Need to update your e-mail, address or phone number? Email vetsnet@nvti.cudenver.edu or call 800-451-5759

Check out NVTI's Revamped Web!  http://www.nvti.cudenver.edu

Veterans Day, 2004

In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated the end of World War I, then known as the "war to end all wars."

On November 11th one year later, President Woodrow Wilson eulogized fallen Allied soldiers and proclaimed the date as Armistice Day.

It became a holiday in the United Kingdom, France and Canada, as well as the U.S. In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill designating November 11th as Veterans Day.

On this Veterans Day,

Thank You

to all veterans of the armed forces for your service and commitment to America. We appreciate your courage and dedication to making our country strong and free.

Veterans' Day is fast approaching! 
VA's web page has their 2004 poster available for downloading at http://www.appc1.va.gov/vetsday/page.cfm?pg=19

VETS Expands TAP to Overseas Military Installations

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991 mandated the Department of Labor (DOL), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) to provide specific employment information and services to all military personnel and their spouses about to separate or retire.  This program became known as the Transition Assistance Program (TAP).  VETS, along with its partners in the Departments of Defense, Veteran Affairs and [now] Homeland Security, decided the best approach to present this information would be in a workshop format.

Workshops were made available to all military installations in the Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.  Trained Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialists (DVOP) and Local Veteran Employment Representatives (LVER) conducted the job-search workshops.  The addition of a national contractor helped facilitate workshops in States that had large TAP commitments.  However, for various reasons, VETS could not provide these same services to overseas military installations.  Instead, workshops overseas were provided by Department of Defense personnel as additional duties.

Assistant Secretary Frederico Juarbe Jr. made TAP one of his priorities when assuming the leadership of VETS.  He recognized that even with the limitations VETS faced, we were obligated to provide these same quality services to those serving so far away from the U.S. job market.  VETS began expanding the DOL/VETS TAP workshops to overseas sites in fiscal year 2003. 

In the first phase, the services each identified one military installation in four different countries; Japan (Navy), Okinawa (Marine Corps), Korea (Army) and Germany (Air Force).  It was decided the most cost efficient means for providing these workshops would be with the use of the VETS’ national program contractor, the Native American Management Services (NAMS), who would provide first priority to local military spouses for these positions. 

However, VETS faced complex legal issues in each of these countries before contractor support could begin.  The United States has agreements with foreign governments, known as the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which determine what services and support can and cannot be provided by U.S. Forces or other government agencies.  SOFAs vary greatly from country to country.  While SOFA negotiations were underway to allow contractors, four federal VETS staff with TAP backgrounds began providing these important workshops on the date promised by the ASVET.

Today, the first phase is complete.  VETS has successfully negotiated SOFA to allow contractors in Germany, Japan, Okinawa, Korea and also the United Kingdom.  Additional second phase work on SOFAs continues in Italy and Spain, and future third phase negotiations are planned for Bahrain, Turkey, Portugal and Belgium.  Mr. Juarbe has set a goal for VETS to be fully expanded to all overseas military installations offering TAP, approximately 60 locations, by the end of fiscal year 2005.

Have you explored NVTI's site especially for TAP Facilitators? Check out www.TAPFacilitator.net
and watch for a redesign of the site coming soon!

New NVTI Partnerships Course Debuts

NVTI's newest training course has been designed, refined and is ready to go! The course, Promoting Partnerships for Employment, is designed primarily for LVER staff (or DVOPs who perform both DVOP/LVER duties as some in smaller offices do).

"This class is intended for anyone who is performing LVER staff duties as outlined in VPL 11-02, which resulted from P.L. 107-288, Jobs for Veterans Act," NVTI Training Manager Jan Trunce said. "We're confident that after months of development, participants are going to gain a lot of knowledge and helpful skills from the Partnership course."

The Partnership course focuses on teaching participants how to present information about the law to internal partners (i.e., One-Stop and Workforce Investment Act partners), giving brief presentations on portions of the law and then answering related questions. Participants will also come to understand the intricacies of labor market information (LMI) and how to use it to understand the community.

Another focus of the class will be to discuss public relations and the value of a proactive campaign for promoting veterans programs and offices in general. They will study how to effectively target the audience, what materials to use and how to develop an image, etc. In addition to targeting employers, participants will also discuss other efforts such as setting up Stand Downs, job fairs and similar events to maximize participation and understanding of programs.

Participants will also be required to do some research work via an e-learning segment, before they attend the in-class session. They'll need to learn about the local labor market and be able to make a presentation about what they find.

Teresa Kangas, Senior NVTI Instructor, said "The course will be very interactive and skills based. We want participants to learn practical skills they can take away with them for positive public relations strategies.

NVTI trainers completed the first pilot class in Ohio, the week of October 18. The Partnership course was very well received. After some more fine-tuning the course will soon become part of the regular NVTI course offering lineup starting early 2005.

Download a copy of P.L. 107-288, Jobs for Veterans Act pdf at  http://nvti.cudenver.edu/107_288/PL107_288.pdf or VPL 11-02,  at http://www.nvti.cudenver.edu/Resources/VPLs/2002/VPL%2011-02%20RR's.pdf which outlines roles and responsibilities.

President Issues Executive Order for Disabled Veteran Businesses

President Bush recently issued an Executive Order that strengthens opportunities for service-disabled veteran business in Federal contracting.

Some of the highlights are as follows:

Heads of agencies shall provide opportunities for service-disabled veteran businesses to increase Federal contracting and subcontracting by more effectively implementing section 15(g) of the Small Business Act (15 USC 644(g)), which provides that the President must establish a goal of not less than 3 percent for participation by service-disabled veteran businesses in Federal contracting and section 36 of that Act (15 USC 657f) which gives agency contracting officers the authority to reserve certain procurements for service-disabled veteran businesses.

Agency heads shall develop strategies to implement the above-mentioned policies, make the agency's strategy publicly available and designate a senior-level official to develop and implement that strategy.

Included in the agency's strategy, plans for reserving contracts exclusively for service-disabled veteran businesses, encourage and facilitate participation in competition for contracts, encourage contractors to subcontract with service-disabled veteran businesses and train on applicable law and policies relating to participation.

Additional duties of the Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs shall be to direct the Transitional Assistance and Disabled Transition Assistance Programs to educate separating service members about the benefits and potential entrepreneurial opportunities available to service-disabled veteran business.

For further information and complete Executive Order, go to www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/10/20041021-5.html

President's Committee Launches "Hire Vets First" Web 

The President’s National Hire Veterans Committee recently expanded its national campaign to raise employer awareness of the value of hiring men and women who have served in the armed forces. The latest element of the “Hire Vets First” campaign, a comprehensive Web site that enables employers to find veteran job seekers, is now available online.

“This campaign will heighten employer awareness of the diverse capabilities, broad range of skills, excellent training and proven character of America’s veterans,” said Frederico Juarbe Jr., assistant secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training.  “I am confident the committee will do a great job of meeting President Bush’s goal of increasing public appreciation of the skills and values that veterans bring to the 21^st Century Workforce.”

The new Web site, www.HireVetsFirst.gov, includes a guide for employers, a translator that provides the civilian application of military skills and links to job sites with veteran resumes, such as America’s Job Bank (www.ajb.org ) and USA Jobs (www.usajobs.opm.gov).  The site will also feature resources for veteran job seekers, including an online resume writer developed exclusively for people with military experience.

The “Hire Vets First” campaign will also include advertising in national business and human resource publications, banners on career Web sites, direct marketing and magazine inserts and cover wraps.

“America’s veterans represent a unique national resource and employers can benefit from this recognized resource for driving economic growth,” said Juarbe.  “The President’s National Hire Veterans Committee is the culmination of the Administration’s strategy for the promotion of that resource and a shared vision to address employment barriers military service members face as they transition into civilian life.”

How-To: Create Veterans' Training Programs

The VETS office has introduced an on-line presentation, Creating a Statewide Veterans' Training Program, to help DVOP and LVER staff create veterans' training programs in their states. The information below is from the website:

The objective of this web presentation is to help state and other local Department of Labor employees implement effective training and job placement activities for veterans.

This presentation will be particularly useful to Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVERs) and Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) staff who are located in state employment service local offices and assist veterans with counseling, testing, and training/employment opportunities.

This tool will provide LVERs and DVOPs with a sound proven methodology for developing veterans training programs.

The site leads the user through the entire process of setting up a program, from initiating a project, selecting target jobs, preparing a grant, creating a board, screening applicants, identifying training partners, matching veterans and jobs and evaluating projects.

Additionally, there is information on how to use and navigate through the site.

Creating a Statewide Veterans' Training Program is available through the NVTI website: http://nvti.cudenver.edu/creatingvetstrainingprogram/

Orientation to Veterans' Services Proving Beneficial

Some of the comments from users thus far have been:

"As a new veterans coordinator and having participated in some 7 different NVTI training courses, I found this site to be a welcomed review. I believe it will be a great tool for review as well as an excellent orientation for new vet rep hires. I will have each of my new vet reps take advantage of this benefit prior to applying for the LES course. I am accustomed to seeing NVTI at the leading edge of progress in this area. Thank you."

"This is my second visit to this site. I learned something else today. I plan to visit this site at least once a week. Thanks for a great job."

"I look forward to doing more of this type of education program---I've learned more about what each title does/is. For example, ARA, MSA, VPA."

"Great site and good information for us DVOPs and LVERs in the field!"

"Great tool to have. NVTI has always been on the cutting edge of keeping our skills sharp and current."

To refresh your memories, the Orientation site aims to provide information for newly-hired, and not so newly-hired, veterans staff about DVOP and LVER programs, VETS and NVTI. It contains a broad array of resource information that you can refer to again and again as you help veterans daily.

Although the OVS web and CD is very thorough and we try our best to maintain it, we aren't perfect. Let us know if there have been changes in your office or state. Address changed? Phone numbers changed? Staff members different? Web address moved? Tell us about it so we can make changes and keep this valuable resource strong and viable!

Visit the site and let us know how you like it www.nvti.cudenver.edu/orientation.

"Doonesbury" Brings Intensity of Soldiers' Sacrifice to the Nation
by Robert David Hall

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV. As Dr. Albert Robbins, the forensic pathologist on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," I examine bodies and pass along scientific clues to Gil Grissom and his team.  Thanks to our writers, cast, and crew, it comes across as believable. But, of course, it's "make-believe."

In sharp contrast to make-believe are the headlines and news stories we see every day regarding casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. Whatever your take on the decision to go to war, this has to affect you. Mortality hits home in this time of war, with every soldier's funeral and every casualty mentioned on the 11 o'clock news.

But as much as the media focuses on deaths, injuries are downplayed. This concerns me greatly. If we even hear about the number of soldiers who are wounded, we seldom learn the extent of their injuries. Some may be minor, but others will change the lives of the soldiers and their families forever. Because there is such a void in this coverage, I'm grateful to "Doonesbury" cartoonist Gary Trudeau for bringing the injured soldier into the American living room through his cartoon character B.D.

I've been reading and enjoying "Doonesbury" since the early 1970s. Trudeau's talent for mixing politics and humor is unequalled.  It's been especially poignant during B.D.'s recent odyssey. B.D., for the uninitiated, is a former football player, coach, and Army Reserve Lieutenant who was dispatched to Iraq in the strip last year. Injured in combat, he lost a leg, and was shipped back to Ward 57 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. His story has been told not only on the cartoon pages of the nation's newspapers, but also now on the cover of the August 5 Rolling Stone Magazine.

B.D. is fictional, but Ward 57 is real. I know because I'm one of the relatively few civilians who's had the chance to visit our injured troops there. I've been invited twice by the USO and I welcomed the opportunity to share a few hours of interaction. Some there recognized me from "CSI." But I went onto the ward with an additional connection.

Like Billy Tiller, the peer counselor who visits B.D. in Trudeau's cartoon, I'm an amputee, having lost both legs in a 1978 highway crash and fire. I hope my visits with the soldiers eased some of the monotony of recovery and therapy and, most importantly, demonstrated that there's life after a serious injury. There is, as I know from nearly three decades of personal experience.

Unlike Billy Tiller, I don't sing and dance and give "can do" speeches.  If anything, I try to shut up and listen to the stories and concerns of these young men and women.  They're brave people to be sure, they chose to serve their country, but they're also human beings facing an uncertain future.

I can report that the treatment received by the soldiers I visited is first-rate. The artificial limbs they're being fitted with are state-of-the-art. The doctors, nurses, and therapists are outstanding people. And many of the soldiers are healing quickly, including some eager to return to their units. Others have much further to go in their recoveries and some will never fully recover. Many of their parents and spouses are with them. Their concern and their anguish are deep.

There's no better country to live in than America, especially if you have a disability. Certainly no era offers as much opportunity as the present. Medical and technological advances make new independence possible and the Americans with Disabilities Act literally and figuratively helps open doors to education and employment.

But let's be honest here. A disability, especially a new disability, is a setback, a shocking obstacle. And it leads to other disadvantages. A recent National Organization on Disability poll found that only 35 percent of working-age Americans with disabilities are employed, that those with disabilities are twice as likely to live below the poverty level, and are less likely to socialize, attend religious services, vote, or be actively involved in their communities than our non-disabled peers. Our injured soldiers are going to need a lot of support as they return to their new lives. That support doesn't end with simple physical access to a building or a metal bar in the bathroom. They'll also need people to open their hearts and minds. Other Americans will have to stretch their abilities to:

Look at someone missing a limb and see a whole person.

Have patience with someone whose cognition has been affected by a head wound.

Make eye contact with and recognize the humanity of someone whose skin has been burned or body disfigured.

Most importantly, offer a job and a fresh opportunity to someone whose military career may have been honorable, but who faces a jarring re-entry into the "civilian world.

This isn't an easy topic. It isn't what we generally open the Sunday funnies to learn about. But if Doonesbury helps our country think of wounded veterans not as strangers, but as friends like B.D. and if we welcome this generation of war wounded more openly than any previous one; that will be meaningful progress not just for our injured soldiers but for all of America's 54 million people with disabilities.

Robert David Hall is a series regular on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, beginning its 5th season on CBS TV this fall; and a Board Member of the National Organization on Disability. He lives in Los Angeles. 

The National Organization on Disability aims to expand the participation and contribution of America’s 54 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life by raising disability awareness through programs and information.

Check out their web at www.nod.org.

Operation Career Front, Partnering with Home Depot

The Home Depot, one of the countries largest home improvement retailers, announced recently that the company is joining forces with the U.S. Departments of Labor, Defense and Veterans Affairs to provide career opportunities for America's service members. This effort, known as Operation Career Front, is intended to support America's military job seekers, including veterans, separating active duty service members, national guard members, reservists and military spouses.

"The cooperative efforts between the U.S. Departments of Labor, Defense, Veterans Affairs and The Home Depot is a great example of how the public and private sectors can work together to honor our military veterans and their families by ensuring they have good career opportunities when they return home," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "Through its nationwide network of One-Stop Career Centers, the Labor Department will help recruit, train and employ these brave veterans for careers that will utilize their valuable skills and proven leadership experience."

"The U.S. military community offers The Home Depot a talent pool of highly skilled individuals who have unique knowledge and character from their military experience, making them ideal candidates for our national hiring initiative," said Bob Nardelli, chairman, president & CEO of The Home Depot. "We view our support of the military as our responsibility to our country and a valuable investment in our company's future. In short, it is good for America, and it is good for our business."

To support the initiative, the U.S. Department of Defense will provide a link on its web site to Operation Career Front to enable military members and their families to apply for employment with The Home Depot, and it will list The Home Depot as a prospective employer on its job search web site.

The U.S. Department of Defense will also make information available to interested military personnel and their families outlining the process to apply for careers with The Home Depot through their Military Transition Assistance and Family Centers. In addition, the Marine for Life program will promote Operation Career Front to Marines in transition as well as those Marines who have previously served, through its nationwide network of alumni hometown links.

The U.S. Department of Labor will make Operation Career Front information available to its more than 2,000 One-Stop Career Centers throughout the nation. The U.S. Department of Labor will also support the initiative utilizing the Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVERs) as well as Disabled Veteran Opportunity Program (DVOP) specialists located at One-Stops and Transition Centers across the nation.

The U.S. Veterans Affairs Department's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VA VR&E) division will make Operation Career Front information available to veterans with service-connected disabilities through its representatives located in state offices across the nation.

In addition to providing employment opportunities for active, reserve, National Guard or veteran members of the military community through Operation Career Front, The Home Depot is also seeking to employ military spouses and other dependents. With its network of stores throughout the country, The Home Depot will work with its military associates to provide transfers in the cases of reassignment of duty stations, retirement or separation, depending on store and job availability. Operation Career Front will serve as a resource to thousands of individuals seeking assistance securing part- or full-time employment.

The Home Depot hired nearly 10,000 veterans in 2003 and is on track to surpass that number by a wide margin in 2004 and launched its first national hiring partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor in June of 2002; to date, several thousand people have been employed through the effort.

Interested applicants can learn more about Operation Career Front and apply at one of the 2,000 One-Stop Career Centers around the country operated by the U.S. Department of Labor www.servicelocator.org or online at www.careers.homedepot.com/military.

Job seekers interested in The Home Depot may also visit a local store to complete an online application at an employment kiosk.

FirstStep Provides Access for Homeless

Out of the collaborative partnership efforts between the US Departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development comes a program called FirstStep.

FirstStep is a tool for case managers, outreach workers and others to use when helping homeless clients access various federal benefit programs. Some of those programs are Food Stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, One-Stop Career Centers, VA Health Care and others.

The program is designed to be a time-saving, interactive, easy-to-use tool. It can make those assisting homeless clients an easier and more efficient process. Some of the tools provided by FirstStep are program fact sheets, customizable client benefit worksheets and benefit program information

The CD is also available by calling Community Connections at the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 800-998-9999.

REALifelines - Program for Wounded/Injured Service Members

The Department of Labor (DOL) is committed to serving our nation's wounded service members and their families and to strengthen that goal, they've partnered with the Bethesda Naval Medical Center and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center for the Recovery and Employment Assistance Lifelines (REALifelines) program. By connecting disabled service members and their families to the national career service system and its partners, REALifelines will ensure the necessary support and assistance is in place for service members and their families to be successful as they return to civilian lives.

"Our country owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the brave young men and women who have defended our nation with such honor in the Global War on Terror," said Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao. "These wounded veterans are to be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve and all of us need to do all we can to help them transition successfully to careers in the private sector."

The new program provides comprehensive, person-to-person recovery and employment assistance. The goals of REALifelines are to assist transitioning wounded and injured service members and their families by identifying barriers to employment or reemployment; assist in the development of an Individual Recovery and Reemployment Plan with an employment outcome; implementing a national follow-up system to maintain continuity of care; and linking service members and their families with local resources, including professionals in One Stop centers.

A key part of the program will be the services available at DOL's nationwide network of One Stop Career Centers. In addition to assisting wounded veterans, job training and employment services will also be made available to spouses in families that have suffered an active duty casualty, as well as to family members who have temporarily left their jobs to be with their loved ones during recovery.

Resource Center - Volume 12, No. 5 Sources/Resources

You may review, download or order these resource materials at any time. For video requests you must email the Resource Center or call (800) 451-5759.

George Washington Quote - A nice reminder to hand out at Veterans' Day celebrations--this historical quote from the nation's first president on the need to compensate veterans for the sacrifices they made. This one-page document is a PDF.

Office of Disability Employment Policy -  This Department of Labor/Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) site contains a huge listing of resources for people with disabilities. Bookmark this site and you'll refer to it often! 

Experience Works - This program, formerly known as Green Thumb chronicles the history and programs of Experience Works and also explains how they provide and promote employment opportunities for older workers, as well as community service training. This 3-page document is in PDF format.

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.

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National Veterans' Training Institute, 2004