Issue 13:04, Sunday, April 1, 2012
www.vetjobs.com
The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members and friends and supporters of VetJobs. Feel free to forward the newsletter to veterans and friends and encourage them to subscribe.
This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by: BNSF Railway, TECHEXPO Top Secret and iVetConnect
Contents:
1. Message from the Top
2. National Guard Counseling Hotline
3. Veteran Owned Businesses
4. Senate Probing Army’s Handling of PTSD Cases
5. Beware Scam Letter from DFAS
6. DOD Extends Stop Loss Pay Deadline
7. New GI Bill for Unemployed Vets
8. SVA Relaunches Chapter Location Map
9. DVNF Employment Webinar
10. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of March 29, 2012
11. Significant Events this Month in Military History
Thank you for reading this VetJobs Veteran Eagle newsletter. If you like the newsletter and what VetJobs, the VFW and endorsing veteran service organizations do to assist veterans and their family members find employment, please go to www.weddles.com/poll.htm and vote VetJobs for the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award!
- – - – - From the VFW – - – - – - – -
VFW Sponsored Insurance Programs
For information about various insurance plans sponsored by VFW National Headquarters, please visit www.vfwinsurance.com or call 1-800-821-2606, opt. 1
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NOTE: If you have a resume in the VetJobs database, be sure to update your experience and refresh your resume at a minimum of every two weeks. VetJobs has many new customers using the resume database and as a general rule, they do not look at resumes over 30 days old.
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1. Message from the Top
While some in government like to say the United States is out of the recession, we at VetJobs still are dealing with hundreds of thousands of veterans and their spouses who are seeking employment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in February there were 777,000 unemployed veterans. The good news was that the 18 to 24 year old veteran Current Population Survey (CPS) unemployment rate had fallen to 12.4%. Their unemployment rate had been 37.9% back in November. So there has been progress, but I expect to see it go back up as many National Guard and Reserve (NG&R) units start returning. Plus, the returning NG&R will be competing with 140,000 military personnel the administration is cutting from our military. When that cut takes place in the next few months, the NG&R will be larger than the active military!
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Sometimes when you are looking for a job it is easier to create your own job. Entrepreneurship is a proven way to create job security. And purchasing a franchise can expedite your move into ownership. To that end, The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and VetJobs have entered into an alliance with another franchise organization. As one million U.S. service men and women separate from the military by 2015, the VFW and the International Franchise Association (IFA) share the goal of enabling veterans and their families to find career and small business ownership opportunities in the civilian U.S. economy. The VFW and IFA have formed a Strategic Alliance. The purpose of the Alliance is threefold: 1. Increase awareness among veterans about opportunities for small business ownership and career paths in franchising through IFA’s VetFran and Operation Enduring Opportunity campaigns; 2. Offer tools and solutions to enable VFW members to access, assess and prepare for career opportunities in the civilian U.S. economy; and 3. Advocate for legislative support for entrepreneurship training and opportunity for veterans.
As part of the Alliance efforts, there will be several events, the first being an IFA Small Business Lending Summit, April 16-17, at the J.W. Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. I will be participating in this event and encourage all who are interested in looking at franchising to attend. There will be a Veterans Lending Panel, April 17, 10:45 AM to 11:15 AM. To register, please visit http://www.franchise.org/IFACreditAccess.aspx.
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April is the month when working people have to submit their tax reports to the Internal Revenue Service. For some, it means a tax return, but for many, it means paying more money to the government. Tax Freedom Day 2012, the day when a person starts working for themselves rather than the government will arrive on April 17 this year, five days later than in 2011. That means Americans will work well over three months of the year, from January 1 to April 17, before they have earned enough money to pay this year’s tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels.
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This month we celebrate the 104rd anniversary of the United States Army Reserve! Over the last century the Army Reserve has proven itself on the battlefields of seven major wars and multiple overseas operations. Today it plays a prominent role in both Afghanistan and Iraq. If you meet a member of the Army Reserve this month, tell them Happy Birthday and thank them for their service! To learn more about the Army Reserve, please visit http://www.usar.army.mil/
April has several other important dates, including:
April 1 – April Fool’s Day
April 6 – Good Friday
April 6 – Army Day
April 7 – Passover begins
April 8 – Easter
April 9 – National POW Recognition Day
April 15 – Orthodox Easter
April 16 – Income Tax Day
April 22 – Earth Day
April 25 – Administrative Professionals Day
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On the economic front, the United States and many other countries’ economies continue to remain in an economic malaise. The political strife and conflict currently taking place in Washington is adding to the economic problems because companies want certainty and this administration has developed a reputation for not being business friendly. Over the last three years due to actions in Congress there has been no certainty to give a business person confidence in investing or growing a business.
The U.S. economy has now been in growth mode for 33 months…ever since the Great Recession ending in June 2009. However, U.S. economic growth has averaged a 2.4% real (inflation adjusted) annual growth pace since the expansion began, the weakest economic expansion since the 1940s.
Here is a quick look at the negative and positive factors for March:
On the negative side:
-Orders for long-lasting U.S. goods climbed 2.2% in February from January, below the 3% gain expected. Excluding the transportation segment, durable goods orders rose 1.6%, slightly less than the 1.7% expected
-Rising prices at the gas pump and for groceries are dampening spending by consumers.
-The Conference Board’s reading on consumer confidence came in at 70.2 in March, lower than an upwardly revised 71.6 in February. The reading was slightly under expectations of 70.3.
-The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas shows home prices fell 0.8% on a non-seasonally adjusted basis in January, a slightly bigger decline than the 0.6% drop expected. Home prices were down 3.8% from a year ago, in line with estimates
-Existing home sales fell 0.9% in February to an annualized rate of 4.59 million units, slightly less than the 4.62 million rate expected, according to the National Association of Realtors
-Sales of new single-family homes fell 1.6% in February to a 313,000-unit annualized rate, short of the 325,000-unit rate expected
-A bout of weak factory data on major economies in Europe and Asia is taking a toll on Wall Street, sparking fears that global headwinds could stunt the U.S. recovery
On the plus side:
-Conventional thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.92% in recent weeks, the lowest level in 60 years
-Consumer spending in the U.S. jumped 0.8% in February, largely because of higher energy costs, even though income rose a much smaller 0.2%
- A final reading on U.S. gross domestic product showed the economy expanded at an annualized rate of 3% in the fourth quarter of 2011, matching previous readings and in line with estimates
The bottom line is that the country is moving forward, but at a very, very slow and anemic rate, hindered by the ongoing political problems in Washington. The good news is that some employers are hiring! Today VetJobs has over 43,000 REAL jobs posted by several thousand employers, up over 19% from the same day last year.
If you are having problems finding a job, definitely visit the Employment Assistance section on VetJobs (www.vetjobs.com) and review the articles and the lists of vetted job boards.
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As I am finishing this newsletter I checked the traffic on the VetJobs site and see that there are 2,208 visitors on the site looking for jobs. The VetJobs traffic has continued to climb the last few months which is a good thing as there is a lot of great information on the site to assist those seeking work.
VetJobs is growing. We have added two new sales people at a time with Monster.com has laid off 400 people and is now up for sale! Thank you for your support!
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I am proud to announce that the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) has endorsed VetJobs! This is an important endorsement now that over half of our military is in the NG&R. VetJobs has always been at the forefront of finding jobs for members of the National Guard and their family members. We look forward to working more with the National Guard and NGAUS!
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Finally, I will be participating in the DVNF Employment Webinar (see article 9) on April 4, Wednesday, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM EST. This will be a very informative webinar for those seeking employment. If you would like to participate, register at http://dvnf.org/veterans-programs/veterans-employment-webinar/
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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, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., 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 5,000 positions in 2011. 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.
Today’s BNSF Railway, a product of nearly 400 different railroad lines that merged or were acquired over the course of 160 years, has been quietly delivering cars, coal, clothing, games and nearly anything else found in homes and businesses. While many different railroads combined to form BNSF, the people who worked at those railroads shared many traits. The people who built BNSF were — and continue to be — a unique breed, blending the forward-thinking of dreamers with the pragmatism of results-oriented business leaders. This heritage played a central role in settling and growing the American West, and today, BNSF continues to have a significant impact in meeting the needs of shippers and serving the economy. If you are seeking a challenging and rewarding career with a company that appreciates your military experience, then visit http://www.bnsf.com/careers/military/index.html to apply.
\—–Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor BNSF Railway—–/
2. National Guard Counseling Hotline
The National Guard has set up a toll-free, peer-to-peer counseling hotline to provide Guard members and all reserve component members the ability to speak with counselors on the phone or online. Members of any reserve component can call the hotline 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, and discus any issues, challenges or problems they have with a peer counselor. Counselors at the Vets4Warriors peer support hotline are veterans, so they have an understanding and empathy for what service members may be going through when they call. Once the service member reaches out to Vets4Warriors, the counselor will try to match them to any of the resources available. To learn more about Vets4Warriors, or to speak with a counselor, service and family members can call the Vets4Warriors toll-free hotline at 1-855-VET-TALK (838-8255)
/—April Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\
TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next career fairs are:
4/3, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Security clearance is required for attendance. Register at www.techexpousa.com
4/4, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair, The Sheraton Reston Hotel, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Security clearance is required for attendance. Register at www.techexpousa.com
Interview with leading government contractors! Full schedule, event details, & pre-registration are available at www.TechExpoUSA.com. The career fair is for professionals with active or recent security clearances only. Free admission. If you attend a TECHEXPO career fair, please indicate you learned of the career fair from VetJobs.
\—Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret at www.techexpousa.com—-/
3. Veteran Owned Businesses
The SBA recently released information regarding veteran businesses. According to the Census Bureau, in 2007 there were 2.45 million businesses with majority ownership by veterans. Of these, 491,000 were employers and 1.956 million were nonemployers. They represented 9 percent of all U.S. firms. Nearly one third of all veteran-owned firms were in two industry groups: construction and profes¬sional, scientific, and technical services. By state, California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Georgia had the largest numbers of veteran-owned businesses. Ranked by the veteran-owned percentage of businesses in the state, the top five states were South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama.
/—April Veteran Eagle sponsor is iVetConnect—-\
Veterans interested in learning about franchise ownership are invited to join a FREE webinar
“Veterans Exploring Franchise Ownership”. Learn how you can leverage your military experience
through franchise ownership and how your unique qualifications improve your chances for success.
Sr. Franchise Consultant, Laurie Pollock, and retired Army Captain and 2-time franchise owner, Christian Germain, will talk about how to evaluate franchise opportunities, best information sources, discounts for veterans, training, support, and how to get funding/financing. They’ll also talk about Boost A Hero, crowd-funding for veterans to raise the capital to buy a franchise, and iVetConnect, a new Linked In group to help veterans find veteran business partners, in addition to answering any of your questions throughout the webinar.
This month’s webinar date is Monday, April 9th at 4pm CT / 5pm ET.
To register, go to: http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EC58D784834C
If you’re unable to make the webinar, email lauriepollock@franchoice.com
or call 1.800.818.9929 to request a free one-on-one consultation.
\—Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor iVetConnect at www.franchoice.com—-/
4. Senate Probing Army’s Handling of PTSD Cases
Fearing that the Army may be mishandling the matter, the top senator on the veterans affairs panel said that she has begun an investigation into whether military hospitals across the country are denying treatment to service members with post-traumatic stress disorder because of cost considerations.
Democrat Patty Murray, the chairwoman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said she decided to take the step to make sure that Army officials “don’t just bury this under the rug” as they investigate the issue on their own. The Army already is conducting at least three separate probes amid disclosures that the Madigan Army Medical Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Murray’s home state of Washington has reversed hundreds of PTSD diagnoses for patients who were up for medical retirement. Murray’s office said that a review of PTSD cases dating to 2007 found that 290 of 690 diagnoses – more than 40 percent – had been reversed by a medical screening team. The Army now is re-evaluating how those diagnoses were changed. The issue of mental health care has been a top concern for the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, both for Murray and Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the top Republican on the panel. In November, the two scolded the VA, saying it was not moving quickly enough to help returning service members with PTSD and other afflictions who all too often face long wait times in trying to get mental health appointments.
5. Beware Scam Letter from DFAS
A letter is making the internet purporting to be from DFAS asking military member’s fiancées to register in the DFAX system entitling them to benefits in the event of the member’s death, all for only a $350 fee. This is a scam. Please let your fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and families know the score. DFAS Corporate Communications advises the Facebook post links to an earlier release DFAS put out back in October on interaction with customers — DFAS will never send you unsolicited email messages requesting your myPay login ID and password or any other personal or financial information. DFAS also will not send you unsolicited email messages with attachments. If you receive an e-mail message that appears suspicious, do not click on any links or open attachments, etc. Here’s the link to the release concerning the scam from DFAS http://www.dfas.mil/pressroom/dfasnewsreleasearchive/Release1011002.html
6. DOD Extends Stop Loss Pay Deadline
The deadline to apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay has been re-instated and extended to October 21, 2012. Service members and veterans whose military service was involuntarily extended under the “Stop Loss” program between the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Sept. 30, 2009, are eligible for special retroactive pay. The special pay is compensation for the hardships the involuntary extensions caused, officials said. Eligible members or their beneficiaries may submit a claim to their respective military service to receive $500 for each full or partial month served in a Stop Loss status. Because the majority of those eligible had separated from the military, many eligible service members, veterans and their beneficiaries are not aware of the benefit.
7. New GI Bill for Unemployed Vets
A new GI Bill program, now known as Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), will offer up to 12 months of Montgomery GI Bill benefits for older unemployed veterans. The program is part of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act which also includes tax breaks for companies that hire veterans. That means that pre-9/11 veterans who often feel left out, may soon qualify for as much as $17,600 ($1473 a month) for education and training. Here’s what you should know about the new VRAP:
-This benefit can be used to earn an associate degree, non-college degree, or certification, and training for a high demand occupation.
-According to the VA, the program will begin July 1, 2012.
-This new benefit will be limited to 45K vets in FY2012 and 54K for FY 2013 through March 31, 2014.
-Once participating veterans have completed the VRAP education program, the Dept. of Labor will provide employment assistance.
-To be eligible for the VRAP GI Bill Veterans must:
Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years old.
Be unemployed (as determined by DoL).
Not have a dishonorable discharge.
Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program.
Not be drawing VA compensation due to unemployability.
Not be enrolled in a federal or state job training program.
The VA will be issuing more information soon on this program.
8. SVA Relaunches Chapter Location Map
Student Veterans of America have relaunched the Chapter Map. Now, student veterans and service providers can locate chapters easily by searching an interactive Google Map. The SVA Chapter Map links local leaders to incoming student veterans, other nonprofit organizations, and companies interested in supporting veterans in higher education. The Student Veterans of America Chapter Map may be accessed by visiting the link below.
http://www.studentveterans.org/?page=Chapter_Map
9. DVNF Employment Webinar
The Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF) is sponsoring a Veteran Employment Webinar series to help you land the job you want and deserve. The second in the webinar series will be on April 4 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM EST. The webinar will cover how to find a job. Speakers will include Ted Daywalt from VetJobs and Rod Dillehay of Veradata, The webinars are open to all veterans, active duty, reservists or retired members of the U.S. Military, and those supporting veterans including Veteran Service Officers, spouses, and family members. You can register at http://dvnf.org/veterans-programs/veterans-employment-webinar/
10. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of March 29, 2012
The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 52,267; Navy Reserve, 4,749; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 9,722; Marine Corps Reserve, 4,714, and the Coast Guard Reserve, 774. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 72,226, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found on line at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20120327ngr.pdf
11. Significant Events this Month in Military History
1775 – British troops under LTC Francis Smith, with MAJ John Pitcairn, Royal Marines, as second in command, marched to Lexington MA and fired on American minutemen on the town green, beginning the American Revolution (Revolutionary War).
1776 – The Continental brig Lexington captures the British ship Edward.
1836 – General Sam Houston and his Texan forces defeated Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto (War for Texas Independence).
1861 – South Carolina state troops under GEN P.G. T. Beauregard began the bombardment of Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, SC, beginning the Civil War
1865 – General Robert E. Lee surrendered his remaining Confederate forces to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War.
1893 – Rank of Chief Petty Officer created in the United States Navy
1900 – The US Navy acquires its first submarine, a 53 foot craft designed by Irish immigrant John P. Holland
1908 – United States Army Reserve established
1915 – Poison gas was first used in battle by the Germans against the British at the Battle of Ypers, Belgium (World War I).
1917 – The Navy takes control of all wireless radio stations in the United States.
1941 – German Luftwaffe raid on the city of Coventry, England. Much of the city was destroyed, including parts of the medieval cathedral. Winston Churchill, the British prime minister, had advance notice of the raid as the Allies had the German “Ultra” code, but Churchill could not warn the city, lest the Germans became aware of how Churchill had received the information (WWII).
1942 – Fall of Bataan and start of the Bataan Death March (WWII).
1942 – The Navy accepts African Americans for general service.
1945 – Lieutenant Junior Grade Ann Purvis and Ensign Jane Kendeigh become the first Navy flight nurses to land on an active battlefield (Iwo Jima).
1945 – Carrier aircraft defeat the last Japanese Navy sortie at the Battle of East China Sea; Yamato, the world’s largest battleship, and five other ships are sunk.
1945 – Invasion of Okinawa began (WW II).
1945 – German Unconditional Surrender to Italian Allies (WW II).
1945 – American planes sank the IJNS Yamato, largest battleship ever built, off the Japanese coast. The Yamato had never fired a shot against an enemy vessel (WWII).
1949 – NATO was established.
1953 – Battle of Pork Chop Hill (Hill 255) began (Korean War).
1968 – Operation Pegasus was launched by the 1st Air Cavalry Division to relieve the marines at Khe Sanh (Vietnam War).
1975 – The former imperial capital of Hue fell to North Vietnamese troops, along with the entire Thua Thien Province (Vietnam War).
1979 – The first Trident submarine, USS Ohio (SSBN 726), is launched at Groton, CT.
1991 – Persian Gulf War official cease fire begins (Persian Gulf War).
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VetJobs is exclusively sponsored and partially owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (www.vfw.org) and endorsed by the Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org), the Association of the US Navy (www.ausn.org), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org), Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org), Military Order of the Purple Heart (www.purpleheart.org), Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (www.usawoa.org), The Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org) and the National Guard Association of the United States (www.ngaus.org)
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