First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks announcing a major veterans and military spouse employment milestone during a Joining Forces 125,000th hire event at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida, Aug. 22, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Earlier today, I joined with First Lady Michelle Obama at Naval Station Mayport near Jacksonville, Florida as she announced that 2,000 companies had hired or trained an amazing 125,000 veterans and military spouses in the past year through Joining Forces.

This effort, combined with policies and legislation put in place by the President have resulted in a 20 percent decrease in veteran unemployment compared to this time last year.

It was an extraordinary event, set among several Navy Seahawk helicopters, that kicked off with a new Joining Forces video telling the story of how we got to today's announcement. Hundreds of Sailors from on Navy's premier warships and helicopter squadrons were in attendance along with their families.

The Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Admiral Scott Van Buskirk, was there and delivered inspiring remarks.

Leaders of businesses who have been hiring literally thousands of veterans were there -- and they brought with them veterans and spouses who they hired in the past year.

As several of the veterans told me, Joining Forces has made a significant impact on their lives.

Paul Andrews, a Navy veteran, introduced the First Lady.  Originally from Texas, Paul joined the Navy and was trained as a sonar technician, where he learned to operate, maintain and repair the Navy’s most sophisticated equipment designed to detect and track the world’s most stealthy submarines. While in the Navy, he was assigned to the Guided Missile Destroyer USS ROOSEVELT, based right here in Mayport. He deployed twice including a 9-month deployment in eastern Afghanistan after volunteering for duty on a Provincial Reconstruction Team.

Earlier this year, Paul transitioned back to civilian life, where he is applying the skills he learned in the Navy into the private sector after landing a job with a company called Sonardyne at a Joining Forces-Orion International hiring event right here in Mayport.

Companies like Orion are among more than 2,000 in America who have made commitments on veteran and military spouse hiring through Joining Forces.

But more work remains.

So seizing on momentum to date, the First Lady also announced that these same companies have committed to hire 250,000 veterans and military spouses in the coming years. Included in this commitment is a pledge by the Military Spouse Employment Partnership to employ 50,000 military spouses in the coming years!

We know that America’s post 9/11 veterans have the skills to help lead America’s economic recovery.

If you can operate hi-tech sonar equipment like Paul did, or if you can work with sophisticated radars that guide high-speed missiles into outer-space, then you’re ready to succeed in our high-tech industries right here in America. Or if you can repair a helicopter engine like those we saw in Mayport or you can coordinate thousands of pounds of supplies being delivered to villages in Afghanistan, then clearly you have what it takes for a manufacturing or logistics job right here in the U.S.

The First Lady often says that Joining Forces will be a success if military families feel the support that they deserve. Two thousand businesses hiring 125,000 veterans and military spouses is a great first step to serving our military families as well as they’ve served us.

First Lady Michelle Obama holds the “Military Family Licensing Act,” signed by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, which will help military spouses and veterans transfer their professional licenses to Illinois more easily, during a signing ceremony at the Donnelly Armory in Chicago, Ill., June 26, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Earlier today in Chicago, I had the wonderful privilege of joining First Lady Michelle Obama and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn as the Governor signed into law the “Military Family Licensing Act,” which will help literally thousands of military spouses and veterans transfer their professional licenses to Illinois more easily.

Were you to tell me last year that we’d be standing in Illinois – or any other state for that matter – with the First Lady and witnessing the Governor signing a bill supporting military spouse license portability, I wouldn’t have thought it was possible.

Well, we’re beyond possible in Illinois, license portability for military spouses is now… the law.

Here’s the story of how we got here and what it means.

The First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden spoke to the nation’s Governors and their spouses in February about how they could support military spouses by making it easier for their licenses to transfer as they move from state to state.

You can appreciate that there are hundreds of issues that the First Lady and Dr. Biden could have addressed but they focused on supporting our nation’s military spouses and in this case the 100,000 military spouses in the country who serve in professions that require state licenses.

Back in February, only 11 states had pro-spouse legislation in-place.

Today, Illinois became the 23^rd state to adopt pro-military spouse license portability measures. The Bill will allow military spouses moving to bases in Illinois, for example, to more quickly and efficiently join the work force. So if your husband or wife gets orders and you’re heading to Naval Station Great Lakes to train the next generation of young sailors at “Boot Camp” and you’re a nurse – or your spouse got orders to Scott Air Force Base to help manage the issues of global logistics and you’re a physical therapist ----- your life just got a LOT better.

This leap of support from around the country is truly extraordinary– in less than 4 months since the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s call to action, the number of states supporting military spouse licensing portability has more than doubled.

That’s a huge leap – particularly because the issue of license portability is not new – it’s decades old. I’m an Army brat and I remember my parents talking about this when I was a kid. And this issue affects dozens of professions who are impacted including teachers, nurses, speech pathologists, dental hygienists, physical therapists, counselors, and so many more.

So whether it’s bringing companies together to hire military spouses or breaking down barriers to employment, every spouse in this country should know that America has your back. So as you serve this country, we’ll continue to work hard and serve you – and we won’t stop until you feel the thanks of a grateful nation.

Brad Cooper is the Executive Director of Joining Forces. Sign up for the Joining Forces newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

Just last week, the results of the summit came to fruition with the release the Guide to Leading Practices and Resources Supporting the Employment of Veterans and Military Families. The guide was published by Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and reflects a collaborative contribution of major private-sector employers and others who agreed to share their own lessons learned and innovations with regard to effective recruitment, assimilation, retention, and development of veterans in the civilian workforce - all in an effort to advance employment opportunities for the nation’s veterans and military family members.

With American troops out of Iraq and our responsible withdrawal from Afghanistan now well underway, more than 1,000,000 veterans are expected to transition out of the military in the coming years. This guide is timely - and an imporant resource for every company in America looking to recruit, employ and retain our nation’s veterans.

We know that veterans are valuable additions to any company and are good for the bottom line. The White House Business Council has generated a “Guide to Hiring Veterans” and significant efforts are underway to address veteran and military spouse employment. More than 1,600 companies have hired 70,000 veterans and military spouses in the past year through Joining Forces. And in just the last 2 weeks, the President has announced a new measure to help veterans secure meaningful work in the manufacturing sector.

And now, Syracuse University and major companies in America’s private sector like Citigroup, AT&T, Google, Prudential, GE, Accenture, JP Morgan Chase, and BAE have come together and produced a first-of-its-kind guide that details a series of practices and policies backed by serious research that can positively impact veteran employment. The guide is full of valuable information and references. Case studies showcase corporate best practices in veteran recruiting, employee assistance, training and development. And the consolidation of existing resources on veteran employment-related issues is top-notch.

As the President has stated, "Nobody who fought for our country overseas should have to fight for a job when they come back home." Our troops and their families have stepped up and served this country in extraordinary ways. Here are a few things that you can do with this report to make a positive difference.

• If you are a company currently hiring veterans, check out the guide and see if there are a few examples of opportunities to improve your current practices.
• If you are a business leader that has not yet invested in America’s veterans, check out the guide to get a better appreciation for what veterans can bring to your company.
• If you are a community leader, send a link to this guide to every business owner that you know – and encourage them to hire a veteran.
• If you are a blogger – or otherwise have a way to “spread the word” -- send this blog or the link to this guide to business leaders in your community.

Brad Cooper is the Executive Director of Joining Forces. Learn more about the Joining Forces initiative: Visit JoiningForces.gov, like Joining Forces on Facebook and follow @JoiningForces on Twitter.

Last week, the Department of the Interior joined forces with the First Lady and Dr. Biden to provide free access to more than 2,000 of America's parks to our troops and their families. Then on Monday of this week, Blue Star Families and the National Endowment for the Arts launched "Blue Star Museums" --  laying out the welcome mat for free access at more than 1,600 museums around the country for service members and military families.

Connecting veterans and military spouses with employment opportunities in the private sector has been a priority for the First Lady and Dr. Biden,  and the effort is paying off. In the last year, more than 1,600 companies have hired more than 70,000 veterans and military spouses through Joining Forces.

Just last week, 34 more companies and organizations joined forces with the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), a partnership of more than 130 companies committed to hire and retain military spouses. Since June of last year, MSEP companies have hired more than 22,000 military spouses.

And the momentum keeps building. Check out Joining Forces employment efforts in just the last three days:

• On Tuesday, the International Franchising Association (IFA) announced that veteran franchise ownership had leaped in the last year -- more than 4,000 new veteran franchise owners (a whopping 35% increase in one year).
• From Tuesday through Thursday, Disney invited more veterans to parks and sites in Orlando, Florida; Burbank, California and New York City for hiring expos. Just 10 weeks ago, Disney committed to hire 1,000 veterans in the next three years and have already hired more than 250 veterans.
• On Thursday, Sears partnered with the Non-Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA) to hold a hiring fair just for veterans and military spouses in Chicago -- attracting more than 750 people and 37 companies. In the last year, Sears has hired more than 2,200 veterans and military spouses.
• The Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes Program held hiring fairs for veterans and military spouses in Parkersville, West Virginia; Warwick, Rhode Island; Moline, Illinois; Baltimore, Maryland; and Meriwether Country, Georgia and on May 30th, they'll be hiring military spouses in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
• Companies are connecting with veterans and spouses virtually. Milicruit is leading a hiring effort with more than 30 companies to hire 10,000 veterans and spouses by 2013. On Wednesday, they held a virtual hiring fair for veterans and military spouses. Interviews are ongoing and the connection is working -- more than 4,000 veterans and military spouses have landed a job through Milicruit's efforts in just three months. Find out more about Milicruit and other Joining Forces resources here.

The list of companies joining forces with the First Lady and Dr. Biden continues to grow. On Wednesday, Command Security Corporation committed to hire 1,500 veterans by the end of 2013 and yesterday, Philips North America -- an enormous company that employs more than 100,000 workers throughout the nation -- joined forces to focus on hiring veterans and military spouses.

While there is great momentum, much more work remains. Connecting America's heroes and their families with the job opportunities they have earned will continue to be a top priority for the First Lady and Dr. Biden.

America's veterans and their families have given this nation so much. Now it's our turn to give back - and America's businesses are helping to lead the way.

Learn more about Joining Forces initiative: Visit JoiningForces.gov, like Joining Forces on Facebook and follow @JoiningForces on Twitter.

First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, and others watch as President Barack Obama signs the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (VOW to Hire Heroes Act) in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building South Court Auditorium, Nov. 21, 2011. The legislation provides tax credits to help put veterans back to work. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Last November, the President signed into law the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Included in this law is a new program designed to help put veterans who aren’t eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill back to work – interested veterans can start to apply through the Veterans On-Line Application today!

The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) offers up to 12 months of training assistance to unemployed veterans age 35-60. The re-training program will help our nation’s heroes gain meaningful training in a new skill that will increase their employability.

To qualify, a veteran must:

• Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
• Be unemployed on the day of application
• Have an other than dishonorable discharge
• Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
• Not be in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
• Not be enrolled in a federal or state job training program

Participants may receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the monthly full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program (currently $1,473 per month). DOL will provide employment assistance to every Veteran who participates upon completion of the program. VA will begin accepting applications online starting May 15, 2012.

Participants must be enrolled in a program of education approved for VA benefits offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certificate, (but not necessarily attain) and provide training towards a high demand occupation.

For More Information:

• Learn more about the VOW to Hire Heroes Act and its benefits for unemployed veterans
• Frequently Asked Questions about the the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program

Brad Cooper is the Executive Director of Joining Forces

I'm grateful for my very special military spouse - and best friend - and encourage you to extend your appreciation to the military husbands and wives in your life, whether it’s a neighbor, a co-worker or a mom at your children’s school. Our nation's more than 1,000,000 military spouses are among the most inspirational men and women in this nation. Through more than 10 years of war, they serve bravely on the homefront as their service members deploys abroad. Our military spouses juggle all the challenges that every American family faces - but often with the added pressure of a lovedone deployed in a war zone for extended periods of time. To all of the military wives and husbands, thank you for your service.

Military spouses have given this nation so much. Now it's our turn to give back. We want this country to recognize, honor and support our military families - and not just through words, but through meaningful action. Today, we honor and show our military spouses our appreciation. But our military spouses have earned the support of our nation for all days, not just today.

Here are just a few things that you can do:

• If you're an employer, hire a military spouse - not as an act of charity, but as a brilliant business move. More than 100 private sector companies in America agree that hiring military spouses is good for a company's bottom line - and they've signed on to a partnership with the Department of Defense through the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP); visit the MSEP interactive portal today.
• If you're a state legislator, support legislation that gives license portability for the more than 100,000 military spouses who serve in professions like Nurses and Teachers. Military spouses move at a rate 10-times greater than civilians. Every time they move, they have to get a new license in a new state -- a process that can be cumbersome and can take months. The First Lady and Dr. Biden have asked the nation's 50 Governors to pass license portability legislation by 2014.
• If you’re good at helping to care for others, mobilize efforts in your community to support caregiver spouses of our nation's most critically wounded. Go to www.joiningforces.gov to see where opportunities in your area are - or create the opportunity yourself by asking those is need how you can help.
• If you're an educator, connect with the military mom or dad of a child in your class or school. 
• If you're a health care provider, take the time to learn about the unique health care needs of military families. Already, the nation's 3 million nurses have committed to learn more about military family-specific health issues.
• And for every citizen, get to know the military spouses in your neighborhood --and extend a hand to help when you can. These spouses may not wear a uniform, but they serve right alongside those who are protecting us - all of us.

In addition to celebrating Military Spouse Appreciation Day today, the First Lady and Dr. Biden are encouraging all Americans to share their gratitude in support of military families celebrating Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 13. Learn how you can show your support for military moms by visiting our Joining Forces site dedicated to thanking them and contribute to the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #ThankAMilitaryMom.

To learn more about the White House’s Joining Forces initiative visit JoiningForces.gov, follow us on Twitter @JoiningForces and on Facebook .

First Lady Michelle Obama greets guests during a Mother’s Day Tea in the East Room of the White House, May 10, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

 

President Barack Obama signs an Executive Order at Fort Stewart in Georgia, April 27, 2012. The Executive Order will help ensure all of America’s service members, veterans, spouses, and other family members have the information they need to make informed educational decisions and are protected from aggressive and deceptive targeting by educational institutions. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Earlier today, I had the great privilege of joining the President and First Lady -- along with an amazing 10,000 soldiers, military families, and veterans -- at an extraordinary event in Fort Stewart, Georgia, home to the Army’s famed 3rd Infantry Division.

The President and First Lady traveled to Fort Stewart to meet with soldiers and families -- and to sign an Executive Order (EO) that will positively impact the educational benefits and opportunities for our nation’s heroes and their families -- for a long time to come.

We know from travels throughout the country -- and through feedback from veterans, our troops and their families – that education is a big deal. Opportunities provided through educational programs such as the Post 9/11 GI Bill open doors.

And I know that on a personal level. Like many servicemembers, I have used the benefits of the Post- 9/11 GI Bill to further my education -- and that of my children.

At Fort Stewart, the President renewed his commitment to fully fund the post-9/11 GI Bill.  With that bill -- and the Tuition Assistance program -- more than 550,000 veterans and 325,000 service members pursued education last year. Additionally, nearly 38,000 military spouses used their Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) benefit to advance their education.

But sometimes…navigating through the maze of schools and opportunities can be a challenge. Many service members, veterans and families know exactly what I mean.

They go online to try and find the best school that fits their goals; they end up on a website that looks official; they get promised to get connected with a program looks promising. Unfortunately -- and all-too-often -- our troops and families find themselves dealing with folks who aren’t interested in helping them find the BEST program -- but they are happy to take their money. Our service men and women may get forced into making a quick decision. And sometimes recruiters from these schools show up on bases.

As the President said, one of the worst examples of this is a college recruiter who visited Camp Lejeune and enrolled Marines impacted by Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) -- the nature and severity of their injuries were so significant, that the affected Marines couldn’t remember the courses the recruiter signed them up for -- but that didn’t stop the recruiter.

That’s just wrong.

But practices like that -- and so many others -- will be coming to an end as a result of today’s order signed by the President.

In short, the EO is designed to combat unscrupulous practices used by schools to gain access to the military/veteran education benefits; it protects the full range of military/veteran education benefits programs, including Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, the Tuition Assistance program, and MyCAA; and, its provisions focus on ensuring students have the proper information, support, and protections they need to make informed decisions about their educational options. 

Here’s what the EO delivers for our veterans, military service members, spouses and their families:

• Provide students with educational and financial information to make informed decisions. The EO  will require institutions to provide prospective military and veteran students with the Administration’s Financial Aid Shopping Sheet (“Know Before You Owe”) to help students understand the total cost and quality of their education, including: tuition and fees, the availability of federal financial aid, estimated student loan debt upon graduation, and  information about student outcomes like graduation rates.
• End fraudulent and aggressive recruiting techniques on and off military installations. The EO will require that VA and DoD improve their oversight of improper recruiting practices so that they are consistent with the regulations already in place at ED for title IV Federal student aid programs. The Principles of Excellence will also establish and strengthen solicitation rules to reduce access to military bases for bad actors.
• Ensure support services for service-members and veterans. The EO will provide military and veteran students with clear educational plans, academic and financial aid counseling services with staff that are familiar with VA and DOD programs, and the ability to more easily re-enroll and receive a refund if they must leave school for service-related reasons.
• Develop and collect service member- and veteran-specific student outcome data. The EO will require DoD, VA, and ED to develop student outcome measures, such as completion rates, and collect data to be made available on Ed’s College Navigator website. DoD, VA, and Ed will also improve data collection regarding which schools veterans are selecting to use their education benefits.
• Create a centralized complaint system for students receiving military and veterans’ educational benefits. The EO require DoD and VA, in consultation with ED, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and DOJ, to create a centralized complaint system for students receiving military and veterans’ educational benefits to register complaints against educational institutions. Additionally, VA’s State Approving Agencies will receive and process these complaints and share these complaints with appropriate federal and state agencies.
• Begin the process to trademark the term “GI Bill.” The EO will require the VA to initiate a process to trademark the term “GI Bill” and other steps to curb websites and programs that deceptively market veterans’ educational benefits.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama walk on stage after being introduced at Fort Stewart in Georgia, April 27, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Today’s signing by the President is a BIG step forward in preserving -- and enhancing -- the educational opportunities for those who have served, as well as their families.

First Lady Michelle Obama greets people in the crowd at Kansas City Southern Railroad after delivering remarks during a Joining Forces Event in Shreveport, La., April 12, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

It was a great day in Shreveport, Louisiana, yesterday. First Lady Michelle Obama joined the leadership of the Kansas City Southern (KCS) Railway Company in announcing Michael Abitago, Junior as the 50,000 veteran or military spouse to have been hired by a company through the Joining Forces employment efforts this past year! Abitago literally left active duty in the Army last Saturday after 4 years of service (including 2 tours in Iraq) and starts work on Monday as a Conductor-trainee. He was hired by KCS in mid-March at a Joining Forces hiring event in Ft Hood, Texas.

And there’s even more great news. A couple of months ago when we first wanted to highlight this event, we had planned on announcing our 50,000 hire. But as we approached our visit to Shreveport we had already hit that mark. By April another 8,000 veterans and military spouses were hired. And yesterday, Mrs. Obama revealed the news that the surge in hiring pushed the number of veterans and military spouses hired through Joining Forces to 60,000!

Through Joining Forces, American businesses have not only hired more than 60,000 veterans and military spouses to date,  they have also pledged to hire at least 160,000 more in the years ahead.

More than 1,600 companies have been involved in this effort, including Microsoft, Comcast, Honeywell, Safeway and Sears. JPMorgan Chase and the 40 companies of the “100,000 jobs mission” hired more than 6,000 veterans  -- alone – in the January-March 2012 timeframe.

The private sector is stepping up in a real way to support veterans and military spouses. For a full list of companies and their commitments please click HERE.

Learn more:

• Read First Lady Michelle Obama's message to military families
• See a gallery of highlights from the first year of Joining Forces
• Find out how you can get involved

Military families are 10 times more likely to move across state lines than civilian families. Home based jobs are especially valuable for military families because they can move with military spouses as they relocate from base to base across the country, accommodate flexible work hours, enable spouses who care for children or elderly parents to work from home, and give home-bound veterans with disabilities new opportunities to have a fulfilling job. 

At home jobs with flexible work schedules can also lead to better work life balance, and extend job opportunities into communities often left behind. Military families will also benefit from the new job commitments being announced at nearly two-dozen physical contact centers located in close proximity to active military bases. These contact centers often support military families through: family-friendly scheduling, maintaining service accrual records, enabling the seamless transfer from one contact center to another in an event of a relocation, as well as extensive training and immense growth opportunities from agents to supervisors. 

These companies and their associated job opportunities will also be integrated into the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), a Department of Defense-led effort with more than 100 companies in the private sector who have committed to a focused effort on military spouse employment. MSEP was launched by Dr Jill Biden last summer. 

Additional information specifics of the commitments can be found at: www.joiningforces.gov/commitments

Joining Forces in Ft Hood Texas (by Christie Vanover (Chief, Command Information III Corps and Fort Hood Public Affairs))

Earlier this month, I joined with a company called Orion International and 12 private sector companies in Ft Hood, Texas, one of America’s largest military bases, for one reason: to hire American Soldiers transitioning out of the world’s greatest Army.

These companies included: Allied Wire, HESS, Kansas City Southern Railway, Schlumberger, NOV, US Bank, USES, Dollar General, Honeywell, Siemens, Marathon and McCormick.

The event was full of excitement, education – and “win-win” opportunities for both the companies involved, as well as transitioning soldiers, some of whom were just weeks away from leaving the Army after having served our nation during a time of war.

With America hiring once again, events such as these are being seen more and more around the country – and for good reason: employers recognize the value of hiring veterans. 

As Dave Ebbrecht, Executive Vice President for Kansas City Southern Railway, put it:  “It was an absolutely great event with very good candidates, in every rank … capable of filling a variety of different positions for our company, and we ended up hiring 22 veterans from this event.”

That’s 22 Soldiers hired by one company… in one day… and 35 Soldiers have already been offered jobs. More than 100 soldiers are in some phase of an interview process.

Joining Forces in Ft Hood Texas (by Daniel Cernero (III Corps and Fort Hood Public Affairs))

Across this nation, there are more than 1,600 companies who have teamed with Joining Forces and are committed to hiring our nation’s heroes -- and their spouses.  These companies have hired more than 45,000 veterans and military spouses in the past 7 months – and they’ve committed to hiring another 150,000 veterans and military spouses in the next 2 years.

Events like the one in Ft Hood turn this commitment into reality – with real jobs for real heroes and we will be looking for more opportunities to do similar events in the months ahead.

According to last month’s employment report from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, post 9/11 veteran unemployment is below the national average for the FIRST TIME in nearly 4 years, so we’re making progress … but there’s much work to be done and we will continue the “full court press” to serve our nation’s veterans, service members and their families as well as they have served us.

Among others things, the study confirmed what many of us already knew – hiring America’s veterans makes great sense and is a terrific investment for any company in America. I encourage wide dissemination of this report to corporate leaders throughout the nation.

Significant findings include:

• Veterans are entrepreneurial:  It’s true – there are more than 66,000 veteran-owned small businesses in franchising alone. America is also stepping up in big ways to support the veteran entrepreneurial spirit -- several new programs aim to entice veterans to the world of franchising. The International Franchise Association runs one called VetFran, which requires that parent companies give veteran franchisees their “best deal” possible — often resulting in thousands of dollars off the initial franchising fee. There are more than 450 companies participating, and at least 2,100 veterans have opened franchises through the program so far.  Some companies go even further — the UPS Store recently announced it was giving away free franchises to 10 veterans who qualify (five have already been given out.) In February, CiCi’s Pizza announced it will waive the franchise fee and offer a 50 percent cut on royalty fees to all qualified veterans who open CiCi’s franchises and hire a veteran manager.
• Veterans have - and leverage - advanced technical training: Beyond just having the technical training, veterans are already graduates of the world’s best training program – the Unites States military!
• Veterans exhibit advanced team-building skills: When I was in command of a Guided Missile Destroyer, I use to tell my crew, “When the team wins, you win…” It’s true – when companies do well; employees benefit (and vice versa). Veterans understand the meaning of “the team comes first” and they bring that same mentality to any company.
• Veterans exhibit strong organizational commitment: Loyalty goes a long way in the military – and that same organizational commitment stays with Veterans when they join corporate America. It’s an intangible that can’t be taught.
• Veterans have experience mastering diverse work settings: Veterans have had to perform in the toughest of circumstances. The mountains of eastern Afghanistan; villages in Kandahar; Baghdad; Mosul; Ramadi and so many more… the acquired skills and experience that American veterans have gained in the last 10 years of war can’t be taught or replicated in the classroom. 

Ideally, this report will serve as an opportunity for all of us to re-double our efforts to hire America’s veterans. It’s a win-win – companies acquire talented employees and American veterans land jobs throughout the nation.

Learn more:

Help for Military Homeowners
Improving Healthcare for Military Families
The Vow to Hire Heroes

From left, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden listen to Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks during a Joining Forces military spouse employment event at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., Feb. 15, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Earlier today, I had the great privilege of joining the First Lady, Dr. Biden, members of Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Chiefs and state legislators at the Pentagon for a major announcement impacting our nation’s military spouses. 

In their travels to military bases across America and throughout the world over the last three years, the First Lady and Dr. Biden have heard stories from countless military family members and spouses. One of the top issues they hear about everywhere they go deals with the professional licensing requirements that affect how military spouses can move forward in their careers. 

These spouses are among the more than 100,000 military spouses who serve in one of 50 professions that require a state license or credential – teachers, nurses, childcare providers, dental hygienists, real estate brokers, speech pathologists and many other professionals.  

Here’s why this matters: military families are asked to move again and again as their husband or wife serves our country.  In fact, military spouses move at a rate that is 10 times greater than the civilian population.  

Each move to a new state can mean different credentialing or licensing standards – a process that can sometimes take months to resolve.  In so many cases, these are qualified professionals who simply can’t work in their field because they’re waiting on paperwork. 

Take Kelley Crenshaw from Chilhowie, Virginia, now living in North Carolina. She’s a teacher married to a Marine Master Sergeant who’s been deployed seven times.  Over the past 13 years, Kelly has taught second grade in North Carolina … elementary reading in Virginia … kindergarten through third grade in Okinawa, Japan … and first grade in Colorado. Each move meant a new license, and with those came new fees, new courses, and months of waiting for all the paperwork to be processed.  

Or Kelly Crowley, a nurse married to an Army Captain. She grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, and married her husband four years ago. In those four years, she’s moved four times, worked in three different states, with three different licenses. 

Having heard so many stories like these, the First Lady and Dr. Biden today rolled out a joint report from the Departments of Defense and Treasury that outlines best practices that states can adopt to support military spouse employment and license portability. 

Importantly, the First Lady and Dr. Biden set a goal of all 50 states passing legislation that addresses these licensing issues by 2014. 

The good news is that 11 states – many with sizeable military populations – have already leaned forward and adopted laws that support military spouse license portability: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Thirteen other states have spouse license legislation either pending or waiting to be introduced.  But there’s more work to be done. 

Today also marked a commitment to redouble our efforts to honor and support military spouses all over this country – one that doesn’t stop with the release of this report. The First Lady and Dr. Biden will address this issue to the nation’s Governors and their spouses later this month at the National Governors Association annual conference and will continue to work closely with the Department of Defense, professional organizations and military family advocacy groups to encourage the remaining 26 states to sign military-spouse friendly legislation in the next two years. 

All told, a great day in America … and a great day for America’s military spouses!

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks at the U.S. Department of Labor on new rules proposed to help caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans, in Washington, D.C. Jan. 30, 2012. Mrs. Obama was joined on stage by Ms. RyAnne Noss, wife and caregiver of SFC Scot Noss, and Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

Earlier today, I had the great privilege of joining First Lady Michelle Obama and many of the nation’s leaders in announcing proposed changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that recognize the unique circumstances faced by the caregivers of our country’s wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans. 

The Joining Forces announcement reflects a collaborative, public-private effort between the Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs, along with private sector business and non-profit organizations. Joining the First Lady were Secretaries from the Departments of Labor, Defense and Veterans Affairs; Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as the Joint Chiefs Chairman, and all of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

The proposal announced today by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis continues this Administration’s commitment to our wounded warriors and their caregivers. The new language would extend the entitlement of military caregiver leave to qualifying family members of veterans who are dealing with a serious injury or illness for up to five years after leaving the military.  At this time, the law only covers family members of “currently serving” service members. Additionally, the proposal expands the military family leave provisions of the FMLA by extending qualifying leave to employees whose family members serve in the regular armed forces. Currently, the law only covers families of National Guard members and reservists. These changes will ensure that our military families have peace of mind knowing that they won’t have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for their loved ones.

The rules also provide flexibility to all of our Armed Forces personnel as they deal with the unpredictability of military life.  If a loved one is unexpectedly deployed, or a spouse is home on rest and recuperation leave, these new protections will allow qualifying family members to take time off work to handle childcare, financial or legal obligations, or simply spend time with the ones they love.  

In addition to the announcement by Secretary Solis, the First Lady also announced major commitments from the private sector: 

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s newly formed Military Spouse Business Alliance (MSBA) has committed to hosting a career forum and hiring fair that focuses on wounded warrior spouses and caregivers. The event will take place at Bethesda/Walter Reed hospital in May 2012. Additionally, spouses and caregivers of wounded warriors will be included in the 10 hiring fairs for military spouse that the MSBA will conduct at military installations across the country during 2012. 

• Building on successful pilot programs at Fort Belvoir and Fort Carson last year, the USO, Hire Heroes USA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have committed to conducting 14 Career Opportunity Days focused on the employment of wounded, ill and injured warriors, their spouses and their caregivers.
  Career Opportunity Days are non-traditional career fairs, where 15-20 employers connect with 75-100 wounded ill or injured warriors, spouses, and caregivers based on mutual interests in the employer’s industry and the job seeker’s occupational background. Employers conduct mock interviews on-site giving the service member, spouse or caregiver the opportunity to interact with a prospective employers in a less intimidating environment. In many cases, these interviews lead to job offers on the spot. 
  In the lead up to each of the 14 Career Opportunity Days, which will take place at six major installations during 2012, Hire Heroes USA will conduct premier transition workshops to prepare wounded, ill, and injured warriors, their spouses and caregivers with first class resumes and better interview techniques. 

• Two significant non-profit organizations supporting caregivers have stepped up to enhance their existing support for this special group of Americans. Operation Homefront and the Semper Fi fund have identified service opportunities that every American can undertake in support of our nation’s caregivers. Volunteer opportunities are accessible on the Joining Forces website.
  This effort includes significantly expanded volunteer opportunities in all 50 states in support of caregivers, with specific focus of effort in San Diego, San Antonio, Washington, D.C., Portsmouth and Camp Lejeune. Additional service opportunities will be identified in the coming month at sites throughout the country.

First Lady Michelle Obama shakes hands with veterans and medical personnel during a Joining Forces event at Virginia Commonwealth University AAMC-Medical Center in Richmond, Va., January 11, 2012. Mrs. Obama announced a major commitment by the country’s top medical colleges and universities to create a new generation of doctors, medical schools, and research facilities to ensure that veterans, service men and women receive the medical care that they deserve. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

After more than 10 years of war, nearly 50,000 of our military members have been wounded, many of them severely. These are the visible wounds of war.  But the invisible wounds which are the signature injuries of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)  -- have impacted roughly 1 in 6 of our veterans. 

Though the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration continue their strong efforts to address PTSD and TBI, we know that more than half of today's Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seek care from health care providers that are outside of the VA system. We have veterans in every corner of this country and if we are going to fully understand the issues these heroes face, we've got to meet our veterans where they live. And that means that health care providers throughout this country need to have some fundamental understanding about PTSD and TBI so they can recognize the conditions and then positively impact the health care outcome for our veterans. 

We can’t wait to help our heroes. We must act now to ensure the nation's current and future health care providers are familiar with issues impacting our veterans and families. Because those impacted are young -- almost all in their 20's and 30's -- this is a long term issue for this nation.  

Today, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the largest coordinated commitment from America's medical colleges to support our veterans and military families. Led by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM),   130 of the nation's medical and osteopathic colleges -- 105 medical colleges and 25 osteopathic colleges – have committed to train students in treating brain injuries, PTSD and other mental-health issues affecting returning service members. 

The goal is simple: leverage the full capacity of our nation's health care providers to improve care for our nation's veterans, service members and military. This commitment is laudable – it will help to train the nation's future physicians on military cultural issues; develop new research and clinical trials so that we can better understand and treat PTSD and TBI; and share information and best practices through a robust collaborative forum that previous to this effort did not exist.  

And AAMC has already turned commitment into action by establishing a joining forces collaborative network on their collaborative website. Working with DOD and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences at Bethesda, AAMC and DOD have already 45 educational units developed by USUHS on the site as of today –available to share with every medical college in this nation to enrich the education of America's future physicians. 

Earlier this week, Joining Forces teamed with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to host more than 30 major medical associations here at the White House to address near term opportunities for expanding collaborative partnerships between DoD, the VA and the private sector. This meeting was preceded by a tour for medical association leadership of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), DoD's world class facility for wounded care in Bethesda and a leader in advancing TBI,and psychological health treatment, research and education.While at Bethesda, medical association leaders also heard from Admiral James Winnefeld, Jr., Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s #2 ranking military officer.

In the coming weeks and months, we will be announcing commitments from these associations to improve the care for our veterans and their families.

Our veterans, servicemen and women -- and their families -- have served this country in extraordinary ways. Now it’s time for us to serve them as well as they have served us.

On November 3, I attended a moving kickoff event for the Holiday Mail for Heroes program run by the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes. This program now in its fifth year encourages all of us to send a holiday card to a service member this season. Making a card is a simple act of kindness that means the world to our soldiers and their families.

In the Hall of the historic American Red Cross headquarters, I heard from several current and former members of the military who spoke poignantly about what it meant to receive a touch of home during the holiday season.  I was inspired to sign my own card and now want to make sure to let the American people know how they can participate in the program, too.

If you'd like to make a hero feel special this holiday season, please consider sending a card to

Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

All cards must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9.

If you'd like to help us spread the word about this program, or to find tips for getting your friends, church members, scout troops, and family together to make and send cards together, the American Red Cross encourages you to visit their blog. Over the last four years, millions of cards have been sent to support our services members. By joining forces, our military will continue to get the support we all want them to feel this holiday season and throughout the year.

Brad Cooper is the Executive Director of Joining Forces

The commitment by the ALA and its affiliate companies reflect the largest coordinated effort by the private sector to date to hire veterans and military spouses. The effort speaks to the capacity of the private sector to positively influence veteran and spouse employment.  

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet people along the ropeline at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia during the American Jobs Act bus tour, Oct. 19, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

On August 5 during a Veterans Jobs Initiatives speech at the Washington Navy Yard, President Obama challenged the private sector to hire 100,000 veterans or spouses by the end of 2013. President Obama asked the First Lady and Dr. Biden to lead this effort as part of their Joining Forces initiative.  

To date, more than twenty-five individual companies have stepped up and committed to veteran hiring or training targets and ninety-six companies formed a public private partnership with the Department of Defense to hire military spouses. This collective effort has resulted in more than 12,000 veterans and spouses hired. 

Today’s announcement takes the private sector commitment to an entirely new level. 

As a country, we recognize that veterans have completed complex missions, all with high stakes on the line and enough variables to make most people’s head spin. Our veterans are trained in state of the art technologies, they’ve managed dozens, even hundreds, of people, and their leadership skills directly translate into value-added to any business. 

We also know that military spouses bring skills from all walks of life. Our military spouses are managers, accountants, doctors, nurses and lawyers; they are strong and resilient parents who are at home in a pace and lifestyle that would be unthinkable to many in this country.  So, when businesses ask what they can do, our answer is simple: hire a veteran or military spouse; or hire 3, or 30, or 300 or 3,000 – whatever the capacity of your company would allow. 

The Joining Forces team is working every day to energize the nation’s support for its military families and we are asking folks to step-up and do what they do best. This new commitment makes it clear that business owners recognize the value in our nation’s veterans and military spouses and are looking to add their exceptional talent to their ranks.