Joining Forces Blog

  • The Vice President and Dr. Biden Visit U.S. Vets in Las Vegas

    Posted by Kirsten White on July 12, 2012 at 11:08 AM EDT

    On Tuesday, the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden visited the Las Vegas branch of the non-profit United States Veterans Initiative (U.S. Vets). With a mission to help homeless and at-risk veterans find jobs, U.S. Vets provides comprehensive support that includes housing, counseling, and career development programs. The Las Vegas group alone works with more than 160 veterans every day.   

    At the organization’s career center, the Vice President and Dr. Biden joined a life skills workshop, where they met with veterans who are either currently working or searching for work.

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  • Railroad Industry Commits to Hiring 5,000 Veterans in 2012

    Posted by Ray LaHood on July 11, 2012 at 5:03 PM EDT

    Ed note: This post was originally published on FastLane, the official blog of the U.S. Department of Transportation

    I’ve written before about how veterans have the right skills and training for successful careers in transportation as a result of their service. And at DOT, helping our veterans find work strengthening America’s transportation system is a commitment we are proud to fulfill.

    That’s why yesterday, I was proud to join Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Ed Hamberger and Joining Forces Executive Director Brad Cooper to announce that 500 companies and organizations from America's railroad industry will hire more than 5,000 veterans in 2012.

    Participants in this outstanding initiative include freight, inter-city passenger, and commuter railroads, as well as rail supply companies represented by AAR, and I thank them for of their commitment to America's heroes.

    Hiring experienced military men and women into the railroad industry is not a new practice. For nearly two centuries, rail manufacturers and operators have recognized that our veterans bring a wealth of skills that translate from military service to successful railroad careers.  In fact, 25 percent of the industry’s current workforce has military service.

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  • Supporting Financial Readiness for Military Families

    Posted by Brenda Linnington on July 11, 2012 at 12:25 PM EDT

    Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Military Line, is privileged to partner with The McGraw-Hill Companies, in support of Joining Forces work on military financial literacy and readiness. In mid-July, we are launching a landing page on McGraw Hill’s “Making Change Now” financial literacy website and will also include an associated smart phone application expressly for military consumers.

    Nearly 70 percent of Active Duty military and 51 percent of National Guard and Reserves are 30 years or younger. Many receive a steady paycheck for the first time in their lives and often lack sound financial experience… ultimately leading to bad decisions when managing their finances. Personal financial distractions can spell all sorts of trouble with broad ramifications for military readiness. Given mobility and relative unpredictability of the military life style, financial problems are often tipping points in a service member’s family and professional health.

    There are many options in the area of sound financial advice available to our military - leaders, mentors, relatives, and financial professionals. A few valuable online resources available to service members include SaveandInvest.org, Military Saves, Military OneSource, and Financial Literacy Now. All provide basic principles of money management. Military members living near or on a military installation have access to a personal financial manager who provides guidance and education. Also, every service has a non-profit “Financial Relief Agency” that is responsible for providing emergency financial assistance to their respective service. They are- Army Emergency Relief, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Air Force Relief Society, and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.

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  • “Likes,” Posts, and Shares: Joining VA to Serve Those Who Served Us

    Posted by Rosye Cloud on July 11, 2012 at 11:57 AM EDT

    In just 10 days, more than 200,000 Americans stepped up to show their support for our nation’s Veterans. They did it from their desks at the office, on their patios with laptops on their knees, and with their mobile phones on the street. How? They engaged with the new Make the Connection Facebook page—the fastest-growing Facebook community ever created in the military sphere. You can join them, too.

    While it doesn’t take much to “like” a Facebook page and start talking with other supporters, it can  result in enormous good. Everyone in the expanding network of Make the Connection supporters is spreading the word that resources and support are available for Veterans and their loved ones who are facing mental health or other life challenges.

    With every like, post, and share, users are helping millions of former Servicemembers understand that for issues ranging from PTSD to depression to problems with alcohol or drugs, treatment is available, and treatment works. They are helping the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) better serve those who served our country. 

    VA first launched the Make the Connection campaign in November 2011 to introduce Veterans and their families and friends to resources, support, and fellow Veterans like them who found treatment and tools for healthier living. Hundreds of Veterans, and the people who are closest to them, have already shared their stories of facing and overcoming challenges, creating a vast video library that viewers can access at MakeTheConnection.net. Scores of additional Veterans are sharing their stories as the campaign continues, offering their experiences to help those they served with in flight, on base, and in foxholes.

    Their efforts are resonating with Veterans across the country. So far, supporters have watched these stories of Veterans’ strength and resilience more than 2 million times.  And thousands of visitors have used the website’s resource locator to find treatment options for Veterans and their families near where they live.  

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  • Top Chicago Employers Seek to Hire Veterans and Military Spouses

    Posted by Brad Cooper on July 10, 2012 at 5:51 PM EDT

    The 100,000 Jobs Mission – a coalition of 55 companies committed to hiring 100,000 veterans by 2020 – is partnering with federal, state and local leaders to host a hiring event in Chicago this Thursday, July 12, at the University of Illinois at Chicago. 

    The event will feature 80 employers and more than 1,500 employment opportunities. These companies are looking to hire transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses for jobs ranging from entry-level to managerial positions in the Chicago area and across the country.  

    Candidates are encouraged to register and upload their resumes ahead of time and should come prepared for same-day interviews – and even same-day offers. With more than 12,000 veterans hired in the 100,000 Jobs Mission’s first 12 months, these employers are committed to the long-term success of veteran employment and are among the 2,100 companies throughout America who have hired veterans and military spouses through Joining Forces in the last year.  

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  • Detroit Hosts U.S.'s Largest Veteran Hiring Fair

    Posted by Brad Cooper on July 5, 2012 at 6:10 PM EDT

    Last week, I had the privilege of joining the leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs and thousands of  veterans in Detroit for the largest veteran hiring fair in America this year.   

    The result: More than 1,300 veterans have already been offered jobs… and the process is still ongoing.

    This extraordinary effort builds on the 90,000 veterans and military spouses that have been hired in the last year through First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden’s Joining Forces initiative. 

    Job opportunities were available well beyond Detroit, with more than 200 employers across private and government sectors participating in the three day event. Veterans like Charles Emerson, who served in Afghanistan, came to Detroit  seeking employment opportunities. Emerson drove all the way from Virginia and, after interviewing with a VA Medical Center in Wisconsin, was offered a job starting in September.   

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