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President Obama Launches Major Veterans Employment Initiative
Initiative Would Transform Federal Government into Model of Veterans Employment
Washington, DC – Today, the White House announced the launch of an initiative that is designed to transform the federal government into the model employer of America’s veterans. This evening, President Obama will be joined by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry to sign an Executive Order on the Employment of Veterans in the federal government, which establishes the Veterans Employment Initiative for the Executive Branch. The Initiative underscores to federal agencies the importance of recruiting and training veterans, aims to increase the employment of veterans within the Executive Branch, and helps recently hired veterans adjust to service in a civilian capacity.
“Honoring our sacred trust with America’s veterans means doing all we can to help them find work when they come home so they never feel as if the American Dream they fought to defend is out of reach for them and their families,” said President Obama. “But this initiative is about more than repaying our debt for their courageous service and selfless sacrifice. It’s also about continuing to fill the ranks of federal employees with men and women who possess the skills, dedication, and sense of duty that Americans deserve from their public servants. And few embody those qualities like our nation’s veterans.”
The Executive Order creates an interagency Council on Veterans Employment that will advise the President and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management on the veterans’ employment initiative. The Council will be chaired by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. OPM Director John Berry will serve as the Vice Chair and Chief Operating Officer of the Council.
“Veterans have shown unmatched dedication to public service,” said Secretary Shinseki. “They offer leadership and technical skills that are in high demand, whether in the public or private workforce. Not only does this initiative present an opportunity for Veterans to serve their Nation once again, the Nation will benefit from the education and training Veterans received in the Armed Forces. I am looking forward to working with Secretary Solis and Director Berry to achieve the objectives of this initiative across the federal government.”
“Veterans are an important part of our nation’s past, present and future. They deserve our full support as they reintegrate into the civilian workforce,” said Secretary Solis, “In signing this Executive Order, President Obama underscores his Administration’s commitment to our military men and women, and keeps us squarely on the path to achieving the goal of good jobs for everyone.”
“President Obama strongly believes in honoring the service of our veterans and he sees this initiative as an opportunity to put some real muscle behind that promise,” said Director Berry. “The strong sense of patriotism and public service held by members of our armed forces doesn’t leave them when they exit from active duty. It benefits our government to seize this opportunity to utilize their skills and dedication to service. The Veterans Employment Initiative will help our federal agencies identify qualified veterans, clarify the hiring process for veterans seeking employment with the federal government, and help our veterans adjust to civilian life once they are hired.”
The Order also establishes a Veterans Employment Program office within most federal agencies. These offices will be responsible for helping veterans identify employment opportunities within those federal agencies, providing feedback to veterans about their employment application status, and helping veterans recently employed by these agencies adjust to civilian life and a workplace culture often different than military service.
In addition, the Office of Personnel Management will issue a government-wide strategic plan that will focus on creating leadership commitment and an infrastructure in each agency to promote continued skills development and employment success for veterans. The strategic plan will also include marketing strategies aimed at agency hiring managers as well as veterans and transitioning service members.
“This Executive Order reflects the shared commitment across the Obama administration to hiring American veterans,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Veterans play a vital role in the Department of Homeland Security’s mission to protect the nation, which is why we have pledged to grow our veteran workforce to more than 50,000 Department-wide by 2012.”
At the end of Fiscal Year 2008, there were approximately 480,000 veterans working within the federal government.
For more information, visit: www.fedshirevets.gov
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Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=9317
Posted by Bob Higgins on Nov 9 2009, With 0 Reads, Filed under Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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This is great, but will it ever get to the Veterans who need it now? I have lost my home, now filing for Bankruptcy and are on the edge of being homeless. Will this new initiative take one year to get to us, then be turned away. This is what has happened before. This is always filled up with former officers and their families, will it get to the enlisted Veterans? I hope it does!
MCCS, NFCU, VA and AAFES always, always, always hires former officers too. It should be the enlisted Veterans first then the officers.
Semper FI
I think that should no prefernce between the ranks, I know several Senior NCOs that have better paying jobs. I think that the most quailited should be hired regardless of rank. I can only say, Network, Know someone worth knowing, and find the job that will make the most happy, because if you not having fun at what you like to do, than why do it.
I hope that this derails the Cincinnati, Ohio USPS Processing and Distribution Centers recent decision to remove myself and two other Disabled Veterans from the service entirely because we are Disabled and handicapped thus on limited work status. Yes we were told in a formal meeting and given a letter to this fact. I myself am a very good worker, ask anyone who knows me so it isn’t a attempt to get rid of bad performers. We were told outright that they, the Cincinnati, Ohio P&DC 45234, will no longer have work for us. I was told that Veterans Preference for me, 10 additional exam points for being 40% service disabled connected, doesn’t matter to the USPS. I have been employed for the USPS for 21 years come February 2010 and 27 years federal service for retirement status. I was also told that seniority doesn’t matter neither. I am the senior limited duty employee on my work shift meaning handicap employees, mostly not ex-military, below me by several years, were given renewed job offers. They number 10. This is how the USPS treats America’s Disabled Veterans.
Remember, you cant sue the Federal Government.
Good evening Mr. Long. Guess it’s good top hear from someone (that being disabled) has got the shaft too. I worked for the Army in Explosives and I noticed my hands going numb, asked for accommodation and was put in the front office answering phones. It was cold and made it worse, got three letters from doctors to accommodate me, all were ignored. Having no choice I got a spinal operation and wouldn’t you know it failed (hands still go numb). They put me outside opening a gate (ignoring all my requests for accommodation and for job transfer, so having no choice I filled out a disability retirement and was accepted. just before i left a company rep came by and talked with us and I was the only guy that could ask him technical questions. No one else knew how the system worked. Ok I was a WG-11 but 3 years later, I went down to the employment office and the vet rep said that he had a GS-14 Instructor job opening on another base that was ‘cake’ for me. Can’t figure out why the Army does this to disabled people when the intelligence is also sent out the door. So incredibly stupid. Guess being a hard worker and having lots of integrity is extra baggage. Wish I had answers, maybe you could bump somebody you being a disabled Vet.
To add on to my above comment, today, 10 Nov 2009, at work I was given my second letter announcing my 25 November 2009 “Preliminary No Work Available Meeting”. Great pre-Veterans Day present for a Disabled Veteran from the U.S. Army. Also my meeting is on the day before Thanksgiving. I have 7 in service awards and I have been paid for 3 idea proposals. No one and I mean no one knows of anyone else to ever have had one idea paid for by any government agency. By the way I have never faced any disciplinary action. I gave no reason for it. There action is only based on my disabilities. They told me so in person.
Maybe to late but have you thought about an EEOC claim, not that it would work but who knows?