancies, regardless of whether they meet the age requirements for those jobs. Agencies must review their age requirements to determine whether they are necessary to performing the specified jobs. If not, the agencies must waive them for veterans, according to the memo. The memo says OPM will follow through on a 2008 Merit System Protections Board decision that found that the State Department violated the veterans preference rights of Robert Isabella when it denied his application to join the Diplomatic Security Service based on his age. State requires such agents to be appointed before their 37th birthday. The court ruled the policy was not tied to the conditions of the job, but was intended to ensure agents would qualify for an enhanced retirement annuity, which requires them to work at the agency for 20 years before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 57.

6. Military Challenge Coins

Like so many aspects of military tradition, the origins of the challenge coin are a matter of much debate with little supporting evidence. While many organizations and services claim to have been the originators of the challenge coin, the most commonly held view is that the tradition began in the United States Army Air Service during World War I. For a fascinating history of the military challenge coin citing WWI, WWII and Vietnam War origins, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin. VetJobs now has its own challenge coin. If you would like to order a VetJobs Challenge Coin, send a check for $10.00 to VetJobs Challenge Coin, P. O. Box 71445, Marietta, GA. Be sure to include your return address.

7. V.E.T.S. Veteran Entrepreneur Training School

Hope4heroes.org announces a new program to train veterans and their spouses to start, run and build a business. The program, called V.E.T.S. Veteran Entrepreneur Training School is a first of its kind and serves as a comprehensive two week course that provides individuals a full set of skills. Vic Luebker, Chairman of hope4heroes.org says “our veterans make great business leaders and are the perfect choice to start and run a business as we rebuild the economy.” He goes on the say “veterans have an incredible work ethic and come with built in leadership skills vital to business success”. The school will use a building block approach that takes the student from basic business skills to completion of a business plan that has to be scored and approved by a recognized business school for course completion. “This is no easy course or informational seminar” says Vic “they have to work and learn the skills needed to succeed and run a business or franchise”. Hope4heroes is looking for Vet friendly franchise opportunities to serve as course sponsors and partners and offer a veteran advantage to graduates. Vic goes on to say “we’ll train them, you put them in business!” The course begins taking students in October 2009. To apply, contact hope4heroes.org today at info@hope4heroes.org or call 210-544-8319. To become a school sponsor or franchise of choice contact Vic at: ceo@hope4heroes.org

8. Federal Hiring Preference for Military Spouses

Under guidelines issued by the Administration this week, an estimated 250,000 spouses per year will be eligible for streamlined application processes when applying to work at federal agencies that elect to use a new hiring authority that takes effect in September. Spouses who are relocating because of their service member’s new assignment, some physically disabled military spouses, and unmarried survivors of service members killed in action will soon be able to bypass some of the red tape involved in applying for federal jobs.

9. Bill Would Expand Benefits for Those Who Suffer Vaccine-Related Injuries

The Raleigh News & Observer /McClatchy reports, “It wasn’t a bullet or roadside bomb that felled Lance Cpl. Josef Lopez three years ago after nine days in Iraq. It was an injection into his arm before his unit left the states. The then 20-year-old Marine from Springfield, MO, suffered a rare adverse reaction to the smallpox vaccine. While the vaccine isn’t mandatory, the military strongly encourages troops to take it. However, it left Lopez in a coma, unable for a time to breathe on his own and paralyzed for weeks. Now he can walk, but with a limp. He has to wear a urine bag constantly, has short-term memory loss and must swallow 15 pills daily to control leg spasms and other ailments. And even though his medical problems wouldn’t have occurred if he hadn’t been deployed, Lopez doesn’t qualify for a special government benefit of as much as $100,000 for troops who suffer traumatic injuries because his injuries were caused by the vaccine.” According to McClatchy, Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs, which oversees the benefit program, said they’re following what the agency has determined to be Congress’ intent. It’s for traumatic injury, not disease; not illness; not preventive medicine, said Stephen Wurtz, deputy assistant director for insurance at the VA. It has nothing to do with not believing these people deserve some compensation for their losses. The VA was unable to say how many claims have been rejected because of vaccine-related injuries. Wurtz and others familiar with the program said it probably wasn’t a large amount. McClatchy notes that Senator Claire McCaskill, a member of the Armed Services Committee, drafted a bill named after Lopez to widen the program to include vaccine-related injuries. She became aware of his plight when he and his mother stopped in her Senate office last year looking for help. Lopez had come to Washington to compete in the wheelchair portion of the Marine Corps Marathon.

10. DCVAMC wins Medallion of Excellence

The Washington, D.C., VA Medial Center (DCVAMC) is the 2009 winner of the Medallion of Excellence, the highest honor presented for organizational achievement by the U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Awards of Virginia (SPQA). The SPQA uses the National Malcolm Baldrige Award criteria to rate organizations in all segments of enterprise, manufacturing, health care, service industries, education and government, on business practices reflecting “visionary leadership, customer-driven operations, value of employees and partners to the organization, focus on results, and innovation.” Not since 2006 has the judging committee recognized an organization with its highest achievement award. The Medical Center achieved this recognition on its first application attempt. It consistently scores high in patient satisfaction surveys with nearly 85% of patients describing access to hospital services as excellent.

11. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of August 28, 2009

Total number currently on active duty in support of the partial mobilization for the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 36,741; Naval Reserve, 6,494; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 26,348; Marine Corps Reserve, 3,789; and the Coast Guard Reserve 1,096. This brings the total Reserve and National Guard on active duty to 74,468 including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve who are currently on active duty can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2002/d20020828ngr.pdf.

12. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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).

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).

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

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

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).

1962 – United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps Incorporated

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
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
770-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

Ted Daywalt — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:41:21 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 10:8, Saturday, August 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 over 28,000 jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. VetJobs Recommends: Taking Chance

3. Protect Yourself While Traveling

4. Industry Job Openings

5. Equal Playing Field for Veteran Owned Businesses

6. VA Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 800-273-TALK

7. Air Force Reinstates ROTC Recall Program

8. Help for Military Homeowners

9. Self Defeating Actions by Job Seekers at Career Fairs

10. Potential Class Action Suit

11. President Signs Korean War Veterans Recognition Act

12. Study on Agent Orange Supports Blue Water Navy Coverage

13. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of July 28, 2009

14. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

From August 15 to 20, VetJobs will be exhibiting at the Veterans of Foreign Wars 110th National Convention in Phoenix, AZ. If you are attending the convention, please come by and visit! We will have great novelties for you and updated promotional literature to share with veterans and their family members who are seeking employment. We look forward to seeing you there!

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This past week VetJobs was at the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and the Veterans of Modern Warfare (VMW) National Conventions in Louisville, KY. Over two thousand Vietnam era veterans and family members were in attendance. There were speeches by politicians and representatives of the Veterans Administration, active discussions on veteran issues and the election of officers. For those who have not yet joined VVA, you should know that the membership rules were amended several years ago to allow Vietnam Era veterans to join. To see if you qualify, visit www.vva.org.

An emotional highlight at the VVA Convention for me was the screening of the HBO movie Taking Chance, staring Kevin Bacon (see VetJobs Recommends, #2 below). LCOL Michael Strobl, the Marine officer who escorted the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps, was at the convention and gave a powerful presentation and answered questions. Taking Chance is a must see movie for everyone.

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While there are no federal holidays this month, we do celebrate the birthday of the US Coast Guard! On August 4, 1790, the United States Coast Guard was founded. With the War on Terrorism, the Coast Guard has a very 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.

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Our active duty, reserve and National Guard forces are under tremendous strain with the continued wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Stop and think about the size of our military today compared to the recent past when there were nearly 3.5 million people on active duty. Today, there are roughly 1.4 million on active duty, less than half what we had at the end of the Vietnam War.

The estimated population of the United States on July 1, 2009 is 307,041,000. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 226,706,000 are in the work force. Throw in another 20,000,000 illegal aliens (no one really knows with certainty how many illegal aliens are in the United States), and you have a population base of roughly 327, 041,000 that is being defended by 1,400,000. That equates to only four tenths of a percent (.4%) of the population is defending the other 99.6%! If you include the 1.3 million in the Guard and Reserve who are now used as if they were active duty forces, there are a total of 2.7 million people defending the 327,041,000, or roughly eight tenths of a percent (.8%) defending the other 99.2%.

In 1970, there were over 45 million living veterans in the United States. In 1999 when VetJobs was founded, there were nearly 30 million veterans of which 18 million were in the work force. Today, the BLS reports there are 22,196,000 living veterans of which 12,169,000 are in the work force. Depending on the survey, upwards of 1,700 veterans now die each day!

This data has many ramifications. With 37 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 and social attitudes towards the military. The population base for veteran service organizations is dwindling rapidly which is why many are changing their membership rules in order to maintain membership in a rapidly declining demographic environment.

Today, there are fewer defenders of our freedoms living who understand the importance of maintaining a strong military. And without a strong military, we can not maintain our freedoms, our free market capitalist economy and our constitutional republic. Remember these numbers when you talk to your representatives in Congress.

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An outstanding organization that assists our military forces coping with the stress of constant travel is the United Services Organization (USO). To those military and veterans who travel extensively, a USO facility is a welcomed site. USOs are located in most major airports and in some cases in down town districts near military bases. With donations down, the USO could use your assistance in several ways. USO offices are always looking for volunteers to help staff the facilities and greet the troops. You can also donate needed items to USO facilities such as paper goods (toilet paper, paper plates, napkins, cups and cutlery) and snacks (store bought cookies, chips, candy, nuts, soft drinks, donuts, cakes, etc). Make it a habit that when you travel to drop off donations to your local USO. It will be truly appreciated!

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Historically, the unemployment rate for veterans has been one to three percent below the national average. In June, the unemployment rate for all veterans was 7.8% while the national unemployment rate was 9.5%. These numbers will probably rise in the July unemployment report which will be released next week.

About a year ago I started noticing a disturbing trend in the unemployment numbers. The unemployment rate for veterans aged 18 to 24 started rising precipitously. By May of 2009, the unemployment rate for this group had risen to 26.8%, nearly 50% higher than the unemployment rate for non-veterans which was 17.3%. In June the rate fell to 24.4% while the non-veteran unemployment rate for 18 to 24 year olds was 18.2%.

I am convinced the unusually high unemployment rate of veterans in the 18 to 24 year age group is a direct result of DOD’s one and two year call up policy for Guard and Reserve component members as this is the age group for many members of the National Guard. While DOD still holds to the mythical policy of calling up the Guard and Reserve for one year in every six, the policy is only on paper and in speeches by DOD personnel. In reality, many National Guard units are on their third and fourth call up since 9/11.

Studies conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management, Business Law Reports and Workforce Management Magazine that were complete after the January 2007 implementation of the current DOD call up policy indicate that over 60% of companies will not now hire as a new employee an active member of the Guard and Reserve. This is understandable as an employer can not run their business when their employees are gone for one or two years at a time.

Our Guard and Reserve system can only work with employer support. But many employers feel the rules were changed without their input. Under USERRA, employers are required to rehire Guard and Reserve component members when they return from active duty, and the employer is saddled with many major financial and legal obligations while the component member is called to active duty. Many small businesses are put out of business when their Guard or Reserve employee is called up.

Historically, members of the Guard and Reserve faced a full called up during World War II and a partial call up during the Korean War. Of the 37,000 Guard and Reserve members who fought in the Vietnam War, all but about 200 were volunteers! But since 1991, there have been over 20 full call ups of the Guard and Reserve! Many of the activations have been for one and two year periods.

Employers look on the component members as THEIR human asset on loan to DOD, not as DOD’s asset. Consequently, employers are quietly fighting back and not supporting the DOD call up policy.

I have noted that employers want to hire retired military, transitioning military that have completed their obligated service, and make great effort to hire our wounded and disabled warriors. But when it comes to hiring component members of the Guard and Reserve, employers will not hire them for solid economic reasons. This has manifested itself in the many reports from all over the country of companies using the excuse of the recession to target and lay off employees who are active members of the Guard and Reserve.

This is a problem that has to be solved quickly by the Congress, or our National Guard and Reserve members will become third rate citizens unable to gain meaningful employment equal to their skills and education. Bottom line is DOD needs a minimum of 600,000 more people on active duty.

If you know of a component Guard or Reserve member who has been laid off, please forward the information to contact@vetjobs.com as I am collecting real examples for future testimony before Congress.

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On the economic front, there are signs that perhaps the economy is turning around. New construction of houses expanded for the second straight month in June after hitting a record low in April. Starts rose 3.6% in June to a seasonally adjusted 582,000 annualized units stronger than the 531,000 pace expected by economists. This is the highest level of starts since last November. Starts of new single-family homes rose by 14.4% to 470,000 in June, while starts of large apartment units fell 29.4% to 101,000. Building permits, a leading indicator of housing construction, rose 8.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 563,000. This is the highest level of permits since December and good news for those seeking construction jobs.

The really good news is that unlike the last recession that had a jobless recovery, there are jobs being created during this recession. I like to use the term that we are having a less-jobs recovery. While this recession continues, it will be harder to find employment. But it can be done.

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Finally, look at this month’s sponsor, Maid Brigade (see sponsorship below). Maid Brigade wants to give back to the military and is offering up to 100 free franchises to qualified veterans! That is a $1.5 million give away. VetJobs is supporting this effort as veterans who buy or start companies have a tendency to hire other veterans and their family members. That means the Maid Brigade promotion will create thousands of new jobs for veterans and their family members.

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If you know of any companies that should be hiring veterans, transitioning military and their family members, please send in the referral to info@vetjobs.com so we may contact the company.

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As always, if there is anything we at VetJobs can do for you, please do not hesitate to call or email.

Remember, Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans

Best regards,

Ted Daywalt
President

2. VetJobs Recommends: Taking Chance

Taking Chance is the remarkable true story of a Marine’s death in battle, another Marine’s journey of discovery and a nation’s reverence and gratitude toward its war dead. After hearing of the heroic death of a young Marine in Iraq, LCOL Strobl (Kevin Bacon) volunteers to escort the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps back to his hometown in Wyoming. On a trip across America’s heartland, Strobl finds himself on an unexpectedly emotional sojourn into the soul of a country mourning not only Lance Corporal Phelps, but all of America’s fallen heroes. Taking Chance is an HBO movie and a 2009 Sundance Film Festival selection. This movie is a must see for every American

/—-August Veteran Eagle sponsor is Maid Brigade—-\

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.

\—–Please visit your August Veteran Eagle sponsor Maid Brigade —-/

3. Protect Yourself While Traveling

Have you ever thought of how you would get to the hospital and back home if you experienced a serious accident or injury while on vacation? With a pre-paid medical transportation plan VFW members and their families (including grandchildren) will receive transportation home in the event of an emergency. If you have an extended hospital stay, all arrangements and accommodations for your family will be covered under the plan too.

Unfortunately accidents do happen. Health insurance and credit card protection services don’t offer full protection like an air medical transportation plan provides. For more information on how to receive travel protection for you and your family members, please contact the Member Benefits Department at 1-800-821-2606, option 1

4. Industry Job Openings

According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the below lists job openings by industry, seasonally adjusted, in thousands, comparing May 2008 to May 2009:

2008 2009
Total 4,009 2,554

Private 3,577 2,221

Construction 162 39

Manufacturing 280 91

Trade/transport/utilities 649 430

Retail trade 402 302

Professional/business services 681 520

Education/health services 728 537

Leisure/hospitality 575 269

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

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

8/18, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Baltimore (Linthicum), MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

8/19, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Sheraton Reston, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

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

5. Equal Playing Field for Veteran Owned Businesses

United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary Landrieu, D-LA., and Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe, R-ME, filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 that will place three small business government contracting programs – HUBZone, 8 (a) and service-disabled veterans – on an equal playing field when competing for business. Sen. Levin and Sen. McCain have both agreed to include the amendment in any final Senate-passed legislation. The amendment is a response to two GAO decisions released in September 2008 and May 2009 that contradicted a long-standing SBA interpretation that the Agency’s procurement programs should be treated equally when it comes to awarding contracts. The decisions stated that the HUBZone program had preference over all other small business contracting programs. Accordingly, the amendment will provide equity for the SBA’s small business contracting programs.

6. VA Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 800-273-TALK

VA’s Suicide Prevention Lifeline continues to save lives as the 800-273-TALK national phone number is featured in public service television and transit ads across the country. The Lifeline number just began its ride on more than 21,000 city buses in 124 communities across the United States this summer and that transit ad program has already paid off. Since its inception in July 2007, the VA Suicide Prevention Lifeline has rescued more than 3,000 veterans and provided counseling for more than 120,000 veterans and their loved ones at home and overseas. The lifeline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by trained mental health professionals prepared to deal with immediate crises.

7. Air Force Reinstates ROTC Recall Program

To help fill vacant 2009 positions, Air Force leadership recently approved reinstatement of the AFROTC Limited Period Recall Program (LPRP) for Guard and Reserve officers. The AFROTC LPRP gives an ARC line officer the opportunity to apply for extended active duty to fill a specific, vacant 2009 AFROTC detachment instructor position for a period of three years. Guard and Reserve officers are currently ineligible to apply for summer 2010 vacancies. Detailed eligibility criteria and application requirements for the AFROTC LPRP program is available at AFPC’s “Ask” website at. Click on “Voluntary Officer Return to Active Duty” under the Military Quick Links section, then “AFROTC Limited Period Recall Program” for more details.

8. Help for Military Homeowners

The stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama on February 17 features a provision titled the Military Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP). HAP benefits (normally payable only at BRAC locations) will be extended to certain military homeowners who bought homes before July 1, 2006, and who sell the homes before Sept. 30, 2012. HAP will provide help to military homeowners who receive PCS orders and are unable to sell their homes. HAP will also assist wounded warriors who must relocate due to medical reasons and surviving spouses of fallen service members who are also forced to move.

9. Self Defeating Actions by Job Seekers at Career Fairs

-Failure to dress properly for the interview when attending a career fair.
-Failure to present a professional demeanor at and throughout the time at the career fair.
-Failure to research the potential employers of interest before attending the career fair.
-Upon introducing oneself to the individual on the other side of the booth, asking what the company does.
-After shaking hands with the individual on the other side of the booth, handing the resume and asking “How do I fit in?”
-Not establishing eye contact with the individual on the other side of the table.
-Not registering “online” ahead of time when the opportunity presents itself.
-Not establishing a connection (not contact) within the potential organization when possible.
-Not following-up with the individual quickly with a revised resume more relevant to the specific role discussed.
-Not following-up with the organization with another copy of the resume after the career fair.
-Failure to take advantage of the information available from other attendees at the career fair.
-Demonstrated persistence in using the same techniques in job search that have been used for the past decade and not using the more current and effective techniques and methodologies.

10. Potential Class Action Suit

-Are you a veteran who has been experiencing identity theft problems?
-Are you also a veteran who received treatment or medical care at one of the below listed VA hospitals between 1998 and 2002?
-Do you have a family member who received treatment at one of the facilities listed below that was later killed in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan?

VA Bath
VA Albany
VA Buffalo
VA Canandaigua
VA Syracuse
VA Rochester

If so, you may be eligible to participate in a class action lawsuit and receive a potential award for damages. Please email a brief description of your circumstances, as well as contact information to justice4vets@bellsouth.net and they will contact you should you be eligible.

11. President Signs Korean War Veterans Recognition Act

President Obama signed “The Korean War Veterans Recognition Act” (H.R. 2632). The bill, sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel (NY), adds National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day to the list of days on which the display of the flag of the United States is especially encouraged. July 28th marked the 56th anniversary of National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 421-0 and the Senate by unanimous consent.

12. Study on Agent Orange Supports Blue Water Navy Coverage

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently released the “Veterans and Agent Orange: Health Effects of Herbicides Used in Vietnam (VAO)” report that recommends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) change its definition of Vietnam service. Evidence referenced included a study conducted by the Royal Australian Navy, which supports a broader definition. The report recommends that members of the Blue Water Navy be included in “the set of Vietnam-era veterans with presumed exposure.” Many veteran service organizations have long opposed the VA’s current restrictive policy of “boots on the ground” for granting veterans for service connected disorders under the presumptive classification of herbicide exposure.

13. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of July 28, 2009

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 111,879; Navy Reserve, 6,685; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 13,925; Marine Corps Reserve, 8,341; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 698. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 141,528, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2009/d20090728ngr.pdf .

14. 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).

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).

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
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
770-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

Ted Daywalt — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:39:32 +0000

VetJobs 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

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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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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

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

\—–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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You were opted-in when you posted a resume, were referred to VetJobs or were part of a military organization which opted-in to VetJobs. To REMOVE or CHANGE your address, click this URL: http://mh.databack.com/c.php?L=vetjobs&E=#email#

VetJobs
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
770-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

Ted Daywalt — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:21:17 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 10:6, Monday, June 1, 2009
www.vetjobs.com

The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members and friends and supporters of VetJobs. Feel free to forward the newsletter to veterans and friends.

This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by: Apriva and TECHEXPO Top Secret

Search over 28,000 of jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. VetJobs Recommends: Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System

3. West Point Graduate Is 7th Generation at the Academy

4. Carefree RV Resorts

5. VFW Real Estate Services

6. Cash Bonus to Replace ‘Stop Loss’ for Deploying National Guard Soldiers

7. Obama Concurrent Receipt Plan Details

8. Navy First Service to Offer Sabbaticals

9. Executive Job Outlook Improves

10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of May 26, 2009

11. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994 is a federal law intended to ensure that persons who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard or other “uniformed services:” are promptly reemployed in their civilian jobs upon their return from duty and are not discriminated against in employment based on past, present, or future military service. In essence, USERRA requires the job of a National Guard or Reserve member be protected while they are called to active duty.

Historically, employers overwhelmingly supported the policy as National Guard and Reserve members were only gone for thirty to ninety days. However, DOD changed the rules on the employers and members of the National Guard and Reserve are now called up for one to two year deployments. Understandably, employers are upset as they can not run their businesses with employees, especially key or executive employees, being called away for two years at a time. This particularly hurts small businesses which are the back bone of the American economy.

And to add insult to injury, employers are not compensated by DOD for the loss of a producing employee and must still pay for the called up employee’s benefits. Private sector employers see members of the National Guard and Reserve as their employees on loan to DOD, not the other way around.

And while DOD says its policy is to call up members of the National Guard and Reserve only one year in six, the reality is many members of the National Guard have had multiple call ups since 9/11. Some National Guard units are on their third and fourth call up!

Over the last six months VetJobs has been receiving anecdotal reports of a disturbing trend regarding the treatment of members of the National Guard and Reserve by employers in reaction to the current call up policy. Under the guise of the recession employers are targeting members of the National Guard and Reserve to be laid off.

Employers have found a loop hole. If a company lays off a member of the National Guard and Reserve before the participating member receives their orders to be activated or before an employee notifies the employer they are being called up, USERRA does not apply. Thus, companies have been targeting active members of the National Guard and Reserve during this recession so as to not have to carry the financial burden or the loss of productivity of a called up member of the National Guard or Reserve.

We have heard from members of the National Guard, Reservists, DOL employees and ESGR employees that when the rumors start that a particular National Guard brigade or Reserve contingent is to be called up to active duty, they start hearing of members of the National Guard or Reserve in that area being laid off before orders are delivered. While this tactic by employers is technically legal, it is not fair to the member of the National Guard or Reserve.

While much of the information we have is anecdotal, I am looking to document the use of this type of lay off tactic by employers to use in Congressional testimony. If you have been subjected to a lay off and think it was due to your participation in the National Guard or Reserve, or you know of someone that has experienced this activity, please forward the contact information and some of the facts to info@vetjobs.com. If you want to remain anonymous, please indicate that in your email and your identity will not be disclosed.

I want to emphasize that 99.9% of employers are very pro military. In fact, I personally think employers understand the importance of having and maintaining a strong military better than some members of Congress. I have found that employers want to hire prior military that are totally separated after one or two tours, wounded warriors and retired military. But when it comes to an active member of the National Guard or Reserve, surveys by the Society of Human Resource Management, Business Law Review and Workforce Management Magazine indicate that over half of employers will not now hire as a new employee an active member of the National Guard and Reserve. This lay off tactic by certain employers is a direct response to the current DOD call up policy. The United States National Guard and Reserve system can not work without the support of employers. It all comes down to costs and the way DOD changed the rules on employers.

I look forward to reading your responses.

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In June, we celebrate the following special days:

June 6 – D-Day
June 14 – 234th Birthday of the U.S. Army
June 14 – Flag Day
June 21 – Father’s Day
June 21 – First day of summer

If you meet an Army person this month, say Happy Birthday!

D-Day was the turning point in World War II. June 6, 1944 saw the start of the largest air and sea operation in military history. On D-Day, the Allies landed around 156,000 troops, of which 73,000 were Americans. The amount of equipment used was staggering. In the airborne landings on both flanks of the Normandy beaches, 2,395 aircraft and 867 gliders of the RAF and USAAF were used on D-Day. Operation Neptune involved huge naval forces, including 6,939 vessels: 1,213 naval combat ships, 4,126 landing ships and landing craft, 736 ancillary craft and 864 merchant vessels. Some 195,700 personnel were assigned to Operation Neptune: 52,889 US, 112,824 British, and 4,988 from other Allied countries. By the end of the 11th of June, 326,547 troops, 54,186 vehicles and 104,428 tons of supplies had been landed on the beaches.

There is no “official” casualty figure for D-Day. Total Allied casualties on D-Day are estimated at 10,000, including 2,500 dead. British casualties on D-Day have been estimated at approximately 2,700. The Canadians had 946 casualties. The US forces lost 6,603 men. On June 6, take time to reflect on what took place on the beaches at Normandy and appreciate the sacrifice made by so many to ensure the continuation of our free market economy and our Federal Republic. Their sacrifices helped give us the freedoms we enjoy today.

Flag Day was first observed in 1877 on the 100th anniversary of the Continental Congress’ adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. In that year, Congress asked that all public buildings fly the flag on June 14. The idea quickly caught on and many people wanted to participate in waving the flag. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Flag Day as a national celebration. However, the holiday was not officially recognized until 1949 when President Harry Truman signed the National Flag Day Bill. Although Flag Day is not celebrated as a Federal holiday, Americans everywhere continue to honor the history and heritage it represents.

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This month we also celebrate the creation of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a department of DOD. Founded in 1972, ESGR has been the leading advocate supporting members of the National Guard and Reserve. Over 4,500 volunteers, ranging from business executives, senior government representatives, educators and military personnel, serve on local ESGR Field Committees. With help and resources from the National ESGR Headquarters in Arlington, VA, the 56 ESGR Field Committees conduct employer support programs, including informational briefings, mediation and recognition of employers whose policies support or encourage participation in the National Guard and Reserve. By explaining the missions of the National Guard and Reserve and by increasing public awareness of the role of the employer, ESGR works to develop a dialogue among employers, the ESGR Committees, and local National Guard and Reserve unit commanders and service members. If you want to get involved, visit www.esgr.net and click on your state to volunteer!

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On the economic front, more than 90% of economists predict the recession will end this year, although the recovery is likely to be bumpy. That assessment came from leading forecasters in a survey by the National Association for Business Economics. It is generally in line with the outlook from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues.

About 74% of the forecasters expect the recession, which officially started in December 2007 and is the longest since World War II, to end in the third quarter. Another 19% predict the turning point will come in the final three months of this year, and the remaining 7% believe the recession will end in the first quarter of 2010.

One of the major forces that plunged the economy into a recession was the financial crisis that struck with force last fall due to the corruption on Wall Street and the effort by members of Congress to use the Community Re-investment Act to conduct social engineering. Economists say recoveries after financial crises have always tended to be slower.

Current unemployment is 8.9% and is expected to marginally climb this year. Companies won’t be in a rush to hire until they feel certain any recovery is firmly rooted and they can trust what this administration is doing to the economy. The economic moves by the Federal Government so far are not creating the sense of security many in the private sector would like to see.

With joblessness rising, consumers, who are the major shapers of overall economic activity, will likely remain cautious, making for a tepid turnaround. And given the big bite the recession has taken out of household wealth, notably the values of homes and investment portfolios, consumers probably will stay subdued for some time. The forecasters believe the worst is already behind the country in terms of lost economic activity. The only areas that are showing any signs of increased hiring at this time are healthcare and federal government jobs.

What is the bottom line if you are unemployed or looking for a new job? You will have to work harder! The last recession had a jobless recovery. This recession will be a “less jobs” recovery. If you are in the market, be sure to visit the Employment Assistance section on VetJobs and read through the articles. They will definitely help you plan your job search, learn how to network, build a resume and successfully pass an interview, especially the all important behavioral interview.

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In the April newsletter, I gave the economic definitions of capitalism and socialism. However, many readers pointed out that I had left out the definitions for fascism and communism. So, here all four definitions:

Capitalism – an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange of wealth are privately or corporately owned and development is proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained in a free market

Fascism – A social and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state or nation is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms; a governmental system led by a dictator (an individual or a governmental dictatorship) having complete power, marked by stringent social and economic control, a strong, centralized government regimenting all industry and commerce.

Socialism – Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy, preferably in government controlled markets. Socialism is the stage in Marxist-Leninist theory intermediate between capitalism and communism, in which collective ownership of the economy under the dictatorship of the proletariat has not yet been successfully achieved.

Communism – a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.

Watch what is happening in the American economy today and using the above universally accepted definitions, decide for yourself where the economy of the United States is headed.

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I was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA for the Memorial Day weekend. Having been raised in a military family and then spent over 27 years in the Navy and Naval Reserve, I have always attended Memorial Day ceremonies due to what Memorial Day represents. So this was a very special honor for me. If you would like to read what I said, you can see the text to the speech in the Media Center on VetJobs at http://vetjobs.com/media/category/article-of-the-month/. The speech will be posted to YouTube.

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Finally, I am proud to announce that VetJobs has another veteran service organization supporting the VetJobs mission. The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) has signed a mutual support agreement. You will be seeing their logo on the VetJobs site. MOPH joins the Veterans of Foreign Wars (www.vfw.org – VFW is the sponsor of VetJobs), the Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org), the Naval Reserve Association (www.navy-reserve.org – soon to be the Association of the US Navy), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org), the Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org) and Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org) in supporting VetJobs mission of providing jobs for transitioning military, veterans and their family members.

Of special note, MOPH has launched a site at www.vetsjobs.net to assist veterans in finding federal employment. We welcome MOPH to the VetJobs family. VetJobs is supported and endorsed by more veteran service organizations than any other military related job site!

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As always, if there is anything we at VetJobs can do for you, please do not hesitate to call or email.

Remember, Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans

Best regards,

Ted Daywalt
President

2. VetJobs Recommends: Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System

From time to time VetJobs finds exceptional books or films we recommend and like to bring to your attention. This month we highlight Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System. This is Peter Weddle’s newest book on conditioning your career for sustainable success. Designed specifically for the challenging workplace of the 21st Century, Work Strong not only tells you what to do for career success, but when, where and how to do it.

-Career Fitness includes both a revolutionary philosophy of work and a regimen of daily, weekly and monthly activities that empower you to apply that philosophy to your career.

-Using physical fitness as a metaphor, it introduces an approach to career self-management that is appropriate for everyone from senior executives and seasoned professionals to recent graduates and those who are reentering the workforce after an extended absence. Work Strong helps you tap both sides of your brain in learning how to build a healthy career.

-It encourages you to use your reasoning ability on the left side of your brain by presenting all of the information you need to Work Strong in your career. That’s the Career Fitness System

-It also encourages you to use your creative ability on the right side of your brain by presenting a fictional account of what it would be like to Work Strong. That’s The Diary of a Career Activist.
In today’s world of work, you have only two choices: you can be the master of your career or you can be its victim. Get the tools you need to take charge of the one-third or more of your life you spend at work. Get Work Strong today! You’ll increase the paycheck and the satisfaction you bring home from work! To order a copy, visit http://www.weddles.com/jobcatalog.htm.

/—June Veteran Eagle sponsor is Apriva—-\

Founded in 1999, Apriva is the leading wireless solutions provider integrating the hardware, software and network infrastructure required to develop and deploy high-performance high-reliability solutions in the Point of Sale (POS) and Secure Mobile Messaging markets. Apriva offers end-to-end solutions for Point of Sale that make it easy and cost-effective to develop, deploy and maintain highly secure and reliable business critical mobile applications.

Apriva provides an end-to-end wireless solution that enables merchants to process financial transactions from any location using major credit card processors. The product, which is compatible with industry-standard point of sale equipment, is powered by Apriva’s Intelligent Gateway and delivers highly secure, efficient and reliable transaction processing. Apriva offers customers easy-to-use devices, industry standard payment processing functions, wireless wide area network access, web based reporting and centralized management tools.

Search on the VetJobs jobs database for Apriva and apply today!

\—–Please visit your June Veteran Eagle sponsor Apriva—–/

3. West Point Graduate Is 7th Generation at the Academy

When Caroline Miller marched across the stage at West Point, she was the seventh generation in her family to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy. Members of Miller’s family have been attending the academy dating back 173 years, to when Andrew Jackson was president. The Miller clan forms a long gray bloodline longer than any still existing at West Point. Miller’s ancestors have fought in the Civil War, World War I, World War II and Vietnam.

/—-June Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

6/16, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Baltimore, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

6/16, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs, 1775 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

6/18, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Sheraton Reston, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

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

4. Carefree RV Resorts

Carefree FV Resorts offers a 50% discount to active and retired military service members and their families at 35 parks in Florida, Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina and California. The offer is valid Sunday-Thursday stays, space available, through December 31 (not on July 4 or Labor Day weekends). Veterans must show their military ID or other form of identification that shows their service in the military. Carefree RV Resorts offers a wide variety of RV parks and campgrounds for every type of RV vacation experience. Each park has wifi and park model rental cottages, which can accommodate people who don’t have their own RV. To learn more, visit www.carefreervresorts.com

5. VFW Real Estate Services

Buying or selling a home is a major life decision and VFW Real Estate & Mortgage Services can help simplify the process by providing VFW members and their families with exceptional services.

Real Estate Services
VFW Real Estate & Mortgage Services provides you the highest quality assistance nationwide. Whether you’re moving down the block or across the country –with a referral network that is nationwide – you’ll have all the support you need to buy and sell your home, vacation home or investment property.

All VFW members and their families receive premium services, including a written guarantee with your Real Estate agent promising the highest professional service in the industry. Our referral agents agree to be graded upon customer satisfaction by an independent third party. This preferred network of professionals has received a 94% approval rating nationwide – a record unmatched in the industry.

Moving Services
Once you choose a new property, VFW services team will help you with your actual move. VFW Real Estate & Mortgage Services gives you access to competitive moving rates, special offers and knowledgeable personnel who will answer your questions and walk you through the process.

Call today to find out more about Real Estate Services, Mortgage Services, and discounted Moving Van services for you and your family.

Call 1-800-329-2199 or visit www.vfwhomeandloan.com

6. Cash Bonus to Replace ‘Stop Loss’ for Deploying National Guard Soldiers

A new program that provides special pay for soldiers deploying past their end-of-service dates is set to take effect September 1 for the National Guard. The Deployment Extension Stabilization Pay program replaces the “Stop Loss” involuntary extension program and pays a cash bonus of up to $6,000 to soldiers in units set to deploy who elect to stay in past their end-of-service date to deploy. The bonus is not a lump sum payment, and the amount of the incentive depends upon when the soldier decides to extend their enlistment contract. For more information, please visit http://www.ngb.army.mil/news/archives/2009/05/052909-Cash.aspx.

7. Obama Concurrent Receipt Plan Details

More details have surfaced concerning the Administration’s proposal to expand concurrent receipt to service members who were medically retired, sometimes referred to as Chapter 61 retirees. Under the Administration’s Omnibus proposal, all Chapter 61 retirees will become eligible for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) over a five-year period starting in January 2010. The expansion will come in two phases.

The first three years of the five year phase-in opens CRDP eligibility to the more severely disabled Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service.
-On January 1, 2010, Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service and a VA rating of either 90% or 100% become eligible
-On January 1, 2011, Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service and a VA rating of either 70% or 80% become eligible
-On January 1, 2012, Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service and a VA rating of either 50% or 60% become eligible.

The remaining two years of this phase-in extends CRDP to Chapter 61 retirees, regardless of years of service, with a VA rating of less than 50%.
-On January 1, 2013, all Chapter 61 retirees with a VA rating of either 30% or 40% will become eligible
-On January 1, 2014, all Chapter 61 retirees with any VA rating become eligible

Once this plan is completed, the only disabled retirees ineligible for CRDP will be non-medical retirees with 40% or lower VA disability ratings. The 10-year cost of the expansion is estimated to be $5.8 billion. This new initiative represents a 180-degree turnabout from the positions of all previous Administrations, Republican or Democratic.

8. Navy First Service to Offer Sabbaticals

Determined to keep its best officers and enlisted men from leaving the service entirely, the U.S. Navy has become the first branch of the armed services to allow personnel to step out of their uniforms, and maintain their health benefits, for up to three years, before rejoining the Navy. Part of the Navy’s effort to become a more flexible employer, the Career Intermission Pilot Program is currently allowing 20 officers and 20 enlisted sailors to take sabbaticals so they can do things such as go back to school or care for an elderly parent. The program is intended for “high performers” or those quickly climbing through the ranks who need some time away from their duties. The Navy intends to continue the pilot project until 2012, and if deemed successful, will then make it permanent. Sailors in the program retain their TRICARE health benefits for them and their families, and they receive a small portion of their salary. But in return for their time off, the sailors must then fulfill a commitment in active service that is twice as long as their sabbatical, in addition to any other outstanding obligations.

9. Executive Job Outlook Improves

ExecuNet’s Recruiter Confidence Index ticked slightly higher in April, 2009, indicating that the market for executive jobs is showing signs of growth after bottoming out in November, 2008. In April, 41% of 142 executive recruiters polled by ExecuNet said they’re confident that the executive job market will improve in the next six months. Half of respondents believe their search assignments will increase at least 10% over the next six months. Only 15% of search professionals say they’re pessimistic about the future of the market for executive jobs. April marked the Recruiter Confidence Index’s second consecutive increase since March, 2008.

10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of May 26, 2009

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 109,076; Navy Reserve, 6,562; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 15,386; Marine Corps Reserve, 9,199; and the Coast National Guard Reserve, 758. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 140,981, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2009/d20090526ngr.pdf

11. Significant Events this Month in Military History

1775 – The United States Army was founded. The Continental Congress named Colonel George Washington of Virginia Commander-in-Chief of the American Army.

1865 – The American Civil War ended with the surrender of the last Southern forces, led by GEN Edmund Kirby-Smith, at Shreveport LA (Civil War)

1877 – Henry Ossian Flipper, the first African-American graduate of West Point, was commissioned a second lieutenant.

1916 – Congress authorized The Army Reserve Officers Training Corps.

1927 – Captain Charles A. Lindbergh, an Army reservist, completed the first non-stop transatlantic airplane flight from New York to Paris in 33.5 hours.

1940 – The British began evacuating 338,000 British and French troops from Dunkirk, a Belgian coastal city. (WW II)

1941 – Allies invade Syria and Lebanon (WW II)

1941 – Germany attacks the Soviet Union (WW II)

1942 – The decisive Battle of Midway opened in the Central Pacific. (WW II)

1944 – D-Day invasion of Normandy by Allied troops. Operation “Overlord” was the largest air and sea operation in military history. (WW II)

1944 – The Battle of Saipan (WW II)

1944 – GI Bill signed into law.

1949 – The first African-American graduate of the Naval Academy was W.A. Brown.

1950 – The Korean War began with US troops arriving on June 29th. (Korean War)

1951 – The US Eighth Army launched attacks against Chinese forces all along the front lines in Korea, slowly driving the enemy back. (Korean War)

1967 – The USS Liberty was attacked by Israel, a controversy that continues today.

1972 – The National Committee for Employer Support of the National Guard and Reserve created.

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You were opted-in when you posted a resume, were referred to VetJobs or were part of a military organization which opted-in to VetJobs. To REMOVE or CHANGE your address, click this URL: http://mh.databack.com/c.php?L=vetjobs&E=#email#

VetJobs
P. O. Box 71445
Marietta, GA 30007-1445
770-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

Ted Daywalt — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:05:27 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle
Issue 10:5, Friday, May 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 FranChoice, WEDDLE’s and TECHEXPO Top Secret

Search the thousands of jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. VFW-Sponsored Auto Insurance

3. Border Agency to Hire More Army Reservists

4. VA Education Service Taking Applications

5. VA’s Online Personal Health Record Receives Honors

6. Political Involvement by Military Personnel

7. Tax Benefits for Hiring Unemployed Veterans

8. Air Force Reservist Awarded $800K in Military Discrimination Lawsuit

9. VA Welcoming Vets Home with New Web Site, Blog

10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of April 28, 2009

11. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

Even though the country is in a recession, I am proud to announce that VetJobs is averaging over 28,000 jobs a day posted by hundreds of employers who want to hire veterans and their family members. This is an important statistic as most sites, especially the large comprehensive job boards, have seen their postings drop from 30% to 50% in terms of job postings over the same time last year. VetJobs is holding even with its job postings from the same time last year. Other than VetJobs, the few internet job boards that are doing well during the recession are niche job boards, mostly in the healthcare sector.

It is very important to understand that VetJobs does not spider or scrape jobs from other sites or play the job aggregating game that several sites like to play. I have heard from many job seekers that they get frustrated using job aggregating sites as frequently the jobs that are posted do not exist since they were copied from other sites and consequently can not be kept up to date. The jobs on VetJobs are current and real jobs with veteran friendly employers. So tell your friends who are in the job market to search the VetJobs jobs database. It is the most reliable source of real jobs for veterans!

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When posting a resume to a site, NEVER put your social security number on your resume. This opens you to potential identity theft. Additionally, you should not list references on a resume. When an employer is ready to make an offer, they will then ask you for references.

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May is National Military Appreciation Month! What is your company doing to show appreciation for our military?

The special days of recognition this month include:

Loyalty Day – May 1
National Day of Prayer – May 1
Victory in Europe Day – May 8
Military Spouse Day – May 8
Mother’s Day – May 10
Armed Forces Day – May 16
National Maritime Day – May 22
Memorial Day – May 25

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, 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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Following on my discussion last month concerning the March 20 USA Today headline story titled Jobless rate at 11.2% for veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, things have definitely changed. At the time of the USA Today story, the unemployment rate for the 18 to 24 year old OEF/OIF veterans was 11.2% when the unemployment rate for their civilian counterparts was 8.8%. While the telephone survey technique of 60,000 households may be indicative of the general population, there is a large margin of error when trying to apply the survey results specifically to the veteran demographic.

The most recent DOL survey had a considerably different result. The unemployment rate for the 18 to 24 year old non-veteran age group has risen to 15.3% and the unemployment rate for the veterans of the same age group is only 14.3%. The unemployment rate for all veterans is 8.6%, the same as the national unemployment rate. Wouldn’t’ it be nice if USA Today would update the story so as not to give the general public the idea that our younger veterans are having a harder time then non-veterans? Of course, that will probably not happen.

And guess how many people got a job last month? The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 4.4 million people were hired. That is another story we will not read in the main stream press!

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I have heard from many veterans who are interested in entrepreneurship so as not to be subject to lay offs at the whims of a large company or during a recession. One of the proven ways to own your own company is through purchasing a franchise. A major reason people like franchises is a franchise owner enjoys the benefits of being in business for them self but has the support of an entire team dedicated to making sure the business is successful.

To this end, VetJobs has entered into an alliance with FranChoice, the premier franchise consultancy in the United States. Watch for articles by FranChoice that will be posted to the VetJobs Employment Assistance and Veteran Resources pages over the next few weeks. FranChoice is a sponsor of this month’s newsletter.

When choosing a franchise, be sure they are legitimate and a member of the United States Franchise Association or the International Franchise Association. As with any investment, you should research the franchise thoroughly before committing your money. FranChoice is an excellent tool to use in your research.

Entrepreneurship could be the way you want to go. But remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

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Speaking of alliances, VetJobs has entered into alliances with Trinity and the Military Travel Zone. You will be seeing information about these organizations being posted to the VetJobs site in the next few weeks.

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On the job front, there are critical shortages of workers in the healthcare profession. Currently, there are 135,000 nurse openings nationwide. There have been press reports of 50,000 people not able to attend nursing school due to shortages of nursing instructors.

On a positive note, a recent poll conducted by Stand Out Jobs, found a good percentage of companies expect hiring to increase in the second and third quarters. In total, 41% of organizations expect hiring to increase between quarter two and quarter four of 2009. The survey was based on questions to 450 corporate recruiters.

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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 FranChoice—-\

Have you every thought about business ownership? Do you wonder if you have the skills to be your own boss? FranChoice can help! A free consultation with FranChoice, the premier franchise consultancy in the USA, can provide you with answers. Our industry expert consultants will help you determine your skills, your dreams and your goals for business ownership.

The franchising industry welcomes veterans because of their superior training and skills. If business ownership interests you, take a look at the benefits of franchise ownership. No one can do the research for you, but your energy combined with our industry expertise can create an exciting match in a business opportunity that truly fits you.

To sign up for your FREE consultation, visit http://www.franchoice.com/franchise-consulting-request.aspx?SourceID=162537. One of our franchise experts will contact you within one business day. And, for additional information on franchising for veterans, check out the articles we’ve provided just for you that will be posted in the VetJobs Employment Assistance section. We look forward to working with you!

\—–Please visit your May Veteran Eagle sponsor FranChoice—–/

2. VFW-Sponsored Auto Insurance

Take advantage of member-only rates with the VFW-sponsored auto insurance program. This program includes preferred rates and coverage for VFW members and their families.
Additional benefits at no cost include:
-24-Hour Roadside Assistance.
-Identity Theft Restoration Service.
-Emergency Travel & Medical Assistance.

If you would like a no-obligation quote, please call 1-800-354-0181 or go to http://vfw.21st.com/_18_78381.html

/—May Veteran Eagle sponsor is WEDDLE’s—-\

This issue of the Veteran Eagle newsletter is brought to you through the generous support of Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System, Peter Weddle’s new book on conditioning your career for sustainable success. Designed specifically for the challenging workplace of the 21st Century, Work Strong not only tells you what to do for career success, but when, where and how to do it.

-Career Fitness includes both a revolutionary philosophy of work and a regimen of daily, weekly and monthly activities that empower you to apply that philosophy to your career.

-It encourages you to use your reasoning ability on the left side of your brain by presenting all of the information you need to Work Strong in your career. That’s the Career Fitness System

\—–Please visit your May Veteran Eagle sponsor WEDDLE’s—–/

3. Border Agency to Hire More Army Reservists

The Army Reserve and U.S. Customs and Border Protection signed an agreement to create a partnership aimed at filling some of the growing federal agency’s 11,000 job openings with Army reservists. The border agency is the first federal entity to join the Army Reserve’s Employer Partnership Initiative, a collaborative project established last year aimed at placing reservists with a host of employers in the public and private sectors. The Army Reserve has begun preliminary discussions about establishing a similar partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration, which is in need of air traffic controllers, Stultz said. The Army is also considering approaching the FBI.

4. VA Education Service Taking Applications

Beginning May 1 the VA Education Service will begin taking applications to determine servicemembers’ eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, which commences on 1 August 2009.
The VA’s website has additional information and a link to the application at: http://www.gibill.va.gov/

DOD announced the “rules of engagement” for an eligible active duty or Guard -Reserve servicemember to transfer entitlement of Post-9/11 benefits to a spouse or dependent children. Since there is an entirely distinct process for ‘transferability’ you have to comply with DoD rules. Please see the Defense Department Post-9/11 GI Bill web site:
http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2009/0409_gibill/

5. VA’s Online Personal Health Record Receives Honors

VA’s online Personal Health Record for veterans — My HealtheVet – received 1st Honors for outstanding health information technology, Personal Health Record and electronic medical record (EMR) innovations and solutions at the 25th Annual TEPR (Towards the Electronic Health Record) Conference in Palm Springs, Calif., February 2. My HealtheVet was awarded the top honor for Personal Health Record Systems, based on criteria such as data, data integrity, security, and consumer control by the Medical Records Institute at the conference. My HealtheVet offers Veterans anywhere, anytime access to VA health care, services and benefits. Veterans who enroll and are patients at VA health care centers can order VA prescriptions online, store and access military and health history, research trusted health information and create a Personal Health Record that is linked to their Electronic Health Record. My HealtheVet registration recently topped 700,000. Medical Records Institute Vice President and organizer of the TEPR Awards, “Our goal in holding this yearly awards program is to recognize investments in producing valuable health IT products and to help potential consumers make their selections. We congratulate the honorees on their outstanding products.”

/—-May Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

5/19, 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

5/20, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

5/21 TECHEXPO Top Secret Job Fair, Huntsville Marriott, 5 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, AL 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

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

6. Political Involvement by Military Personnel

The Department of Defense encourages all military and civilian personnel and their eligible family members to register and vote. Certain provisions on campaign participation, however, apply to Federal employees and members of the Armed Forces

As a matter of long standing policy, military servicemembers and Federal employees acting in their official capacity may not engage in activities that associate the DoD with any partisan political campaign or elections, candidate, cause or issue. The limitations of participation can be found in DoD directive 1344.10, “Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces”, and the Hatch Act.

7. Tax Benefits for Hiring Unemployed Veterans

On February 17 President Obama signed into law The American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009. Among its many provisions, Section 1221 of the Act amends and supplements Section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to create additional incentives to hire an unemployed veteran in 2009 and 2010. Effective for 2009 and 2010, the Act includes an unemployed veteran as a member of one of the targeted group for purposes of eligibility for the “Work Opportunity Tax Credit” (WOTC). For definition purposes, an “unemployed veteran” is an individual who (i) has been discharged or released from active duty in the Armed Forces at any time during the 5-year period ending on the hiring date (the day the veteran is hired by the employer), and (ii) is in receipt of unemployment compensation (under State or Federal law) for not less than 4 weeks during the 1-year period ending on the hiring date.

8. Air Force Reservist Awarded $800K in Military Discrimination Lawsuit

A federal court in New Haven, Connecticut, awarded approximately $800,000 in damages plus interest to an Air Force reservist whose civilian employer did not reinstate him to his previous position and salary upon return from active duty. The award is the largest ever for one plaintiff under USERRA. Air Force Reserve Sergeant Michael Serricchio filed the lawsuit against former employer Wachovia Securities for violating his statutory right to reemployment following military service. Serricchio worked as a financial advisor for Prudential Securities before being called to active duty following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

9. VA Welcoming Vets Home with New Web Site, Blog

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched its new “Returning Veterans” Web site — www.oefoif.va.gov, to welcome home Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts with a social, Veteran-centric Web site focusing on their needs and questions. The Web site will feature videos, Veteran stories, and a blog where Veterans are encouraged to post feedback. The site also will restructure the traditional index-of-benefits format found on other VA pages into question-based, categorized, and easily navigated links by topic. This will allow Veterans to find benefits of interest easily and discover related benefits as they explore.

10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of April 28, 2009

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 103,709; Navy Reserve, 6,750; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 14,892; Marine Corps Reserve, 7,575; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 697. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 133,623, 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/Apr2009/d20090428ngr.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 Naval Reserve Association (www.navy-reserve.org), and The Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.modernveterans.com), and the Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org).
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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

Ted Daywalt — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:56:06 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle

Issue 10:4, Wednesday, April 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 BNSF Railway, Personal Business Advisors and TECHEXPO Top Secret

Search the thousands of jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. Tax Deductions While Job Searching

3. Free SAT & ACT Test Prep Software Is Donated to Service Members and Families

4. If Unemployed, Be Sure to Sign Up for Unemployment Benefits

5. VA Data Theft Class Action Suit

6. Camp Lejeune Water Study

7. Interesting Statistics from the VA

8. Re-opening Claims Using VA’s Missing Documents Program

9. Military Related Job Fairs

10. Free Brochure Explains VA Burial Benefits

11. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of March 24, 2009

12. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

On March 20 USA Today ran a story titled: Jobless rate at 11.2% for veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan. The story has created a lot of angst among members of the defense establishment, veteran service organizations (VSOs) and younger veterans, especially OEF and OIF veterans seeking work. I have been researching this story and typical of these types of reports, all is not what it seems. Here is what I have learned:

-The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) survey is based on state DOL telephone surveys of 60,000 households nationally. While the survey technique may be indicative of the general population, there is a large margin of error when trying to apply the survey results specifically to the veteran demographic.

-The corresponding unemployment rate for non-veterans of that age group was 8.8%, but the margin of error for the veteran demographic could put the OEF/OIF veterans on par with the non-veterans.

-Over the last eight years, the OEF/OIF age group veteran unemployment rate has generally been below the national unemployment rate for same aged demographic. Press reports in the past from government agencies of the OEF/OIF unemployment rate being 14% and 18% were found to be incorrect and some charge they were politically inspired.

While one month’s survey does not make a trend, I think there is some truth to the BLS unemployment survey findings. I am in discussions with BLS about changing the monthly survey to identify which veterans are involved in the 11.2% rate, i.e., are they veterans who have separated from active duty and no longer have a connection with the military, or are they veterans who are still active in the Guard and Reserve? BLS is considering adding questions to the monthly survey to ascertain this information but that will take quite some time to get approved.

Historically BLS did not make a distinction as to the type of veteran because Guard and Reserve personnel did not face today’s DOD practice of multiple one and two year call-ups. And yes, I know that DOD’s “policy” is for members of the Guard and Reserve to be called only one in every six years, but the reality is that many members of the Guard and Reserve are not being used as a strategic reserve anymore but are supplements to the active duty forces. Many members of the Guard and Reserve are on their third and fourth activation since 2001. Today’s DOD “policy” does not reflect reality.

What I suspect is the BLS 11.2% unemployment rate for February reflects the various survey findings from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), Business Law Review and Workforce Management Magazine that upwards of 70% of companies will not now hire as a NEW employee a person who is active in the Guard and Reserve.

The rules were changed on the employers and they are not happy about the changes. They can not run their companies with employees who are members of the Guard and Reserve being gone for extended periods of time, so they just are not hiring active Guard and Reserve members. For the most part, employers willingly support current employees who are in the Guard and Reserve and comply with USERRA. But employers prefer not to hire as a NEW employee active members of the Guard and Reserve.

Please realize that employers are generally very, very pro-military and want to support our troops. Employers understand better than most that their businesses would not function if we did not have a strong military protecting our historically free-market economic system.

We have a great debt of gratitude to those who serve in the national and state Committees for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), as they have been on the forefront since 1972 getting companies to understand the importance of supporting employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve. You can learn more about the wonderful work ESGR does at www.esgr.net. Unfortunately, DOD’s current policy has negated much of the great work that members of ESGR have done over the last four decades.

You can read about the SHRM and other surveys from my past testimonies before Congress and before the Presidents Commission on the National Guard and Reserve on May 17, 2007 at www.cngr.gov/May%2015-17/Daywalt%20testimony.pdf. More information about this was covered when I was on 60 Minutes which did an excellent piece on the problems Guard and Reserve members face vis-à-vis USERRA. You can see that program at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/30/60minutes/main4558315_page3.shtml.

Anecdotally, as a general rule OEF/OIF veterans who totally separate from the service are not having as hard a time as others finding jobs, particularly those who have a real marketable skill, a college degree or a security clearance.

From the above information and facts, I am of the opinion that the 11.2% unemployment rate for OEF/OIF veterans reflects the difficulty members of the Guard and Reserve demographic are having finding jobs due to the current DOD call up policy.

Another possibility to explain the 11.2% unemployment rate, and I have heard this from several VSOs and veterans, is with the recession, those employees who are last hired are the first let go. Again, this would directly and disproportionately impact members of the Guard and Reserve.

The unemployment numbers for March will be released later this month. I will be monitoring this data over the next several months to see if there is a trend and if the numbers do validate the SHRM and other survey findings regarding members of the Guard and Reserve. If you have any comments or personal stories you would like to send to me about the unemployment report of OEF/OIF veterans, please forward your comments to info@vetjobs.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

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There is an old saying that when your neighbor is unemployed it is a recession, but when you are unemployed, it is a depression. These two terms have been used interchangeably so much by politicians in the last year that many people do not know the difference between a recession and a depression. But it is fair to say that the United States is in a recession, NOT a depression. At least not yet. That will be determined by the moves the new administration takes, which unfortunately seems to be moving America towards a socialist society.

While some politicians continue to state that the current recession is the worst since the Great Depression, they need to go back to school and study history as such statements are simply not true. The United States is nowhere near the unemployment rates of the Great Depression when unemployment hovered around 25% for nearly ten years. The 1975 recession reached 9.0% unemployment and during the 1982 recession unemployment rate was 10.8%. That said, the lack of plentiful jobs makes it difficult for those who are unemployed. And the current move by the Congress towards socialism is not helping.

I find it interesting that the leaders of European socialist countries are now unanimously warning the United States to NOT go towards socialism since it did not work in Europe. In reality, socialism has never worked for any country as eventually someone has to pay the bill. Governments by their structure do not create profit. For a government to spend money, it has to take it from someone else. This is why every socialist experiment throughout history has failed.

Many of our citizenry do not know the difference between capitalism and socialism. To help set things straight, here are the basic definitions of capitalism and socialism:

Watch what is happening in the American economy today and using the above universally accepted definitions, decide where the economy of the United States is headed. I for one am very concerned about our direction as it negatively impacts the job prospects of our veterans and their family members.

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At a time when major job boards like CareerBuilder, HotJobs, Monster and DICE are down from 20% to 40% in terms of job postings over last year, I am pleased to state that VetJobs is holding pretty much even. VetJobs consistently has over 26,000 paid jobs on the site with employers who want to hire veterans and their family members. While this may not last if the recession continues, I think our job postings are holding because employers want to hire veterans. Please be aware that VetJobs does NOT aggregate jobs or scrape jobs from other sites. When you find a job posting on VetJobs, it is a real job that an employer is trying to fill.

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This month we celebrate the 101st 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!

April has several other important dates, including:

April 1 – April Fools Day

April 5 – Palm Sunday

April 8 – Passover

April 10 – Good Friday

April 12 – Easter

April 19 – Orthodox Easter

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There is some good news on the economic front that indicates the country may be turning the corner on the recession. Existing home sales were up 5.1% in February. Sales of new homes nationwide rebounded by 4.7% in February after hitting a record low in the prior month and home prices rose 1.7% in January. U.S. durable-goods orders rose 3.4% when economists had forecasted a decline and the American factory sector showed a meager improvement during March. This is all good news. Now if we could just get employers to have confidence in our economy and start hiring…..

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Several weeks ago President Obama informed the leaders of VSOs that he was considering a proposal to begin charging veterans’ private insurance plans for treatments for service-connected injuries at VA health centers. Historically, the VA has charged a veteran’s private insurance only for treatment unrelated to the veteran’s service. Charging veteran’s private insurance for service-related treatment is unprecedented. The mere fact that Obama would even consider floating such an idea tells many where Obama stands when it comes to support for our military. At the very least, Obama was definitely getting bad advice from some of his staff.

I feel strongly that the government has a moral and legal responsibility to those who have served our country and Obama’s plan would have placed an unfair burden on those who have sacrificed so much for our country. It is the responsibility of Congress, and by direction the VA, to ensure that veterans and their families are receiving the benefits they so rightly earned and deserve, as well as access to timely and high-quality health care. Unfortunately, such has not always been the case.

Following an unprecedented outpouring of criticism against the Obama proposed policy from citizens, businesses, veterans and VSOs, President Obama announced that he is dropping consideration of the proposal. While it is a dead issue for now, veterans will have to stay vigilant as I am certain that elements in the current administration and Congress will attempt to raise this issue again and deny veterans their earned benefits.

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Finally, I am pleased to announce that Reader’s Digest recognized VetJobs as the top site for veterans finding a job in its April issue. Reader’s Digest conducted a survey of the job board industry and picked a group of niche job sites they thought are the best for their readers who are in the job market. VFW sponsored VetJobs made the list as the only military related job board of choice! See this month’s Reader’s Digest magazine, page 155.

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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

/—April Veteran Eagle sponsor is BNSF Railway—-\

BNSF Railway Company is actively seeking applicants with military experience. At BNSF, we salute those with service, value their skills and welcome the unique experiences of our service members. BNSF offers challenging and rewarding career opportunities for those in transition from military to civilian life as well as veterans, retirees and members of National Guard and Reserve components.

For more than 150 years, BNSF Railway has been quietly delivering cars, coal, clothing, games and nearly anything else found in homes and businesses. Today, our focus is on using speed, agility and resourcefulness to help expand the global marketplace for goods and services. Through world-class people, processes and technology, BNSF Railway provides an easy, relevant choice for all types of shippers in a wide variety of locations. If you are seeking a challenging and rewarding career that appreciates your military experience, then visit http://www.bnsf.com/careers/military/index.html.

\—–Please visit your April Veteran Eagle sponsor BNSF Railway—–/

2. Tax Deductions While Job Searching

According to IRS publication 529, you can deduct certain expenses you have in looking for a new job in your present occupation, even if you do not end up getting a new job. However, you cannot deduct these expenses if:

1. You are looking for a job in a new occupation,

2. There was a substantial break between the ending of your last job and your looking for a new one, or

3. You are looking for a job for the first time.

To find out about the specific regulations for deducting education and other career-related expenses, take a look at IRS Publication #529 or visit www.irs.gov.

/—April Veteran Eagle sponsor is Personal Business Advisors—-\

Personal Business Advisors (PBA) began as a traditional consulting company catering to Fortune 500 companies in 32 countries. As early as 2001, PBA recognized dramatic paradigm shifts in business and identified a proven way to help disenfranchised executives to succeed -despite times of economic hardship and personal challenges: INSOURCING. PBA’s Executive Team consists of accountable, down-to-earth and proven industry veterans -ranging from globally successful business developers, Executive Recruiters to Fortune 50 Senior Executives. In their corporate positions they have been responsible for hundreds of employees (each) and are now responsible for strategic growth, domestic/international partnerships as well as global expansion. They REFUSED to take part in the downsizing/ merger & acquisitions, cost-cutting frenzy of corporate America, but chose organic growth and entrepreneurship as their way to bring prosperity back to those, who are willing to earn it. While initially their main mission was helping senior-level-executives to succeed in a market that is presenting ever-increasing challenges for employees/ corporations and entrepreneurs alike, PBA has now expanded its offerings to mid-level managers and veterans of the armed forces.

To learn more about Personal Business Advisors, call Bob Dubek at 972-539-4148 or visit www.personalbusinessadvisors.com/history.html.

\—–Please visit your April Veteran Eagle sponsor Personal Business Advisors—–/

3. Free SAT & ACT Test Prep Software Is Donated to Service Members and Families

Over the past three years, eKnowledge Corporation and a handful of patriotic NFL players have delivered more than 100,000 SAT/ACT test prep programs normally priced at $200, FREE to military families worldwide. The total value of the donation is now over $20 million. Members of Military families or Veterans interested in receiving the free SAT/ACT PowerPrep™ software should visit: www.eknowledge.com/military. For further information contact Lori Caputo at LoriCaptuo@eKnowledge.com or call 770-992-0900.

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

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

4/21, 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

4/23, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, Sheraton Reston, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

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

4. If Unemployed, Be Sure to Sign Up for Unemployment Benefits

The Dallas News reports that finding yourself unemployed can be frightening, as too many people are learning these days. If you find yourself in that position, try to keep from panicking. Your priority needs to be figuring out how to survive financially during what could be a long period looking for work. It can take three to four weeks after you file for unemployment benefits to know if you qualify. So it’s in your best interest to be proactive and sign up immediately upon becoming unemployed. Your weekly benefit will depend on past wages and the length of time you worked in the past five quarters. The stimulus package added $25 to weekly benefits and excludes the first $2,400 of jobless benefits received this year from federal income taxes. Currently all unemployment payments are taxed. Regular unemployment insurance can last for up to 26 weeks, and recent extensions by Congress have added 20 weeks.

5. VA Data Theft Class Action Suit

The U.S. Court for the District of Columbia has ordered a program to alert veterans, spouses of veterans, and members of the military of a proposed $20 Million settlement reached with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Class Action Lawsuit resulted from the theft of computer equipment from the home of a VA employee on May 3, 2006 that contained names and personal information on veterans, their spouses, and military personnel. The Class includes all veterans, spouses of veterans, and military personnel who had actual damages during the Recovery Period (May 3, 2007 and February 11, 2009) that were directly related to the theft of the computer equipment. The Class also includes all representatives, heirs, administrators, executors, beneficiaries, agents, and assigns of Class members. Information on the aspects of the lawsuit is available at www.veteransclass.com.

6. Camp Lejeune Water Study

The United States Marine Corps encourages all those who resided at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between 1957 through 1987 to register at www.marines.mil/clsurvey to receive updated information and notifications regarding the ongoing Water Study. The Department of the Navy is funding two independent research initiatives. The CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is conducting a study to determine if there is an association between exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune and certain adverse health effects. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is reviewing scientific evidence on associations between adverse health effects and historical data. If you know of any family members or friends who were at Camp Lejeune during this period, please encourage them to register.

7. Interesting Statistics from the VA

Number of Veterans Receiving VA Disability Compensation (as of 09/30/08): 2.95 M

Number of Veterans Rated 100% Disabled (as of 09/30/08): 261,897

Number of Veterans Receiving VA Pension (as of 09/30/08): 317,643

Number of Spouses Receiving DIC (as of 09/30/08): 333,196

Number of Total Enrollees in VA Health Care System (FY 07): 7.8 M1

Number of Total Unique Patients Treated (FY 07): 5.5 M1

Number of Veterans Compensated for PTSD (as of 09/30/08): 342,624

Number of Veterans in Receipt of IU Benefits (as of 09/30/08): 248,072

Number of VA Education Beneficiaries (FY 08): 523,258

Number of VA Voc Rehab (Chapter 31) Trainees (as of FY 08): 55,059

Number of Active VA Home Loan Participants (as of 09/30/08): 2.1 M

Number of OEF/OIF Amputees (as of 10/01/08): 842

8. Re-opening Claims Using VA’s Missing Documents Program

After the VA shredder scandal became public, the agency had to do something, very quickly, to make right their wrongs. Under pressure from the veterans’ service organizations the VA put together “VA’s Special Claims Handling Procedures for Missing Documents.” Complete info on the shredding and mishandling of VA documents is located at http://www.vawatchdog.org/VAshredderscandal.htm. The “Missing Documents” program is open until November 17, 2009. There are a number of qualifiers to have a claim re-opened or considered. If you think you might qualify for the program, please visit the following URLs.

VA press release: http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfnov08/nf111808-4.htm

VA web page on shredding and document mishandling, with information on how to re-open a claim: http://www.vba.va.gov/VBA/specialprocedures_qa.asp

9. Military Related Job Fairs

VetJobs lists all military related job fairs nationally and internationally on the site. If you are seeking a job, attending a job fair may be a potential source for finding employment. So add attending job fairs to your employment tool box along with internet searches, networking and newspaper classifieds. You never know where your next job will come from, but you have to be proactive and use every tool in the search. Job fairs are a good tool, so VetJobs lists all the fairs of which we are aware so you can attend. If you know of a military related job fair that is not on the list, please forward the information to info@vetjobs.com.

10. Free Brochure Explains VA Burial Benefits

As a veteran, you may qualify for burial benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, but it’s important to understand what they are and how to request them. According to funeral industry experts, many veterans don’t know all the facts when they or their families come in to plan their funeral services. The pamphlet 10 Important Facts About Your VA Burial Benefits was created to educate veterans and correct some common misperceptions. For example, a recent survey by Lindberg Research (2008) shows that 60% of veterans mistakenly believe the VA pays funeral, cremation and cemetery expenses for all veterans. In truth, reimbursement of funeral or cremation expenses is limited, and certain restrictions apply. Six out of 10 veterans also believe caskets are provided free of charge to all veterans. Actually, neither VA nor the various services provide a free casket for a deceased veteran unless death occurs while on active duty. These and other facts are explained in the pamphlet, which also contains information on requesting a U.S. flag, military funeral honors ceremonies, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and the issuance or replacement of military service medals, awards and decorations. For a free copy of 10 Important Facts About Your VA Burial Benefits so you can take advantage of available VA burial benefits, call 1-800-821-2606 option 1.

11. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of March 24, 2009

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 98,491; Navy Reserve, 6,552; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 14,352; Marine Corps Reserve, 7,389; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 665. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 127,449, 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/Mar2009/d20090324ngr.pdf .

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

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

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).

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 Naval Reserve Association (www.navy-reserve.org), and The Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.modernveterans.com), and the Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org).

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You were opted-in when you posted a resume, were referred to VetJobs or were part of a military organization which opted-in to VetJobs. To REMOVE or CHANGE your address, click this URL: http://mh.databack.com/c.php?L=vetjobs&E=#email#

VetJobs

P. O. Box 71445

Marietta, GA 30007-1445

770-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!

Six year recipient of WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award

Four year recipient of Workforce Management Top 10 Recruiting Site

Seven year recipient of AIRS Top Recruiting Site

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

Ted Daywalt — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 03:35:04 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle

Issue 10:3, Sunday, March 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 BNSF Railway and TECHEXPO Top Secret

Search the thousands of jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. Upgrade your job search with help from the VFW

3. Upcoming Career Fairs

4. CareerFitness.com

5. Special Pension for Veterans’ Aid and Attendance

6. GI Bill

7. MinuteClinic now a Tricare Provider

8. VA Benefits Delivery at Discharge

9. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of February 24, 2009

10. Significant Events this Month in Military History

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1. Message from the Top

This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Student Veterans of America Midwest (SVA) Regional Conference held at the Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton, IL. This was an exciting event with over 120 attendees from colleges and universities throughout the Midwest. There was a fabulous line up of speakers from schools, companies, agencies and veterans service organizations who had lots of great information for the student veterans. Watching SVA grow from a few chapters in January 2008 to 140 chapters in fourteen months is exhilarating. These students are highly motivated and will be the future leaders of business in the United States. If you are near a college or university, please contact the school to be sure they are aware of SVA. Point the school’s administration to www.studentveterans.org so they can get a chapter started at their school. SVA is a veteran student movement with a solid purpose.

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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”!

In March, 1915, the United States Congress established the United States Naval Reserve. This year is the 94th birthday of the United States Naval Reserve. So if you meet a Naval Reservist this month, tell them “Happy Birthday” as well.

On March 17 many will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. And be sure to remember to change your clocks forward an hour on March 8 for Daylight Savings Time.

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On the economic front, the bottom line is that it will be quite some time before our economy is healthy again, especially with some of the economic policies that are being implemented. While we are nowhere near the unemployment rates of the past such as the Great Depression (25% plus), the 1975 recession (9.0%) or of the 1982 recession (10.8%), the lack of plentiful jobs makes it difficult for those who are unemployed. Many economists predict a slow, marginal growth rate for 2009.

On the plus side, this recession at least still has companies who are hiring. During the last recession, we had a jobless recovery. That is not the case in this recession. While those companies that were living on credit are tanking and going bankrupt, companies who had built up cash reserves and diversified their customer base are still hiring! So there are jobs out there, but the competition for those jobs is going to be very tight.

This morning VetJobs had 24,592 active jobs that employers are trying to fill with veterans and their family members. That is 1,082 more jobs than were posted on February 1 of last month. VetJobs is one of the few job boards that continues to hold its own in this market as most others are down severely in terms of jobs posted.

So where is the best place now to look for a job? Companies in healthcare, technology, security, retail grocery stores, restaurants and engineering are still looking for people to hire. If you have a security clearance, government contractors are still looking for employees, especially at the TS/SCI with polygraph level. And many federal agencies are hiring.

If you are in the job market, be sure to refresh your resume so employers know you are looking for a job and apply to those jobs on VetJobs to which you are qualified.

Job seekers have to change their paradigm about finding a job. For so long, unemployment was relatively low and employers did a lot of hiring. With the supply of candidates having increased due to the current recession, employers are now more selective as to who they will hire. With higher unemployment rates, you as a job seeker have got to work harder to find a job. While job listings are not as plentiful as two years ago, you can still find a job if you look hard. You just have to use all the resources available to you from traditional classifieds to online job boards and continue to build your network.

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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 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

/—March Veteran Eagle sponsor is BNSF Railway—-\

\—–Please visit your March Veteran Eagle sponsor BNSF Railway—–/

2. Upgrade your job search with help from the VFW

The VFW and Dell Computers have joined together to offer discounted computer systems to our members and visitors to VetJobs.com. You may request pricing for a custom-built system or take advantage of a variety of standard systems. Treat yourself with discounts on notebook computers, desktops, monitors, keyboards and other accessories. Dell provides excellent 24-hour customer service for all of your computer needs. To find out more go to: http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=mbr.levele&eid=3762

/—March Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

3/24, 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

3/26, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd, McLean, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pre-register at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm

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

3. Upcoming Career Fairs

VetJobs now provides a list of all military related career fairs nationwide on its site at www.vetjobs.com. If you know of a military related career fair that is not listed, please pass the career fair information to info@vetjobs.com.

4. CareerFitness.com

Here it is! A one-stop, state-of-the-art resource center for job search success! Called CareerFitness.com, it’s “Your Careerspace” for the 21st Century. CareerFitness.com draws on Peter Weddle’s revolutionary new book Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System. The site offers everything you need to increase the paycheck and the satisfaction you bring home from work, no matter how bad (or, eventually, how good) the job market. You can take a FREE Career Fitness Evaluation to check the health of your career and see how competitive you are for today’s best jobs. You can also take the FREE Is Your Employer a Bully? test to determine whether you’re working for an employer that will help or hurt your career success. And, you can join the CareerFitness.com Program and become the master of your career, rather than its victim.

Visit www.careerfitness.com today!

5. Special Pension for Veterans’ Aid and Attendance

A little-known veterans’ benefit for long-term care expenses is available to wartime veterans and their spouses. But the benefit is being overlooked by thousands of families, industry observers say. The Special Pension for Veterans’ Aid and Attendance pays up to $1,644 a month, $19,736 annually, toward assisted living, nursing homes or in-home care for veterans 65 and older who served at least 90 days and one day during wartime — stateside or overseas. Veterans and their spouses can receive up to $23,396 annually and spouses of deceased veterans, $12,681. In 2007, only 134,000 seniors nationwide received the benefit, which was established in 1952. For more information please visit www.VeteranAid.org. You can also call Operation Veteran Aid at 703-3849.

6. GI Bill

Starting in August 2009 there will be veterans using their GI Bill that will be eligible for both the old and new GI Bills. They will have to choose which one, and the choice is irrevocable. The link below will help determine what choice is best for the individual. One may give the veteran more money; each case is different. The new GI Bill is good for 15 years, the old one 10. The veterans should study this too, before making a blind decision. https://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/CH33/Benefit_Comparison_Chart.htm

7. MinuteClinic now a Tricare Provider

MinuteClinic, the pioneer and largest provider of retail health care in the United States, announced that it has become a participating provider in the network of Health Net Federal Services/Tricare North. Nearly 1.5 million Tricare health care beneficiaries now have in-network access to MinuteClinic health care centers located inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in 13 states: Connecticut; Illinois; Indiana; Massachusetts; Maryland; Michigan; St. Louis; Missouri area; North Carolina; New Jersey; New York; Ohio; Pennsylvania; and Virginia. MinuteClinic health care centers are staffed by masters-prepared, board-certified nurse practitioners who specialize in family health care and are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions when clinically indicated for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, MMR, and Hepatitis A & B are also available. MinuteClinic retail locations are open seven days a week including weekday evening hours. No appointment is necessary. MinuteClinic nurse practitioners utilize nationally recognized medical protocols to diagnose and treat health conditions. With the patient’s consent, treatment information is shared with his or her primary care physician to facilitate continuity of care.

8. VA Benefits Delivery at Discharge

VA’s Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program provides transition assistance to separating or retiring service members who have disabilities related to their military service. Participation is open to service members who are within 60 to 180 days of release from active duty, who provide a copy of their service medical records, and who remain in the area in order to complete necessary medical examinations. BDD began at three Army installations in 1995; national expansion began three years later. In 2006, VBA piloted the use of imaging technology to speed BDD claims. Separating service members’ medical records and supporting claims information are imaged at the outset of the claims process, and VA benefits staff make decisions based solely upon review of the imaged records rather than the paper claims file. During 2008, VA began accepting BDD claims from all separating service members, regardless of their duty station, provided they can meet the BDD claim submission criteria. Now all new BDD claims are processed in a paperless environment. VA benefits and health facilities, Homeland Security Coast Guard sites and DoD military installations, including five locations overseas (three in Korea and two in Germany) participate in the BDD program. For additional information on this program refer to http://sill-www.army.mil/va/index.asp.

9. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of February 24, 2009

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 94,696; Navy Reserve, 6,382; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 15,489; Marine Corps Reserve, 7,299; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 728. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 124,594, 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/Feb2009/d20090224ngr.pdf .

10. 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.

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.

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.

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

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VetJobs

P. O. Box 71445

Marietta, GA 30007-1445

770-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!

Six year recipient of WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award

Four year recipient of Workforce Management Top 10 Recruiting Site

Seven year recipient of AIRS Top Recruiting Site

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

Ted Daywalt — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:59:00 +0000

VetJobs Veteran Eagle

Issue 10:2, Sunday, February 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 BNSF Railway and TECHEXPO Top Secret

Search the thousands of jobs nationwide in the VetJobs database!

Contents:

1. Message from the Top

2. VetJobs Recommends – Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System

3. Major Medical Health Insurance

4. 2009 WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award Recipients

5. Correction to the January Veteran Eagle

6. Using Objectives on Resumes

7. VetJobs Military Career Fairs Page

8. Free Admissions

9. Hope4Heroes

10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of January 27, 2009

11. Significant Events this Month in Military History

President’s Day – February 16^th Celebrate President’s Day with red, white and blue http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=231

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1. Message from the Top

I am pleased to announce that for the sixth year in a row VetJobs is a recipient of the 2009 WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award (www.weddles.com)! This award marks VetJobs not only as one of the top 30 job boards out of 50,000 career sites on the Internet, but one of only nine job boards that have received this prestigious award six years in a row! Your votes have confirmed 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 2010 WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award.

See article 4 below for the thirty recipients of the 2009 WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award. Those elite sites who have received the award for all six years are: CareerBuilder.com, Craigslist.com, DICE.com, EmploymentGuide.com, Execunet.com, Monster.com, Net-Temps.com, VetJobs.com and Yahoo! HotJobs. I congratulate these six sites as they are the cream of the employment web sites on the Internet.

In addition to the WEDDLE’s award, this past year VetJobs was selected for the fourth consecutive year to the Workforce Management Magazine Top 10 Recruiting Site award and is a seven year recipient of AIRS Top Recruiting Site. These are incredible achievements for a niche job board and reaffirms that VetJobs is the leading military related job board on the Internet and that employers want to hire veterans!

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

On February 16 the country celebrates President’s Day. The original purpose of President’s Day was to honor Washington and Lincoln, but is now the day we honor all of the presidents who have served the United States.

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On the economic front, the news continues to be dismal. The contraction of the economy in the 4^th quarter of 2008 was 3.8%, which was better than the 5.0% growth contraction that many economists were predicting, but 3.8% is still bad. The national jobless rate is now 7.2%, which is 2.2% above normal unemployment.

This recession is a unique one in that it is self-induced. Unlike previous recessions that came about due to economic or technological changes, this one is due to the collapse of our financial system and the lack of credit in the markets. What caused the collapse was the corruption and bad business practices that was rampant on Wall Street and the congressionally mandated Community Reinvestment Act that forced lending institutions to give loans to people who could not repay. It has to be recognized that this recession is due to the fraud and corruption fostered by certain of our elected officials. It is no surprise that today the Congress has the lowest confidence rating in history!

The bottom line is that it will be quite some time before our economy is healthy again. While we are nowhere near the unemployment rates of the past such as the Great Depression (25% plus), the 1975 recession (9.0%) or of the 1982 recession (10.8%), the lack of plentiful jobs makes it difficult for those who are unemployed. The American economy saw only marginal growth in 2008, with the 4^th quarter contracting 3.8%. Compared to 1982’s contraction of 6.2%, that is not bad, but since we live in 2009 not 1982, it is not good for those who are unemployed. Many economists predict a slow and marginal improvement for 2009.

This morning VetJobs had 23, 510 active jobs that employers are looking to fill. If you are in the job market, be sure to refresh your resume so employers know you are looking for a job and apply to those jobs on VetJobs to which you are qualified. Other good sites to be searching would include the WEDDLE’s User Choice Award recipients. Definitely visit the Employment Assistance section of VetJobs for good ideas on your job search!

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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 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

/—February Veteran Eagle sponsor is BNSF Railway—-\

BNSF Railway Company is actively seeking applicants with military experience. At BNSF, we salute those with service, value their skills and welcome the unique experiences of our service members. From skilled craftsmen to first-line supervisors, we filled over 3,000 positions this year and expect to surpass that amount in 2006. BNSF offers challenging and rewarding career opportunities for those in transition from military to civilian life as well as veterans, retirees and members of National Guard and Reserve components.

\—–Please visit your February Veteran Eagle sponsor BNSF Railway—–/

2. VetJobs Recommends: Work Strong – Your Personal Career Fitness System

Work Strong – Your Personal Career Fitness System is Peter Weddle’s new book on how, when, where and with whom you can achieve career success in the 21st Century. Designed specifically for the challenging workplace of the 21st Century: Work Strong not only tells you what to do for career success, but when, where and how to do it. Using physical fitness as a metaphor, the book introduces an approach to career self-management that is appropriate for everyone from senior executives and seasoned professionals to recent graduates and those who are reentering the workforce after an extended absence. Work Strong helps you tap both sides of your brain in learning how to build a healthy career. It encourages you to use your reasoning ability on the left side of your brain by presenting all of the information you need to Work Strong in your career. That’s The Career Fitness System. Get Work Strong for yourself and for your spouse, your sons or daughters and even for your mother and father. Everyone deserves to Work Strong. To place your order, call WEDDLE’s at 317.598.9768

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

TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next job fairs are:

2/11, 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

2/18, 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

Interview with leading government contractors. Full schedule, event details, & pre-registration at http://www.techexpoUSA.com/index_VJS.cfm. For professionals with active security clearance only. Free admission

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

3. Major Medical Health Insurance

The VFW now offers comprehensive major medical health insurance. These affordable plans are a great option for anyone looking for short-term coverage or traditional health insurance. Call 1-800-829-8390 to inquire about a free, no-obligation health insurance consultation today. Information is also online at www.vfwinsurance.com under “Health Insurance Plans.”

4. 2009 WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award Recipients

Each year, WEDDLE’s conducts a year-long ballot of human resource personnel, recruiters and job seekers to determine which employment-related sites they like best. The balloting is open to all and covers all job boards and career portals, including those operated by commercial enterprises, associations and societies, trade organizations, college and university alumni organizations and affinity groups. The WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award is unique. It is the only award recognizing job boards where the winners are picked not by pundits and so-called experts, but by the actual users of the job boards. As there is no higher accolade than to be recognized by one’s users, the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award is coveted by the winners.

The 2009 recipients are: Absolutely Health Care; AllHealthcareJobs.com; AllRetailJobs.com; CareerBuilder.com; craigslist.com; Dice.com; DirectEmployers.com; DiversityJobs.com; EmploymentGuide.com; ExecuNet.com; GetTheJob.com; GOJobs.com; Hcareers.com; HealthCareerWeb.com; HEALTHeCAREERS.com; Indeed.com; Job.com; JobCircle.com; JobFox.com; Jobing.com; TheLadders.com; Monster.com; Net-Temps.com; SimplyHired.com; 6FigureJobs.com; SnagAJob.com; TopUSAJobs.com; Vault.com; VetJobs.com; and Yahoo! Hotjobs.com.

5. Correction to the January Veteran Eagle

In the January Veteran Eagle was a statement that members of Congress draw their salaries for life. This was not correct. Upon further research, we found that the article we quoted was incorrect. Here is the correct information:

It is not true that members of Congress draw their same pay until they die. The size of their pension is determined by a number of factors – primarily length of service, but also factors such as when they joined Congress (there are some old rules in effect for long time members), their age at retirement, their salary and the pension options they chose when they enrolled in the Congressional retirement system. By law, their retirement can not exceed 80% of their Congressional salary at the time of their retirement.

6. Using Objectives on Resumes

Which résumé is preferable—an objective that is short and to the point with a direct reference to the job being sought, or the generic longer objective? Kelly A. Hamm of FutureStep says that in her experience, and in speaking with a number of recruiters, an objective on a résumé is not only outdated, but usually unnecessary. Unless the candidate is a recent graduate, changing careers or going in a new direction that necessitates some explanation, most recruiters bypass any stated objectives to focus instead on a person’s experience. Their main interest is in determining whether a person is a viable candidate for the job. Most recruiters look at an objective to answer only things that don’t make sense in the résumé itself. This might occur if someone applies for a sales position but lists no sales experience.

7. VetJobs Military Career Fairs Page

VetJobs has started listing all military related career fairs nationally and internationally. The list can be accessed from the VetJobs front page by clicking on the Upcoming Career Fairs icon. If you know of a military related career fair that is not listed, please forward the information to info@vetjobs.com.

8. Free Admissions

-Budweiser’s “Here’s to the Heroes” program, originally launched in 2005, has been extended annually to give members of the U.S. military and their families free admission to SeaWorld and other Anheuser-Busch parks. For more information and to register, visit www.herosalute.com/states/index.html

-Disney’s “Armed Forces Salute” program gives active and retired members of the military and U.S. Coast Guard, and activated members of the National Guard or Reserve, complimentary multi-day admission to Disney’s U.S. theme parks and special ticket offers for family and friends. For more information, visit http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=322

9. Hope4Heroes

Hope4Heroes, a veteran non-profit has the right focus. Hope4Heroes was born from the idea that one person can make a difference. Started by Vic Luebker, a retired 1st Sergeant, Hope4Heroes is now building a full service hub for Heroes by partnering and working with other caring agencies and leaders. Hope4Heroes is looking for peer-to-peer mentors in all 50 states. This will form the grassroots foundation that ensures no vet or spouse falls through the cracks. The key to success is ensuring we work with the most trusted and respected organizations and people to get all our vets and families the support they need from PTSD counseling to a new job after life in the military. For more information, visit www.hope4heroes.org or contact Vic at nfo@hope4heroes.org, or call 210-544-3188.

10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of January 27, 2009

The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 94,070; Navy Reserve, 6,148; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 15,289; Marine Corps Reserve, 7,417; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 746. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 123,670, 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/Jan2009/d20090127ngr.pdf .

11. 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.

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

P. O. Box 71445

Marietta, GA 30007-1445

770-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!

Six year recipient of WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award

Four year recipient of Workforce Management Top 10 Recruiting Site

Seven year recipient of AIRS Top Recruiting Site

VetJobs is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business