Good News

Excellent News from Connecticut - Bridgeport, Connecticut LVER Andrew "Andy" James really stepped up to the plate to support his Alumni Association. As a recipient of monetary service awards, Andy made the decision to donate a portion($1,000) of his award to the NVTI Alumni Association. He said he did so because of, "the hard work they do in promoting veteran programs and services. I feel that without a voice such as theirs, many programs would fizzle out and more veterans would fall through the cracks." 

"This year began our first ever Veterans Awards program designed to promote our services and add incentives for our staff and partners to do more," Andy said. "The awards are as follows: Upward Bound - for veterans case management; Working Together - for collaboration with our partners; Reaching Out - for outreach into our communities; and Business Partnership - for working with our business community.

I won the Business Partnership Award and shared the Working Together Award with DVOP Gary Werheim. Working closely with a local company (SSC, a security company) we placed over 35 veterans in the last year throughout Connecticut. Many were the result of job development with their HR Manager, Jim Dunn, who has been a great supporter of hiring veterans. Gary Werheim and I worked on a plan with Ann Carr, a partner with Career Resources, on expediting our veterans process toward gaining an ITA (individual training account) through WIA. This fast step process allowed many veterans to move toward the front of the line, some 1,500 deep, at applying for grant money for retraining. All our efforts go toward assisting veterans, any way we can, to overcome barriers or just providing simple direction in achieving gainful employment."

Andy, you and the other vet reps in your state and elsewhere, have done some awesome work this year and we're certain your generosity is greatly appreciated by the Alumni Association. We applaud you!

Awards! Awards! Awards! 

DVOP William "Bill" Kilgore, Mobile, Alabama - VFW Department of Alabama's James C. Gates Distinguished Service Award and the National 3rd place James C. Gates award; Trussville LVER Chad Richmond - Nation's Outstanding LVER for 2004 from VFW; Alabama Career Centers received department awards for outstanding service to veterans: Trussville (1st place), Dothan (2nd place), Anniston (3rd place) and Sheffield (4th place).

North Carolina DAV DVOP of the Year - Andrea Glass, Burlington; DAV LVER of the Year - Ron Piercy, Hendersonville and also a Distinguished Service Award at the DAV convention.

South Carolina International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) - Individual Services to Veterans Award - DVOP Bill McCall; Group Services to Veterans Award - LVER Chuck Alexander, DVOP Chuck Zirkle, DVOP Bill McCall, DVOP Chuck Rein and DVOP Jeff Maxey; Employee Performance Award - LVER Chuck Alexander; Hall of Fall - DVOP Chuck Zirkle. 

Anderson, Indiana LVER Michael Morrow - state VFW Individual Employment Award for 2004.

The American Legion, Hawaii's Outstanding Services to Veterans Award - LVER Gary Tasaka, LVER Kathy Bailey and DVOP Melody Hudson.

Huge congratulations to all of the proud recipients! Our nation's veterans are so lucky to have individuals like these.

Putting TAP to Good Use -North Carolina DVET told us about a veteran who was able to utilize the skills and information he learned in TAP class at Camp Lejeune. Within two weeks of leaving the military he received an employment offer from a great firm in Washington, D.C. He credits the methods and techniques taught to him by Senior LVER John Matson and DVOP/TAP Facilitator Tony Velez-Martinez for his smooth transition. Way to make a difference, John and Tony!

Bills to Improve VA Care - The House of Representatives has approved two new bills to improve the quality and timeliness of VA medical care services. H.R. 4231, the Veterans Affairs Nurse Recruitment and Retention Act of 2004, which passed the House recently, would establish new and enhance existing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs designed to improve the recruitment and retention of nurses. With a nursing shortage already manifesting itself throughout many VA facilities, this legislation would provide additional incentives for nurses to choose a career at VA. For information about these bills or other legislation go to www.veterans.house.gov. 

And what's YOUR good news? Tell us about it at vetsnet@nvti.cudenver.edu.