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67–189 2011

PUTTING AMERICA’S VETERANS BACK TO WORK 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

JUNE 1, 2011 

Serial No. 112–14 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

( 


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COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 

Jeff Miller, Florida, Chairman 

CLIFF STEARNS, Florida 

DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado 

GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida 

DAVID P. ROE, Tennessee 

MARLIN A. STUTZMAN, Indiana 

BILL FLORES, Texas 

BILL JOHNSON, Ohio 

JEFF DENHAM, California 

JON RUNYAN, New Jersey 

DAN BENISHEK, Michigan 

ANN MARIE BUERKLE, New York 

TIM HUELSKAMP, Kansas 

Vacancy 

Vacancy 

BOB FILNER, California, Ranking 

CORRINE BROWN, Florida 

SILVESTRE REYES, Texas 

MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine 

LINDA T. SA ́ NCHEZ, California 

BRUCE L. BRALEY, Iowa 

JERRY MCNERNEY, California 

JOE DONNELLY, Indiana 

TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota 

JOHN BARROW, Georgia 

RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri 

HELEN W. TOLAR, Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

Pursuant to clause 2(e)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, public hearing records 

of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs are also published in electronic form. The printed 

hearing record remains the official version. Because electronic submissions are used to 

prepare both printed and electronic versions of the hearing record, the process of converting 

between various electronic formats may introduce unintentional errors or omissions. Such occurrences are inherent in the current publication process and should diminish as the process 

is further refined. 


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C O N T E N T S 

June 1, 2011 

Page 

Putting America’s Veterans Back to Work ............................................................ 1 

OPENING STATEMENTS 

Chairman Jeff Miller ............................................................................................... 1 

Prepared statement of Chairman Miller ........................................................ 50 

Hon. Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member .................................................... 3 

Prepared statement of Congressman Filner ................................................... 51 

Hon. Gus M. Bilirakis, prepared statement of ...................................................... 51 

Hon. John Barrow, prepared statement of ............................................................ 52 

Hon. Russ Carnahan, prepared statement of ........................................................ 52 

WITNESSES 

U.S. Department of Veterans, Ruth A. Fanning, Director, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service, Veterans Benefits Administration ............... 34 

Prepared statement of Ms. Fanning ............................................................... 96 

U.S. Department of Labor, Hon. Raymond M. Jefferson, Assistant Secretary, 

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service .................................................... 37 

Prepared statement of Mr. Jefferson .............................................................. 100 

American Veterans (AMVETS), George Ondick, Executive Director, Department of Ohio ......................................................................................................... 25 

Prepared statement of Mr. Ondick ................................................................. 76 

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, Heather L. Ansley, Esq., MSW, 

Co-Chair, Veterans Task Force ........................................................................... 28 

Prepared statement of Ms. Ansley .................................................................. 86 

DirectEmployers Association, Jolene Jefferies, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives ....................................................................................................................... 6 

Prepared statement of Ms. Jefferies ............................................................... 61 

Florida Army National Guard, Major General James D. Tyre, ARNG, Assistant Adjutant General ........................................................................................... 33 

Prepared statement of General Tyre .............................................................. 93 

National Association of State Workforce Agencies, Richard A. Hobbie, Executive Director .......................................................................................................... 4 

Prepared statement of Mr. Hobbie .................................................................. 52 

Reserve Officers Association of the United States, Captain Marshall Hanson, 

USNR (Ret.), Director, Legislative and Military Policy, and also on behalf 

of Reserve Enlisted Association .......................................................................... 26 

Prepared statement of Captain Hanson ......................................................... 79 

Society for Human Resource Management, Henry Jackson, Interim President 

and Chief Executive Officer ................................................................................ 9 

Prepared statement of Mr. Jackson ................................................................ 71 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Kevin M. Schmiegel, Vice President, Veterans 

Employment Programs ........................................................................................ 8 

Prepared statement of Mr. Schmiegel ............................................................ 67 


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MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD 

Post-Hearing Questions and Responses for the Record: 

Hon. Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs to Richard A. Hobbie, Executive Director, National Association 

of State Workforce Agencies, letter dated June 22, 2011, and response 

letter, dated August 3, 2011 ......................................................................... 103 

Hon. Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs to Jolene Jefferies, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, 

DirectEmployers Association, letter dated June 22, 2011, and response, 

memorandum dated June 29, 2011 ............................................................. 105 

Hon. Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs to Kevin M. Schmiegel, Vice President, Veterans Employment 

Program, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, letter dated June 22, 2011, 

and Mr. Schmiegel’s responses .................................................................... 112 

Hon. Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs to George Ondick, Executive Director, Department of Ohio, 

AMVETS, letter dated June 22, 2011, and Mr. Ondick’s responses ......... 113 

Hon. Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs to Captain Marshall Hanson, USNR (Ret.), Director, Legislative 

and Military Policy, Reserve Officers Association, letter dated June 

22, 2011, and Captain Hanson’s responses ................................................. 114 

Hon. Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs to Hon. Raymond M. Jefferson, Assistant Secretary, Veterans’ 

Employment and Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor, letter 

dated June 22, 2011, and DoL’s responses ................................................. 115 


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PUTTING AMERICA’S VETERANS 

BACK TO WORK 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2011 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS, 

WASHINGTON, DC. 

The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 a.m., in Room 

334, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Jeff Miller [Chairman of 

the Committee] presiding. 

Present: Representatives Miller, Stutzman, Benishek, Huelskamp, 

Filner, Michaud, Braley, McNerney, Donnelly, and Barrow. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN MILLER 

The CHAIRMAN. Good morning, everybody. Welcome to our Committee meeting this morning: Putting America’s Veterans Back to 

Work. I think we all can agree that this is one of the most important hearings that we will have in this Congress. That is why we 

have decided to proceed with this hearing even though many of the 

Members on the majority side are at a meeting at the invitation 

of the President at the White House. 

Just last week, I and other Committee Members met with dozens 

of veteran organizations who were nearly unanimous in making 

jobs for veterans their number one priority. I couldn’t agree more. 

Lengthy unemployment can cause an unbelievable amount of 

strain. Bills don’t get paid, savings can be exhausted, and family 

needs have to be put on hold. The financial strain of not having 

meaningful employment has a cascading effect for many: family 

problems, declining health, homelessness. We have just got to get 

the economy going again to put Americans back to work, especially 

those who have protected our freedom to work in the first place. 

Growing the economy starts with the fundamentals of keeping 

taxes on small businesses low, which necessarily means holding 

Federal spending down, reducing burdensome and unnecessary regulations, and ensuring that we have a trained, skilled workforce 

ready for the 21st Century jobs. 

It is this third area, ensuring a trained, skilled workforce, that 

the Veterans’ Affairs Committee is primed to lead. There are a 

number of programs run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) that have the 

potential to help, but our task is to see if those programs, as designed, are doing the job as intended. Our responsibility is to modernize them to respond to the specific needs that exist for unemployed or under-employed veterans in our economy. So let me take 


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a moment to highlight a few areas where I think we need improvement. 

First, the unemployment rate among all veterans of the Global 

War on Terror has been reported to be as high as 13.1 percent. 

This high rate exists despite the fact that Transition Assistance 

Programs (TAPs) for separating servicemembers looking for work 

are available, as are federally funded veterans employment specialists within every State. We need to look at these programs anew 

to see how they can be improved. 

Second, training and the education benefits through the new 

Post-9/11 GI Bill and other programs are valuable tools, I think we 

will all agree, for our veterans. However, as currently designed, 

they do little good for middle-aged veterans far removed from military service who may need new skills to break out of unemployment. 

To highlight the point I am making, on the 2nd of May the Conference Board released its data showing there are nearly 4.5 million jobs advertised on the Internet. The Board’s data also show the 

top 10 career fields with a heavy presence of jobs requiring hard 

skills. To me, this shows that good jobs are out there. We just need 

to retool the programs we have to help our veterans compete for 

those very jobs. 

Finally, there are legal protections for Guardsmen and Reservists 

who left work to fight for our country. By law, they are entitled to 

have or go back to their jobs when they come home; and we need 

to be aggressive in enforcement of this law. 

Just one more thing. We need to have a better understanding of 

the demographics of unemployed veterans, things like education 

levels, lengths of unemployment, skills learned in the military, to 

name a few; and we will hear some of that from our witness from 

the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But I believe it is time to expand the facts that we know about unemployed veterans. 

As a beginning, I hope today’s witnesses can provide some insight into what we can do to help veterans get the jobs they want 

and they deserve. I have some ideas of my own. So let’s get the ball 

rolling. 

I will soon introduce a new jobs bill for veterans, and the principles of my bill are simple. We need to provide a meaningful retraining program for our older veterans, who make up two-thirds 

of all unemployed veterans. We need to ensure that the Transition 

Assistance Programs—TAP—for our younger veterans is effective 

and, just as important, utilized when they separate from the military. We need to add flexibility and accountability to federallyfunded job training programs, and we need to ensure that we have 

updated legal protections for veterans who want their jobs back on 

their return from service active duty. And we must do a better job 

of enforcing these protections. 

I know Members will have other ideas as we go forward, but, 

keeping in line with the theme of this hearing, I am anxious to roll 

up my sleeves and get to work. As with any work, we need to set 

goals; and let me tell you what my goal is. I believe that an unemployment rate between 4 and 5 percent is generally accepted to be 

full employment in this country. So I want to begin today’s hearing 

by setting a goal to reduce unemployment among veterans from its 


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current level of 7.7 percent to about 4.5 percent. That means, using 

the Bureau of Labor Statistics April data, we need to reduce the 

number of unemployed veterans from April’s number of 873,000 to 

470,000, or a reduction of about 400,000 veterans. I think we can 

do that, and I invite every Member of this Committee to join me 

in achieving this goal—not just overnight—but over the next year 

or 2, at the outside. 

I now recognize our Ranking Member, Mr. Filner, for his opening 

remarks. 

[The prepared statement of Chairman Miller appears on p. 50.] 

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. BOB FILNER 

Mr. FILNER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for having 

this hearing. 

I ask that my opening statement be made part of the record. 

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection. 

Mr. FILNER. I would associate myself with your comments, except 

for one statement. You start off with the mantra that we have to 

reduce taxes on small business, which I would agree with, and cut 

spending. Then you go on to say how much we need more training. 

It seems to me we have to increase spending in these areas, and 

I am not afraid to come out and say it. We have to increase our 

spending in these areas. If we are going to put people back to work, 

it is going to take some investment; and maybe we can do another 

hearing on this, Mr. Chairman. 

The VA has hired thousands and thousands of employees to deal 

with disability payments and other issues. I suspect that they need 

to meet some percentage goals in terms of hiring veterans. But this 

is the VA. It ought to go much further. We could use those jobs as 

a training vehicle for people. Why aren’t we hiring all veterans for 

these jobs? Veterans in charge of the disability payment situation 

would probably bring a whole new level of concern for those who 

are applying. But the VA ought to not just hire thousands of veterans. If it doesn’t find qualified veterans then it should train 

them. 

Second, as you know, we have major construction projects in the 

VA and, of course, around this whole government. I would find it 

hard to believe—and I would like to have a hearing on it—that 

these construction projects meet some minimal guidelines for hiring 

veterans. It should be a requirement for our VA construction 

projects but also for construction projects across the government. 

We are spending billions and billions of dollars, not only in VA, but 

the DoD. If the agencies say they can’t find qualified people, then 

let’s train the veterans right on the job. 

It seems to me we can meet your goal. I thank you for setting 

it, not just in the public sector, but we should also be encouraging 

and having everybody understand what they should do for our Nation’s veterans. 

I think we have to take what we have already and look at whether we are hiring and meeting goals in these areas. I don’t know the 

statistics, but I bet we are not anywhere near what we ought to 

be if we are going to meet the goals that you properly set, Mr. 

Chairman. So I hope that we not only encourage the private sector 

by whatever we can do through the Congress and the White House 


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to encourage that amongst our citizens, but we ought to have a 

hearing on what the public sector is doing in terms of meeting 

these goals. 

Again, everybody says, well, I wish I could find qualified people. 

If you really mean that, then you are obligated to train them and 

not just say they are not qualified. I think we can meet these goals, 

but I think we have to make sure our own hiring practices and our 

own contracting regulations are also in furtherance of that goal. 

I yield back, Mr. Chairman. 

[The prepared statement of Congressman Filner appears on 

p. 51.] 

The CHAIRMAN. I thank my colleague for his remarks. 

I would remind him, although there is a little bit of difference 

in the way we think we need to raise the money, what I will propose will be within current spending levels. We will have an offset 

that I believe he will probably most readily agree with, that we can 

do that. So it is not a matter of spending more. It is definitely 

spending it more efficiently. 

Mr. FILNER. We’re going to cut your staff? 

The CHAIRMAN. And title 38 of section 4212—I heard you—requires all Federal contractors to report jobs that are available and 

how many veterans that they employ. So I will be happy to help 

you get the information that is out there, and I appreciate your 

comments and your willingness to work together, as we have done 

so since the first of the year. 

I would like to ask the first panel, if they would, to come forward. As you come forward, I will go ahead and make the introductions. 

The first panel: Richard Hobbie, Executive Director of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA); followed 

by Ms. Jolene Jefferies, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives of 

the DirectEmployers Association (DEA); and Kevin Schmiegel, who 

is the Vice President of Employment Programs for the United 

States Chamber of Commerce. And, finally, we have Henry Jackson, who is the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of 

the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). 

Thank you for being here today. We appreciate your willingness 

to testify. We apologize for having to have already postponed this 

hearing once. Thank you for making adjustments to your schedule. 

We would like to begin with Mr. Hobbie. You are recognized. 

STATEMENTS OF RICHARD A. HOBBIE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES; 

JOLENE JEFFERIES, VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, DIRECTEMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION; KEVIN M. 

SCHMIEGEL, VICE PRESIDENT, VETERANS EMPLOYMENT 

PROGRAMS, U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; AND HENRY 

JACKSON, INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 

STATEMENT OF RICHARD A. HOBBIE 

Mr. HOBBIE. Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and 

Members of the Committee, on behalf of the National Association 


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of State Workforce Agencies, or NASWA, thank you for the opportunity to discuss employment of veterans. 

I am Rich Hobbie, Executive Director of NASWA. The members 

of NASWA are State leaders of the publicly funded workforce system and are committed to providing the highest quality of service 

to our Nation’s veterans, National Guard members, and Reservists. 

As unemployment remains high, helping veterans transition from 

their military to civilian careers remains a significant challenge. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, reported in March 2011, 

the jobless rate among the Nation’s 22 million veterans ages 18 

and older was 8.7 percent in 2010, compared to 9.4 percent for nonveterans. However, the 2.2 million veterans who served in the military since September, 2001, had an unemployment rate of 11.5 percent in 2010. For these same veterans ages 18 to 24, the unemployment rate was 21 percent, but this was not statistically different 

from nonveterans of the same age. 

NASWA members administer veterans programs funded through 

the U.S. Department of Labor, or DoL. These programs are offered 

to veterans through the Nation’s nearly 3,000 One-Stop Career 

Centers. State workforce agencies provide a wide range of services 

for veterans, including the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach program, 

or DVOP, and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives, or 

LVERs. However, veterans receive many more services through 

programs such as unemployment compensation for ex-servicemembers, the UCX program; labor market information; labor exchange services; assessment of skill levels; and job search assistance. All of these services are offered to veterans under priority of 

service authorized by the Jobs for Veterans Act, or JVA, enacted 

in 2002. It requires the workforce system to make veterans a priority. States implemented JVA under guidance from DoL. 

There are three fundamental challenges to employing veterans. 

First, the economy. There are not enough jobs available for all 

job seekers. Currently, the ratio of unemployed workers to job 

openings is about four to one. 

Second, funding. Funding for employment services is barely half 

of what it was 30 years ago; and other workforce program funding, 

excluding unemployment benefits, has remained relatively constant 

for the past 20 years. 

Third, difficulty connecting veterans to the workforce system. Because of funding cuts and efforts to improve, the workforce system 

has automated many of its services. While this allows States to 

serve workers and employers, it has reduced in-person consultation. While nearly all claimants, including veterans, file for unemployment insurance via telephone or Internet, there is often limited 

in-person contacts with One-Stop Career Centers. NASWA is working with DoL to improve this connection. With about 36,000 veterans collecting UCX per week, this should be a high priority for 

veterans on UCX. 

An additional way State workforce agencies have responded to 

these challenges was the creation of the National Labor Exchange, 

or NLX. The NLX aims to capture the greatest number of valid job 

openings. Some 49 States are participating in the NLX. Since 2007, 

the NLX has provided over 9 million jobs to State workforce agenVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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cies and is operated in partnership with DirectEmployers Association, a trade association of over 600 Fortune 1,000 companies. 

More specific challenges unique to veterans include, first, veterans are often unable to obtain civilian credentials despite gaining 

related experience or training while in the military. Second, many 

veterans have difficulty translating military skills and experiences 

into civilian jobs. Third, employers have difficulty identifying the 

location of veterans with certain skills. And, fourth, the Office of 

Federal Contract Compliance, or OFCCP, has proposed regulations 

that would needlessly burden Federal contractors and State workforce agencies by imposing unrealistic recordkeeping and reporting 

requirements. 

Mr. Chairman, NASWA looks forward to working with you and 

the Committee on these challenges. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Hobbie appears on p. 52.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

Ms. Jefferies. 

STATEMENT OF JOLENE JEFFERIES 

Ms. JEFFERIES. Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and 

Members of the Committee, on behalf of DirectEmployers Association thank you for the opportunity to discuss our Association’s veteran outreach programs for employers. 

My name is Jolene Jefferies, and I am Vice President of Strategic 

Initiatives for DirectEmployers. Founded in 2001 and 

headquartered in Indianapolis, DirectEmployers is a 501(c)(6) trade 

association owned and managed by over 600 Fortune 1,000 human 

resource or H.R. executives. Our mission is to provide employers an 

employment network that is cost-effective, improves labor market 

efficiency, and reaches an ethnically diverse national and international workforce. 

Consistent with our mission, DirectEmployers partnered with the 

National Association of State Workforce Agencies, or NASWA, in 

2007 to create the JobCentral National Labor Exchange, or the 

NLX. The NLX replaced the previously federally funded America’s 

Job Bank and is a free job search engine to all employers, regardless of size, in all industries. The NLX relies on no Federal funds 

but instead this unique public/private partnership leverages nonprofit-owned technology with existing State workforce agency resources to enhance offerings to veterans. 

Through VetCentral, a feature of the NLX, employers’ job openings are automatically indexed or scraped directly from their corporate career sites. These job openings are then provided to the appropriate employment service delivery system nationwide via emails to the disabled veteran outreach program coordinators and 

local veteran employment representatives and in many cases are 

also electronically fed directly into the State job banks. 

DirectEmployers goes above and beyond minimum regulatory compliance mandates and also feeds members’ job openings to many 

other related military related and government Web sites. 

Announced in April, the .Jobs universe military network is also 

free to all employers and provides military personnel and their dependents access to more than 880,000 employment opportunities 

per month from over 90,000 employers nationwide. Over 5,800 


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.Jobs domains serve all branches of the Armed Forces and utilize 

the military occupational classification, or MOC, to link military occupations to matching civilian occupations such as www.42F.jobs. 

The .Jobs military family feature helps military families and caregivers search for employment at their assigned base, such as 

www.CampPendleton.jobs. 

DirectEmployers also established a Recruitment Regulatory Compliance Committee, or RRCC, to provide consultation and guidance 

to employers on issues related to veterans employment. 

In a recent survey, employers identified five barriers in employing veterans. 

One, just-in-time hiring process. Because employers utilize a 

just-in-time time hiring process, employers would benefit from Federal and State employment services that support this model. Turnover in H.R. departments is dynamic, and utilization of the Internet, social media platforms, and related technologies are commonplace. Companies seek to leverage cost- and time-effective resources 

that provide more immediate recruiting solutions. 

Two, skills and education translation. The military workforce is 

challenged with the translation and transference of their education 

and skills. 

Three, military to civilian certification. Several professions require special licenses or accreditations. Transitioning military personnel are at a disadvantage without such credentials. All levels of 

government need to implement solutions that effectively balance 

current challenges with educational system gaps, the accreditation 

of job seekers, and the fiscal demands and resources of civilian employers. 

Four, lack of data. There is no reliable data source that takes 

into account the available pool of the military workforce, making 

it difficult for employers to find qualified veterans. 

Five, OFCCP consistency. Federal contractors have experienced 

challenges from the OFCCP, especially during compliance evaluations that hampers collaboration. First, their knowledge and appreciation of how State workforce agencies operate is outdated; and, 

second, their standards and procedures across national, regional, 

and district offices is inconsistent. 

To help all employers more effectively employ veterans, 

DirectEmployers continues to work with NASWA to offer an outstanding hiring and retaining veterans Webinar education and 

training series for both employers and State workforce agencies. 

This 16-module series and its resources help employers expedite 

the learning curve in developing, sharing, and implementing best 

practices and success strategies to attract military candidates. 

Mr. Chairman, we appreciate the opportunity to discuss the employers’ perspective and our initiatives to improve the employment 

outcomes of veterans. We are happy to provide you with any additional information. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Jefferies appears on p. 61.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Ms. Jefferies. 

Mr. Schmiegel. 


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STATEMENT OF KEVIN M. SCHMIEGEL 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and 

Members of the Committee, my name is Kevin Schmiegel; and I am 

the Vice President of Veterans Employment Programs at the U.S. 

Chamber of Commerce. Thank you for the opportunity to appear as 

a witness before the Committee and to speak to you about what the 

Chamber is doing to help our Nation’s heroes find meaningful employment in the private sector. 

The reason the Chamber is focused on this issue is simple. Many 

of our members want to hire veterans. Even with high unemployment, we have a huge skills gap in America that is hindering our 

recovery and undermining our global competitiveness. Veterans can 

help fill that gap. They have leadership experience and technical 

expertise. They are problem solvers. And they are extremely reliable. Ninety percent of military occupations are directly transferable to jobs in the private sector. The Chamber’s veterans programs will help raise awareness across the business community of 

this great pool of talented workers. 

As a veteran myself, it is an honor and privilege to be here. Two 

years ago today, I retired from the United States Marine Corps as 

a lieutenant colonel after 20 years of service. My own transition 

from the military was full of good fortune. I was lucky to have a 

mentor like former National Security Advisor Jim Jones. I was 

lucky to be at the right place at the right time. And I was lucky 

to be hired by an organization like the Chamber that understands 

and appreciates the values of hiring a veteran. 

Not every veteran is that lucky. Of the 12 million veterans in the 

civilian workforce last year, over 1 million of them were unemployed. While the jobless rate for veterans in 2010 was comparable 

to the national average, there are some alarming trends that may 

result in higher unemployment for veterans in the near term. 

For example, the average unemployment rate for Post-9/11-era 

veterans last year was 11.5 percent, and nearly 27 percent of veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 are currently without work. 

Members of the Guard and Reserve are experiencing significantly 

higher unemployment rates at 14 percent. 

With the potential drawdown of our Armed Forces and higher 

rates of unemployment for returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, the Chamber initiated several programs that will enhance 

private-sector job opportunities. 

In March, we started a year-long nationwide campaign called 

Hiring Our Heroes. This initiative was launched in partnership 

with Mr. Ray Jefferson, the Assistant Secretary for the Department 

of Labor VETS, and Mr. Ron Young, Executive Director of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. 

There are four pillars to Hiring Our Heroes. While our main 

focus is on conducting 100 hiring fairs in local communities across 

America, we have also created strategic partnerships in three other 

areas to deal with specific populations of veterans and their unique 

challenges. They include wounded warriors, student veterans, and 

women veterans and military spouses. 

Our aggressive agenda focuses is on one measure of success: jobs 

for the 1 million unemployed veterans in America. In the posttraining year, we will host 100 hiring fairs with the help of local 


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Chambers of Commerce in all 50 States. The first of 100 took place 

in Chicago on March 24, and it was a huge success, with 127 employers and 1,200 veterans and their spouses participating. Roughly 150 of them are likely to get jobs. Through this campaign we 

hope to connect 100,000 veterans and spouses with over 1,000 different employers over the next 12 months. 

Our program for wounded warriors is tailored to meet their 

unique challenges and demands. In partnership with the USO and 

Hire Heroes USA, we are hosting quarterly transition workshops 

and career opportunity days in Fort Carson, Colorado, and Fort 

Belvoir, Virginia. 

The Chamber is working with student veterans of America on a 

jobs and internship program to help our Nation’s youngest generation of veterans. It will be launched this month at over 350 colleges 

and universities and will be available to over 40,000 student veterans seeking internships and job opportunities across the 

Nation. 

Finally, we are partnering with Business and Professional Women’s Foundation and the Department of Defense to help women veterans and military spouses find private-sector jobs at home and 

abroad. The goal of the program is to significantly decrease women 

veteran and military spouse unemployment by establishing a network of 10,000 women mentors in the business community by the 

end of 2012. 

There are four principles that are critical to success: First, local 

communities must be the cornerstone of any national program to 

reduce veterans’ unemployment. Second, we must do a better job 

of coordinating public and private-sector efforts. Third, we must 

look for innovative ways to assist transitioning veterans. And, 

fourth, all programs, existing and new, should be measured against 

clear objectives and established metrics so we can focus on what is 

working and stop funding programs that are not producing results. 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and distinguished 

Members of the Committee, the Chamber is committed to helping 

veterans and their spouses find and keep good jobs. Thank you for 

this Committee’s unwavering commitment and support of veterans 

and their families. I appreciate this opportunity. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Schmiegel appears on p. 67.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. 

Mr. Jackson, thank you for being with us today. You are recognized. 

STATEMENT OF HENRY JACKSON 

Mr. JACKSON. Thank you. Chairman Miller, Ranking Member 

Filner, Members of the Committee, I am Henry Jackson, Interim 

President and Chief Executive Officer of the Society for Human Resource Management, or SHRM, as we are known. I thank you for 

the opportunity to address an issue of great importance to the 

human resource profession. We consider this one of our major focuses: easing the transition of military veterans into the civilian 

workforce. 

First, as the world’s largest association dedicated to human resource management, our members appreciate that almost half of 

our Nation’s military strength resides in the National Guard and 


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Reserve. For this reason, SHRM formed a partnership with the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve 

(ESGR) early last year. Through this partnership, SHRM is linking 

all 600 SHRM State councils and chapters with their local ESGR 

offices. As of today, more than 300 SHRM chapters and 31 SHRM 

State councils have signed a statement of support for this program. 

Soon after forging our partnership with ESGR, we inaugurated 

a military hiring program as part of our 2010 annual conference. 

Building on the enthusiastic response we received for last year’s 

program, we are holding another veterans workshop at our conference next month, offering it at no charge to more than 12,000 

H.R. professionals. 

SHRM has also developed a deeper relationship with the Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, or 

VETS. The core of our work with VETS is in helping the agency 

to inform employers across the Nation about the resources that are 

available to them to hire and engage veterans. 

In a related effort, the White House invited SHRM to participate 

in Joining Forces, an initiative focused on the needs of military 

families. SHRM is developing resources on effective practices for 

recruiting and retaining military spouses, maximizing workplace 

flexibility, and other policies to support military families. 

Through these efforts we have identified opportunities to make 

these programs more effective for both the veterans and the employers alike. 

First, 71 percent of H.R. professionals are unaware of or somewhat unsatisfied with the programs to help them find and assimilate veterans into their workforces. Part of this problem may lie in 

the number of Federal, as well as State, programs devoted to veterans employment as well as the coordination of those programs. 

Second, it is clear that there are some misunderstandings about 

how to address the workplace needs of veterans with combat-related disabilities as well as the availability of assistance. 

Third, retention of veterans is also an issue. Last year, 

Mymilitarytransition.com surveyed veterans and H.R. managers on 

why job retention beyond 18 months is often difficult. Veterans 

cited lack of cultural fit as the leading reason, while H.R. managers 

described it as an inability to let go of the military way of doing 

things. 

Finally, many returning veterans face a unique challenge in 

translating their specialized skills into a civilian job. Last spring, 

a SHRM poll found that 60 percent of respondents said translating 

military skills was the biggest hurdle for veterans in the job search 

process. 

At SHRM, we are committed to facing these challenges head on 

to successfully bring together employers and veterans in a manner 

that truly serves our heroes as well as the business community. 

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, SHRM and its 

members will continue efforts to assist employers in finding, recruiting, and retaining military veterans. 

As we work together to improve employment outcomes for 

transitioning servicemembers, we suggest the following to foster 

greater employment opportunities and more effective programs: 


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First, encourage continued partnerships between the employer 

community and the relevant agencies. 

Second, clarify and educate employers about the role of the Federal agencies. Employers would greatly benefit from having a more 

streamlined set of resources that they can consult to find veteran 

talent, post their job openings, and find information about hiring 

veterans and other transitioning servicemembers. 

Finally, improve and increase uniformity in transition assistance 

for servicemembers. As noted in our testimony, guidance provided 

to individuals leaving the military should prepare them for what 

employers need to hire, including translation of military skills, 

interviewing techniques, and job search advice. Having a more uniform system understood by both employers and transitioning 

servicemembers would greatly benefit both. 

Thank you for this opportunity to come before you, and we look 

forward to partnering with you in achieving a smooth transition for 

every returning veteran. I welcome your questions. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Jackson appears on p. 71.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Jackson. 

Thanks to each of you for your testimony. 

I think we have heard a common thread among a lot of what you 

have had to say. There are a lot of programs out there and a lot 

of information out there, a lot of ways that people can get to it, but 

nobody knows it is there. How do we do it? We already have the 

programs in place. The Web sites are out there. VA has it. SHRM 

has it. 

Who wants to start? I would be glad to hear from any one of you 

on a simple way to fix the problem. 

Mr. JACKSON. I will take that, simply because SHRM, as a 

human resource association, sort of takes this on as one of our responsibilities. 

I truly believe that education is what is sorely lacking. When we 

go to our members—we surveyed our members last year—53 percent of our members indicated that they were actually attempting 

to hire veterans but were not sure about how to go about it, how 

to target veterans. 

We believe that through the programs with the Department of 

Labor VETS that we are developing a toolkit for veterans and employers that we hope to roll out sometime before the end of the 

year in conjunction with the Department of Labor. We believe that 

our members are truly committed to this cause. It is a matter of 

giving them a succinct place to go to identify how to address this 

issue. 

Mr. HOBBIE. Mr. Chairman, I agree that partnerships with employers and Federal and State and local agencies is extremely important. Of course, we have made great progress on that the last 

4 years with our partnership with DirectEmployers Association, 

and we continue to make progress. 

Ms. JEFFERIES. I can just say I kicked off—we did a 

DirectEmployers Association hiring and retaining veterans 

Webinar education series, and it has been keeping me incredibly 

busy. There is definitely a strong interest in this. 

To Mr. Jackson’s point, there is a lot of turnover in these human 

resource departments, and it does require continuous education 


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and communication. And we just can’t stop that effort. It has to be 

an ongoing initiative. 

And so, in that spirit, we are providing this education series, recording it, and it is open to the public, does not cost anything. We 

have had State workforce agencies, DVOPs, LVERs, the VA, the 

OFCCP, employers, all demanding this training. And so there is a 

huge need for that. 

The CHAIRMAN. Finally, Mr. Schmiegel. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. Thank you, sir. 

I would like to make two points. The first point, which is one of 

the principles we talked about, is that the effort has to be focused 

on the local community. 

In my last assignment as a Marine, I was the head of enlisted 

assignment monitors. I managed 60 human resource specialists in 

the Marine Corps that assigned 170,000 Marines worldwide. One 

of our other primary responsibilities was to retain Marines. We 

only retain about one out of every four first-term Marines. So when 

we were doing our interviews to talk to those Marines about their 

decision to leave, we often asked them what they were going to do 

next. They never talked about what they were going to do next. 

They always talked about where they were going. The fact is veterans and their families are returning to local communities every 

day. 

So the second point, which talks to the local community, is efforts have to be better coordinated between the public and private 

sector in those local communities. Our approach is simple. We are 

going to do 100 events, 100 hiring fairs in those local communities, 

using the local Chambers of Commerce and the relationships that 

we have formed nationally with the Department of Labor VETS 

and with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. And 

Ray Jefferson’s State Directors and Ron Young’s team of State Directors in the Guard and Reserve are going to get together in those 

local communities and execute events. If we focus on local communities and we better coordinate public and private-sector efforts, we 

will be more successful. 

The CHAIRMAN. I salute the Chamber on the 100 job fairs that 

you are talking about holding, but I think you just hit on part of 

your problem. If they are all returning to their home communities, 

you have tens of thousands of communities, which we need to be 

penetrating and be able to communicate with them. So how do we 

solve that problem? They all want to go home. I certainly understand that. We have small cities of several thousands to large cities 

of millions. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. I think there has to be several different models, 

several different approaches to this. So we conducted what Ray and 

I refer to as mega hiring fairs in cities like Chicago, in cities like 

New York, in cities like Los Angeles. That model may have over 

100, 150 employers and a couple thousand veterans and their 

spouses attend. We generally have high-level speakers. We have 

transitional workshops to offer in conjunction with that. 

When we go to small areas—we will be in Great Falls, Montana, 

on August 13—the model is different. You have to focus on fewer 

number of employees, and you have to also take into account that 

neighboring States from Montana may have significantly lower 


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rates of unemployment than Great Falls. So you may ask a big employer like Halliburton, who has a significant number of jobs in the 

eastern portion of the State and in the neighboring State, to offer 

jobs to veterans and their families to relocate either in Montana or 

to a neighboring State. 

So I think the answer to the question is the model is different. 

You have to start somewhere. A hundred is a very aggressive number. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has over 1,700 local Chambers of Commerce affiliated with us. Next year, if this campaign is 

successful, we hope that the 100 becomes 500; and the year after 

that we hope the 500 becomes 1,000. 

Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

Mr. Filner. 

Mr. FILNER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I thank you all for your testimony and for your efforts. 

This is, obviously, a Congressional hearing and we have oversight of the VA. I haven’t heard any suggestions on what we ought 

to be doing or what the VA ought to be doing. It looks like the only 

guy doing anything in government is Mr. Jefferson over here, from 

the testimony. I know you have false modesty. 

What are we all doing here? This ought to be a top priority for 

everybody. I can imagine—and you guys are the experts—but if I 

just thought about it for a few seconds I could think of what the 

VA could be doing. 

Why isn’t every regional office, for example, putting out a list of 

veterans and their specialties and what jobs they are seeking? You 

guys all said that we have trouble linking up with the veterans. 

Well, the VA knows every veteran. Let’s just put out a list of everybody who is looking for a job. It just doesn’t seem difficult. 

We hear about the transition of skills in the military and how 

they are hard to translate. We could deem anybody who is in electronics or a medic or a truck driver and give them a certificate that 

says, for the purposes of hiring, this serves as qualifications for 

entry-level employment. People can then be trained further. 

These servicemembers have incredible skills. We have been 

working on this civilian certification for decades. Nobody can seem 

to solve it. We have guys driving trucks all over Iraq and Afghanistan. They come home and find out they have to take a 6-month 

course to get a commercial driver’s license. What do they need that 

for? They get discouraged because they know how to do it. They do 

it under the most difficult conditions you can imagine. Let them 

have a certificate that starts with a job. The same idea for our electronics people or medics. 

I have watched these medics. They do things that no civilian 

would ever think of doing, and yet they have to go through some 

other certification, masters program and go to this college or that 

college. They have the training. We could just do it. 

I would like you to give us some suggestions either in law, or 

regulation, or Executive Order, that we can help you do the kind 

of things you are doing every day. You are out there. We ought to 

be helping you in every way we can. The VA’s job is to do that. 

Give us one thing we can do, if each of you could do that? 


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Ms. JEFFERIES. I think, for starters, what would really help employers—and we don’t need a list of names necessarily—but even 

just a simple heat map, for instance, that shows what the talent 

pools of the veterans are, what their skills are, and where in terms 

of geography where can we find certain veterans with specific 

skills. That way we can at least hone down our recruiting strategy. 

Mr. FILNER. Done. Let’s do it. 

Anybody from the VA here? Where is Ms. Fanning? 

Heat map? Whatever a heat map is, let’s do it. I can imagine 

what it is, but I am sure it is easy. 

Mr. JACKSON. I would just like to follow on what Mr. Schmiegel 

said, is that it is getting into the individual communities. Although 

we have just started this project last March, we have 600 chapters 

around the country. We are in small towns, big towns. We are in 

towns where the veterans are going back to. But what we are trying to do is make sure that we connect all of the agencies, including the Labor Department, including the Veterans Department, 

with the individuals. And our members are the individuals that actually do the hiring. 

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Jackson, I understand what you are saying. You 

gave us three very general ideas. Give me something specific to do. 

You are talking about connections but what do you need the VA 

to do, or DoL to do, or this Committee to do, to provide you with 

that? Do you want a list of names of people coming back to those 

communities? If so, let’s just do it. Give us something that apparently all our bureaucrats, hundreds of thousands of them, aren’t 

thinking of. Because this stuff isn’t difficult. We have all the information and resources as a VA to do this. Just give us something 

specific. 

Mr. JACKSON. I think the one specific thing that I think we are 

working on that I think will make a difference is bringing the 

agencies together and having a single portal for people to go 

through. Right now, it is up to an organization like SHRM to go 

to DoL, to go to VA, to go to ESGR. If we had some single point 

of contact—I think that is the biggest frustration with our members, is they do not have that single point of contact to go to. I 

think that would address 50 percent of it. 

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Jefferson is going to turn around to Ms. Fanning, and we are going to do that tomorrow. 

See, we got it done. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Schmiegel, real quickly. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. Firstly, I think we are doing it already. I think 

if you look at this initiative to do the hundred hiring fairs—it is 

in its nascent stages—we will see progress over time. 

If you could help in one area, it would be to measure. I don’t 

think we do a very good job of measuring whether or not the programs are working. I think we need to look—the Chamber is trying 

to do this, and it is extremely frustrating. After the hiring fair for 

Chicago, we set up a survey for employers and veterans, and you 

get a 20 percent reply rate. So if there is a way for the government 

to figure out how to measure whether or not the programs that we 

have in place are working, i.e., when a veteran is placed we know 

that it was the result of a specific program, that would be of the 

greatest benefit. And that is how we will make a difference. 


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Mr. FILNER. Thank you very much. 

Mr. HOBBIE. Mr. Filner, one of the suggestions we have is to 

focus on the veterans that have recently left the military and are 

claiming unemployment compensation for ex-servicemembers. If we 

made a greater attempt to translate their military occupations into 

civilian occupations and then assessed their skills and determined 

whether they needed some additional training or certification, 

which the system could provide to them so that they can move from 

unemployment into a suitable job faster than they might otherwise, 

we think that would have a significant impact. 

Now it is a small portion of the total program. We only have 

about 36,000 veterans on unemployment compensation for exservicemembers now. But it could have a significant impact for 

those individuals. 

Mr. FILNER. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Dr. Benishek. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Filner. I 

thank the panel. 

It seems interesting here to hear statements. Mr. Schmiegel said 

like 90 percent of military jobs are directly transferable to jobs in 

the private sector. Mr. Jackson didn’t quite agree with that. There 

are some questions about how your military experience is translatable into a civilian job. That is something I noticed here in the testimony. 

The other thing I noticed is there seems to be a lack of a clearinghouse of veterans that are available for jobs. It seems to me to 

be something that the VA could provide, as Mr. Filner has suggested. Do you have any advice as to how we might do that or how 

that might work, Ms. Jefferies? 

Ms. JEFFERIES. Yes. We have an MOC translator with the .Jobs 

network that I mentioned as well as with the National Labor Exchange site so that a candidate, a military job seeker, can type in 

their MOC and it renders back matches to civilian occupations. So 

it does do that work. 

What we see, though, when we are reviewing resumes is the 

military candidates themselves are not doing a good job presenting 

their own skills and credentials. There is a big, big issue with this 

issue of accreditation and licenses. And that is an education issue 

in each of these States where there is variances in what qualifies 

an EMT to have a State license in State A versus State B. So there 

is inconsistencies across the States. 

So if we could at least have a consistent standard of a military 

occupation and apply that to all the States, a huge problem would 

be solved where we have that consistent standard for, say, the top 

10 occupations, top 25 occupations. And that would be a really big 

start for employers in just cutting through that barrier, and it 

would get these veterans back to work much more quickly because 

they wouldn’t be required to go get reeducated in some areas that 

they already know very well. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Well, it does seem surprising that the VA doesn’t 

offer some sort of Web site to go to for veterans as sort of a clearinghouse so job seekers and potential employers could go to at least 

get acquainted on the Internet. 


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Ms. JEFFERIES. There are several Web sites. You have 

VetSuccess, which primarily focuses through the VR&E, the vocational and rehabilitation needs of disabled veterans. And that is a 

very good service. 

And then you have services with all the States, for example. 

And to Mr. Schmiegel’s point, doing this at the local level is really important because that is where the rubber hits the road. That 

is where the H.R. person is meeting with that candidate, is in that 

local area. So it is very important to establish partnerships locally, 

even when you have Web sites. Web sites are just one component 

of a recruiting strategy, but at some point you need that personal 

contact, and that comes through developing partnerships at the 

local level. 

Mr. BENISHEK. I agree. I applaud the Chamber’s effort. It seems 

like you are really doing something. But to try to coordinate what 

you are doing with the population as a whole, it seems maybe that 

is something that the VA could do better. 

Is there any other advice you might want to give to me here? 

Ms. JEFFERIES. I do think those job fairs are especially helpful. 

But, again, it is touching just a fraction of the communities out 

there. So if you are hiring in Rawlins, Wyoming, in the middle of 

Timbuktu, some of that is not going to reach those pockets where 

a lot of employment happens in smaller communities. 

And so, again, that is one of the reasons why we have implemented veteran outreach education program for employers to bring 

them to those sources. There are some 8,000 Web sites alone that 

are used for veterans employment, and it is overwhelming for employers to sort through all of that. And so we are trying to provide 

resources to kind of cut through that and save them that research 

time. And that includes the NVTI directory of DVOPs and LVERs. 

It includes the VA directory of the regional managers, those kind 

of information. 

Because to sit down and do a Google search, you get overwhelmed; and right away it is just daunting to try to figure that 

out on your own. So I think the education and communication and 

training of employers is especially critical and would definitely be 

very helpful. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Mr. Schmiegel, did you have a comment? 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. I would just like to add, I think as someone who 

separated from the military 2 years ago and saw the vast resources 

that were out there in the public and private sector for veterans, 

I think it is a little bit confusing for them. There are hundreds and 

hundreds of programs. So I am a huge advocate of a single national 

portal that the public sector is working on right now. 

If you ask me as a veteran leaving the service if you could do 

one thing, it would be to cut down on duplicative efforts, to cut 

down on conflicting efforts, and to make things less confusing for 

veterans and their families. So the notion of a single national portal that all veterans and families can go to look for jobs, to look 

at what is going on in local communities to see what they have to 

do when they are reassimilating into their hometowns after service, 

that makes the greatest sense. 

We also have to focus on the issue of retention. I think that Mr. 

Jackson’s comments were spot on. But the only way to keep vetVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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erans is for the business community to have more internship opportunities and more mentoring opportunities. So we have to build 

that network. Because, again—and it is not because I am a product 

of the military myself—it isn’t a function of the inability of the 

servicemember to let go of the military way of doing things. It is 

clearly the lack of cultural fit that is affecting their transition. So 

the government and the private sector need to work together to improve internships, to improve apprenticeships, and to improve our 

mentoring network in the business community. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Yes, sir. 

Mr. HOBBIE. I would just like to add that States are also innovating in this area. And the Chairman’s own State of Florida, for 

example, implemented a veterans portal similar to what you are 

suggesting. I know the Federal Government is working on that, too. 

So there is a good example at the State level. 

And, in addition, the State of Texas has a College Credit for Heroes program which helps individuals who have left the military 

gain some credit for their military training and experience at the 

college level. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Thank you, gentlemen. 

I yield back. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Doctor. 

Mr. Michaud. 

Mr. MICHAUD. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking Member, for having this hearing. I just have a few questions. 

I listened to some of the answers. I think everyone pretty much 

agrees that you have to have a central focus. With all the different 

training programs out there, it is extremely difficult, number one. 

Number two, I think part of the problem, whether it is the Department of Labor VETS program, or the One-Stop Career Centers, 

they have been inadequately funded and the staff is not there to 

actually help out the veterans that need their jobs. So there is that 

issue that is problematic. Then it becomes a problem. 

If you look at our servicemembers, I heard several discussions 

about large metropolitan areas doing these programs. However, 40 

percent of the servicemembers coming back live in rural areas; and 

there is no way I can see where, regardless of what effort might 

be out there, for the Chamber to get the Chambers to focus in real 

rural areas. It is just not going to happen. 

So the question is: How are you going to be able to do this? I am 

just wondering, for any of the panels, have you focused on—and I 

will give you an example. For instance, when they closed the mills 

down in my hometown, both Senator Snowe and I knew the big 

issue was going to be health care. We also knew the drug companies offer different programs for either low- or no-cost prescription 

drugs. What we didn’t know is there are over 375 different programs. You have to fill out about 14 pages of paperwork. And if you 

are unemployed, you are not going to do it. I see the same problem 

with veterans. 

However, we were able to get them to actually narrow that down 

to four questions that they would answer and then that would actually let them know what was available as far as prescription 

drugs. 


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And I don’t see where this is any different, when you look at trying to find a program, if you can actually have a program that is 

very simplistic for them to answer that actually might pair them 

up—I would like to have you comment on that. 

The second issue I would like to have you comment on is, if you 

look at one of the problems with soldiers leaving the military, 

whether it is active duty or National Guard or Reserves, they are 

anxious to get home and they are not going to take time to look 

at a lot of different issues. Do you think it actually might be wise 

for the Department of Defense actually in preparing them while 

they are still in service to fill out these questionnaires as far as 

jobs so at least they will be able to have that ready so when they 

leave service they will actually have opportunities? 

Because once they leave, they are going to get into other issues, 

whether it is back in the community, whether it is family problems, 

or what have you. So I think the time to really focus on the bulk 

of it is while they are currently in the military. 

So I don’t know if anyone wants to comment on those two different areas. 

Mr. JACKSON. I would say that you have to have both. Our experience has been that it can’t be a single contact, it can’t be a 30- 

day contact, it has to be an ongoing contact with the veterans and 

with the Veterans Affairs and with the vets. And part of our program is to set up a facility for Veterans Affairs or the VETS program to have constant contact with the individuals, the 600 chapters that we have across the Nation in the U.S. 

The challenge I still think is that, and with my colleague’s comments, is that there has to be some guidance, some more guidance. 

And I think a single toolkit, which is what we are working on, a 

single toolkit to say—to essentially say these are the options that 

you have, this is the information you need, we think that is a first 

step. We think the bigger step is for the private sector and the government to come together and have that single toolkit. But, right 

now, we believe that, as SHRM, we are going to develop that single 

toolkit for the individuals. 

Mr. HOBBIE. The State workforce agencies are working closely 

with the Department of Labor on this particular issue in the area 

of attempting to help re-employ unemployment insurance claimants 

in particular. It is called the Connectivity Project, and one of the 

aspects of that project is to create an integrated application system 

that would be available on the Internet so that when an individual 

applies for programs the information would be entered once and 

then could be used for these other programs that might be available to the individual. Also in that effort are concerted attempts to 

try to assess the skills of the personnel leaving the military and to 

try to match them with jobs. And, also, we are looking at the various social media to try to facilitate communication among job seekers and also employers. 

Ms. JEFFERIES. The Marines is the only service branch that requires TAP, and I think that if all of the branches could require 

that at a minimum at least veterans transitioning out of the military would be aware of the employment services offered through 

the public workforce system and would have a better opportunity 


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in establishing these linkages and learning what their local employment office can do to help them. 

The other thing is that employers more and more utilize the 

Just-in-Time Hiring process. When I was human resources director 

of employment for Union Pacific we often had candidates contact 

us ahead of time and apply for jobs as they were transitioning out. 

They are coached through TAP to do that about 3 to 6 months before they actually completed their service. And what we ran into 

were conflicts that we wanted to offer them a job but we needed 

them to start now, and so that they almost started too early in the 

process. 

So there is some education that is required with the veterans 

and job seekers coming out of the military regarding how employers hire and the fact that when we make that job offer it is immediate. And so we implemented a program that was a delayed entry 

program and extended job offers further out. But that is not always 

easy for employers to manage, either. But I really think that that 

education on the front end is very critical, and it is all about the 

timing. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. Can I just add one comment? 

I think you have to look at this in phases. I think the whole notion of hiring fairs in every community across America is not realistic. I understand that. But, again, I think in order to create a 

movement across the United States that you have to start with 

something. 

When Ray Jefferson and I first started talking about this, we 

broke it down into phases. This is a high-touch approach. But as 

the high-tech approach comes online and you have a portal, the 

high touch does not go away. You still have to welcome veterans 

and their families home. 

So if you look at this in phases and you focus on creating this 

national portal, you continue to create this movement across America with these hiring fairs in local communities, I think you will 

have the infrastructure in place, you will also have the spirit and 

the momentum in place to really make a difference in this space. 

In regards to reaching out to rural areas, there is a focus on 

rural areas. It is just that when you look at 100 cities, you want 

to have the biggest impact in the first year so you can show other 

communities that you are having that impact. 

In Iowa, there are 3,200 Guard and Reservists coming back in 

September. We have nine local chambers of commerce in nine separate cities in Iowa ready to do hiring fairs a month after those 

Guard and Reservists get back. That is how you create a movement 

Statewide. And those are all rural cities right in the heart of 

America. 

Thanks. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

Mr. Huelskamp. 

Mr. HUELSKAMP. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the 

comments and the folks appearing here before the Committee. 

I have a follow-up question for Mr. Schmiegel, if I might. 

You had mentioned the single national portal. Can you describe 

that in a little more detail what you are envisioning and where it 


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is at in the process? Is that something being put in place now? If 

you could describe it a little further, I would appreciate it. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. This is a public-sector initiative for all the government agencies. They are working together to create a national 

portal for veterans and their families to use as they are 

transitioning from the military to civilian workforce. 

Mr. HUELSKAMP. Any other folks here, can they describe that a 

little bit more? 

Mr. JACKSON. We are participating in the development effort of 

that portal. And, again, it is mainly to have a one-stop shop for veterans and employers to come. And although every answer may not 

be at that portal, there will be links to other sites. For instance, 

there may be a job posting site at SHRM that links off of that portal that will help veterans find jobs as well as employers find veterans. 

Mr. HUELSKAMP. Mr. Schmiegel, you think this works for the employers as well as—I mean, we have talked a lot about, obviously, 

the potential employer-employees. My question is on the employer 

side. And you think this works in that the employers actually 

would use this particular system in a manner that would be helpful 

to them? 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. I have talked to several big companies in America. I think that Ray has also spoken to several big employers that 

are waiting for the portal to come online and they would use it. 

I mean, right now we have band-aid fixes throughout the private 

sector to do this. You have private-sector companies that do this. 

The private sector will continue to adapt and continue to come up 

with its own means to hire veterans. The fact is, if you talk to employers across the country, they want to hire veterans. So I think 

a national portal will be widely used by small business, by medium-size business and by big business. 

Mr. HUELSKAMP. I appreciate that. 

In visiting with employers in my district they have never mentioned a portal. What they have mentioned is we would like to hire 

more veterans; we would like to hire more folks. If we could actually just improve the job climate, it would solve a lot of our problems. And I am sure you hear that at Chamber. 

Would you have three top things you all would suggest broadly 

so we could just improve the job climate so there are actually jobs 

out there for veterans to apply for. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. I think a reasonable tax structure would be one 

thing that needs to be addressed. I think the regulatory environment in terms of businesses being able to hire in an environment 

where it makes sense to hire. And then there is an overriding issue 

of uncertainty. 

So if you look at taxes and regulations, if business owners, small, 

medium, and large, have certainty in those two main areas, they 

will start to hire. 

Mr. HUELSKAMP. Thank you. I yield back the balance of my time, 

Mr. Chairman. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. McNerney. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 


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We all want the same thing here. We want to figure out how to 

hook up the veterans that are out there with the jobs that are out 

there. 

Ms. Jefferies, I would like to ask you a little bit more on the 

other side of this, rather than encouraging all these agencies and 

all these contractors, have there been any penalties assessed lately 

against contractors that have not met Federal regulations in terms 

of hiring veterans? 

Ms. JEFFERIES. In our survey that we did, there were a handful 

of companies that did report they are under some conciliation 

agreements to improve the hiring of veterans in their organizations. So, yes, there have been some cases where employers could 

do a better job. 

And at the end of the day it boils down to those H.R. people 

being so new they are just not aware of many of the programs that 

exist and how to go about doing this. And so, again, this education 

is, to me, a number one priority. And employers are hungry for it. 

And I think if we can just keep in mind that companies have a lot 

of turnover, we can’t just go once and be done, it is a constant effort that needs to be a constant initiative that will never, ever be 

done. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. But, I mean, as long as they just get their little 

wrists slapped they are going to say, well, we will get to it when 

we get to it. If there are assessments made, then they will be more 

likely to think about that as a priority. 

Ms. JEFFERIES. Absolutely. I mean, when you are audited by the 

OFCCP that is always a very challenging process to get through. 

But if you end up with a conciliation agreement, that can be serious. And so if they want to maintain their Federal contracts they 

will respond to that. And I still say at the end of the day it all ties 

back to communication and education. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. Thank you. 

Mr. Hobbie, one of the things you said kind of struck me in your 

testimony, is that there is one-half the funding for local and State 

employment agencies as there was 30 years ago, I think you said. 

Mr. HOBBIE. Right. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. What is the source of that funding that has been 

diminished by 50 percent? 

Mr. HOBBIE. The source for appropriations for Wagner-Peyser 

Act labor exchange services is the Federal unemployment tax paid 

by employers into the Federal-State unemployment insurance 

system. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. So what you are saying then is there is a 50 percent reduction in Federal contribution to these agencies that could 

make a difference in terms of hiring veterans? 

Mr. HOBBIE. That is right. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. Okay. All right. Thank you. 

Mr. Schmiegel—and I am going to follow up on a comment from 

Mr. Benishek—you said that there were 90 percent skills that are 

transferrable from veterans to civilian employees. In an ideal world 

where the veterans had qualifications and the employers knew 

what those qualifications meant and so on, do you think that we 

could employ 90 percent? Could you explain that number a little 

bit better? 


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Mr. SCHMIEGEL. I don’t think we could employ 90 percent. Maybe 

that is a little bit misleading, that figure, because some occupational specialties in the military have huge numbers. 

So let’s just take infantrymen. Some would argue that that is not 

a skill set that is directly transferrable to the civilian workforce. 

If you look at the Army and the Marine Corps, there are a large 

number of infantrymen serving. So that 90 percent does not directly translate into 90 percent of veterans being able to transition 

into the workforce. 

I think you need programs to help other occupational specialties 

in the military transfer to the civilian workforce. I mean, we are 

firm proponents of that. You can easily do that with better certification and licensing. You can do that with apprenticeship programs. You can do that with mentoring. 

I think some of these young men and women that don’t have occupations in the military that are directly transferrable are good 

leaders and can easily transfer to the civilian workforce. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. Does the VA have a Web site that veterans can 

go to and put their resumes on that are accessible? That sounds 

like something that is easy—would be easy to implement in the 

VA. 

Okay, I guess that is all I have, and I am just about out of time. 

I yield back. 

The CHAIRMAN. I think one of the things we probably also need 

to—while we are focusing on trying to make sure that whatever 

skill set that they have while they are in the military is important 

to bring it forward, but the other thing that we need to focus on 

as well is I was speaking with a home builder the other day. He 

said, I can teach somebody to frame a house, I can teach somebody 

to put a roof on, but these men and women that are coming out 

of the service have skill sets that other people don’t have, honesty, 

integrity, the ability to get up and work many, many hours at a 

time. So let’s not lose that focus as well. 

Mr. Schmiegel. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. Just a little anecdote for that. When we were in 

Chicago the day of the hiring fair, a small local builder hired six 

veterans on the spot because he has seen that in practice. It is as 

simple as that. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Barrow. 

Now Mr. Braley. 

Mr. BRALEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

And, Mr. Schmiegel, I understand before I was able to arrive you 

spoke about the Iowa National Guard, specifically the fact that 

3,200 of them will be demobilizing soon and that that will create 

an enormous challenge in our State, given the size of our State and 

the fact that, even though we have been fortunate our unemployment rate State-wide has been below the national average, it is 

still a tight job market. 

When 60 Minutes featured Medal of Honor winner Sal Giunta 

Sunday night from Hiawatha, Iowa, you know, somebody like that 

has the type of notoriety that he is probably going to have a lot of 

potential job offers. But the sad reality for the 3,200 members of 

the Iowa National Guard is they went, they did their job, and now 


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they are coming home to a dramatically different workplace environment than when they left a year ago. 

One of the frustrating challenges often in dealing with the Guard 

and Reserve is they don’t have some of the same institutional support that you get when you are on active-duty service and there are 

a lot of base-related assistance available to you. They go off into 

their home communities. Many of them are from smaller towns in 

rural areas, and the availability of assistance close at hand isn’t 

what it is in a larger urban area. 

So could you just talk a little bit about what the game plan is 

at these different—I can’t remember what specifically you describe 

them as—these nine centers that are going to be set up and how 

that is going to work. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. Yes, sir. One of the strengths of the program 

that the Chamber is implementing is, again, at the local community level. Local Chambers of Commerce generally don’t have big 

companies as members. They have small companies. So the 

strength of a program in Iowa specifically that we address in those 

nine communities, the local Chambers of Commerce will reach out 

to their individual business communities and ask them to support 

this demobilization. 

We are working with the employer support of the Guard and Reserve who also has a network of employers, medium—mostly medium and large businesses. 

So, again, if you look at the Chamber as a private-sector organization and the businesses affiliated with us, the 3 million across 

America through our local chambers, and you look at the employer 

support of the Guard and Reserve and our access to National 

Guard and Reserve units, we can easily look at the Yellow Ribbon 

events that they have going on throughout the country in small 

communities across America and coordinate our efforts. It is as 

simple as that. 

If you have a unit coming back in September, you plan for a hiring fair with the local Chamber of Commerce in October or November. I guarantee you if you go back to some local communities, 

some cities across the country, you will see hiring fairs right now 

or events in August and you have a Guard and Reserve unit coming back in September. 

So the very essence of coordinating is looking at when you have 

those folks coming back and trying to do something that will help 

them find employment a month or two after they do get back. 

Mr. BRALEY. One of the big challenges and frustrations is the obstacles that the DoD sometimes presents in terms of making sure 

that these demobilizing soldiers are getting the type of benefits 

that they are entitled to under the GI Bill. We ran into this when 

the Iowa Guard came home from Iraq after the longest combat deployment of any unit several years ago and were denied additional 

GI Bill benefits, which many of them use in order to increase their 

employability by getting further education or job skills. 

So I would just encourage you to take that message back to the 

Chamber and encourage them to maintain open lines of communication at the DoD. Even though it is not directly related to what 

you are talking about, it can sometimes serve as an impediment to 

young people trying to restart their careers when they come home. 


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But I do want to thank you for the Chamber’s efforts, and I yield 

back. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Filner. 

Mr. FILNER. Just briefly. 

We have talked a lot about connections and communicating information. How about incentives? Have the tax credits worked? What 

if we paid a year’s salary or 5 years’ salary for businesses that hire 

veterans? We bailed out everybody in the country. Why don’t we 

bail out our veterans? We talk about trying to hook up the veterans 

with employers. What if an employer knew that the salary was 

going to be paid? They would seek out the veterans. What is your 

sense of if that will work? 

Mr. HOBBIE. Well, I am not an expert on the research evidence. 

But what I am aware of on employment tax credits is that they are 

not particularly effective. However, such programs, not only tax expenditures or tax credits or direct spending to subsidize employment, can work better if the programs are targeted on those who 

are unlikely to find jobs otherwise. Now, that is easy to say and 

hard to do. 

Mr. FILNER. So like the 18- to 24-year-olds who came out of special—like infantry, you could target those, right? 

Mr. HOBBIE. Correct. 

Mr. FILNER. Any other comment? 

Yes, sir. 

Mr. SCHMIEGEL. I think that if the tax credits are focused on 

skills training for individuals, I think it will be much more successful. And I think it goes to Ms. Jefferies’ points about educating employers. 

I think if you look at what we are trying to do with the Chamber, 

with DoL VETS, with ESGR, part of this is education. So we are 

working on, prior to the hiring fairs, to talk to employers about 

why it makes sense for their business to hire a veteran. 

I think you need to go one step further and really have an education campaign for employers on the tax credits that are out 

there. But, again, they must be targeted, and I think they should 

be focused on individuals that may be lacking specific skill sets to 

make the transition to the civilian workforce. 

Mr. JACKSON. And I would agree that tax credits would add some 

incentive. But I would caution that what is available now is not 

being used because people just are not aware of many of the benefits that are available for engaging in hiring veterans. So I think 

a tax credit would require an information project along with it to 

make sure that everyone is aware of it as well. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much for your comments today. 

If any other Members have comments, they can submit them for 

the record. 

I also ask unanimous consent that all Members would have 5 

legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. 

Thank you very much for being here. 

And while they are leaving the table I would ask the second 

panel to come forward. 

The panel consists of Mr. George Ondick, the Executive Director 

of AMVETS for the Department of Ohio; followed by Captain Marshall Hanson, the Director of Legislative and Military Policy at the 


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Reserve Officers Association (ROA); and, finally, Ms. Heather 

Ansley, the Co-Chair, Veterans Task Force of the Consortium for 

Citizens with Disabilities (CCD). 

Thank you all for being here, and we will begin with Mr. Ondick. 

You are recognized. 

STATEMENTS OF GEORGE ONDICK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 

DEPARTMENT OF OHIO, AMERICAN VETERANS (AMVETS); 

CAPTAIN MARSHALL HANSON, USNR (RET.), DIRECTOR, LEGISLATIVE AND MILITARY POLICY, RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND ALSO ON BEHALF OF 

RESERVE ENLISTED ASSOCIATION; AND HEATHER L. 

ANSLEY, ESQ., MSW, CO–CHAIR, VETERANS TASK FORCE, 

CONSORTIUM FOR CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES 

STATEMENT OF GEORGE ONDICK 

Mr. ONDICK. Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and distinguished Members of the Committee, on behalf of the AMVETS 

Department of Ohio I would like to thank you for inviting me here 

today to share with you our views and recommendations regarding 

employment within the veterans community. 

AMVETS was founded in order to enhance and safeguard the entitlements of all American veterans who have served honorably, as 

well as to improve their quality of life and that of their families 

and the communities in which they live in. We do this through 

leadership, advocacy, and service. 

Today, I will be discussing one of the services AMVETS has to 

offer, the AMVETS Career Center. The first AMVETS Career Center opened in 2000, and subsequently in 2003 AMVETS Career 

Centers became an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable corporation incorporated in Ohio to provide career training employment-related services to Ohio’s veterans. 

AMVETS Career Center was initially funded by a $100,000 grant 

from the State of Ohio. The grant was used to establish the first 

AMVETS Career Center at Department of Ohio AMVETS headquarters in Columbus. Further funding for the Ohio AMVETS Career Center has been provided through the sale of Charitable Instant Bingo. These tickets under State law requires that a portion 

of the sales be donated to a 501(c)(3) organization, and in this instance the AMVETS Career Center. So far, we have been self-sustaining and have not yet received any Federal funding to run our 

program. 

The initial concept for the AMVETS Career Center was to provide training and assistance to returning veterans as they applied 

for their license and/or certification for the training that they had 

received in the military. We soon discovered that our veterans also 

needed stopgap training, re ́sume ́ development, interviewing skills, 

basic computer skills, and assistance in other vital areas of the 

overall employment process. 

Moreover, the AMVETS Career Center originally provided this 

training through the use of CD-based programs which quickly 

proved to be cumbersome and inefficient. We then entered into an 

agreement with Mindleaders, then the largest provider of online 

courses in the United States, to provide AMVETS Career Center 


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with the necessary courses to assist our veterans. The AMVETS 

Career Center paid Mindleaders for their online service platform, 

thus resulting in our veterans having offsite Internet access to 

their desired courses through a Web-based log-in and password to 

receive their desired course of study. 

Currently, the veterans utilizing the AMVETS Career Center 

have access to over 300 online Mindleaders courses. Once registered, students may study at a local career center or any other 

place that broadband Internet service is available, including the 

comfort of their own homes. Veterans pay no out-of-pocket expense 

for the courses we offer, since the AMVETS Career Centers feel 

that the veteran has already paid the price in service to his country. 

The AMVETS Career Center not only provides career services to 

veterans but also provides free services to the spouses and children 

of military personnel who are deployed outside of Ohio. 

We also recognize a very high unemployment rate among the National Guard and Reserve. So, in response, the AMVETS Career 

Center chose to initiate the Ohio Veterans Career Assistance Network, or Vets CAN. 

The Ohio Vets CAN is a partnership between the AMVETS Department of Ohio and the Ohio National Guard. Ohio Vets CAN 

was created as an online jobs bank where veterans and members 

of the National Guard and Reserve can link up with employers who 

value and support military service to America. 

The average cost to the State of Ohio to provide similar services through the DoL grant is about $1,500 per veteran. This is a sharp 

contrast to the cost of services AMVETS Career Centers can deliver 

for only $250. We believe this is due to the broad network of volunteers and the partnership and resources uniquely available to the 

veteran service community. 

And although we have been successful, we do not advertise our 

program. If we did, our current funding stream would end very 

quickly. It would be depleted. 

With all of the recent discussion of fiscal responsibility and the 

large success rate of our participating veterans, the AMVETS Career Center just makes sense. 

Chairman Miller, distinguished Members of the Committee, this 

concludes my testimony. I would like to again thank you for inviting me to participate in this very important hearing, and I stand 

ready to answer any questions you may have. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Ondick appears on p. 76.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Ondick. 

Captain Hanson, you are next; and thank you very much for attending our roundtable discussion last week. We appreciate your 

comments. 

STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN MARSHALL HANSON, USNR (RET.) 

Captain HANSON. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Filner, Members of the 

Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on employment 

challenges facing today’s veterans. 

While April brought improvement to veteran unemployment 

rates, the 18- to 24-year-old bracket remains high at 26.8 percent, 

which is about 10 percent higher than that population as a whole. 

This group is first-tour veterans returning from active duty. Many 


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remain in the Reserve components rather than leave the military. 

These are unique veterans who can be ordered back to active duty. 

Three surveys show that between 60 and 70 percent of employers 

won’t hire new employees who are affiliated with the Guard and 

Reserve, which is an upward trend. The risk of a future 1-year callup discourages many potential employers. This is a violation of the 

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, 

but it can be difficult to prove. 

Unemployment rates are even higher for returning units in the 

Army National Guard, with the Guard Bureau reporting rates as 

high as 35 to 45 percent. Florida is a case study of corrections 

taken by proactive leadership. 

The Guard numbers are high because many returning veterans 

don’t want to go back to the type of work that they did prior to deployment. Newly acquired skills and combat experiences can 

change career ambitions. The Post–9/11 GI Bill provides an opportunity for veterans to seek new employment paths. 

Even though the United States will be winding down its overseas 

contingency operations, the Reserve Officers Association sees a 

trend of veteran unemployment as an ongoing problem. With plans 

to keep the Guard and Reserve as an operational force, employers 

will continue to be hesitant to lose key employees without positive 

incentives. 

Employers view USERRA as a negative incentive and would like 

to see positive encouragement to hire veterans. As employers look 

to the bottom line, tax credits or financial grants for hiring veterans are just examples of incentives. Small businesses are more 

likely to hire Guard and Reserve veterans if they can afford to hire 

temporary replacements during deployments. 

The Reserve Officers Association established the Service Members Law Center with Navy Captain Sam Wright as its Director. 

This service is provided to all members of the uniformed services, 

including active, Reserve, and separated veterans. Sam receives 

500 calls a month from veterans facing legal problems, 80 percent 

of which are about employment or reemployment rights. This calculates to about 4,800 calls a year on USERRA issues. 

There is no fee service charged to the veteran and demand is 

growing, but Captain Wright has reached his personal capacity. 

ROA would like to expand the law center, but ROA can only do so 

much because self-funding is what is maintaining this endeavor. 

Even the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve Committee and the Department of Labor can’t handle the number of requests they receive as cases. So most reemployment cases are being 

handled by private lawsuit. ROA finds that many veteran employers do not know their rights of what the law is, as illustrated by 

the number of calls that ROA receives. Many veterans do not even 

know what resources are available through the ESGR or DoL. So 

they quietly surrender, simply seeking work elsewhere. 

ROA would like to thank the Committee and its staff for its attention to this critical issue and looks forward to working with this 

Committee on improving USERRA and helping veterans with employment challenges. 

I am ready for questions. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Captain Hanson appears on p. 79.] 


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The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

Ms. Ansley. 

STATEMENT OF HEATHER L. ANSLEY, ESQ., MSW 

Ms. ANSLEY. Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and distinguished Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting the 

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, or CCD, Veterans Task 

Force to share our views regarding ways to improve employment 

opportunities for veterans who are severely disabled. 

CCD is a coalition of over 100 national consumer service provider 

and professional organizations, which advocates on behalf of people 

with disabilities and chronic conditions and their families. The 

CCD Veterans Task Force works to bring together the disability 

and veterans’ communities to address the issues that affect veterans with disabilities as people with disabilities. 

Because of the intersection of the disability and veterans’ communities that occurs when a veteran acquires a significant disability, the CCD Veterans Task Force is uniquely suited to bring 

both perspectives to issues that cut across programmatic and policy 

lines. 

The CCD Veterans Task Force believes that meaningful employment represents one of the best opportunities for veterans with significant disabilities to reintegrate successfully into their communities. In the most recent study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on employment for veterans with service-connected disabilities, 

114,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan reported having a service-connected disability rated at 60 percent or higher. Unfortunately, 41,000 of these veterans are not participating in the 

labor force. Among veterans of all eras with a service-connected 

disability rated at least 60 percent, workforce participation was 

27.9 percent. 

Typically, discussions about veterans’ employment center on veteran-specific programs operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Small Business Administration, or Department of Labor. Veterans with disabilities as people with disabilities who need employment assistance are also able to turn to programs authorized under 

the Workforce Investment Act or, in the case of veterans with significant disabilities, State vocational rehabilitation agencies and 

Ticket to Work under Social Security. 

Veterans with the highest service-connected disability ratings 

and veterans on VA disability pension will likely qualify for State 

vocational rehabilitation services. Strengthening the connection between VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) 

program and State vocation rehabilitation services through the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration is 

critical to ensuring that veterans with disabilities receive the services that they need in order to remain in or return to the workforce. 

Veterans with significant disabilities are often beneficiaries of 

Social Security disability insurance. As Social Security disability 

beneficiaries, veterans are able to participate in Social Security employment programs such as Ticket to Work, which allows beneficiaries to purchase vocational rehabilitation services from an 

array of providers. Some veterans are dually eligible for Social SeVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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curity disability benefits and VA pensions. If these individuals attempt to use Social Security’s work incentives to increase their income, however, not only will their Social Security disability benefits 

be terminated but their VA pension benefits are reduced dollar for 

dollar. 

The CCD Veterans Task Force believes that work incentives for 

the VA pension program should be reexamined. 

The Workforce Investment Act covers most of the Nation’s major 

employment and training programs operated through the Department of Labor. Several sections of the Workforce Investment Act 

incorporate veterans’ employment into its overall mission. The 

Workforce Investment Act has been slated for reauthorization since 

2003. While progress has been made, additional changes, as outlined in our written testimony, are needed to focus on the performance of the entire system. 

Although many veterans with disabilities have the skills needed 

to qualify for employment opportunities and advance in their careers, barriers to employment continue to prevent these veterans 

from receiving opportunities. Veterans with disabilities, like other 

people with disabilities, face barriers to employment that include 

misinformation about disability and misperceptions about required 

accommodations. These barriers must addressed. Otherwise, training opportunities alone will not address the needs of those veterans 

who have the most significant disabilities to allow them to reintegrate into the workforce and contribute to their communities. 

Again, thank you for the opportunity to share the CCD Veterans 

Task Force’s views on improving employment opportunities for severely disabled veterans. This concludes my testimony, and I would 

be pleased to answer any questions you may have. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Ansley appears on p. 86.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you all for your testimony this morning. 

Mr. Hanson, you mentioned that the Reserve Officers Association 

established the Service Members Law Centers whose goals are generally to improve understanding of the law as it relates to veterans 

and USERRA and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Would you 

agree that the need for a center is an indication of a shortage of 

attorneys qualified in veterans’ law and the need for law schools 

to provide courses—more courses in veteran law? 

Captain HANSON. Most definitely, sir. What we are finding out 

there is the community as a whole is very hungry to learn more 

about the USERRA law and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. 

There is basically a lack of proper education out there. 

According to Captain Sam Wright, who has helped write some of 

this legislation, the demand is growing. He is actually going to 

seminars, oftentimes being sponsored by the American or State Bar 

Associations, and teaching more about this to the lawyers directly. 

And this is one of the purposes of the Law Center, is to help educate, as well as provide information to the servicemembers themselves. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Ondick, you had said that the Career center 

system had expanded to several other States. I am interested in 

knowing what major impediments may be there to further expansion beyond those States that have already expanded. 


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Mr. ONDICK. Mr. Chairman, the AMVETS Career Centers, as you 

mentioned, are in New York, Tennessee, and Illinois at this time. 

Some of the impediments are dollars. We provide courses at no cost 

to our veterans. However, we have to pay for those courses. We set 

up a program through Mindleaders, and it can be quite expensive. 

So some of the determinants are the cost that is involved with providing the courses. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Filner. 

Mr. FILNER. Can I yield to Mr. McNerney? 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. McNerney. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

You know, first, I just want to make a plug for a bill that we 

dropped last week, Hire a Hero Act. I think Mr. Filner is a co-author. And it has several provisions. One of them is that it is a pilot 

project to help between the Veterans Administration, the DoD, and 

the Department of Labor to identify the barriers to veterans’ employment. It does several other things as well. So I would ask the 

Chairman to consider becoming co-sponsor of that. 

Speaking of barriers to employment, Captain Hanson and Ms. 

Ansley, what do you think are the biggest barriers that our veterans are facing out there in terms of getting a job after they get 

released? 

Captain HANSON. Well, I think one thing that this hearing, Congressman, is demonstrating is the fact that there are a lot of people 

out there trying to help, which in the process I think is almost providing an overload of information. And I notice the Chamber of 

Commerce in the recommendation for job fairs said they wanted to 

do it 30 days after the individuals return from deployment. The 

challenge here is that a lot of Guard and Reserve members are not 

ready to think about future careers at 30 days after returning from 

overseas. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. So even 30 days is not enough? I mean, he was 

saying 30 days after, as opposed to 30 days before they get back? 

Captain HANSON. Well, if you look at the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program that a lot of States have set up—and I give 

credit to the National Guard for starting the programs—they actually bring the people in on 30, 60, and 90-day schedules and also 

include the families to participate in these programs. And I think 

you can’t afford the information overload. 

So if an individual is coming back, as was pointed out earlier, 

they want to get home quickly. So, oftentimes, they are fatigued, 

they are not perceptive to a lot of the information that is being provided. In fact, that is one of the complaints about TAPS, is that 

there is almost too much information in too short a time that is 

there. 

So I think partnering locally in groups is the advisable thing to 

do but to also do it at such a time when the member is more receptive to this information. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. Would veteran service organizations (VSOs) be 

qualified or the right contact, do you think, for that? 

Captain HANSON. Well, I think you will find it varies from location to location. In Ohio, obviously, you see the advantage of 

AMVETS and what they are working on. If you go to California, 

you might find other groups that are the resources to go to. And 


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it varies depending on membership and who the spark plugs are 

in informal leadership within those groups. Many States have an 

informal military veteran coalition that meets Statewide, and that 

is perhaps a level to work at. 

But I think it is a partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VSOs, the military service organizations, the 

local offices for Department of Labor that should all get together 

and kind of coordinate and optimize rather than duplicate the efforts. 

Ms. ANSLEY. Thank you for the question. 

I think one of the biggest barriers that we see specifically looking 

at veterans with significant disabilities is not only do they have everything that all other veterans are dealing with when they come 

back, but they have now acquired perhaps a significant disability, 

which is quite a paradigm shift as now you are beginning to learn 

what it is like to live with a disability and to look at yourself possibly as a person with a disability. 

People with disabilities in general have very low employment 

rates. And some of those barriers do relate to employers not knowing what type of accommodations they need to provide, would this 

person be gone a lot because of medical appointments. There is a 

whole new layer of issues that have to be dealt with. 

We also see the need for more connections between the programs 

within VA and making sure we are connecting to programs that 

are set up for people with disabilities to make those connections. 

Because a lot of people do want to reach out to the veteran who 

now has a disability, and we have to make that connection easy. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. So it is probably a matter of education and 

training for the employers? 

Ms. ANSLEY. Right. That is always something that comes up with 

employers, is that? 

Mr. MCNERNEY. That is the thing we are hearing a lot this 

morning. 

Ms. ANSLEY. Yes. Helping the veteran to know what his or her 

rights are now as a person with a disability. Because they also 

have the ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, they have 

other services that are available to them, and to making sure that 

they are able to benefit from all of those services and that people 

are working together. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. Thank you. 

One more question. Captain Hanson, you mentioned that 

USERRA employers view USERRA as a negative incentive. How 

would we turn that around and make it into a positive incentive? 

Captain HANSON. Well, from our discussions with employers, I 

think it is a balancing act. The structure of USERRA basically 

says, if you fail to do this, you will be penalized. And, unfortunately, one thing we are also seeing with USERRA is the fact that 

in industry the violation of USERRA is most oftentimes not overt 

but more subtle, which is one of the things that through the Law 

Center we are trying to teach some of the differences to the people 

out there and advise the veterans themselves on when appropriate 

action can be taken and when something is perhaps not documented well enough on their side. 


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But it should also be remembered that the employers have rights 

as well as the employee and that this can be one area you can work 

on and help educate. Because, as mentioned in our testimony, more 

times than not it is ignorance that we are facing on both the part 

of the employer and the employee, rather than intentional violation 

of it. But at the same time they would just like to see some type 

of incentives that can be put in place. 

I saw last night in your activities, for example, a bill was passed 

to present an award to employers who hire veterans. And I think 

this is a good move because, like the employers, the part of the 

Guard and Reserve that have similar awards for employers that 

support the Guard and Reserve if you do the positive for the behavior that is improving it as well as having that negative incentive. 

Mr. MCNERNEY. Well, the bill that I was plugging earlier does 

that. So just thank you for the plug—additional plug on that. 

I am going to yield back. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Filner. 

Mr. FILNER. Thank you very much for being here today. We appreciate your testimony. 

Mr. Ondick, did you have a comment? 

Mr. ONDICK. Yes, I do. 

One of the problems that we have is with the United States Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training, the 

DVOPs/LVER program, where they are tasked for intensive services only. And in Ohio that meant they serviced about 5,000 veterans. Back in 2009—we have the figures from 2009—they serviced 

5,000 veterans. What happened to the other 100,000 veterans that 

were unemployed? So that is where we step in as veterans’ organizations. 

And in an earlier comment by Ranking Member Filner when he 

talked about the truck driving, we can get an individual that comes 

out of the military, we can get him into—get a CD out and get him 

a job in 5 days. If we can do it, why can’t others? Five days. We 

did it in 1 day for an individual, but Jupiter had to align with Mars 

for that to happen. 

There are avenues out there, and we can make things happen 

with the veterans organizations that are grassroots. In Ohio, in the 

AMVETS alone, we have 140 veterans, AMVETS post in that 

State. 

If you are looking for a network, I think that utilization of the 

veterans service organizations that are all over this country in 

every community, big and small, would probably be the best way 

to tackle something and to get to every part of a State across this 

country. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. We appreciate your testimony. You are excused. Thank you. 

I want to welcome our third and final panel this morning to the 

table. 

Major General James Tyre is the Assistant Adjutant General for 

the Army National Guard in my home State of Florida. General 

Tyre has a long, distinguished career in the National Guard and 

served 10 years as a noncommissioned officer. Next, we have Ms. 

Ruth Fanning, the Director of the Vocational Rehabilitation and 

Employment Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and, fiVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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nally, the Honorable Raymond Jefferson, the Assistant Secretary of 

the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service of the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Thank you all for being here. Thank you for your patience. 

General Tyre, we will begin with you. You are recognized. 

STATEMENTS OF MAJOR GENERAL JAMES D. TYRE, ARNG, ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL, FLORIDA ARMY NATIONAL 

GUARD; RUTH A. FANNING, DIRECTOR, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICE, VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS; 

AND HON. RAYMOND M. JEFFERSON, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, VETERANS’ EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICE, 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

STATEMENT OF MAJOR GENERAL JAMES D. TYRE, ARNG 

General TYRE. Good morning, sir. 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, distinguished Members of the Committee, I am honored to appear before you today 

on behalf of the Adjutant General of Florida, Major General Emmett Titshaw, and the 12,000 members of the Florida National 

Guard. I welcome the opportunity to illustrate through our story a 

picture that is common across most of our States and territories. 

Our units are continuing to return home after some of the largest 

mobilizations since World War II. These Guardsmen have proudly 

answered the call but have returned home to face a different 

threat, unemployment. Closing businesses, fewer jobs, and an overall economic decline have contributed to the struggles associated 

with redeployment of our forces. 

A number of great Federal, State, and private programs exist to 

assist Guardsmen transitioning back to civilian life. However, the 

challenge that remains is finding or creating a link that joins our 

unemployed Guardsmen with existing resources and programs that 

will result in a viable career. 

Unemployment in the Florida National Guard ranges from 

roughly 14 to 38 percent across redeploying units. Our surveys 

have identified over 1,700 soldiers who are unemployed. This represents 17 percent of the Army National Guard force which largely 

redeployed since July of 2010. 

One example is the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, our 

largest redeploying unit, with locations from Miami to Pensacola 

that redeployed from Iraq and from Kuwait this past December 

with more than 30 percent expressing civilian employment challenges. 

We have also learned that the greatest challenges to employment 

emerge months or years after the servicemember returns home. 

Currently, there is no enduring program at the local level to address this need. 

The Florida National Guard has partnered for many years with 

large corporations as well as public and private organizations and 

programs to address employment issues. In the fall of 2010, the Adjutant General established the Florida National Guard Family Career Connection, which joined with Employer Partnership for 

Armed Services and Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation to 


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assist our soldiers and our airmen. Together, we have registered 

over 450 redeploying soldiers with these agencies and provided 

classes on job search, techniques, resume development, and interview preparation. However, despite these efforts, our Guardsmen 

continue to experience employment challenges, and we anticipate 

more to materialize as we move into the 6- to 24-month post-deployment window. 

While we are proud of the progress that we have made in linking 

our soldiers and airmen to employers, there are still some measures that can be taken to improve our current programs. Developing incentives for employers to seek out and hire Guardsmen 

would be an effective enabler for business that currently support 

the National Guard as well as those that would like to support but 

cannot afford to during these tough economic times. Individual 

State programs in Texas and Washington State have demonstrated 

value but may be at risk for future funding and not available to 

all States, including Florida. 

We are doing everything we can with other online sources which 

are available to assist with translating military experience into civilian skills in connecting our soldiers and airmen to employers. 

However, without sustained resourcing, simple centralized planning, decentralized delivery, and an individually tailored plan, 

servicemembers may miss opportunities just for the lack of knowing where to go. 

In Florida, we believe a one-stop shop is needed for our soldiers 

and airmen, one that integrates these complementary systems and 

locally ties them to employers. This one-stop shop would offer transition services to Guardsmen in an environment that eases the 

navigation through the numerous resources that already exist. Our 

facilities are well suited to house this type of enterprise because of 

their local ties to the communities. 

Now what I have described all requires resourcing but in the end 

will pay dividends through other matrixes. Reserve component 

servicemembers who are employed are easier to retain in their respective units and services. We are at the peak of our readiness, 

and the cost to replace and train even one servicemember is immeasurable, particularly because of the institutional knowledge 

and the experience gained through a decade of conflict. 

As servicemembers redeploy and transition back to civilian life, 

we want to embrace them and provide support for full simulation. 

Addressing the issues of unemployment is just one means to tackle 

what has become an issue of resiliency not just for the National 

Guard but also for other components and services. A locally embedded resource that is postured to integrate employers, Guardsmen, 

and available resources to eliminate unemployment amongst the 

servicemembers is critical. 

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to be here today to 

tell our story; and I look forward to your questions. 

[The prepared statement of General Tyre appears on p. 93.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, General. 

Ms. Fanning, you are recognized. 

STATEMENT OF RUTH A. FANNING 

Ms. FANNING. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 


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Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and distinguished 

Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me here today 

to discuss the Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or VetSuccess, program. I am pleased to 

appear before you to discuss the vitally important topic of veterans’ 

employment. 

I also want to note that I appreciated the opportunity to hear the 

dialogue from the other panels with many of our partners. We are 

partnering with everyone who has spoken thus far, except for two 

associations; and I will be getting in touch with them right after 

this hearing. 

I wanted to give you an overview of the vocational rehabilitation 

and employment program. Over the past 2 years, we have worked 

to rebrand and market our services as VetSuccess and to stand up 

tools for veterans that lead to career success. 

The primary mission of our program is to assist veterans with 

service-connected disabilities to prepare for and obtain suitable and 

sustainable careers through the provision of services that are individually tailored to each veteran’s needs. But, as you will hear 

throughout my testimony, we have greatly expanded our services; 

and we are now providing benefits to veterans who are not disabled 

who are utilizing Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. 

The services that we provide are broad in range and include a 

comprehensive Web site designed to connect veterans with employers and to provide that one-stop Web site that everyone has been 

talking about this morning. This is a model that can either become 

or lead to the national portal, and we are working collaboratively 

with the Department of Labor and a number of Federal organizations to look at VetSuccess.gov and its success, if you will. Also, 

what else would we need to translate this or form a national portal? 

On the Web site is a military skills translator that assists 

servicemembers and veterans to translate their military occupational specialties to civilian careers so that they can build on their 

transferrable skills for employment. 

We provide direct job placement assistance, short-term training 

to augment their skills to increase employability, long-term training including on-the-job training, apprenticeships, college training, 

or services that support self-employment; and for those veterans 

unable to work because of the severity of their disabilities, independent living services to maximize their independence in their 

communities. 

We provide ongoing case management assistance throughout the 

rehabilitation programs to assist with any needs that would interfere with retention and completion to the point of employment. 

Our program begins with a comprehensive evaluation to help veterans identify and understand their interests, aptitudes, and 

transferrable skills. Next, we move to focusing veterans on potential career goals in line with labor market demands, and we also 

provide extensive outreach and early intervention services through 

our Coming Home to Work Program. 

Recently, VR&E Service VetSuccess has launched a transformation project geared to make our program the premier 21st 

Century vocational rehabilitation program. This effort focuses on 

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proach. Transformation changes include allowing veterans more 

choice in their appointment scheduling through automated scheduling, expediting a veteran’s entry into a rehabilitation program by 

streamlining the front-end process, reducing paperwork for our 

counselors so they can spend more one-on-one time with veterans, 

and we are also releasing a knowledge management portal which 

will be a one-stop tool for our staff around the country so that they 

have all the resources at their ready to do their jobs effectively. 

Working in collaboration with the VA Secretary’s innovation initiative, called VAi2, Vet Success has engaged in innovative initiatives to build self-employment incubators and tools, leading to more 

veteran-owned businesses in a project of self-management that will 

allow the most seriously disabled veterans to work in the career of 

their choosing and live as independently as possible. 

We are also conducting a VA employee innovation competition to 

allow the staff working every day with our veterans to identify additional program enhancements. We have received 732 ideas from 

a staff of voc rehab around the country of around 1,100, and we are 

currently evaluating these to begin implementing the most promising in August. 

In addition to the employment initiatives I have just mentioned, 

I would like to highlight other initiatives that we have ongoing. 

Veteran employment is the fundamental mission of our program. 

In fiscal year 2010, we rehabilitated just over 8,000 veterans in 

suitable employment and an additional approximately 2,000 in 

independent living. Of these, 51 percent were hired in the private 

sector and 79 percent were hired in professional, managerial, and 

technical programs, earning, on average, $42,000 a year to begin. 

Specific initiatives focused on assisting veterans who obtain and 

maintain suitable employment consistent with their interests, including employer education, which has been mentioned and is so 

important to help the employment community understand this is a 

smart business decision; implementation of executive order 1351(a), 

which includes working with other government agencies to maximize veteran employment within government—and about a third of 

the veterans we place in jobs are in the Federal Government; and 

working with the public- and private-sector employers to assist 

them to have a better understanding of tax credits, special employer incentives, and on-the-job training programs available when 

hiring veterans. 

Of course, with the VetSuccess program, which is not only a job 

board in coordination with NASWA and DirectEmployers, we have 

incorporated not only the Job Central job-board of over 8 million 

active jobs, but also a job board for employers who want to hire veterans. As of June, that will be linked with our e-portal, which 

means veterans, when they come into our program and are registered through e-portal, employers will know that they are hiring 

veterans. It will also allow veterans to have a lot more self-service 

options. 

Recently, we have ventured into the world of virtual career fairs 

in addition to brick-and-mortar career fairs. A partner advertised 

an upcoming veteran career fair on the Jumbotron in Times 

Square. We were really glad to see that kind of marketing for our 

program and for this very important career fair. 


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We have developed the Troops to Counselors initiative, and we 

plan by 2014 that 60 percent of our counselors will be veteran 

hires. And we are using the Student Career Experience Program 

to bring veterans in and train them while they are in college toward VA careers. 

About 42 percent of our employees around the country are veterans. We are very committed to hiring veterans; and we are the 

largest employer of veterans, aside from DoD. So we are the largest 

nondefense organization employer of veterans, I should say. 

The VetSuccess.gov Web site has been completely redesigned. It 

is a one-step resource for both disabled and able-bodied veterans 

and family members. The Web site includes a job board for employers desiring to hire veterans, resume builders, upload tools that 

allow veterans to utilize resumes already developed, complete resources for transition, employer families, success in college, and 

drill-down maps so that a veteran can go in and click on his or her 

city and find the resources they need in their area. 

In conclusion, I would like to say that VA continues to seek new 

and innovative ways to assist veterans in achieving their goals for 

full, productive, and meaningful lives and careers. We will continue 

to work with all sectors of government and public and private employment communities to assist veterans in reaching their highest 

potential during this challenging economy. 

This concludes my remarks. I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you, and I thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would be happy 

to respond to any questions you may have. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Fanning appears on p. 96.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. 

Mr. Jefferson, good to see you. 

STATEMENT OF HON. RAYMOND M. JEFFERSON 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, 

thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to be a part 

of this hearing. I ask my full written testimony be included as part 

of the record. 

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. VETS has the privilege of being the Congressionally mandated lead agency for veterans’ employment. But we 

can only accomplish this mission by working with our partners, our 

partners in government, like VA and Ruth Fanning, Defense, Office 

of Personnel Management, and the U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development, our partners in the nonprofit sectors, 

many of whom are here today, the veteran services organizations, 

NASWA, the Society for Human Resources Management, and our 

partners in the private sector, specifically, the U.S. Chamber of 

Commerce, the Business Executives for National Security, and the 

relationship that we are developing with the Business Roundtable. 

We have three primary responsibilities: preparing servicemembers for meaningful and successful careers, providing access to 

them, and protecting their employment rights. 

We are going to have a major hearing on TAP tomorrow. Here 

is what I would like to leave the Committee with: We have identified the six major problems in TAP, developed solutions for those, 

and we are on track to implement the new, completely redesigned 


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and transformed Transition Assistance Program Employment 

Workshop by Veterans Day of this year. That is my goal. 

We are also working to link with the Military Spouse Employment Program at DoD so spouses for the first time will greatly increase their participation in TAP and their preparedness. There is 

also going to be a significant element in there on entrepreneurship. 

Providing access, the second major responsibility to meaningful 

and successful careers. A lot is happening here. In partnership 

with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and ESGR, we are rolling out 

100 mega hiring fairs around the country. 

What is a mega hiring fair? It is a hiring fair where there is generally over 100 employers and over 1,000 veterans. We have 

worked with ESGR to identify where are those major demobilizations occurring and then doing hiring fairs after the units have returned. We are also developing a replica model so not only can we 

have the hundred mega hiring fairs, but it also can be cascaded 

into rural America. 

We are developing a partnership with SHRM, the Society for 

Human Resource Management, where for the first time we will be 

briefing rooms full of hundreds of H.R. executives on why to hire 

a veteran and how to hire a veteran. They have over 250,000 members who are doing hiring around the country, and we are going to 

be getting in front of them for the first time. 

We have our State grants program. Let me acknowledge that we 

need to improve this program. So for the first time, I believe, in 

the last decade we have gone out to solicit feedback on how we can 

improve, and we are processing that feedback right now. 

This year, one of my goals is to implement a community of practice. This is one of the 10 leadership breakthrough ideas of 2006. 

Bottom line, it allows us to have best practices shared from Florida 

to California, all around the country. There is no way for us to do 

that right now. 

The Federal Hiring Initiative. From fiscal year 2009 to 2010, 

Federal Government hiring went down by 11,000 people. In the 

same period of time, veterans hiring went up by 2,000, from 70,000 

to over 72,000. So the Federal Hiring Initiative, which we are 

working in partnership with VA, is working. 

For those young veterans 20- to 24-years-old, we have the Job 

Corps pilot. We are getting very good feedback on that from the 

young veterans. We have 300 slots. Once we do proof of concept, 

we can have more slots allocated; and we are going to be sending 

out videos that the young veterans and Job Corps have made talking about how this is a life-changer. It provides residential, all-expense paid training, housing, leading to a credential, a job, and 21 

months of post-deployment support. 

We have our green jobs training through Veterans Workforce Investment Program where we serve 4,600 veterans; our Homeless 

Veterans Reintegration Program. We have over 14,000 veterans 

being served there, with over 8,000 being put into employment. 

And there is much more. 

In terms of protecting veterans’ employment rights, I respectfully 

disagree with Captain Hanson. We actually feel that we have 

enough human capital resources on the ground to handle our load 

of investigations. We have also done a lean Six Sigma assessment 


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of what are the best practices relating to timeliness and quality, 

and we are implementing those best practices. Basically, a major 

one is to eliminate the paper-centric process and automate it, going 

to electronic case management. 

Finally, I will say that none of the great, important things that 

we are doing will have the impact that it should unless we engage 

the media as partners. So, last year, we worked with Forbes and 

Fortune Magazine and had articles out on the value of hiring a veteran. This year, we are working with the entertainment industry, 

with the Bob Woodruff Foundation. I was recently told that 

Businessweek this week has an article called, ‘‘Ready, Aim, Hire,’’ 

talking about the value of hiring veterans and how to hire veterans. 

We stand enthusiastic to work with this Committee and our 

other partners to make progress on this very important, noble errand in getting veterans and servicemembers back into meaningful 

and successful careers. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Jefferson appears on p. 100.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much for your testimony. 

Mr. Jefferson, you talked about requests for proposals to re-engineer TAP. You indicated that vendors—in your comments—must 

use certain books by certain authors; and if a vendor proposed to 

use an alternative, the explanation must be given as to why. What 

I would be interested in knowing is why or how did you select the 

books and did DoL’s General Counsel approve of who implicitly, if 

not explicitly, endorses these books? 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Yes, sir. 

First, let me say the actual language I said is content-related to 

this—either these books or do a crosswalk to the content. 

Prior to being confirmed as an Assistant Secretary here, I have 

spent the majority of my life in the leadership development domain. And so what I am asking in the Request for Proposal (RFP) 

is we have identified the best practices related to career transition. 

That is not just my opinion. That is from identifying who is the 

best in the Nation, working with Harvard Business School’s Office 

of Career Transition, working with West Point’s leadership department, working with other key leaders in this area. 

So in the TAP RFP, we have identified what the best practices 

are, and we have made those the standard. For example, we have 

often heard in Congressional hearings that servicemembers don’t 

know how to transition from the military to a civilian work environment. How are we going to solve that riddle once and for all? 

We have specified in very specific detail what are the elements of 

that cultural transition. And so that is an example of what is in 

the new TAP. 

Sir, we have made the standards high. We are hoping we will 

award that as soon as possible, and we are on track to have it done 

by Veterans Day. 

The CHAIRMAN. For you and VA both, DoD spends a tremendous 

amount of money in recruiting servicemembers. I would be interested in knowing how much money, if you know, VA and the Department of Labor spend on radio, TV ads to highlight the positive 

aspects of hiring veterans and the qualities that they bring to the 

Federal workforce or in the private sector. 


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Ms. FANNING. I don’t have the dollar amounts for you today, but 

I can get those for you. 

[The VA subsequently provided the following information:] 

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment 

Service (VR&E) spent $533,672 on outreach, promotional materials, and to 

attend outreach events such as the Society of Human Resource Management Conference, American Legion Job Fair, and Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. In addition, VR&E Service spent $103,828 on branded 

promotional items to provide to veterans and servicemembers during outreach events (total: $637,500). 

In addition, VRE expended $495,000 for maintenance of, and enhancements to, the VetSuccess.gov Web site. VetSucess.gov is an important marketing tool that VR&E uses to target veterans seeking employment and provides resource information for servicemembers throughout their transition, 

preparation for employment, and post employment. 

So far in FY 2011, approximately $1.13 million has been expended for 

outreach materials, events, and the VetSuccess.gov Web site. These outreach and marketing tools assist veterans with entering programs or services leading to employment, developing employer relationships resulting in 

job opportunities for veterans, and assisting servicemembers and veterans 

with all services leading to career employment. 

Also, in FY 2011, VA’s Office of Human Resources and Administration expended funds for marketing, outreach, and advertising to veterans that totaled $128,102 and included the following: 

Promotional Materials for Regional Recruiters for distribution: $22,774 

Veterans Acquisition Intern Program (Joint program with OPM to recruit 

veterans in the acquisition career field): $35,000 

OPM/VA Veterans Symposium to provide a learning forum to discuss 

strategies and issues concerning veterans employment: $50,000 

Advertising Materials: $1,015 

Outreach (Career Fairs): $19,313 

Ms. FANNING. But I can say that we have invested in marketing 

the program—the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program—as VetSuccess through a grassroots campaign at job fairs, at 

Yellow Ribbon events, at welcome home events anywhere where 

veterans and servicemembers are. 

We have permanently stationed 13 full-time counselors at primary military treatment facilities. They are reaching out to these 

young men and women while they are still active duty on medical 

hold. 

We are doing everything that we can to get the word out. In our 

budget request next year, we have a full marketing package that 

we have requested to put into place. 

First of all, we needed to get VetSuccess.gov up to the point that 

it was viable across the security hurdles, across the e-portal hurdles. And we are there. We went from having 66,000 hits in 2008 

to 28 million hits last year and so far this year over 22 million hits 

to the site. So veterans recognize our brand. They are coming to 

the site. 

And we are standing it up and enhancing it as rapidly as we can. 

I think if you go to the site today, you will see a different site than 

was up there 2 weeks ago. We have uploaded a huge amount of 

content just in the last 2 weeks. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Sir, I will take that question for the record. 

But our strategy has been primarily not to pay for advertising. 

We have been going out doing major public speaking engagements, 

one, for example, with 10,000 H.R. executives at the Society for 

Human Resource Management. That led to a conversation personVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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ally with Steve Forbes where he said he would like to do something 

in Forbes Magazine. And he did. 

We developed a relationship with the publisher of Fortune Magazine, who expressed their desire to promote veterans employment. 

They went ahead and also did coverage there. 

We did not pay for any of those coverages. But I will take it for 

the record so I can ensure that I am capturing anything else happening within the Department of Labor. 

But I will say there is tremendous goodwill and interest in the 

media right now, and so we are working to leverage that with stories on the value that veterans bring to the workforce and how employers can access this source of talent. 

[The DoL subsequently provided the following information:] 

DoL continues to highlight the positive aspects of hiring VETS through 

departmental news releases, speeches, testimony, appearances and other 

outreach efforts at the local and national level. However, at this time the 

agency does not have any direct budget line item for advertising to promote 

the hiring of veterans. 

The CHAIRMAN. How about national electronic media or the new 

social media that is available out there? Neither one of you even 

mentioned that. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Sir, I would love to comment on that. 

We just brought in an expert for the summer who is working on 

how we can leverage new media and social media. We do have 

some constraints within the Department of Labor, but we are looking at how we can push this out as far as possible while staying 

within all appropriate guidelines. 

Ms. FANNING. VA is on Facebook. We are blogging. We are 

tweeting. I think that is the correct term. We are looking at maximizing social media. 

In addition, as we move forward with the e-portal and have the 

assurance of secure connections over the Internet, in Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment specifically, as well as in our work 

with the GI Bill through the VetSuccess on Campus program, we 

are looking at doing counseling over the Internet through secure 

methods using e-chat. 

We already are in the process of implementing a program across 

the country where we are using technology so that we can provide 

counseling to veterans using technology rather than having a veteran drive 100 miles to our office or having a counselor drive 100 

miles to their home when maybe that day they could have seen five 

veterans instead of one during that travel time. We are maximizing 

the use of technology as much as possible. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Mr. Chairman, I will also acknowledge we are 

getting tremendous assistance from NASWA’s social media team 

and the Department of Defense’s social media team. A specific example is we are pushing out videos we have created for young veterans on the value of our Job Corps pilot, and they are helping us 

to disseminate that as well. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

Mr. Filner. 

Mr. FILNER. Thank you. 

Do we now have any mandates for Federal hiring or Federal contracting of veterans? 


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Mr. JEFFERSON. For Federal hiring, we have the Federal Hiring 

Initiative, where each agency has developed goals. As an initiative, 

it is succeeding, and we are achieving those goals, and we have 

hired more veterans than we have the previous year. So the Federal Hiring Initiative is very successful. 

Because the contracting comes under OFCCP, I would like to 

take that for the record and involve that agency in answering that 

question. 

Ms. FANNING. And I would just like to say that with the Presidential Executive Order 13–518, each agency and department has 

goals for increased veteran hiring. 

In regard to the use of contracting with small disabled veteranowned businesses or veteran-owned businesses, I know that VA has 

goals. But I will take it for the record to determine what kind of 

laws are in place governing specific mandates. 

[The VA subsequently provided the following information:] 

There are no laws requiring the hiring of veterans for contracts. The existing laws (Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1972 (38 U.S.C. 4211 

and 4212) and the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998, Public 

Law 105–339), as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulations in 

Subpart 22.13, encourage the hiring of veterans and require contractors 

who are subject to the reporting requirements to file annual reports on the 

number of veterans employed. 

38 U.S.C. 8127(d) does require VA to set aside contracts for award to 

small businesses verified as owned and controlled by veterans if there is an 

expectation that at least two such offerors will submit offers and the award 

can be made at a reasonable price. However, those conditions must be met 

before a contract is required to be set-aside for a veteran-owned and controlled small business. See also 38 CFR 74. 

Mr. FILNER. Everywhere I go—I go up to Camp Pendleton in San 

Diego, and they have a $6 billion construction program. You go 

downtown, there is a $250 million court project. You go down to the 

border, there is a $600 million building. 

I talk to the general contractors, and they don’t seem to know 

about any of these goals to hire veterans. Oh, yes, we have outreach, but I don’t see any number. I don’t see any results. I don’t 

see any tangible proof that they are doing anything. Yet here we 

have enormous power, the Federal Government, to do the hiring; 

and I am not sure we are doing what we can. 

I would like some suggestions on what we should do. I would 

mandate, rather than set goals. 

You talk to the agency and they say, well, the general contractor 

has it, and we have goals in our RFPs. But they are never translated into the actual contract, and the general contractors don’t 

seem to have any sense—well, I retract that. It depends on the individuals and their own sensitivities and their own sensibilities 

and their own senses. But nothing mandated that they feel they 

have to respond to. 

Ms. FANNING. Well, having just participated in a large acquisition for the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program, I 

can say that I was witness to the Office of Acquisition, Logistics, 

and Construction in VA during the pre-proposal conference for all 

interested bidders. And there were a number of set-aside regions 

throughout the country for veteran-owned and small veteran-owned 

businesses. They also very thoroughly reviewed with the group 

partnering and subcontracting arrangements that could be made 


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and encouraged interested vendors to work with small veteranowned businesses. 

Are we completely there? I don’t know. 

Mr. FILNER. But they are all voluntary, aren’t they? Is anybody 

ever penalized for not meeting them and not giving the next contract? I mean, I don’t hear? 

Mr. JEFFERSON. First, there are two things which we are talking 

about. 

The first is the Federal Government hiring. On that, we are 

tracking for the people who are being brought in as civil servants. 

So we are tracking that. That one is succeeding, and all that information is available very transparently. We have a new director at 

the Department of Labor at OFCCP, Office of Federal Contract 

Compliance Policy, and she is doing a lot to bring a lot more teeth 

into this effort. 

So I would like to take that for the record, because I know she 

is taking a lot of actions to make this a much more effective and 

relevant policy. 

Mr. FILNER. The last testimony I have seen said they haven’t penalized anyone for the last 5 years. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Sir, I would like to make sure that we have a 

fact basis for that. Her name is Pat Shiu. I have met with her. 

Mr. FILNER. If they haven’t done anything in terms of penalties, 

then nobody takes them seriously. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. I actually know that she is putting penalties out. 

But what I would like to do is give you the facts so—— 

Mr. FILNER. Again, penalties against—what are the laws that 

they are required to follow? Or what efforts? Again, it seems all 

voluntary. It seems it’s just all goals to meet. There is a difference 

that’s almost based on personality or the company itself in what 

they are really doing. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Yes, sir. 

[The DoL subsequently provided the following information:] 

QUESTIONS FOR THE RECORD 

Patricia A. Shiu, Director 

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs 

U.S. Department of Labor 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and distinguished Members of the 

Committee, thank you for the opportunity to present additional information on behalf of the Department of Labor (DoL or Department). 

On June 1, 2011, U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training 

Service (VETS) testified before the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. In the course 

of that hearing, Rep. Filner asked several questions about programs that were not 

within the purview of VETS, but of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), also in DoL. I am pleased to provide these responses to your questions pertaining to OFCCP. 

Rep. Filner: Do we now have any mandates for Federal hiring or Federal contracting of veterans? 

Response: Yes. Your question raises two issues: hiring by the Federal Government, 

and hiring by entities that have contracts with the Federal Government. 

With regard to hiring by the Federal Government, 5 U.S.C. § 2108 provides veterans who are disabled or who serve on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns a preference (10 points for disabled veterans, 5 points for non-disabled veterans) over non-veterans both in Federal hiring practices and in retention during reductions in force (RIF). 


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1 Coverage of contractors and veterans varies according to when the contract was entered into. For contracts entered into before December 1, 2003, the contract dollar threshold is $25,000, 

and the veterans covered are: (1) special disabled veterans; (2) veterans of the Vietnam era; (3) 

veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized; and (4) veterans separated from the 

service within the previous year. For contracts entered into on or after December 1, 2003, the 

contract dollar threshold is $100,000, and the veterans covered are: (1) disabled veterans; (2) 

veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized; (3) veterans who, while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces, participated in a United States military operation for which an 

Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order No. 12985; and (4) veterans separated from the service within the previous 3 years. 2Other VEVRAA provisions (not enforced by OFCCP) establish certain priority job referrals 

for veterans seeking employment and require Federal contractors to report the number of employees who are covered veterans on annual VETS–100 and VETS–100A reports. In addition, 

the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) generally requires all covered employers, including Federal contractors and subcontractors, to reinstate veterans whose cumulative period of military service does not exceed 5 years, to the job 

that they would have attained had they not been absent for military service. 

The requirements for hiring of veterans by Federal contractors 1 (as opposed to by 

the Federal Government) are set forth in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment 

Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA), 38 U.S.C. 4212. OFCCP enforces Section 

4212(a)(1) of VEVRAA, which prohibits Federal contractors and subcontractors 

(hereafter, ‘‘contractors’’) from discriminating against specified categories of veterans 

and requires contractors to take affirmative action to employ, and advance in employment, those veterans. Contractors must develop written programs detailing the 

actions that they are taking for this purpose and make the plans available when 

requested in a compliance evaluation or complaint investigation. OFCCP also enforces VEVRAA Section 4212(a)(2)(A), which requires that contractors list their job 

openings with the appropriate employment service. Additionally, while VEVRAA 

does not include a hiring preference for veterans as there is in Federal Government 

hiring, VEVRAA does require that covered veterans receive priority in referral from 

the employment services to Federal contractors for the openings they list. 

Rep. Filner: But, they are all voluntary, aren’t they? 

Response: No, the VEVRAA requirements are not voluntary; they are required of 

covered Federal contractors.2

Rep. Filner: Is anybody ever penalized for not meeting them and not giving the 

next contract? 

Response: Yes, contractors are penalized for not meeting VEVRAA requirements. 

VEVRAA provides a range of options for such situations, from remedying the violations all the way to debarring contractors from future contracts. At a minimum, 

when there is a finding of discrimination against a protected veteran, the contractor 

is required to provide back-pay and other make-whole remedies and to change its 

practices going forward. In the vast majority of cases, it is not necessary to take 

contractors to administrative enforcement proceedings; our efforts to conciliate the 

issues are generally sufficient. 

Rep. Filner: The last testimony I have said [OFCCP] hadn’t penalized anyone for 

the last 5 years. 

Response: OFCCP conducts compliance evaluations of an average of approximately 4,000 neutrally selected contractors each year. Under the Obama administration so far, OFCCP has recovered $25 million in back wages and nearly 4,200 

job opportunities on behalf of more than 42,000 victims of discrimination. The 

agency has evaluated almost 12,000 businesses that, collectively, employ over 4.2 

million workers. We review VEVRAA compliance in every evaluation in which a 

contractor met the VEVRAA minimum coverage requirements. 

I was delighted that these reviews did not uncover many VEVRAA violations. In 

FY 2009, after OFCCP conducted on-site reviews of their establishments, 54 contractors were cited for recruitment violations impacting veterans, including failure 

to comply with mandatory obligations to post job listings, conduct outreach, and fulfill other requirements. In FY 2010, that number rose to 92 contractors that were 

cited for recruitment violations pertaining to protected veterans. OFCCP negotiated 

conciliation agreements in all these cases to correct the violations. Many, if not 

most, of these settlement agreements included linkage provisions in which contractors commit to partner with specified local job training programs, veterans’ organizations, and other community groups, in order to identify and recruit covered veterans and people with disabilities better. 

OFCCP also investigates complaints of discrimination filed by veterans. In FY 

2009 and FY 2010 (combined), OFCCP investigated 76 veterans’ complaints, which 

accounted for 50 percent of the 179 complaints investigated in those years. VEVRAA 


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3 Violations were not found for a number of reasons, including untimeliness of the complaint, 

lack of a Federal contract or subcontract that would confer jurisdiction on OFCCP, the fact that 

the complainant did not fall within the classes of veterans protected under VEVRAA, and a (not 

uncommon) misapprehension among veterans that the Federal Government’s ‘‘veterans’ preference’’ guarantees veterans jobs in private companies. 

violations were found in 14 percent of these investigations.3 In all but one of those 

in which a violation was found, OFCCP reached a financial agreement with the contractor that resulted in compensation for the veterans involved. (The case in which 

no financial agreement was reached involved recordkeeping and recruitment violations that did not affect employees’ compensation). 

Rather than simply accepting contractors’ self-reporting (as has been done too 

often in the past), we are now requiring our compliance officers, when conducting 

an on-site review, to verify how contractors are treating protected veterans and people with disabilities and whether they are providing reasonable accommodations to 

their workers as required by law, as well as to confirm the existence and implementation of required affirmative action programs. Our investigative procedures during 

on-site investigations also include verification that the contractor is listing job openings with the appropriate employment service delivery system(s) so that veterans 

may be given priority in referral. I have made it very clear to our compliance officers that they must verify compliance with these posting requirements during their 

evaluations of contracting establishments. 

Rep. Filner: Again, penalties against—what are the laws that they are required 

followed, or what efforts? Again it seems all voluntary. It seems it’s just all goals 

to meet. There is a difference that’s almost based on personality or the company itself 

in what they are really doing. 

Response: This question appears directed at how contractors’ efforts to employ 

more veterans are measured and enforced. As noted above, the primary OFCCP enforcement mechanisms are compliance evaluations and complaints. The framework 

articulating a contractor’s responsibilities with respect to affirmative action, recruitment, and placement, and the measures by which its compliance will be assessed, 

are set forth in our regulations (41 CFR Parts 60–250 and 60–300). 

OFCCP’s VEVRAA regulations have remained unchanged since the implementing 

rules were first published in 1976. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of veterans are 

returning from tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places around the 

world, and many are faced with substantial obstacles in finding employment upon 

leaving the service. 

To make our VEVRAA program more effective in increasing employment opportunities for returning veterans, in April of this year we published proposed revisions 

to the regulations that go directly to your concerns about measurement and accountability. The proposed rule would increase the responsibilities of Federal contractors 

and subcontractors by, inter alia: 

• Requiring contractors to establish linkage agreements with at least three veterans employment service organizations, to bolster contractors’ recruitment efforts and increase the number of veterans who are aware of, and subsequently 

apply for, openings with Federal contractors. 

• Requiring contractors to conduct more substantive analyses of recruitment and 

placement actions taken under VEVRAA. 

• Revising recordkeeping requirements to help contractors evaluate and tailor 

their recruitment and outreach efforts, and establish the hiring benchmarks 

proposed in the NPRM. 

• Requiring contractors, for the first time, to establish annual hiring benchmarks. 

These benchmarks are expressed as the percentage of total hires who are protected veterans that a contractor will seek to hire the following year. By using 

benchmarks, contractors have a quantifiable measure for gauging their success 

in recruiting and employing protected veterans. 

• Requiring contractors to invite applicants to self-identify at both the pre-offer 

and post-offer stages of the hiring process. As proposed, prior to an offer of employment, the contractor is required to invite all applicants for employment to 

self-identify as a ‘‘protected veteran.’’ This allows the contractor and OFCCP to 

identify and monitor the contractor’s employment practices with respect to protected veterans. 

The comment period for this proposed regulation closed on July 11, 2011, and we 

are in the process of reviewing the comments in preparation for issuing a final rule. 

Mr. FILNER. It is very frustrating for a Marine base to have $6 

billion worth of contracts and my veterans community goes up 


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there and they don’t find any of their comrades working. That is 

very frustrating when it is your own government that is doing this. 

Ms. FANNING. Mr. Filner, I will also take that back to our Office 

of Acquisition, Logistics, and Contracting. 

But I did want to mention, as I briefly did in my opening remarks, that Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment as well as 

the GI Bill, encourages entrepreneurship. And we are working to 

help more veterans start and own their own businesses. We know 

that small business is the backbone of our American economy. I 

was just in Chicago last week speaking to a group of small business owners, and I was inundated after my talk, which was about 

the benefits of hiring veterans and the incentives to hire veterans, 

with employers wanting to know more about how to advertise their 

jobs on VetSuccess.gov. One particular employer told me, give me 

50 veterans with bachelors degrees, and I will train them to do the 

work that I need them to do. 

So we are working aggressively to get the word out. And I think 

that is one of our biggest challenges, as many have mentioned this 

morning— 

Mr. FILNER. If I may ask the Adjutant General, we have heard 

testimony today—and, of course, we know about the reluctance of 

many employers to even follow the law in terms of your own men 

and women, so what do we do about that? It was suggested that 

we have some incentives there. 

General TYRE. Number one, we utilize ESGR to follow through 

with those complaints. I will tell you in Florida over the last year, 

we have been able to resolve 77 of those issues, and we still have 

three remaining. But utilize that. 

We also use other things to where we don’t get into that issue. 

We will do boss lifts with these employers. We invite them to predeployment training right there at Camp Blanding or at one of the 

other power projection platforms. 

But just take a proactive approach with their employers and let 

them know right up front that our soldiers are going to be 

downrange for 12 months, 13 months before they get back to them. 

But, again, just taking a proactive approach seems to work for us. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Stutzman. 

Mr. STUTZMAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Thank you for being here today. It is good to see you. I appreciate what you are doing and trying to accomplish, and I know we 

all have our veterans at heart here and want to make sure that 

especially those that are unemployed and are wanting to find work 

can. We can be as helpful as we can. 

I guess my question would be to Secretary Jefferson. Are you 

happy with the level of performance for the Jobs for Veterans State 

Grant program? If you could comment about that and what you are 

seeing as far as the success and where we can do better. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Sir, I think my staff would tell you I am rarely 

satisfied with the performance and always wanting to do better. 

Let me drill down specifically on the Jobs for Veterans State 

Grants (JVSG) program. 

Since being confirmed, one of the first questions I had is how can 

this program be improved. As I looked around, there was no real 

data, there was no real feedback in recent years that we can use 


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to make evidence-based decisions. So at the last HVAC hearing 

that we had, I initiated a structured dialogue with all the veterans 

employment coordinators around the Nation to get feedback on 

what is working, what is not, what are the employment opportunities. We are going ahead and analyzing that feedback right now. 

Simultaneously, without waiting, we are implementing a best 

practice called the Community of Practice. This came out of Iraq 

and Afghanistan in the Army, something called CompanyCommand 

.com. We are using that model. Basically, it is for a community of 

practitioners to share best practices over large geographical areas. 

So we are working to implement that this year. 

On the so-what factor, it will make sure that a DVOP or LVER 

who is highly performing in one State can share those practices 

and approaches that he or she has all throughout the Nation. And 

then, once we get the feedback from the veterans’ coordinators, I 

will be taking other actions to improve that program. 

It is very valuable to have 2,000 employment representatives 

around the Nation, but I want to make sure we are continuing to 

up-skill them and ensure that they have the latest approaches and 

techniques to be as effective as possibly. 

Mr. STUTZMAN. Could you share just some of the best practices 

that you are talking about, just to give us a better idea and a sense 

of what— 

Mr. JEFFERSON. I would say we take three major questions that 

you may ask a local veterans’ employment representative: What 

are you doing to mobilize your local community of employers? What 

types of outreach are you engaging in? Or let’s take a DVOP. You 

have a veteran who is very physically challenged, and you have 

some employers who are interested in giving that veteran an opportunity but he or she maybe has questions or concerns on traumatic 

brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress (PTS), post-traumatic 

stress disorder (PTSD). How do you deal with that? 

Well, one solution that we have is the American Heroes at Work 

program that educates employers on the accommodations that veterans with PTS, PTSD, or TBI have. A very highly regarded program. Are all employment representatives using it? Are they all 

aware of it? Also, mentoring and coaching. So a new DVOP or 

LVER in one part of the country can work with someone who may 

be in a different locale but who is known as being a thought leader, 

a very effective employment representative. 

So we want to get that community of practice, of mentoring, 

coaching, and sharing techniques. And the questions actually come 

from the participants. So they put up what they need help with 

and their peers provide answers. It was one of the top 10 breakthrough ideas out of 2006 Harvard Business Review, came out of 

the Army and combat, and now they are using it for the four-star 

General officers. They are creating a community of practice for 

them, and that individual is going to be advising us on our community of practice—Nate Allen. 

Mr. STUTZMAN. General Tyre, do you have any comments regarding the programs? 

General TYRE. We have talked about leveraging technology and 

all the programs that are out there. It is difficult for a soldier, airman to look at all those programs and figure out which one is going 


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to benefit him, which one is going to get him a job. They are all 

great programs, and they all add value to the issue. But unless we 

get someone to follow along with that soldier, to be there with him 

until he gets a job, that one-on-one personal contact until he gets 

a job, we are not following through with meeting the requirements 

of our soldiers. It takes that personal contact, that counseling, that 

is going to get a soldier to a job and to a career. 

Mr. STUTZMAN. Go ahead. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. So there is the high-touch approach for those 

veterans who are already out in the community. And then with the 

new transformed, redesigned TAP we have peer support techniques 

in there. We have entrepreneurship content in there. And we have 

connectivity to employer representatives in there as well. So we 

want to streamline that information flow. 

I know when I was coming out it was frustrating and annoying, 

frankly. But we are taking action, and my goal is to have a lot of 

these initiatives done by Veterans’ Day this year. 

Mr. STUTZMAN. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. 

General, you had talked about a 30 percent unemployment rate 

among Guardsmen with the 53rd Infantry Brigade and 17 percent, 

I think it was, among all members of the Florida National Guard. 

In your conversation with other leaders of other Guards from other 

States, do you think Florida’s rates are unique or are they consistent with those other States? 

General TYRE. Sir, they are fairly consistent with other States. 

We will find some brigades like Iowa that are coming back and redeploying from downrange that might be a little bit higher. I know 

in Washington State when they brought the 81st back, they were 

a little bit higher than ours, but not much higher. The normal is 

somewhere between 30 and 35 percent from the BCTs, the brigade 

combat teams, that we have talked with. 

The CHAIRMAN. For the record, because I don’t think you are 

going to be able to answer the question—you may be able to—but 

it is my understanding the Midwestern Governors Association gave 

a proposal for the Employment and Training Administration for 

$170,000 to work on the issue of licensing and credentialing that 

we have discussed here today, but Labor refused to fund it because 

they don’t do sole source contracts. Are you aware of that? If not— 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Sir, I will take it for the record. 

Let me give the high-level overview. We have that unsolicited 

proposal. I know it is being reviewed. We care very deeply about 

making progress on the issue of credentialing and licensing. The 

American Legion is going to be having a summit later this year. 

We are going to be participating at that. I understand that that 

planning has just begun to get under way, and I am sure many 

partners who are in the room today will be associated with that. 

But I would take the actual details of your question for the record. 

[The DoL subsequently provided the following information:] 


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U.S. Department of Labor 

Employment and Training Administration 

Washington, DC. 

March 21, 2011 

Mr. Jesse Heier 

Midwestern Governors Association 

2025 M Street, NW 

Suite 800 

Washington, DC 20036 

Dear Mr. Heier: 

Thank you for your proposal to the Employment and Training Administration 

(ETA), entitled Veterans Credentialing Initiative, which was forwarded to the Office 

of Policy Development and Research for review. ETA appreciates the importance of 

the transferability of training standards and credentials, and how it affects servicemembers as they transfer out of the military into the civilian workforce. We have 

carefully reviewed your proposal to increase the number of States in the Midwest 

that have reciprocity agreements for endorsing occupational licensing among States 

and with the military branches. 

The vast majority of grants for activities such as this one proposed by the Midwestern Governors Association, are awarded on a competitive basis in response to 

a solicitation for grant application. Since many aspects of the Midwestern Governors 

Association proposal are not unique and do not offer new and exceptional techniques, but rather propose to support discussions of interstate credentialing, there 

is no basis to support a non-competitive funding decision. 

Although ETA is not in a position to fund this proposal, we would invite you to 

closely monitor the ETA Web site (www.doleta.gov/grants) and www.grants.gov for 

future grant funding opportunities. 

While we receive many unsolicited proposals, very few obtain funding, Our budgetary resources are rather limited and are primarily used to support the competitive 

procurements mentioned above. 

Thank you for your interest in the public workforce system. 

Sincerely, 

Michael S. Jones 

Acting Administrator 

Office of Policy Development and Research 

The CHAIRMAN. Very well. 

Any other comments? 

We thank you very much for your testimony and, again, your patience. 

Again, this Committee is fully committed to helping those veterans who want jobs, who need jobs, find jobs and have gainful employment. Because, after all, they have serviced and sacrificed for 

this country. Jobs is number one. This Committee is committed to 

working in that direction. 

All Members will have 5 legislative days to revise and extend 

their remarks and submit questions for the record. 

With no further comments, this hearing is adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 12:31 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.] 


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A P P E N D I X 

Prepared Statement of Hon. Jeff Miller, 

Chairman, Full Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

Good morning everyone. Thank you for being here. Our hearing today, ‘‘Putting 

America’s Veterans Back to Work,’’ is one of the most important ones we’ll have this 

Congress and that is why I have decided to proceed with this hearing even though 

many of the Members on our side of the aisle are meeting with President Obama 

this morning. Just last week I, and other Committee Members, met with dozens of 

veterans’ organizations who were nearly unanimous in making jobs for veterans 

their number one priority. I couldn’t agree more. 

Lengthy unemployment can cause an unbelievable amount of strain. Bills don’t 

get paid, savings can be exhausted, and family needs have to be put on hold. The 

financial strain of not having meaningful employment has a cascading effect for 

many—family problems, declining mental health, homelessness—we’ve got to get 

the economy going again to put Americans back to work, especially those who have 

protected our freedom to work in the first place. 

Growing the economy starts with the fundamentals: keeping taxes on small businesses low, which necessarily means holding Federal spending down; reducing burdensome and unnecessary regulations that increase costs to small businesses; and 

ensuring we have a trained, skilled workforce ready for 21st Century jobs in a 21st 

Century economy. 

It is this third area—ensuring a trained, skilled workforce—that the Veterans’ Affairs Committee is primed to lead. There are a number of programs run by VA and 

the Department of Labor that have the potential to help. Our task is to see if those 

programs, as designed, are effective. 

Our responsibility is to modernize them to respond to the specific needs that exist 

for unemployed or underemployed veterans in our economy. 

Let me highlight a few areas where I think we need improvement. 

First, the unemployment rate among all veterans of the Global War on Terror has 

been reported to be as high as 13.1 percent. This high rate exists despite the fact 

that Transition Assistance Programs for separating servicemembers looking for 

work are available, as are Federally-funded veterans employment specialists within 

every State. We need to look at these programs anew to see how they can be improved. 

Second, training and education benefits through the new Post-9/11 GI Bill and 

other programs are valuable tools for veterans. However, as currently designed, they 

do little good for middle-aged veterans far removed from military service who may 

need new skills to break out of unemployment. To highlight the point I’m making, 

on May 2, the Conference Board released its data showing there are nearly 4.5 million jobs advertised on the Internet. The Board’s data also show the top 10 career 

fields with a heavy presence of jobs requiring hard skills. 

To me, this shows that good jobs are out there, we just need to retool the programs we have to help our veterans compete for them. 

Finally, there are legal protections for Guardsmen and Reservists who left work 

to fight for our country. By law, they are entitled to have or go back to their jobs 

when they come home. We need to be aggressive in enforcement of this law. 

And just one more thing, we need to have a better understanding of the demographics of unemployed veterans. Things like education levels, lengths of unemployment, skills learned in the military, just to name a few. We will hear some of that 

from our witness from BLS but I believe it is time to expand the facts we know 

about unemployed veterans. 

As a beginning, I hope that today’s witnesses can provide some insight into what 

we can do to help veterans get the jobs they want and deserve. 

I have some ideas of my own, so, to get the ball rolling, I will soon introduce a 

new jobs bill for veterans. The principles of my bill are simple: 


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1. We need to provide a meaningful retraining program for our older veterans 

who make up two-thirds of all unemployed veterans; 

2. We need to ensure Transition Assistance Programs for our younger veterans 

are effective and, just as important, utilized when they separate from the military; 

3. We need to add flexibility and accountability to Federally-funded job training 

programs; and 

4. We need to ensure we have updated legal protections for veterans who want 

their jobs back on their return from active duty, and we must do better enforcing those protections. 

I know Members will have other ideas as we go forward, but—keeping in line 

with the theme of this hearing—I’m anxious to roll up my sleeves and get to work. 

As with any work, we need to set goals and let me tell you what my goal is. 

I believe that an unemployment rate of between four and 5 percent is generally 

accepted to be full employment. So, I want to begin today’s hearing by setting a goal 

to reduce unemployment among veterans from its current level of 7.7 percent down 

to about 4.5 percent. That means, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ April data, 

we need to reduce the number of unemployed veterans from April’s 873,000 down 

to around 470,000 or a reduction of about 400,000 veterans. I think we can do that 

and I invite every Member of the Committee to join me in achieving that goal; not 

overnight, but over the next year or 2 at the outside. 

I now recognize the Ranking Member for his opening remarks. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Hon. Bob Filner, 

Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The need to increase opportunities for veterans is now 

more important than ever. A growing number of servicemembers are returning 

home to find that securing and retaining their employment has become difficult. 

With their civilian counterparts facing the same struggles in today’s economy, it 

can become difficult and frustrating for servicemembers who have been away for 

months to compete with their civilian counterparts. 

I remain concerned for our returning servicemembers that economic problems 

they face may lead to depression and other problems. 

For veterans 18–24 years old, this struggle is greater as many of them join the 

military right out of high school with little to no work experience. 

Since the 110th Congress we have reviewed barriers to employment, discussed 

hiring authorities, and learned about possible causes to high unemployment rates 

among younger veterans and female veterans. 

However, the common feedback that we get is that veterans lack transferable 

skills, employers violate the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment 

Rights Act (USERRA), and employer’s misperceptions that returning servicemembers have mental health problems. 

Our veterans are the most loyal and dedicated individuals. They have leadership 

experience, and a track record of working well under pressure and punctuality. Any 

employer should be proud to have such hard working employees. 

In May 2010 I held an employment roundtable that included employers from the 

civilian sector, private sector, Federal agencies, and veteran service organizations. 

The roundtable helped us understand why potential employers were not hiring veterans. Some highlighted simple problems such as re ́sume ́ deficiencies, or in extreme 

cases—a lack of transferable skills. This was an invaluable roundtable in which I 

felt we made progress in better understanding the problem. 

I look forward to the testimony from all of our witnesses here today. 

Thank you Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Hon. Gus M. Bilirakis 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, thank you for calling this timely hearing on putting our veterans back to work. Our Nation’s veterans have made great 

sacrifices to keep us safe. During their service in the military they have been 

trained with important skills. In addition to dedication, hard work, and loyalty, 

many have gained technical and leadership skills that are transferrable and beneficial to the civilian workforce. I am particularly concerned that a stigma exists in 

the private sector that is contrary to the qualities these men and women have to 

offer to the civilian workforce. 


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The Federal Government has made significant investments in our servicemembers’ training, and it is critical that these men and women have the resources 

they need to successfully transfer their skill sets and continue contributing to society. We must ensure that warriors are not discriminated upon because of the 

wounds they suffer—be they physical or psychological—as a result of our Nation’s 

wars. I look forward to using this hearing as a building block to develop ways to 

break down barriers to veterans’ employment and foster their opportunities. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Hon. John Barrow 

Thank you Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Filner for holding this hearing. 

The employment challenges facing veterans are very real. The call to service does 

not always fit into a convenient schedule of job training. Often our servicemembers 

halt education and training opportunities to serve in combat. Today, they return as 

veterans to a daunting job market. This can be especially difficult for wounded warriors, who have additional challenges in every aspect of life. 

During the last district work week I had the opportunity to tour a facility in 

Vidalia, GA called the HARP Foundation. The HARP Foundation offers transitional 

housing and resources for homeless veterans. In particular, they help veterans find 

sustainable employment opportunities. Their goal is to provide mental health counseling and job training to the veterans in their own area. When veterans do find 

jobs, the HARP Foundation tries to help them find adequate transportation so they 

can keep their jobs in their local community. 

I look forward to hearing about ways the Department of Veterans Affairs and the 

Department of Labor can work to make the systemic changes to lower unemployment for veterans across the country. But I also would like to hear practical ways 

the Federal Government can work with and help grass roots organizations, like the 

HARP Foundation, to help veterans find good jobs in our local communities. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Hon. Russ Carnahan 

Chairman Miller, Chairman Murray, Ranking Member Filner, thank you for 

hosting this hearing to discuss the important issue of putting America’s veterans 

back to work. 

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that in March and April of this year 

about 27 percent of veterans between 20 to 24 years of age were unemployed. Other 

sources show it to even be higher. These are truly disheartening numbers. After 

fighting to protect our country, we must make certain that our brave veterans are 

able to obtain a livelihood after returning from service. 

In this tough economy, jobs are hard to come by, particularly for newly returned 

veterans. Our young returning combat soldiers, and those severely injured during 

military service have the hardest time securing employment following military service. 

It is vitally important to ensure that our returning veterans are able to secure 

and maintain employment after returning to civilian life. Not only does employment 

offer salary and benefits, employment also provides an important sense of purpose 

and aides in the transition from military to civilian life. We in Congress must work 

with relevant stakeholders to guarantee that opportunities exist for our veterans to 

obtain gainful and meaningful employment. 

Today’s hearing provides a dialogue between Congress and those with intimate 

knowledge of what needs to be done to get our veterans back to work upon their 

return from military service. Whether it is through job training or career counseling, 

we must allow access to services that prepare our veterans for careers outside of 

the military, and assist them as they transition to a world that is increasingly unfamiliar with the ways of the military. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses 

on ways we can begin to reduced unemployment and underemployment amongst our 

veterans. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Richard A. Hobbie, 

Executive Director, National Association of State Workforce Agencies 

NASWA is pleased to respond to the request for comments by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on the issue of ‘‘Putting America’s Veterans Back to 

Work.’’ The members of our Association are State leaders of the publicly-funded 

workforce development system vital to meeting the employment needs of veterans. 


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This is accomplished through the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program and the 

Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives programs, and other programs and 

initiatives offered through the broader workforce development system. Our testimony includes the following points: 

• The workforce development system provides services to all unemployed workers 

and jobseekers and maintains a substantial focus on serving the needs of veterans. The system, because of limited funding, serves as many individuals as 

possible by providing tools for customers to help themselves without significant 

staff assistance. • A vital component of our member’s service to veterans is to ensure a viable 

labor exchange exists and is readily available to veterans, employers and those 

who will help them in their efforts. NASWA does this in partnership with 

DirectEmployers Association (DE) through the National Labor Exchange (NLX). • The NLX is an automated initiative operating on the Internet. It aims to collect 

all verifiable job openings in the country and share those job openings at no cost 

with State workforce agencies and job seekers. The jobs are verified to help job 

seekers avoid scams, such as identify theft schemes or false promises of high 

earnings for working at home. • Providing sufficient services to veterans, while a priority of our system, is a 

challenge. Unemployment remains high, and nominal resources available to our 

members have been reduced recently and in the case of the Employment Service 

(ES) have been unchanged for almost 30 years. • Beyond decreasing real funding as an obstacle in serving veterans, there are 

many other critical obstacles affecting veterans’ employment opportunities including: (1) Credentialing—the inability for veterans to provide formal civilian 

credentials and certifications, even though they might have received equivalent 

training while in the military; (2) Inability to identify where veterans with certain skills are located—there is no reliable nationwide information source identifying where employers with specific needs should focus veteran recruitment efforts; (3) Identifying the right online resource for veterans hiring—Employers 

say there is confusion over the proliferation of Web sites and services aiming 

to facilitate veterans’ employment; (4) Translating Military Occupational Classification to civilian jobs—many veterans have difficulty ‘‘translating’’ military 

skills and experiences into the civilian world; (5) UI Reemployment and 

Connectivity—The advent of remote claims taking technology has enabled 

States to offer UI claims services either online or via telephone, disrupting the 

connection of the UI claimant from the workforce system; and, (6) USDoL Regulations—OFFCP has proposed regulations that will make Federal contractors’ 

connection and recruitment of veterans erode further. 

Chairman Miller, Representative Filner and Members of the Committee, on behalf 

of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), I thank you for 

the opportunity to submit written testimony and to appear before you today to discuss the efforts of our members to promote and create jobs for veterans. 

The members of our Association are State leaders of the publicly-funded workforce 

development system vital to meeting the employment needs of veterans. This is accomplished through the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) and the 

Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVER) programs, as well as other 

programs and initiatives offered through the publicly-funded workforce system. 

NASWA serves as an advocate for State workforce programs and policies, a liaison 

to Federal workforce system partners, and a forum for the exchange of information 

and practices. Our organization was founded in 1937. Since 1973, it has been a private, non-profit corporation, financed primarily by annual dues from member State 

agencies. 

Helping veterans make a successful transition from their service in the military 

to successful civilian careers remains a significant challenge. In March, the Bureau 

of Labor Statistics reported the jobless rate for veterans of all eras combined was 

8.7 percent, compared with 9.4 percent for nonveterans. However, the unemployment rate for veterans who served in the military at any time since September 2001 

—a group referred to as Gulf War-era II veterans — was 11.5 percent in 2010. Further, about 25 percent of Gulf War-era II veterans reported having a service-connected disability in July 2010, compared with about 13 percent of all veterans. 

I would like to emphasize NASWA and our members seek the same outcomes for 

veterans that the Committee does, to help our servicemembers quickly find meaningful employment opportunities that lead to successful careers when they leave the 

service of our country. 


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A Snapshot of Today’s Workforce Development System 

While the workforce development system provides services to all unemployed 

workers and jobseekers it maintains a substantial focus on serving the needs of veterans. Today’s workforce system provides customers with assistance either to gain 

immediate entry to employment or to receive a range of services (including training) 

for successful entry into jobs and careers. The Unemployment Insurance (UI) program provides temporary wage replacement for individuals with a civilian or military work history. The Employment Service (ES) provides labor exchange services 

and information to help individuals find and compete for jobs, while services provided through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) supports various activities 

through local One-Stop Career Centers including: 

1. Core Services. These services include labor market information, initial assessment of skill levels, and job search and placement assistance. Most core 

services can be described as self-services and include: resource rooms, computers, internet access, job listings, resume writing, workshops on interviewing 

skills, etc. WIA core services are sometimes called labor exchange services. 

2. Intensive Services. These services are for individuals needing more than core 

services to obtain or keep employment leading to self-sufficiency. These services are designed to prepare the individual for employment and include: comprehensive and specialized assessments of skill levels; development of individual employment plans; group counseling; individual counseling and career 

planning; case management; and, short-term prevocational services. 

3. Training Services. Access to training programs may be available to individuals who have met the eligibility requirements for intensive services but are 

unable to obtain or retain employment. Through One-Stop Career Centers, individuals are evaluated to determine whether or not they are in need of training and if they possess the skills and qualifications needed to participate successfully in the training program in which they express an interest. Training 

services must be directly linked to occupations in demand. 

The workforce system is designed to help individuals assess their skills and interests and receive vital information about current labor market demands for new and 

existing employees. The system, because of limited funding has focused on serving 

as many individuals as possible and providing the tools for customers to help themselves as much as possible without significant staff assistance. 

The performance measures metrics for the system reflect this ‘self-help’ approach, 

and include: (1) entered employment, (2) employment retention, and (3) average 

earnings in subsequent employment. While ‘‘job placement’’ might be a desired activity, the realities of a high volume of customers and limited funding force States 

to rely substantially on self-help approaches and the myriad of ways workers find 

jobs on their own besides placement by an employment agency or one-stop career 

center. 

The organizational structure of the workforce system varies across States. However, veterans may access all available workforce services under a Priority of Service (POS) mandate set forth by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDoL). So, while 

LVERs and DVOPs deal exclusively with job-seeking veterans, the entire workforce 

development system is geared to give priority of service to veterans. 

While the majority of individuals receiving WIA services receive lower-cost core 

and intensive services, these services have been found to be beneficial as well as 

highly cost-effective. For example, it is estimated by Louis Jacobson in a Brookings 

Institution paper through the Hamilton Project that job search assistance-related 

services provide $4.5 dollars of benefit for every $1 spent. This type of return on 

investment, coupled with the dire state of the economy and the need to support returning veterans and other Americans striving to get a foothold in the workplace 

brings to focus the value of the workforce system’s services 

In terms of income support, veterans upon separation from the military are eligible for the Unemployment Compensation Program for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX) 

and are expected to be able to work, be available for work and to actively seek work 

with the help of reemployment services provided through the workforce system. 

My testimony will review the activities our members have underway to assist veterans and provide some illustrative information from three States: Minnesota, Florida and Texas. You also requested data on eight identified variables concerning veterans. I will provide some information from our existing reporting systems (Table 

1), but some of the data requested are not available. NASWA will follow-up with 

your Committee to see if there might be other ways to capture the information. 


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Special Workforce System Efforts to Serve Veterans: Examples from Three 

States 

Mr. Chairman, first I would like to describe two activities currently underway in 

my own State of Minnesota. 

1. Our Featured Employer Pipeline/Qualified Applicant List. Because 

many Minnesota employers call us looking to hire veterans, we started a pilot 

project directing job-ready, highly-skilled veterans to jobs in these companies. 

Our LVERS and Business Services Representatives have established working 

relationships with key H.R. personnel and hiring managers to create a direct 

‘‘pipeline’’ of veteran referrals to actual hiring managers within these ‘‘featured 

employers.’’ Short-term results are very positive, and we look forward to continued success. 

2. Our Statewide Veterans ‘‘Beyond the Yellow Ribbon’’ Career Fair. This 

event attracts about 1,000 of ‘‘Minnesota’s Finest’’ veterans who are looking for 

career opportunities and educational options. Each year 80 to 90 of Minnesota’s 

best employers register for this event aimed at putting job seeking veterans together with Minnesota business anxious to hire veterans. May 3, 2011 marked 

our 5th year for this event, which, according to businesses and veterans alike 

‘‘just keeps getting better.’’ 

In Florida the State’s Office of Workforce Services has: 

1. Created a Veteran’s Portal which serves as a gateway to information and 

resource links that assist veterans, their families and employers help veterans 

achieve their employment goals. The portal has been accessed from virtually 

every theater of deployment where U.S. veterans are stationed. 

2. Aggressively sought additional resources to assist the Homeless Veterans 

Reintegration Program receiving grants totaling $925,178, to assist Homeless 

Female Veteran and Veterans with Families grants receiving grants totaling 

$437,974: and 

3. At the Regional workforce level has instituted a number of focused activities including: 

• Providing direct employment services to local veterans; 

• Working closely with the local Chambers of Commerce; 

• Establishing direct contact with local employers; 

• Working with related Federal programs administered by the Agency for 

Workforce Innovation (AWI), such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit 

(WOTC) and Federal Bonding program; and 

• Conducting a series of local Job fairs for veterans. 

In Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has: 

1. Created special features to serve veterans on its free public labor exchange system, WorkInTexas.com, including: 

• Flags to identify veterans to employers and staff; 

• A two-day hold on all newly created job postings, to ensure veterans get 

first review; 

• Ability for employers to designate job postings as ‘‘Veteran Applicants 

Only’’; 

• Numerous job search options for veterans, including viewing ‘‘Veteran Applicant Only’’ and Federal Contractor job postings; and 

• Notification of Priority of Service (and identification) to all veterans upon 

entry into the system and at certain subsequent reentry points. 

2. The TWC also is developing a statewide comprehensive veteran’s initiative (College Credit for Heroes) to maximize the military experience of veterans for college credit and employment. Last April, the Commission agreed to 

move forward on this $3 million statewide initiative that will award veterans 

college credit through testing and evaluation of prior learning. In addition, 

TWC will create a partnership between the State’s community colleges and the 

Military Education Training Center (METC) in San Antonio to provide current 

active duty servicemembers with an accelerated degree plan to attain a associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in conjunction with military training. 

The National Labor Exchange 

Background 

A vital component of the process to help our servicemembers find meaningful employment opportunities when they leave the service of our country is to ensure a 


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viable labor exchange exists and is readily available to veterans and those who will 

help them in their quest. To this end, NASWA in partnership with DirectEmployers 

Association (DE) has created a National Labor Exchange (NLX). 

The NLX allows NASWA and its State and business partners to have a direct involvement in making job connections for our Nation’s veterans. Beginning in 2007, 

NASWA began offering the NLX to its State workforce agency members as a free 

electronic labor exchange service. The NLX is an automated initiative aiming to collect all verifiable job openings in the country and share those job openings with 

State workforce agencies and, ultimately, jobseekers. 

The NLX differs from other major internet job aggregators in that: (1) job postings 

are unduplicated and current, helping jobseekers connect to real openings, (2) employers are verified to avoid risky scams, such as identify theft or false promises 

of high earnings working from home; and (3) it is a unique public-private initiative 

offered at no cost to the Federal Government, to State workforce agencies, and to 

their employer and jobseeker customers. 

NLX’s technical operations are led by DirectEmployers Association (DE). DE is a 

trade association of over 660 Fortune 1000 companies represented by their human 

resource directors. DE’s mission is to provide a cost-effective national employment 

system that improves labor market efficiency and reflects our Nation’s diverse workforce. Since 2000, its flagship service has been running a sophisticated job search 

and ‘‘spidering’’ engine that captures employer job openings and provides the content to many Web sites and aggregators. 

In March 2007, NASWA endorsed JobCentral as the successor to America’s Job 

Bank (AJB) that was funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDoL). AJB was 

a national public job-bank defunded and shut-down by the USDoL in June 2007. 

After an intensive evaluation process, NASWA and its members endorsed 

JobCentral as the means to create the NLX. 

Status and Benefits 

Since March 2007, the NLX has collected delivered over 9 million unique and 

verified job postings to State workforce agency staff and customers. Of the 9 million 

job postings, over 4 million came from Federal contractors—a group of employers 

that has special obligations to demonstrate it is recruiting and hiring veterans. Also, 

since 2007, over 150,000 employers of all sizes have used this system, entering the 

system either through the national site (www.jobcentral.org) or via State job banks. 

Today, 49 State workforce agencies, plus the District of Columbia, have signed participation agreements, sharing their own job posting content and transforming 

JobCentral into the NLX. Talks are underway with the remaining State and one 

territory to join the alliance. 

The NLX has allowed participating State job-banks to receive thousands of job 

postings via electronic download from: (1) employers typically not listing with the 

public workforce system, (2) the U.S. government (USAjobs.gov), and (3) from neighboring State workforce agencies. NLX job postings are updated daily, avoiding duplication and ensuring real job opportunities are made available, conditions key to offering jobseekers a better experience and making real job connections. 

In addition, the NLX has allowed State workforce agencies to transmit job postings—and links to other valuable services—to government sites such as the Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces involving all branches of the Reserves and 

the National Guard (www.employerpartnership.org), the Veterans Administration’s 

(VA) www.Vetsuccess.org site (targeting disabled veterans), and DoL’s 

mySkillsmyFuture.org site. 

The NLX also provides State workforce agencies and employers access to an online free tool called ‘‘Analytics.’’ This allows workforce agencies and employers to 

view traffic information about jobseekers’ click-throughs from State job banks to employers’ corporate job application systems. Since the rollout of Analytics, State job 

banks have consistently ranked among the top ten sites providing employers with 

traffic to their corporate job application systems. In addition, the analytics platform 

demonstrates the types of jobs of interest to jobseekers within specific geographic 

areas. This information, in combination with the list of NLX jobs existing within an 

area, can be powerful in determining future labor demand, available supply, and 

needed training programs, all of which help States offer better services to veterans 

and all citizens. 

Creating and Leveraging a Compliance Service for Employers 

The NLX offers a compliance mechanism for Federal contractors called 

VetCentral. The VetCentral service was designed to provide DE members compliance with the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) as 

amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act (JVA). Beyond simply meeting the letter of 


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the law, VetCentral strives to meet the spirit of the law, by bringing job openings 

directly to the hands of the State staff working with veterans. 

Per current regulations, VetCentral sends daily emails of Federal Contractor Job 

Listing (FCJL) jobs to the ‘‘appropriate local employment service delivery system.’’ 

The emails are directed to LVERs and DVOPs along with other staff as designated 

by the State workforce agencies. The user-friendly emails contain links to the FCJL 

job postings and a ‘‘how to apply’’ link. The NLX has received positive responses 

from field staff who use these emails every day in referring veterans. While State 

workforce agencies designate who receives emails, there is also a process to review 

and correct current email addresses used by VetCentral. All FCJL jobs, sent via 

email to produce a tangible audit trail, are also available for direct download into 

States’ job banks through the broader NLX initiative. 

We believe current regulations published in Federal Register 41 CFR Part 60–300 

have been vital in encouraging the creation of the NLX. While they have prompted 

the creation of a VetCentral process that delivers FCJL job postings, they also have 

created the opportunity for the NLX to flourish, bringing in a large number of other 

job opportunities to State job banks. Since the workforce development system offers 

many core self-services via priority of service to veterans, enhanced job bank content 

helps benefit veterans’ employment. 

Expanding NLX Jobs Content 

This year, in an effort to increase the number of verified and unduplicated job 

postings, NLX partners are focusing on expanding the use of the NLX’s free indexing (an automated, daily service that ‘‘scrapes’’ job postings from individual employer Web sites and other resources). State workforce agency staff is invited to 

make connections with employers who currently do not list with the public workforce system and offer to collect job openings residing on corporate Web sites 

through an indexing process. The NLX would then function as the free technology 

collecting job postings from such corporate Web sites via indexing and adding them 

to this national job exchange system. 

The successful continued operation of the NLX and improvements discussed above 

are extremely valuable in helping veterans navigate a diverse, complex labor market. NASWA asks for your support in raising awareness of this effort, which will 

increase the number of job postings and expand employers’ awareness of the services available through the workforce development system. 

Challenges 

Providing sufficient services to veterans is a priority of our workforce system, yet 

presents several challenges. Unemployment remains high, the ratio of job seekers 

to available jobs is still much higher than we would like (reported in February of 

this year as 5.9 seekers for every job vacancy compared to a ratio of 1.7 in December 

2007) and the skills required for the jobs that are available are different than those 

required even a few years ago. Nominal resources available to our members have 

been reduced recently, and in the case of the ES have been unchanged for almost 

30 years. 

Beyond the system’s concerns with ever decreasing real funding as an obstacle in 

serving veterans, there are many other critical areas affecting veterans’ employment 

rates: 

1. Credentialing. Through our NLX employer partners we learned one of the 

most critical obstacles to the employment of veterans is the inability to secure 

formal credentials and certifications, even though they have received equivalent training while in the military. Veterans must spend resources including 

valuable time to acquire formal civilian credentials when many already possess 

the skills. 

2. Inability to identify where veterans with certain skills are located. 

Again through our NLX employer partners we learned there is no reliable nationwide information source identifying where employers with specific needs 

should be focusing their veteran recruitment efforts. The workforce system also 

has minimal access to this type of information. 

3. Identifying the right online resources for veterans hiring: Employers 

have indicated there are many sites and services aiming to facilitate veterans’ 

employment. Employers must dedicate resources and staff to wade through a 

great amount of well-meaning sites to identify qualified veteran talent. While 

this is a real concern, how today’s jobseekers and younger veterans search for 

jobs will continue to be multi-faceted, from personal contacts to exploring and 

applying on many online sites. 


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One solution is to create ‘‘super’’ employment portals seeking to channel jobseekers and veterans’ behavior, and influence employers’ recruitment strategies. However, this often results in Web sites with frustrating multiple links 

to other sites, duplicate jobs, closed jobs, and difficult navigation in finding pertinent information (such as assessments, where to go for in-person help, etc.). 

We believe jobseekers and employers will continue to use multiple approaches 

in searching for jobs and the fluid nature of the online world will continue to 

be a reality. Our focus, as a public workforce system, is to continue nurturing 

the NLX as the resource providing verified job postings to relevant outlets involved in connecting job-seeking veterans with either the State workforce agency or the recruiting employer. 

4. Inability to translate Military Occupational Classification (MOC) to civilian jobs: A common issue identified by employers is veterans’ inability to 

‘‘translate’’ their skills and experiences into the civilian world. An MOC crosswalk to the Occupational Network (O*NET, the officially accepted ‘‘language’’ 

used to describe occupational skills) has been completed by USDoL and can be 

used quite successfully. Unfortunately, spreading the word of its existence and 

increasing its use are dependent on limited funding and an overburdened 

workforce development system staff. NASWA’s NLX partner, DirectEmployers 

Association, has used this crosswalk, building the ability for veterans to enter 

MOCs online and receive back NLX jobs relevant to the entered MOC. 

5. UI Reemployment and Connectivity: The recent recession has brought a renewed focus on connecting UI claimants with reemployment services. As I 

noted earlier, veterans upon separation from the military are eligible for the 

Unemployment Compensation Program for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX). The advent of remote claims-taking technology has enabled States to take UI claims 

online or via telephone. This has disrupted the connection of veterans and 

other UI claimants to workforce system services to differing degrees in the 

States. 

NASWA through its Information Technology Support Center (ITSC) has undertaken a project to support States in developing new strategies to connect unemployment insurance claimants to the workforce system. In partnership with 

USDoL, ITSC has developed a national vision and implementation plan for better connecting unemployment insurance claimants to the workforce system 

both electronically and in person. Currently we are working on the development of systems to implement the plan which include integrated UI-workforce 

customer registration, transferability of skills analysis, and use of social networking. 

6. Obstacles Created by USDoL Regulations: Recently the Office of Federal 

Contract Compliance Program (OFCCP), USDoL, has released a Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to govern the procedures Federal contractors must 

follow to demonstrate their efforts to recruit and hire qualified veterans. While 

OFCCP said it consulted with State officials, the proposed regulations appear 

to have been developed without formal input from State workforce agencies’ 

leadership. 

As a result, the proposed regulations make certain assumptions about the 

nature of the workforce development system activities which are inaccurate. 

For example, the proposed regulations assume the bulk of workforce system 

dollars are focused on out-dated referral or placement processes and reinterpret 

the system’s mandate for ‘‘priority of service’’ to veterans as ‘‘priority referrals.’’ 

The reality is, declining funding and increasing demand, and a requirement to 

be a universal system, has led most State activities to focus on the provision 

of core self-services, not referrals or placements. While States continue to provide intensive and training services, the extent to which these can be provided 

has been curtailed substantially. 

Based on this unrealistic framework, OFCCP’s new reporting requirements 

for Federal contractors asks employers to document job referrals of veterans 

that are received from State workforce agencies (outside the LVER and DVOP 

programs). The proposed regulations ask Federal contractors for a 5-year collection of data on direct ‘‘referrals’’ received from State workforce agencies (this 

does not include veterans applying for jobs on their own that they saw posted 

on the State job bank), applicant status (veteran and disability, and hires from 

‘‘referrals’’ received from State workforce agencies. 

By programmatic design and fiscal necessity, the workforce system functions 

as a provider of information and tools for jobseekers and employers. Focusing 

on ‘‘referrals’’ is an out-dated approach in a system expected to meet entered 


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employment, employment retention, and wage level goals. Some LVERs and 

DVOPs might still work on a limited number of referrals. However, the ES and 

WIA workforce development programs have the same three performance measures toward which ETA and VETS expects States to work. In fact, the notion 

of ‘‘referrals’’ has been abandoned by USDoL and the States consciously as it 

reflects an increasingly out-dated way of thinking about how jobseekers search 

for and find jobs. 

While Federal contractors will comment on the virtue and burden of those 

new requirements to the employer community and the resulting further obstacles in hiring veterans, NASWA also is concerned about the unfunded reporting 

burden these regulations will create for States workforce agencies, who will be 

asked to confirm information employers offer during OFCCP audits, further 

splintering dollars and resources meant to serve veterans. 

Finally, there is a concern the proposed regulations will have the unintended 

effect of decreasing the number of job openings currently found within State 

job banks. This stems from language in the NPRM eliminating the ability of 

Federal contractors to list simultaneously within multiple State job banks. Instead, the NPRM appears to require Federal contractors to provide jobs to 

States by manually posting them within each State job bank for the purposes 

of tracking limited referrals. This is an excessive burden on employers. It will 

lead to some employers posting jobs in fewer States. State workforce agencies 

who receive thousands of job listings on a daily basis via direct downloads will 

ultimately see their offerings to veterans reduced. 

NASWA and its members remain dedicated to improving the efficiency of the 

labor market and its labor exchange function, and improving the employment opportunities of our Nation’s veterans. We are willing to assist the Committee and the 

U.S. Department of Labor in any way possible. 

Thank you for the opportunity to address these important issues. 

SELECTED DATA 

Level of education of Veterans 

Educational Attainment by Veteran Status 

Percent distribution 

Veteran status 

Less than 

a high 

school 

diploma 

High 

school 

graduate, 

no college 

Some college or 

associate 

degree 

College 

graduate 

Nonveterans 14.3 30.8 27.6 27.2 

Veterans 7.4 32.7 32.8 27.1 

Gulf War-era II veterans 1.5 29.2 45.9 23.4 

Gulf War-era I veterans 1.5 28.0 41.4 29.1 

WWII, Korean War and Vietnam-era veterans 10.2 32.3 28.9 28.6 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009, at: 

www.bls.gov/spotlight/2010/veterans. 


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Length of Unemployment after leaving Service 

Labor Market Activity of Young Veterans 

Percent of veterans ages 18 to 24 in 1998–2008 

Number of 

months 

since separation 

from the Armed 

Forces Employed Unemployed 

Not in the labor 

force 

1 42.2 23.8 34.0 

2 51.0 21.6 27.4 

3 58.4 18.6 23.0 

4 60.5 15.9 23.6 

5 65.4 14.9 19.7 

6 65.1 12.5 22.3 

7 69.9 11.2 18.9 

8 68.6 11.3 20.1 

9 69.5 11.9 18.6 

10 71.7 11.2 17.1 

11 74.8 10.0 15.2 

12 78.6 8.7 12.7 

13 79.4 7.5 13.0 

14 78.4 7.5 14.1 

15 75.8 7.2 17.0 

16 78.3 7.6 14.1 

17 75.5 8.1 16.3 

18 79.0 6.0 15.0 

19 76.6 9.9 13.5 

20 80.9 6.4 12.8 

21 82.0 7.1 10.9 

22 80.8 7.0 12.2 

23 82.5 4.9 12.5 

24 84.0 5.6 10.4 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1998–2008 at: 

www.bls.gov/spotlight/2010/veterans. 


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Age of Veterans Served by the Workforce Investment System 

Age of veterans served in WIA 

Age at Participation 

(# in 000’s) 

18 to 21 22 to 29 30–44 45–54 55 + 

Veteran 3.9 8.2 6.3 9.2 5.7 

Disabled 0.5 1.1 0.9 1.2 0.9 

Campaign Vet 1.0 1.8 1.2 2.0 1.6 

Recently separated 

veteran 0.8 0.9 0.7 1.0 1.1 

Other eligible person 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 

Source: DoL Employment and Training: PY 2009WIASRD Data Book. 

Entered Employment Rate and Salary: 3rd Quarter after exit 

Veterans Programs 

Exiters from Oct 2008 to 

Sept 2009 

Exiters from April 2008 to 

March 2009 

Number 

of 

Exiters 

Entered 

Employment Rate 

(%) 

Credential 

Attainment 

Rate (%) 

Number 

of 

Exiters 

Retention 

2nd and 

3rd Quarters (%) 

Average 

Earnings 

($) 

26,469 54.7 42.8 24,434 76.4 14,932 

Source: DoL Employment and Training: PY 2009WIASRD Data Book. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Jolene Jefferies, 

Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, DirectEmployers Association 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, DirectEmployers 

Association (DirectEmployers.org) is owned and managed by over 600 leading U.S. 

corporations through a 501(c)(6) non-profit employer consortium. The Association’s 

mission is to provide employers an employment network that is cost-effective, improves labor market efficiency and reaches an ethnically diverse national and international workforce. 

Primary issues and obstacles our member employers say they face in recruiting 

veterans are: 

• Clarification—While a majority of employers believe VEVRAA regulations are 

effective, it was noted that further clarifications are needed (e.g., the OFCCP’s 

standards to evaluate Good Faith Efforts (GFE) by Federal contractors is inconsistent between 60–2(AA for Women and Minorities) and 60–250 (AA for Veterans). 

• Skills/Education Translation—The military workforce is challenged with the 

translation and transference of their education and skills to demonstrate their 

possession of the minimum and preferred job qualifications and/or requirements 

for which civilian employers seek. 

• Military/Civilian Certification—Several professions require accredited specialization that involves learned knowledge, certification and/or testing by a job 

seeker. Transitioning military workforce may be at a disadvantage without such 

accreditations. All levels of government need to implement solutions that effecVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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tively balance current challenges with educational system gaps, the accreditation of job seekers, and the fiscal demands and resources of civilian employers. 

• Lack of Data—There is no reliable data source that takes into account the 

available pool of the military workforce that demonstrates the correlation of 

standardized job, industry, and geographic classification codes that are consistent with other reported Federal labor, employment, economic, and census 

data. 

• OFCCP Consistency—Federal contractors have experienced challenges from 

the OFCCP, especially during compliance evaluations, two concurrent phenomena that hampers collaboration: 1) their knowledge and appreciation of how 

State workforce agencies operate, and 2) their dissemination of communications, 

staff training, and application of standards and procedures across and between 

their national, regional and district offices consistently. 

Chairman Miller, Representative Filner, and Members of the Committee, on behalf of DirectEmployers Association, I thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony addressing our Association’s Veterans’ education, employment, and 

job search programs for employers. DirectEmployers Association and its members 

are strong proponents of activities benefiting the employment of qualified veterans 

through programs such as those under the Committee’s jurisdiction. 

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, DirectEmployers 

Association (DirectEmployers.org) is owned and managed by over 600 leading U.S. 

corporation executives through a 501(c)(6) non-profit employer consortium. The Association’s mission is to provide employers an employment network that is cost-effective, improves labor market efficiency and reaches an ethnically diverse national 

and international workforce. 

Consistent with our mission, we partnered with The National Association of State 

Workforce Agencies (NASWA) in 2007 to create the JobCentral National Labor Exchange (NLX). The NLX replaced the previously federally-funded America’s Job 

Bank and provides employers an OFCCP compliance vehicle for providing job listings to veterans as well as access to our Nation’s State workforce system. It is available free-of-charge to all employers, regardless of size, in all industries. 

For most employers, OFCCP compliance is not the driving force. We are seeing 

more and more companies establishing programs to pro-actively recruit veterans because they provide such an outstanding talent-pool resource. The Association assists 

employers’ efforts in many ways. We provide an outstanding Hiring & Retaining 

Veterans webinar education and training series, job search programs, and job distribution services to help member companies recruit our Nation’s servicemembers 

and their dependents. The focus of these programs is on helping transitioning 

servicemembers, veterans and their families find and maintain meaningful employment. 

In a recent in-house survey, some of the issues and obstacles our member employers say they face in recruiting veterans are: 

• While a majority of employers believe VEVRAA regulations are effective, it was 

noted that further clarifications are needed (e.g., the OFCCP’s standards to 

evaluate Good Faith Efforts (GFE) by Federal contractors is inconsistent between 60–2(AA for Women and Minorities) and 60–250 (AA for Veterans). 

• Because employers utilize a ‘‘just-in-time’’ hiring process, employers would benefit from learning about DoL, DoD, and related Federal and State employment 

services that support this model (e.g., recognizing that turnover in H.R./Recruiting departments is dynamic and sometimes involves knowledge transfer gaps; 

as well as utilizing the Internet, social media platforms and related technologies 

are becoming commonplace; the impact of this is that companies are seeking to 

leverage cost/time-effective resources that provide immediate recruiting solutions). 

• The military workforce is challenged with the translation and transference of 

their education and skills to demonstrate their possession of the minimum and 

preferred job qualifications and/or requirements for which civilian employers 

seek. 

• Several professions require accredited specialization that involves learned 

knowledge, certification and/or testing by a job seeker. Transitioning military 

workforce may be at a disadvantage without such accreditations. All levels of 

government need to implement solutions that effectively balance current challenges with educational system gaps, the accreditation of job seekers, and the 

fiscal demands and resources of civilian employers. 


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• There is no reliable data source that takes into account the available pool of 

the military workforce that demonstrates the correlation of standardized job, industry, and geographic classification codes that are consistent with other reported Federal labor, employment, economic, and census data. • In order for civilian employers to improve the recruitment of the military workforce, such data sources are needed. To create a standardized data source/report 

will require data surveys, validation and analyses that may take several years 

to complete, akin to other Federal employment and labor-related data sets (e.g. 

census, EEO special file, et. al). • Federal contractors have experienced challenges from the OFCCP, especially 

during compliance evaluations, two concurrent phenomena that hampers collaboration: 1) their knowledge and appreciation of how State workforce agencies 

operate, and 2) their dissemination of communications, staff training, and application of standards and procedures across and between their national, regional 

and district offices consistently. • OFCCP should engage in town hall meetings, open forums, and other bridgebuilding dialogue with private-sector Federal contractors to demonstrate that 

the agency values the contributions of this subset, especially with regard to key 

agency developments that impact these relationships (e.g., regulatory changes, 

directives, and/or procedures). • The pre-employment voluntary self-identification of disability status by job 

seekers (including disabled veterans) is prohibited by the ADA. Thus, there 

must exist between the OFCCP and EEOC mutually-agreed upon interagency 

standards, guidance, permission and employer indemnity permitting employers 

to collect, evaluate and make employment selection decisions based on these 

data. 

• The letter and the spirit of key employment and Federal contractor regulations 

and laws require that employers make objective employment-related selection 

decisions. Enacting a mandatory procedure that mirrors the combination of the 

‘‘priority of service’’ process and a ‘‘veterans preference’’ policy (akin to U.S. 

State One-Stop Centers) raises a regulatory tension with these laws, including 

rendering a result of unintentional adverse impact among other protected classes (i.e., E.O. 11246, Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment and Assistance Act, 

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act as amended, Uniform Guidelines on Employment Selection Procedures, Title VII, et. al). 

DirectEmployers Association continues to work with NASWA in multiple ways, including veterans employment webinars for both employers and State workforce 

agencies, to help all employers effectively recruit veterans: 

JobCentral National Labor Exchange (NLX) 

A key service of the NLX is a comprehensive suite of programs and services to 

assist employers (e.g., Federal Government contractors) in complying with the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) regulations, as amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act (JVA) and developing Affirmative Action Programs 

to attract veterans. Direct Compliance is the most comprehensive 4212 VEVRAA/ 

JVA compliance assistance program and is offered to employers who are members 

of DirectEmployers Association. Members can have their job openings automatically 

indexed (scraped) directly from their corporate career sites and made available to 

veterans through the NLX and VetCentral, which assists participating members in 

complying with JVA regulations. 

VetCentral is a unique feature of the NLX which feeds job listings to State Employment Services offices nationwide. VetCentral is fully integrated into the NLX. 

Member’s job openings are sent to the appropriate (Wagner-Peyser) employment 

service delivery system via email or, in many cases, entered into the State job bank 

and records are maintained for each transaction. In the event of an Office of Federal 

Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) audit, employers can easily show these 

records to the auditor to demonstrate compliance requirements. 

DirectEmployers Association surpasses the minimum requirements to distribute 

jobs to appropriate employment delivery systems in two ways: 

• through the JobCentral National Labor Exchange (NLX) that provides an automated job listing feed to State job banks; and, 

• through VetCentral—a unique service of the NLX which feeds jobs to State Employment Services offices nationwide. 

The comprehensive NLX program includes an automated, efficient and very costeffective resource for employers to ensure their company’s job openings are delivered 

accurately and reliably to the State workforce system—the appropriate (WagnerVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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Peyser) local employment service office(s)—including the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) coordinators and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVER) program. The DVOP/LVER staff is trained to meet the specific needs 

of veterans and they can be very instrumental in referring veteran applicants to an 

organization, so it’s helpful for employers to develop local relationships with DVOPs 

and LVERs. Employers can locate the DVOPs and LVERs in the States they operate 

in by visiting the National Veterans’ Training Institute’s (NVTI’s) DVOP/LVER Locator. The DVOP/LVER staff is also very familiar with the complete range of employment services and training programs available for veterans at the State Workforce Agency CareerOneStop Centers and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program locations. 

In addition to working with the CareerOneStops Centers and the Department of 

Veterans’ Affairs, the DVOPs and LVERs also work closely with Veterans Service 

Organizations (VSOs). VSOs can also help employers get the word out to veterans 

about an organization’s job opportunities. Through the NLX and its partnership 

with NASWA, DirectEmployers Association offers assistance to its members in 

reaching out to these State and local partners to establish their employer’s own direct relationships and partnerships at the local level.. 

NLX also receives a download of jobs from USAJOBS and distributing them to 

State job banks. Sponsored by the Federal Office of Personnel Management, 

USAJOBS is a job bank containing Federal Government positions. This download 

of Federal job openings is available to States for inclusion in their States job banks. 

To date, the following States have requested the USAJOBs be included in their 

State job bank: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, 

South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. 

DirectEmployers Association is proud to be the provider of jobs data for 

‘‘MySkillsMyFuture’’, a valuable U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and 

Training Administration Web site which was launched last September. It is designed to connect workers with high quality training and local employment opportunities. DirectEmployers Association’s jobs, including job listings from State Workforce Agencies, are now included in the U.S. Department of Labor’s 

MySkillsMyFuture, MyNextMove, and CareerOneStop employment sites. 

Military-specific organizations receiving NLX job listings include: 

• JobCentral National Labor Exchange, or ‘‘NLX’’ 

• Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Coordinators (DVOPs) • Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVERs) • The .Jobs Universe Military Network • Armed Forces Employer Partnership (operated by the U.S. Army Reserve for all 

Reserve Components) • HirePatriots.com 

• Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) 

• National Marine Corps Business Network (NMCBN) 

• RecruitMilitary.com 

• Save Our Veterans 

• Veterans Enterprise 

• VetSuccess.gov (operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs) 

The .Jobs Universe Military Network 

Earlier this year, DirectEmployers Association announced an extensive online program to assist transitioning military personnel in all branches of our armed forces, 

their spouses, dependents, and caregivers in quickly and efficiently finding employment. The program is available free-of-charge to all employers and will provide military personnel and their dependents access to more than 880,000 employment opportunities from over 90,000 employers nationwide. 

The Association announced that over 5,800 dot-jobs (.jobs) domains have been 

added to the .Jobs Universe (www.universe.jobs) to create employment services for 

returning veterans (www.veterans.jobs) and their families. The domains use the 

Military Occupational Classification (MOC) Crosswalk to assist military personnel 

in transitioning from active duty to employment opportunities in the civilian workforce. Transitioning military personnel can enter their MOC plus.jobs into their 

browser to locate civilian occupations requiring the same or similar skills as their 

previous military job (e.g.www.42F.jobs, www.25B.jobs, www.2891.jobs). 

The .Jobs Universe also provides a Military family (www.militaryfamily.jobs) feature. This is designed to help military spouses, dependents and caregivers quickly 


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locate employment while their loved ones are serving our country. Military families 

can enter the name of their military installation plus the intuitive .jobs suffix into 

their browser and receive a list of employment opportunities on their assigned base 

or in surrounding cities (e.g. www.CampPendleton.jobs, www.NewportNewsShipyard. 

jobs, www.FtKnox.jobs). 

This new effort to assist our veterans and their families is further demonstration 

of the value and benefit of the .jobs platform. It is free for employers, veterans, and 

their families and it is organized to fit the way people use the Internet to search 

for jobs and the way companies go about attracting specific skills and experience 

with no artificial barriers in between. With the extra steps taken to ensure that only 

legitimate job listings from real companies are included, veterans and their families 

can have confidence in using this service to submit their background information 

over the Internet.. 

‘‘This is a great program for the entire human resource community as well as our 

transitioning military and their families. I am very proud to be a part of this exciting initiative in support of those who have unselfishly given so much for our Nation,’’ states Rhonda Stickley, a 6-year U.S. Army veteran and current human resource executive at Seattle-based Providence Health & Services. 

DirectEmployers’ new military .jobs initiative expands the potential of an already 

established and robust partnership with the public sector, the National Labor Exchange (NLX). Offered in partnership with the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), the NLX is a free, job-search engine feeding job openings 

into 50 publicly-funded State job banks. This has substantially increased offerings 

to all jobseekers, and especially veterans. Since March 2007, the NLX has provided 

over 9 million, unduplicated, current jobs to State workforce agency staff dedicated 

to serving veterans. The NLX uses no Federal funds for operations, research, or development. Rather, this unique public-private partnership leverages private, nonprofit-owned technology with existing State workforce agency resources to enhance 

offerings to veterans. 

The NLX partners are looking forward to continuing their work with the Obama 

Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and 

Training Service (VETS) to offer comprehensive, coordinated services to returning 

servicemembers and military families. DirectEmployers shares VETS’ vision and 

commitment to expand career opportunities for veterans, transitioning servicemembers, and their families. 

Alicia Wallace, EEO Program Consultant for WellPoint and a military veteran 

whose husband is a retired infantry officer says, ‘‘I salute all companies supporting 

these outstanding military programs. As a Nation, we should do all we can for the 

gallant men and women who serve in our armed forces. These individuals and their 

families have made great sacrifices for our country and deserve all the gratitude 

and support we can provide.’’ 

Recruitment Regulatory Compliance Committee 

DirectEmployers Association has established a Recruitment Regulatory Compliance Committee (RRCC) to provide consultation and guidance for our Association 

and member companies on issues related to veterans’ employment and all regulatory 

matters, especially those relating to the employment of veterans. 

The RRCC is chaired by Jason Capili, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, co-chaired by 

Jolene Jefferies, DirectEmployers Association, and consists of two National Industry 

Liaison Group (NILG) members, a NASWA representative and an external consultant in addition to twenty DirectEmployers Association member company representatives. 

The primary purpose of the RRCC is to assist the Board in overseeing 

DirectEmployers’ recruitment compliance services and related programs as follows: 

• The RRCC will help to educate, inform, and update employer members about 

government contracting compliance and employment-related laws and regulations affecting recruitment and sourcing practices. 

• The RRCC will serve as the primary liaison to educate and communicate 

DirectEmployers’ member companies’ needs and perspectives to the various regulatory authorities. 

• The RRCC will assist in tracking proposed changes in compliance legislation, 

and will alert and advise the Board concerning the possible effects of impending 

changes in government contract compliance laws and employment regulations 

and the potential impact on DirectEmployers’ member companies to recruit and 

source effectively. 


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• The RRCC will make recommendations to the Board regarding the compliance 

services and related programs offered by DirectEmployers Association to help 

us remain on the cutting-edge as the leading provider of said services. 

• The RRCC will research and share information about speaking opportunities at 

various conferences and events to further educate all employers, regulatory authorities, State workforce agencies, the military and other stakeholders about 

DirectEmployers’ compliance services and related programs. 

Hiring & Retaining Veterans—a Webinar Education Series 

The intent of the veteran employment webinar education series, Hiring & Retaining Veterans, developed by Jolene Jefferies, SPHR and VP Strategic Initiatives of DirectEmployers Association, is to offer employers comprehensive training 

and resources to expedite the learning curve in developing, sharing and implementing best practices and success strategies to attract, select, onboard and retain 

America’s military candidates. 

The Hiring & Retaining Veterans series was originally developed for employers 

so they could develop active, meaningful relationships with local referral sources 

that allowed regular communication and feedback. It was quickly determined that 

it could be utilized by a much broader community. Employers wanting to engage in 

a more robust veteran outreach effort were invited to join this series to: 

• Map a strategy to expand your company’s local veteran outreach activities. 

• Learn how to leverage DirectEmployers Association’s military partnerships as 

your own, at the local level. 

• Receive tips, resources and contact information of various veteran organizations 

to target and identify local partnership opportunities. 

• Discover ways to document veteran outreach and communications with veteran 

partners and referral sources. 

• Use analytics to identify specific employment practices that are verifiably effective in the recruitment of veterans. 

• Effectively demonstrate a history of compliant veteran outreach efforts. 

Worthwhile to note, there has been a very strong interest in the resources, templates and toolkits provided with the Veteran Outreach webinar. These resources 

are estimated to save employers well over 250 hours of research and planning time. 

• Veteran Outreach PowerPoint Slide Deck (includes step-by-step strategic implementation plan) 

• Guide to Key Military Partnerships of DirectEmployers Association 

• Labor Market Assessment Template 

• Veteran Outreach and Partnership Sources for Employers 

• State Veterans Program Coordinators 

• Marines Wounded Warrior District Injured Support Cell (DISC) Coordinator 

Roster 

• Veteran Partner Levels and Definitions 

• Local Veteran Recruiting Action Plan (RAP) Template 

Attendees have included anyone interested in learning how to develop partnerships at the local level and to advance outreach efforts to help employers find, attract, hire and retain more veterans, including employers, recruiters, H.R. Compliance Experts, Hiring Managers, Human Resource Professionals, Workforce Development Professionals, Economic Developers, Community Representatives and Regulatory Agency Representatives. 

An outline of the webinar content is included as Table 1 to this testimony. 

DirectEmployers Association intends to continue offering these worthwhile sessions 

on a regular basis. 

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to discuss the employers’ perspective and our activities in this area. We are dedicated to doing our utmost toward 

the employment of our Nation’s deserving veterans. We would be glad to provide 

you with any additional information. DirectEmployers Association stands ready to 

work with this Committee on the issues of veterans’ employment. 


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Hiring & Retaining Veterans 

Webinar Education Series for Employers 

Developed and Delivered by: Jolene Jefferies, SPHR, 

VP Strategic Initiatives, DirectEmployers Association 

The Hiring & Retaining Veterans webinar education series is designed to help employers explore how to create, develop and implement 

a successful award-winning military recruiting and retention program 

as part of their company’s overall talent acquisition and employee retention strategy. The Hiring & Retaining Veterans series, consisting of 

16 webinars, saves employers time and provides them with invaluable 

templates, tools and resources to target veteran and military candidates 

to the organization and retain them once they’ve been hired. 

Strategic Planning, Development and Implementation 

1 Making the Case for Hiring Veterans: A Win-Win Business Strategy 

Hiring Veterans 

2 Veteran Outreach: Partnering at the Local Level 

3 Hiring Veterans: Important Laws & Military-Friendly H.R. Policies 

4 Hiring Veterans: Creating Brand Awareness in the Military Community 

5 Hiring Veterans: Sourcing Strategies to Attract Military Talent—Part I 

6 Hiring Veterans: Sourcing Strategies to Attract Military Talent—Part II 

7 Hiring and Accommodating Disabled Veterans: Strategies for Success 

8 Hiring Veterans: Training Your Recruiters & Hiring Managers 

9 Hiring Veterans: The DD–214 & Background Investigations 

10 Hiring Veterans: Understanding the Military to Improve Employment Practices & Outcomes 

11 Hiring Veterans: Recruitment Compliance Strategies 

12 Onboarding New Veteran Employees: Strategies for Success 

13 Hiring Veterans: Employer Best Practices Showcase 

Retaining Veterans 

14 Retaining Veterans and Disabled Veterans: Strategies for Success 

15 Retaining Veterans: Training Your Recruiters, Hiring Managers and Key 

Leaders 

16 Retaining Veterans: Employer Best Practices Showcase 

f 

Prepared Statement of Kevin M. Schmiegel, 

Vice President, Veterans Employment Program, U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and Members of the Committee, my 

name is Kevin Schmiegel, and I am the vice president of veterans’ employment programs at the United States Chamber of Commerce. 

Thank you for the opportunity to appear as a witness before the Committee and 

speak to you about veterans’ employment and what the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

is doing to help our Nation’s heroes find meaningful employment in the private 

sector. 


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As you know, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of three million members and organizations of 

every size, sector, and region. 

The reason the Chamber is interested in our Nation’s veterans is simply that 

many of our members, which include thousands of small, medium, and large businesses, want to hire veterans. Even with high unemployment, we have a huge skills 

gap in America that is hindering our recovery and undermining our global competitiveness. Veterans can help to fill that gap, because they have unique leadership 

experience and incredible technical expertise. They are excellent problem-solvers 

and they are extremely reliable, and let’s not forget that 90 percent of military occupations are directly transferrable to jobs in the private sector. The Chamber’s veterans programs will help raise awareness across the business community of this 

great pool of potential workers who can help fill our Nation’s skills gap. 

As a veteran myself, it is an honor and a privilege to be here today. Two years 

ago, I retired from the United States Marine Corps as a lieutenant colonel after 20 

years of active duty service. 

My own transition from the military to the civilian workforce was full of good fortune. I was lucky to have a mentor like former National Security Advisor, General 

Jim Jones, who took a very special interest in my search for a second career. I was 

lucky to be at the right place at the right time. And I was lucky to be hired by an 

organization like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce whose President and CEO Tom 

Donohue understands and appreciates the value of hiring a veteran. Not every veteran is that lucky. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report on the ‘‘Employment Situation of Veterans 

in 2010’’ shows that on average there were over one million unemployed veterans 

in America during 2010. With an overall population of 22 million veterans and a 

total of just over 12 million veterans in the civilian workforce, veterans had a jobless 

rate of 8.7 percent last year. While this was comparable to the national average unemployment rate of 9.4 percent, there are some alarming trends that may result in 

higher unemployment for veterans in the short term. For example, the unemployment rate for post 9–11 era veterans was 11.5 percent with younger veterans (those 

ages 18 to 24) suffering from an average unemployment rate above 20 percent in 

2010. For that age category, the unemployment rate among veterans currently 

stands at a staggering 26.9 percent. Additionally, current or past members of the 

Reserve or National Guard had an unemployment rate of 14.0 percent in July 2010. 

Data for these cohorts are even more concerning given all additional 155,000 veterans will be leaving active duty and 100,000 guard and reservists will be demobilized and returning to the workforce in 2011. 

With the potential draw down of our armed forces and significantly higher rates 

of unemployment for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and returning guard and reservists on the horizon, the Chamber has started several initiatives that will enhance private sector job opportunities for veterans and their spouses. 

The U.S. Chamber’s Hiring our Heroes Program 

In March of 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched its Hiring our Heroes 

program, a year-long nationwide effort to help veterans and their spouses find 

meaningful employment. The Chamber started the program in partnership with Mr. 

Ray Jefferson, the Assistant Secretary for the Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service (DoL VETS) and Mr. Ron Young, Executive Director 

National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), to improve public-private sector coordination in local communities, where veterans and 

their families are returning every day. 

With our federation of business leaders, State and local chambers, and industry 

associations spanning nearly every State and city, the Chamber has the infrastructure to lead a nationwide campaign to connect veterans and military spouses with 

employers. Working with our extensive network of State and local chambers, DoL 

VETS, ESGR, veterans’ services organizations, and businesses of all sizes representing all sectors, we are coordinating public and private sectors to better match 

veteran talent with career opportunities in local communities across the country. 

There are four pillars of the Chamber’s Hiring our Heroes program. While the 

main focus of effort is on connecting all veterans and military spouses with second 

careers in the private sector, we have also created strategic partnerships in three 

other areas to deal with specific populations of veterans and their unique challenges. They include: a Wounded Warrior Transition Assistance Program, a Student 

Veterans Internship and Employment Program, and a Women Veteran and Military 

Spouse Employment Program. Our aggressive agenda focuses on one measure of 

success-jobs for the one million unemployed veterans in America. 


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100 Hiring Fairs for Veterans and Military Spouses 

In the coming year, the Chamber will host 100 hiring fairs with local chambers 

of commerce-across the country. The first of these hiring fairs took place in Chicago 

on March 24, 2011 and was a huge success with 127 employers and 1,200 veterans 

and their spouses participating. Initial feedback from the veterans and employers 

indicates that approximately 150 of the veterans and military spouses who attended 

are likely to get jobs. 

To make our hiring fairs more meaningful for veterans and military spouses and 

to gain traction in local communities, we have enlisted high level public and private 

sector speakers to keynote our hiring fair events and have employed an aggressive 

media and public relations campaign, which has earned the attention of news outlets across the country. The Chamber’s Hiring our Heroes program was recently 

highlighted in several national media outlets as part of Joining Forces, a campaign 

backed by First Lady Michelle Obama, to educate, employ and mentor U.S. servicemembers and their families. 

We are also offering transitional workshops in conjunction with many of our hiring fairs and have created an information technology system to track a number of 

important metrics to include job placements for veterans and their spouses-an area 

where our Nation has fallen woefully short in the past. By hosting these 100 hiring 

fairs, we hope to connect 100,000 veterans and spouses with over 1,000 different employers over a 12-month period. 

Wounded Warrior Transition Assistance Program 

Our program for Wounded Warriors is tailored to meet the unique challenges and 

demands for wounded warriors, spouses and caregivers. In partnership with the 

USA, Hire Heroes USA, and wounded warrior transition units in Fort Carson, Colorado and Fort Belvoir, Virginia, we are hosting quarterly transition workshops and 

career opportunity days with the potential to scale to several additional locations 

in 2012. Our goal is to build a wounded warrior pipeline that directly connects these 

talented young men and women who have honorably served our country with companies that are dedicated to their successful transition to the private sector. 

To prepare wounded warriors for career opportunities, wounded warrior transitional workshops teach participants necessary skills such as resume writing, interviewing, goal setting and basic financial planning for effective job searching. Career 

opportunity days provide wounded, ill, and injured troops and their spouses with an 

opportunity to conduct mock interviews and network with prospective employers in 

a more intimate environment than traditional career fairs. We have established this 

format because wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers are often overwhelmed by 

the magnitude of career fairs and choose not to participate, resulting in employers 

losing the opportunity to hire these high-potential employees. 

Career opportunity days are limited to no more than 20 dedicated employers and 

100 wounded warriors who are making the transition to a civilian career. Employers 

are connected directly with 10 prospective employees based on a mutual interest in 

either the employer’s industry or the wounded warrior’s military background. 

We have also started discussions with Mr. John Campbell, the Deputy Assistant 

Secretary of Defense for Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy, to offer innovative private sector solutions to help wounded, ill, injured and transitioning 

servicemembers transition seamlessly to civilian life. 

Student Veterans Internship and Employment Program 

The U.S. Chamber is partnering with Student Veterans of America (SVA) on several new initiatives to enhance the ability of student veterans to find meaningful 

employment in the private sector upon graduation. Our jobs and internship program 

will be launched in early June 2011 at over 350 colleges and universities and will 

initially be available to over 40,000 student veterans seeking internships and job opportunities across the Nation. In addition to conducting tailored hiring fairs for student veterans at SVA’s National Conference in December 2011 and their Annual 

Leadership Summit in 2012, we have elicited the support of several Fortune 100 

companies to establish campus recruiting programs and to work with SVA chapters 

to develop a nationwide internship program for student veterans from campuses in 

all 50 States. 

Women Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Program 

The Chamber is working with Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation and have started discussions with Mr. Robert Gordon, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, in an effort to help 

women veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment in the private 

sector. In addition to collaborating with the White House on its Joining Forces iniVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00073 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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tiative and connecting the business community with the Department of Defense on 

nationwide efforts to employ active duty spouses in the private sector, we will enlist 

the support of American Chambers of Commerce abroad and global companies to 

help place military spouses in jobs overseas. 

While women veterans and military spouses will be the beneficiaries of many of 

our other programs, we will also host tailored events and champion specific forums 

to address some of their unique challenges in finding employment. One of the primary goals of this program is to significantly decrease women veteran and military 

spouse unemployment by establishing a network of 10,000 women mentors in the 

business community to connect with women veterans and military wives by the end 

of 2012. 

Principles for Success 

Before closing I’d like to outline five fundamental principles that we believe are 

critically important to the success of our programs. 

First, local communities must be the cornerstone of any national program to reduce veterans’ unemployment. I say this with confidence based on professional experience. In my final few years as a Marine, I served as the head of enlisted monitors 

managing 60 human resources specialists who were responsible for the assignment 

and retention of 170,000 Marines worldwide. Over a 2-year period, our department 

interviewed tens of thousands of Marines about their decision to stay or leave active 

duty. Of those who were leaving the service, an overwhelming majority were more 

concerned about where they were going rather than what they were going to do for 

a second career. Additionally, exit surveys from all service components reinforce 

that geographic preference is an important consideration when veterans are entering the civilian workforce. While the U.S. Chamber can have some effect talking to 

public and private sector leaders in Washington DC, it pales in comparison to the 

impact we can have with the help of chambers of commerce, business leaders and 

government officials in local communities where veterans are returning every day. 

Second, we must do a better job of coordinating public and private sector efforts 

in local communities. While there are no shortages of hiring programs for veterans, 

it is clear those programs are not working well enough. The fact is there are hundreds and hundreds of private sector companies, non-profits, NGOs, veteran services 

organizations and government agencies that have individual programs to help veterans find jobs. However, most of these individual programs are not yielding results, 

and collectively, they are falling woefully short. Because they are duplicative, they 

compete with one another, they cause unnecessary confusion for veterans and their 

families, and they are not well coordinated. We believe that the U.S. and local 

chambers of commerce are uniquely positioned to better coordinate public and private sector efforts in hundreds of cities across America. 

Third, we must look for other innovative ways to help transitioning veterans, including helping them start or grow a small business; improving certification, licensing, and vocational education for veterans and their spouses; and enhancing the 

availability of internships and mentoring programs within the business community. 

With our strong federation of business leaders, State and local chambers, and industry associations spanning nearly every State and city, the Chamber can play a massive role in establishing private sector programs that assist military families in 

their transition to civilian life. 

Fourth, all programs-existing and new-should be measured against clear objectives and established metrics, so we can focus on what is working and stop funding 

programs that are not producing results. When the Chamber completes the last of 

our 100 hiring fairs we will host a summit with all of stakeholders to analyze outcomes and discuss best practices. 

And finally, we need to build on the incredible momentum that has brought veterans issues to the forefront of America’s psyche and take advantage of what the 

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen, has called a ‘‘sea of goodwill.’’ As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘‘The time is always right to do what 

is right.’’ It is clear that now is the time to positively affect veterans unemployment 

and to do it right. 

Conclusion 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and distinguished Members of the 

Committee on Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is committed to 

helping better coordinate public and private sector efforts to find meaningful employment for veterans and their spouses in local communities where they are returning every day. Our success will be measured by the impact our programs have 

on helping our veterans find and keep good jobs in the private sector. 


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Thank you for this Committee’s unwavering commitment and support of veterans 

and their families. 

I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you today and look forward to answering your questions. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Henry Jackson, Interim President and Chief 

Executive Officer, Society for Human Resource Management 

Executive Summary 

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), with 260,000 members, 

is the world’s largest association devoted to serving the needs of human resource 

professionals and to advancing the H.R. profession. 

SHRM and its members have adopted the transition of military veterans into the 

civilian workforce as a key issue. With successful transitions, our heroes receive the 

welcome they deserve; employers gain workers legendary for their commitment to 

mission; and our Nation’s productivity and status in the global marketplace is enhanced. 

Within the last 2 years, SHRM has forged partnerships with Employer Support 

for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). The organization is also about to enter a 

similar collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs. In all instances, the 

goal is to ensure that employers have what’s needed to create a transition program, 

identify and hire veterans, and retain those veterans, including building a workplace supportive of our military forces. 

Ultimately, SHRM wants every one of its members—plus other H.R. professionals—to know who to call to find veteran talent, and who to call to get assistance 

in easing the transition of that veteran into the civilian workforce. 

Many of the hurdles facing employers and veterans alike can be described as culture clashes. Veterans need help translating their specialized skills, along with their 

respect for discipline and chain of command, into civilian vocabulary, and a job. 

They are not accustomed to self-promotion. Nor, given their combat experience, are 

they accustomed to a business concept of a ‘‘life or death’’ situation; or to ‘‘seeking 

input’’ from a team; or a managerial style that is not centered on command and control. 

On the employer side, more communication with H.R. professionals is needed. 

SHRM research (available to the Committee) found that most talent managers are 

unaware of the many resources available to them, from both government agencies 

and non-profit organizations, to assist them in finding, hiring, and retaining the 

right veterans for their jobs. SHRM pledges to help close that communication gap, 

and to help employers see veterans as loyal, dedicated, and highly trainable potential employees. Many local SHRM chapters and councils are already conducting employer-education programs focused on the benefits of hiring veterans, and on how 

to make their transition successful. 

The Society has dedicated a section of its Web site to the transition issue, and 

another on disability employment. It offered a military program at its annual conference last year and will do so again this month, making the educational event 

available to more than 12,000 conference attendees. Similar programs are met by 

a receptive audience—SHRM describes its members as professionals who understand that it makes sense to hire veterans, and that it’s a moral obligation to help 

those veterans after all they have sacrificed. 

Introduction 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and distinguished Members of the 

Committee, my name is Hank Jackson. I am the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). SHRM is the 

world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. The Society 

serves the needs of H.R. professionals and advances the interests of the H.R. profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the 

United States and subsidiary offices in China and India. On behalf of our approximately 260,000 members in over 140 countries, I thank you for this opportunity to 

appear before the Committee to discuss the transition of military veterans into the 

civilian workforce. 

Our members strongly believe that helping military servicemen and women transition back to the workforce benefits every party involved: our heroes receive the 


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welcome they deserve through employment; employers gain employees who are committed to the mission; and our Nation’s productivity and status in the global marketplace is enhanced. 

In my testimony, I will share SHRM’s efforts to promote the recruitment and retention of veterans in the workplace, provide SHRM survey research on the state 

of veterans’ employment, describe our concerns about why the promise of employment to many veterans remains unfulfilled, and offer proposals for eliminating these 

hurdles to veterans’ employment. 

SHRM’s Efforts to Promote Veterans’ Employment 

The transition of veterans into the workplace has developed into a key concern 

for SHRM and for the H.R. profession. To assist employers in recruiting and retaining current and former members of the military, SHRM has collaborated with key 

Federal agencies. 

First, our members appreciate that almost half of our Nation’s military strength 

resides in the National Guard and Reserve. They see men and women leave their 

workplaces to do their duty, and they see them return from combat, sometimes 

struggling to reintegrate into civilian life. In addition, some Guard and Reserve 

members joined the military as their first real ‘‘job,’’ and now they need our members’ help. After all those warriors have sacrificed for us, H.R. professionals embrace 

a responsibility to help our heroes reclaim their civilian lives and return to meaningful and productive work. 

For this reason, SHRM formed a partnership with the Department of Defense’s 

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) by signing a Statement of Support in March 2010. As the principal advocate within the U.S. Department of Defense, ESGR’s mission is to develop and promote employer support for Guard and 

Reserve service by recognizing employers that offer outstanding support, increasing 

awareness of applicable laws and resolving conflict between employers and servicemembers. 

Through this partnership, SHRM is working with ESGR to link all SHRM State 

councils and chapters with their local ESGR office and encourage SHRM members 

to sign their own Statement of Support. More than 300 SHRM chapters and 31 

SHRM State Councils have signed a Statement of Support to date. 

SHRM also serves as a member of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support 

Freedom Award National Selection Board, which selects Freedom Award recipients 

on an annual basis. The Freedom Award is the Department of Defense’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of their employees serving in the 

Guard and Reserve. We are pleased that several employers of SHRM members have 

been presented with the Freedom Award. 

Soon after forging our partnership with ESGR, we inaugurated a military hiring 

event as part of our 2010 annual conference and exposition in San Diego, California. 

That event, called ‘‘Military Veterans: Transitioning Skills to the New Economy,’’ 

brought together H.R. professionals, business leaders, Federal agencies and hundreds of members of the military. We showed both employers and veterans how they 

could benefit each other, focusing on the skills they each need to succeed as partners. During the full conference, participants also were addressed by Ray Jefferson, 

Assistant Secretary of the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). His riveting remarks reminded us that there are other heroes 

who need and deserve our attention. They are the people who volunteered for active 

duty, many of them right out of school, and who now return in search of their first 

civilian job. Building on the enthusiastic response we received for last year’s program, we’re holding another veterans’ employment event at our conference in Las 

Vegas later this month, offering it at no charge to more than 12,000 H.R. professionals. The 6-hour program will focus on everything needed to recruit and accommodate veterans, wounded warriors, and spouses. Just as important, we’ll talk 

about creating an inclusive workplace that encourages veterans to stay with their 

new organization. 

SHRM has also developed a deeper relationship with VETS, to complement our 

ongoing partnership with ESGR. The core of our work with VETS is in helping the 

agency to inform employers across the Nation about the resources that are available 

to them in finding, recruiting, and retaining military veterans. For instance, right 

now, we’re identifying States that will be pilot sites for a more cooperative relationship between SHRM chapters and VETS. We want our members, at the State and 

regional levels, to get to know the VETS staff, and to rely on them for assistance. 

In addition, our two organizations are working together to create a toolkit for employers. It will be a collection of practical steps and tangible tools for creating a hiring program, identifying and hiring veterans, and doing what it takes to retain 


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those veterans, including building a workplace that’s supportive of our military 

forces. 

In a related effort, the White House invited SHRM to participate in ‘‘Joining 

Forces,’’ an initiative focused on the needs of military families led by First Lady 

Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Addressing the goals of this effort, SHRM’s educational materials will include resources and tips on effective practices for recruiting 

and retaining military spouses, maximizing workplace flexibility and other policies 

to support military families, and creating high-performing work environments for all 

service-connected employees. 

I’m also pleased to inform you that we’re preparing to embark on a similar collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

These partnerships have proved to be invaluable to SHRM and our members and 

hopefully to the agencies as well, and we are deeply grateful for them. Ultimately 

it is our hope that through all these efforts, we can help every SHRM member to 

know where to find qualified veteran job candidates, and where to get assistance 

in easing the transition of that veteran into the civilian workforce. 

SHRM Research on Employment of Military Veterans 

SHRM features a research department that has conducted several survey reports 

on employer recruitment, hiring and retention practices of military servicemembers. 

In June 2010, SHRM published its most recent report in this series, titled ‘‘Employing Military Personnel and Recruiting Veterans—Attitudes and Practices.’’ 

The survey examined two areas: 

1. Active Duty Service Employees. The poll looked at pay and benefits that organizations provide to employees who have been mobilized to serve on active 

duty for an extended period of time (more than 2 weeks), either as a reservist 

or as a member of the National Guard. The challenges organizations face when 

an employee has been mobilized to serve on active duty and the overall familiarity that H.R. professionals have with the Uniformed Services Employment 

and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) were also explored. 

2. Recruiting and Hiring Veterans. The benefits and challenges of hiring military veterans were examined, as were the resources that could assist organizations in recruiting and hiring veterans. 

The survey’s key findings include: 

• The majority of employers are considering and hiring veterans. Fiftythree percent of respondents said that, within the previous 36 months, their organization had hired veterans as full-time, part-time or temporary/contract 

workers. Of those organizations that hired at least one veteran, 50 percent revealed that they had made a specific effort to recruit and hire veterans. 

• Organizations are going beyond what is required by law to help employees who are returning to work after active duty service. Sixty-six 

percent provide returning employees an employee assistance program (EAP) to 

help with transitioning back to work, 58 percent provide catch-up skills training 

to help with transitioning back to work, and 48 percent provide flexible work 

arrangements during the transition. 

• Organizations find that veterans make extremely positive contributions 

to the workplace. Of those organizations that had hired at least one veteran 

during those 36 months, more than 85 percent said the benefits of hiring employees with military experience include: 

• ‘‘Strong sense of responsibility’’ 

• ‘‘Ability to work under pressure’’ 

• ‘‘Ability to see a task through to completion’’ 

• ‘‘Strong leadership skills’’ 

• ‘‘High degree of professionalism’’ 

• ‘‘Strong problem-solving skills’’ 

• ‘‘Ability to multi-task’’ 

• ‘‘Ability to adapt to changing situations quickly’’ 

• ‘‘Positive impact on the image and/or credibility of the organization’’ 

• Employers are providing generous benefits support (i.e., non-direct 

compensation) to mobilized employees and their families. Sixty-three 

percent of respondents said their organizations provide an extension of health 

insurance for the employee’s family and 47 percent provide an extension of 

health insurance for the employee. 

• Employers are seeing fewer employees mobilize to serve on active duty. 

In 2004, 51 percent of employers said that in the previous 36 months they had 


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1Society for Human Resource Management Poll (2010): ‘‘Employing Military Personnel and 

Recruiting Veterans—Attitudes and Practices.’’ 

experienced employees being mobilized to serve on active duty, either as a reservist or as a member of the National Guard, for an extended period of time 

(more than 2 weeks). In 2010, that figure decreased to 34 percent of 

respondents. 

• Importantly, H.R. professionals believe transition assistance programs 

can further facilitate the hiring of veterans. When asked ‘‘What programs 

would help your organization in efforts to recruit and hire military veterans,’’ 

72 percent responded programs to train veterans with additional skills for the 

civilian workplace; 71 percent said programs to help veterans transition their 

military skills to the civilian workplace; and 71 percent said assistance identifying and reaching out to qualified veterans.1

Challenges Facing Veterans and Employers Alike 

There are a number of hurdles to be cleared in order for veterans and employers 

to achieve the goals they both seek—meaningful employment for the veteran and 

a highly skilled and engaged employee for the hiring organization. Some of the challenges may be more structural in nature; others attributable to the differences between military and civilian workplaces; while still others are attributable to a lack 

of access to training and education for veterans and employers. 

As noted above, 71 percent of H.R. professionals are unaware of, or unsatisfied 

with, programs to help them find and assimilate veterans into their workforces. In 

a separate poll, SHRM found that nearly seven out of 10 H.R. professionals were 

not at all aware of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Local Veterans’ Employment 

Representative Program, and the same numbers were completely unaware of DoL’s 

Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program. As a result, SHRM sees their partnerships 

with agencies such as DoL–VETS and ESGR as extremely important in order to increase the awareness of available programs. Part of the confusion of many employers may lie in the number of Federal, as well as, State programs devoted to veterans’ employment. While their missions may be distinct, it is not always clear to 

the employer the role each plays in the employment process. 

It is also clear that more communication is needed to advise H.R. professionals 

and employers of the help available to them from both government and non-profit 

organizations, largely at no cost. A follow-up poll last fall by SHRM and the Cornell 

University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and released in January found 

that 87 percent of H.R. professionals were unaware of the Tip of the Arrow Foundation; 73 percent were unaware of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ VetSuccess 

program; and 60 percent were not aware of such programs, services and organizations as Wounded Warrior, Job Opportunities for Disabled American Veterans, and 

the Paralyzed Veterans of America. 

There are also some misunderstandings about what to expect from veterans with 

combat-related disabilities, or what must be done to accommodate disabilities. According to the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the unemployment rate for veterans 

with severe disabilities is a stunning 85 percent. For veterans with any disabilities, 

the hiring challenge is greater than for the rest of their military colleagues—but the 

problem is largely one of perception. Again, better communications are needed to 

correct faulty assumptions. 

Some employers fear that making physical accommodations for a veteran with a 

disability will be expensive, but the average cost is $600 or less, according to the 

Job Accommodation Network within the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability 

Employment Policy. And even that cost can be covered by Federal work opportunity 

tax credits. 

According to SHRM’s own research of members, erroneous assumptions are also 

made about accommodating the nearly half of veterans who return to civilian life 

with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Lisa 

Rosser, author of The Value of a Veteran: The Guide for Human Resources Professionals in Regarding, Recruiting and Retaining Military Veterans, has told us that, 

despite employer fears that a veteran with PTSD will exhibit extreme behavior, by 

far the most common reaction of a PTSD sufferer to an intolerably stressful situation is to simply leave. And most accommodations for TBI are minor, plus veterans 

often recover completely from the injury. The benefit of hiring disabled veterans, she 

said, far outweighs the hassles. 

Once hired, retention of veterans is also an issue. This challenge may be described 

as a culture clash. Not many employers—or H.R. professionals—can identify with 

the experience of war, or the unique culture of the military. 


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Adjusting to civilian workplace protocol also drives away some newly hired veterans. Last year, MyMilitaryTransition.com surveyed veterans and H.R. managers 

on why job retention beyond 18 months is often difficult. Veterans cited ‘‘lack of cultural fit’’ as the leading reason; H.R. managers described it as ‘‘an inability to let 

go of the military way of doing things.’’ 

Finally, many returning veterans face a unique challenge in translating their specialized skills, along with their respect for discipline and chain of command, into a 

civilian vocabulary, and a civilian job. Last spring, a SHRM poll of its members 

found that 60 percent of respondents said translating military skills was the biggest 

hurdle to veterans in writing resumes, interviewing, and other job-hunt communications. The systems used to identify specific job or job functions in the military—the 

Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) for the Army and Marine Corps or the 

Navy Enlisted Classification system for Navy personnel—does not easily translate 

veterans’ skills to a potential civilian employer nor help the veteran clearly articulate what he or she did while in the service. 

The main vehicle for addressing skills translation and preparing transitioning 

servicemembers to civilian life is the Transition Assistance Program or TAP. TAP 

represents a partnership among the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and 

the U.S. Department of Transportation, plus VETS at Labor. As noted above, SHRM 

members have expressed a desire for improving the transition assistance provided 

to service-members, including translation of military skills, interviewing techniques, 

and job-search advice. It is our understanding that VETS is seeking to improve this 

transition assistance. SHRM believes this effort is a significant step in the right direction to achieve more uniformity and standardization in preparing transitioning 

servicemembers for employment in the civilian sector. 

Challenges Can Be Overcome 

There are challenges in bringing together employers and veterans successfully, 

but those challenges are not insurmountable. Success demands the best tools of 

H.R., a community of understanding, and a utilization of what, thankfully, is becoming a broad network of resources being made available to those who have served 

our Nation so selflessly and bravely. 

With success comes benefit to both the veteran and the employer. As Members 

of this Committee know, veterans make loyal, dedicated, and highly trainable employees. 

When I talk of challenges faced in this hiring equation, I must admit that one 

lies squarely on my own doorstep—the need to make H.R. professionals more aware 

of the many resources available to them in assisting the work transition of returning veterans. It’s something that we recognize at SHRM, and we’re doing something 

about it. 

Having said that, however, I want to assure the members of this Committee that 

the target audience for those efforts—HR professionals—is an eager and willing audience. They do not have to be sold on our national obligation to veterans, or the 

practical advantages of adding veterans to their workforces. 

These H.R. professionals are people who understand that it makes sense to hire 

veterans, and that it’s a moral obligation to help those veterans after all they have 

sacrificed. Our members, and other professionals like them, just need assistance in 

finding the applicants, and in building a long-term relationship with them. 

In that same vein, I can assure you that members of our chapters and State councils, just like those of us on staff, are fully engaged and supportive of this effort. 

Many are educating local employers about existing laws and regulations, and giving 

them tips on how to find and hire the right veterans for their needs. Others are 

working directly with veterans, helping them find jobs and transition into the civilian workforce. 

Here are just two examples. When 1,500 Vermont National Guard and Reserve 

members were deployed to Afghanistan, one of our Vermont chapters hosted a community town hall meeting for employers from businesses of any size. In partnership 

with ESGR, our H.R. professionals taught those employers about the Uniformed 

Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, as well as the Family and 

Medical Leave Act. They also brought in experts to guide employers though the 

steps they should follow in reintegrating employees when they return from combat. 

Another example comes from Texas. As Representatives Bill Flores (R–TX) and 

Silvestre Reyes (D–TX) may be aware, our SHRM Texas State Council and some of 

our local chapters have hosted several full-day events focusing on veterans’ employment. The most recent was May 20, in Austin. Business leaders and staffing and 

recruiting professionals gathered to learn best practices from an array of experts on 

how to build a strategy for recruiting a veteran, military spouse, wounded warrior 

or reservist. 


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They showed employers how to build recruitment and retention strategies for veterans, for military spouses, and for wounded warriors. Essentially, they talked 

about effective practices to attract these skilled workers and keep them onboard. 

Afterward, here’s what one of the employers said about the program: ‘‘Although 

I’ve never hesitated to hire a veteran, I came away with a new understanding of 

how to proactively recruit veterans and fully integrate them into the workforce. I 

couldn’t have found a better venue for honest and direct information on the struggles U.S. veterans face when entering the private sector.’’ 

Conclusion 

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, SHRM and its members will continue our efforts to assist employers in finding, recruiting and retaining military 

veterans. 

We will keep reaching out to all H.R. professionals, whether members of SHRM 

or not, and make them aware of the programs and services available to employers. 

We will continue our ongoing programs with both ESGR and VETS, and we will 

hold another military employment program for H.R. professionals at our annual conference in Las Vegas later this month. 

Finally, we will continue working with our councils and chapters, engaging them 

on the military transition issue, and assisting them with their own communitybased educational programs. 

As we work together to improve employment outcomes for transitioning servicemembers, we suggest the following to foster greater employment opportunities for 

transitioning servicemembers: 

• Encourage continued partnerships between the employer community and the 

relevant agencies. 

• Clarify and educate employers about the role of the Federal agencies. Employers would greatly benefit from having a more streamlined set of resources that 

they can consult to find veteran talent, post their open positions, and find information about hiring veterans and other transitioning servicemembers. 

• Improve and increase uniformity in transition assistance for service-members. 

As noted in our testimony, guidance provided to individuals leaving the military 

should prepare them for what employers need to hire, including translation of 

military skills, interviewing techniques, and job-search advice. Having a more 

uniform system understood by both employers and transitioning servicemembers would benefit them both. 

Thank you for this opportunity to come before you and assure you that the human 

resource profession does appreciate the importance of the challenge before us, and 

we look forward to partnering with you in achieving a smooth transition for every 

returning veteran. 

I welcome your questions. 

f 

Prepared Statement of George Ondick, Executive Director, 

Department of Ohio, American Veterans (AMVETS) 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner and distinguished Members of the 

Committee, on behalf of the Department of Ohio AMVETS, I would like to extend 

our gratitude for being given the opportunity to share with you our views and recommendations regarding employment among the veteran population. 

AMVETS feels privileged in having been a leader, since 1944, in helping to preserve the freedoms secured by America’s Armed Forces. Today our organization 

prides itself on the continuation of this tradition, as well as our undaunted dedication to ensuring that every past and present member of the Armed Forces receives 

all of their due entitlements. These individuals, who have devoted their entire lives 

to upholding our values and freedoms, deserve only the highest quality of care and 

programs we as a Nation can offer them. 

AMVETS was founded in order to enhance and safeguard the entitlements of all 

American veterans who have served honorably, as well as to improve their quality 

of life and that of their families and the communities where they live through leadership, advocacy and service. Today I will be discussing one of the services AMVETS 

has to offer, the AMVETS Career Center. 

The first AMVETS Career Center opened in December of 2000 and subsequently 

in 2003, AMVETS Career Centers became an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable corporation, incorporated in Ohio to provide career, training and employment 

related services to Ohio’s armed forces veterans. 


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The AMVETS Career Center was initially funded through a $100,000 grant from 

the State of Ohio. The grant was supported by the late Ohio State Senator Eugene 

Watts, a highly-decorated Vietnam veteran who saw the need for the program and 

was eager to provide this employment resource to Ohio veterans. The grant was 

used to establish the first AMVETS Career Center at the Department of Ohio 

AMVETS headquarters in Columbus. Further funding of the Ohio AMVETS Career 

Center has been provided through the sale of ‘‘Charitable Instant Bingo’’ tickets, 

which under State law specifies that a portion of the sales profit be donated to a 

501(c)(3) organization, in this instance the AMVETS Career Center. 

The AMVETS Career Center provides free career services to men and women who 

have served their country honorably. This includes honorably discharged veterans, 

active duty military personnel and members of the National Guard and Reserve. No 

services can be provided without evidence of honorable military service. 

The initial concept for the AMVETS Career Center was to provide training and 

assistance to returning veterans, as they applied for their licenses and/or certifications for the training they had received in the military. We soon discovered that 

our veterans also needed stop gap training, resume development, interviewing skills, 

basic computer skills and assistance in other vital areas of the overall employment 

process. 

The AMVETS Career Center originally provided this training through the use of 

CD-based programs, which quickly proved to be cumbersome and inefficient. We 

then entered into an agreement with Mindleaders, then the largest provider of online courses in the United States, to provide the AMVETS Career Center with the 

necessary courses to assist our veterans. The AMVETS Career Center paid 

Mindleaders for their online services platform, thus resulting in our veterans having 

off site Internet access to their desired courses through the use of a Web log in and 

password to receive their desired course of study. 

Currently, the veterans utilizing the AMVETS Career Center have access to over 

300 online Mindleaders courses. Once registered, students may study at a local career center or any other place that has broadband Internet service—including the 

comfort of their own homes. The veteran has no out-of-pocket expense for the 

courses we offer, since the AMVETS Career Center feels the veteran has already 

paid the price through service to our Nation. 

The AMVETS Career Center not only provides career services to veterans, but 

also provides free career services to the spouses and children of military personnel 

who are deployed outside of Ohio. These services may continue as long as the 

servicemember is stationed outside of Ohio, but must end when the servicemember 

returns to Ohio. Family members must provide evidence that the military member 

is currently on active duty outside of Ohio, which can be done through a number 

of ways. 

However, the AMVETS Career Center does not provide free career services to 

anyone who is not a veteran or is otherwise ineligible for services. Although some 

non-AMVETS, local career centers provide fee-based services to non-veterans and 

the general public, veterans and other eligible personnel always have priority of 

service at all career center locations. 

The AMVETS Career Center is not a government program. Local career centers 

are located in AMVETS posts. There currently are 60 local career centers, which can 

be found in AMVETS posts, VA facilities, Ohio Department Job and Family Services 

(ODJFS), One Stops and in the Summit County Veteran Service Commission. Originally piloted by AMVETS Department of Ohio, AMVETS Career Centers are now 

located throughout Ohio, Illinois, New York and Tennessee. 

Since receiving the 501(c)(3) tax exemption status from the IRS, the AMVETS Career Center has been prohibited, by current tax law, from doing any sort of job 

placement. We had initially provided job search and placement assistance through 

the ODJFS prior to our tax status. ODJFS has a U.S. Department of Labor (USDoL) 

grant to employ Veterans’ Representatives (Vet Reps) in order to provide employment assistance. However, the grant mandates that Vet Reps are to only offer their 

services to veterans who have significant barriers to employment. In 2009, ODJFS 

Vet Reps provided services to approximately 5,000 of Ohio’s 100,000 unemployed 

veterans. Veterans who do not qualify for intensive services may request assistance 

from non-veteran representatives, but they often are referred to the State’s online 

job search site and for the most part, are on their own. 

Unfortunately, AMVETS Career Center record keeping for job placement is not 

available since we are not permitted to do any job placement. However, AMVETS 

Career Center has served over 5,500 veterans in Ohio alone since our inception in 

2000 and has further provided veterans with over 25,000 hours of online employment training. After getting ‘‘job ready’’ at a Career Center, many of our veterans 


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have found employment on their own by doing job searches at an AMVETS Career 

Center. 

The continued constraints and problems regarding job placement, combined with 

the Ohio National Guard having a large number of unemployed servicemembers, 

gave cause for the AMVETS Career Center to initiate the ‘‘Ohio Veterans Career 

Assistance Network,’’ or ‘‘Vets CAN.’’ 

Ohio ‘‘Vets CAN’’ is a partnership between the AMVETS Department of Ohio and 

the Ohio National Guard. Ohio ‘‘Vets CAN’’ was created as an online meeting place 

where veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve can link up with 

employers who value and support military service to America. The Web address is 

www.ohiovetscan.com. 

Questions I am often asked are, ‘‘So why was another Web site created, and why 

do we need AMVETS, and why don’t we use something that already exists?’’ The 

answers to these questions are quite easy. First, Major General Wayt (at that time 

the Adjutant General for the State of Ohio) asked AMVETS to create a program 

that would address the employment needs of the Ohio National Guard. Second, 

AMVETS Career Centers already provide no cost training to veterans and members 

of the National Guard and Reserve, therefore making a perfect match of meeting 

these needs. Finally, there are no employment sites that exclusively address the 

needs of veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve. 

At www.ohiovetscan.com, Ohio Guard members can identify resources and organizations that can help improve their civilian career opportunities or find employment. 

Ohio ‘‘Vets CAN’’ is similar to a mini ‘‘Monster.com’’ without the fees. Employers 

can register and post for free. In doing so they can access the cream of the crop, 

potential employees who are well trained, accustomed to long hours, show up on 

time, are loyal, and are patriotic. Guard members and our veterans know the meaning of ‘an honest day’s work’ and have a track record of integrity, sincerity, accountability, responsibility and trustworthiness. 

There are some limitations as to who we will allow to post on this site. We are 

limiting our services to veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve 

and the active duty component. 

On the employer side, we limit services to military-friendly employers. Military 

friendly employers are defined as employers who understand the commitment to 

military service, practice flexibility, and unconditionally support Guard members in 

the performance of Federal, State and community missions. Military-friendly employers recognize in veterans a high level of personal maturity, and understand veterans are men and women who often have tested their mettle in mission-critical situations that demand endurance, stamina and flexibility. 

In October 2010, the Ohio unemployment rate was 9.6 percent. The unemployment rate for veterans was 11.1 percent, with the rate for women veterans even 

higher at 11.9 percent. This means nearly 100,000 of Ohio’s 900,000 veterans are 

unemployed. For recently-separated veterans, even after 2 years, their unemployment rate was 16 percent, far higher than the overall rate. For young (18–24-yearold) veterans, the news is particularly grim. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 

reported in April 2010 that the unemployment rate for young veterans was 30.7 percent. This presents a large number of young unemployed veterans in Ohio, given 

that over 17,000 of Ohio’s National Guard and Reserve troops, plus 15,000 active 

military troops from Ohio, are 24 or younger. 

For the National Guard, large numbers of unemployed troops present operational 

readiness and troop safety issues. Commanders speak of unemployment leading to 

housing problems, an inability to pay bills and stressed relationships—all impacting 

a soldier’s mental health and ability to stay focused on military tasks. Since 2001, 

the Ohio National Guard has lost more troops to suicide than to combat. National 

statistics reflect this, with the American Association of Suicidiology reporting that 

the suicide rate for the unemployed is two to three times higher than the rate for 

the general population. 

To help us address the needs of our unemployed and underemployed veterans, we 

applied for and won a State AmeriCorps grant. The manpower provider in the grant 

will assist us in reducing unemployment for veterans, includes helping veterans better market themselves to employers and eliminating what employers see as barriers 

to hiring veterans. Assisted by AMVETS Career Center (ACC) staff, AmeriCorps 

members conduct outreach and recruitment activities to help veterans become 

aware of available services. This includes outreach to ODJFS one-stop centers, county veterans’ service commissions, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers 

and homeless veteran programs. 

Recruitment is followed by pre-enrollment assessments that enable AmeriCorps 

members to evaluate veterans’ skills and barriers to employment and assess their 


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employability needs. Results of the assessment allow members to enroll veterans in 

ACC services or refer them to supportive services from other organizations. 

For veterans receiving ACC services, the assessment is followed by the creation 

of a Career Development Plan (CDP). The CDP documents the skills and interests 

of the veteran, identifies skill deficiencies and other barriers that prevent them from 

achieving desired employment and income needs and describes activities and followup needed to ensure the veteran achieves his/her career goal. The AmeriCorps member may refer the veteran directly to job development and placement services, where 

the goal is to place the veteran into employment that allows him/her to become selfreliant. The services may involve job search assistance or individual job development that matches a veteran with a specific employer and/or job. 

The member also may encourage the veteran to participate in ACC core program 

services, such as: 

• Formal career assessment and exploration assistance. 

• Training that addresses vocational skills deficiencies, including classroom training, employer provided on the job training, vocational education services or apprenticeships. 

• Credentialing assistance that helps a veteran obtain licenses or certifications 

that document work-related skills and abilities. 

• Developing tools such as resumes, cover letters, job search techniques and interviewing skills that help veterans better market themselves to employers. 

• To help overcome employer resistance to hiring veterans, AmeriCorps members 

participate in employer outreach such as workshops, career fairs and presentations to business groups. Information is provided about hiring incentives and 

tax credits, on-the-job training funding and veterans’ training programs. Efforts 

are made to match veterans with specific employer needs, with particular attention paid to businesses that are legally required to show veterans’ preference. 

Furthermore, during the first 6 months of the grant, the AMVETS Career Center 

achieved the following: 

• Target of 250 veterans helped; actually helped 553 

• Target of 85 veterans in case management; actually have 115 veterans in case 

management 

• Target of 25 veterans placed into employment; actually have placed 32 veterans 

• Target of 50 veteran-friendly employers identified; actually have recruited 70 

employers 

Moreover, in order to continue the work of the AMVETS Career Center, we have 

applied for a National AmeriCorps Grant that will provide us with additional manpower to further expand our program to veterans in need of our services. The grant 

is critical to the program, as this economy has caused a significant reduction in our 

primary source of funding, Charitable Instant Bingo. Also, recent changes to State 

regulations of Charitable Instant Bingo have caused a reduction in the available 

charitable dollars. 

The average cost to the State of Ohio to provide similar services through the 

USDoL grant is about $1,500 per veteran. This is in sharp contrast to the cost of 

services AMVETS Career Centers can deliver for only $250. We believe this is due 

to the broad network of volunteers and the partnerships and resources uniquely 

available to the veterans’ service community. With all the recent discussion of fiscal 

responsibility, AMVETS Career Centers just make sense. With just a minimal investment, we can expand and advertise our program to help more veterans reenter 

the workforce and start to pay taxes again, rather than relying on government services. 

Chairman Miller and distinguished Members of the Committee, this concludes my 

testimony. I would like to again thank you for inviting me to participate in this very 

important hearing and I stand ready to answer any questions you may have for me. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Captain Marshall Hanson, USNR (Ret.), 

Legislative Director, Reserve Officers Association of the United States, and 

also on behalf of Reserve Enlisted Association 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Improvements to increase employment supported by ROA and REA follow: 

Education: 

• Include Title 14 duty in eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. 


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• Exempt earned benefit from GI Bill from being consider income in need based 

aid calculations. 

• Develop a standard nationwide payment system for private schools. 

• Re-examine qualification basis for Yellow Ribbon program, rather than first 

come first served. 

• Increase MGIB–Selected Reserve (MGIB–SR) to 47 percent of MGIB–Active. 

• Enact Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act 

(USERRA) and Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) protections for mobilized Guard-Reserve students to adjust interest rates on Federal student loans 

of mobilized Reservists when the market rate drops below 6 percent. 

Employer Support: 

• Continue to enact tax credits for health care and differential pay expenses for 

deployed Reserve Component employees. 

• Provide tax credits to offset costs for temporary replacements of deployed Reserve Component employees. 

• Support tax credits to employers who hire servicemembers who supported contingency operations. 

Employee Support: 

• Permit delays or exemptions while mobilized of regularly scheduled mandatory 

continuing education and licensing/certification/promotion exams. 

• Continue to support a law center dedicated to USERRA/SCRA problems of deployed Active and Reserve servicemembers. 

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)/Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): 

• Improve SCRA to protect deployed members from creditors that willfully violate 

SCRA. 

• Fix USERRA/SCRA to protect health care coverage of returning servicemembers 

and family for pre-existing conditions, and continuation of prior group or individual insurance. 

• Enact USERRA protections for employees who require regularly scheduled mandatory continuing education and licensing/certification and make necessary 

changes to USERRA to strengthen employment and reemployment protections. 

• Exempt Reserve Component members from Federal law enforcement retirement 

application age restrictions when deployment interferes in completing the application to buy back retirement eligibility. 

• Amend SCRA to prohibit courts from modifying previous judgments that change 

the custody arrangements for a child of a deployed servicemember. 

• Encourage Federal agencies to abide by USERRA/SCRA standards. 

• Ensure USERRA isn’t superseded by binding arbitration agreements between 

employers and Reserve Component members. 

• Make the States’ employers waive 11th Amendment immunity with respect to 

USERRA claims, as a condition of receipt of Federal assistance. 

• Make the award of attorney fees mandatory rather than discretionary. 

Veterans Affairs: 

• Extend veterans preference to those Reserve Component members who have 

completed 20 years in good standing, or 

• Permit any member who has served under honorable conditions and has received a DD–214 to qualify for veteran status. 

INTRODUCTION 

On behalf of our members, the Reserve Officers and the Reserve Enlisted Associations thank the Committee for the opportunity to submit testimony on veteran and 

National Guard and Reserve employment issues. ROA and REA applaud the ongoing efforts by Congress to address employment problems faced by so many veterans 

and servicemembers. 

As contingency operations continue with increased mobilizations and deployments, 

many of these outstanding citizen soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast 

Guardsmen have put their civilian careers on hold while they serve their country 

in harm’s way. As we have learned, they share the same risks as their counterparts 

in the Active Components on the battlefield, but don’t have a guarantee of a job 


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when they return home. Just recently we passed the 800,000 mark for the number 

of Reserve and Guard servicemembers who have been activated since post-9/11. 

More than 275,000 have been mobilized two or more times. The United States is 

creating a new generation of combat veterans that come from its Reserve Components (RC). It is important, therefore, that we don’t squander this valuable resource 

of experience, nor ignore the benefits that they are entitled to because of their selfless service to their country. 

The unemployment rates of veterans and Guard and Reserve have been increasing despite the national rate slightly declining. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in March and April of this year about 27 percent of veterans between 

20 to 24 years of age were unemployed. Other sources show it to even be higher. 

The National Guard Bureau has reported numbers of unemployed returning Army 

National Guard units with unemployment rates as high as 45 percent. The significance of these numbers cannot go unnoticed or unanswered. 

ROA and REA would like to thank the Committee and staff for making improvements to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, enhancing benefits for caregivers, and much more. 

EDUCATION 

Post-9/11 GI Bill 

ROA and REA are grateful for passage of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010. 

Education improves a veteran’s chance for employment, and many returning combat veterans seek a change in the life paths. There is still room for more improvement in the Post-9/11 GI Bill that in the long run can make the program more effective and increase utilization. For example, while Title 32 AGR was included for eligibility while Title 14 Coast Guard Reserve was left out. 

Other issues that student veterans have raised to ROA in which we recommend 

include the following: 

• Require timely application and submission of documentation by the institution 

to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and vice versa. 

• Establish dedicated and well-trained officers for student veterans to speak with 

via the call center. 

• Better define the Yellow Ribbon Program to determine what ‘first come, first 

served’ means in context of institutions (such as registration time, enrollment, 

and official enrollment). 

• Allow institutions to give more funds to students with stronger merit and needbase under the Yellow Ribbon Program. 

• Align the VA’s work-study program for students to work as guidance officers at 

their institutions to aid other student veterans, to be matched up with institution’s academic calendar. 

• Safeguard and implement a long term plan for sustaining the Post-9/11 GI Bill. 

• Ensure transferability benefits are protected. 

• Guarantee that any future changes to the program that could have negative effects on benefits will grandfather in current beneficiaries. 

• Pass legislation to disallow institutions including benefits in need-based aid formulations. 

• Remove the requirement to have a parental signature. 

• Establish parity between FAFSA disclosure exclusion over veterans’ educational and non-educational benefits to CSS and all institutions of higher learning. 

Institutions of higher learning across the Nation that provide need-based aid often 

require students to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form 

and a College Scholarship Service/Financial Aid Profile (CSS) form administered by 

the College Board. 

If an institution abides by the Federal methodology of determining aid levels it 

uses the FAFSA form and guidelines, but an institution may use an institution 

methodology (IM) formulated by CSS. By law under the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 1965 (HEA), FAFSA’s current need analysis formula, while including 

some sources of untaxed income, excludes veterans’ educational benefits and welfare 

benefits. 

On the other hand, CSS requires military servicemembers to disclose their earned 

educational benefits for the formulation of their need-based aid levels. That disclosure of veterans’ educational benefits on the CSS is then often weighed by those institutions that use an IM in the same manner of other traditional untaxed income 

items such as child support or a contribution from a relative, in the formulation of 

their aid package. 


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Disclosing these earned-benefits on the CSS profile serves to bring down servicemembers’ financial need level, thus increasing the cost out of pocket, by improperly 

treating earned benefits as equivalent in nature and function as untaxed income 

items. Since CSS is not restricted from asking for disclosure of the benefits, institutions use the CSS to add these earned benefits into the aid formulation, shirking 

FAFSA’s and the HEA’s intentions. 

ROA and REA urge Congress to bar institutions of higher learning from 

considering veterans’ educational benefits in need-based aid calculations 

and apply the Higher Education Opportunity Act to all financial aid practices of institutions of higher learning. 

Also ROA and REA support Chairman Jeff Miller’s bill H.R. 1383 The Restoring the GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011 which would grandfather in current 

students who applied for benefits of the Post–9/11 GI Bill under a different 

set of rules. While many may gain advantages under the changes in law, others 

are actually negatively affected. For example ROA has received concerning calls and 

emails from members that feel forsaken, as such members signed commitments 

based on the benefits which they now feel are reduced. 

One of the most significant problems that link all issues pertaining to the Post– 

9/11 GI Bill is the lack of effectively trained customer service representatives. One 

of the many examples came from two of our members that are married, both serving 

in a Reserve Component. They wanted to transfer their benefits to their children, 

but were told that only one parent can register the children in the DEERS system 

and therefore only one of the parents could transfer the benefits. After going 

through a couple back channels ROA found out that the couple needed to go to a 

DEERS office and request an ‘administrative’ account for the purposes of transferring benefits. 

There are many stories similar to this one which cause unnecessary stress on the 

families, some of whom give in to the system and give up the benefit because either 

they are given incorrect and/or incomplete information or the hassles involved are 

not deemed worthwhile. 

It is absolutely necessary that our servicemembers, veterans and families have 

the ability to access accurate and timely information. ROA and REA urge Congress to enforce the VA to properly and effectively train their personnel. 

Montgomery GI Bill 

To assist in recruiting efforts for the Marine Corps Reserve and the other uniformed services, ROA and REA urge Congress to reduce the obligation period to 

qualify for Montgomery ‘‘GI’’ Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB–SR) (Section 1606) from 

6 years in the Selected Reserve to 4 years in the Selected Reserve plus 4 years in 

the Individual Ready Reserve, thereby remaining a mobilization asset for 8 years. 

Because of funding constraints, no Reserve Component member will be guaranteed a full career without some period in a non-pay status. BRAC realignments are 

also restructuring the RC force and reducing available paid billets. Whether attached to a volunteer unit or as an individual mobilization augmentee, this status 

represents periods of drilling without pay. MGIB–SR eligibility should extend for 10 

years beyond separation or transfer from a paid billet. 

EMPLOYMENT 

Employment Protections 

Veterans and servicemembers are provided protections through the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), the Uniformed 

Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA). 

Notwithstanding the protections afforded veterans and servicemembers, and antidiscrimination laws, it is not unusual for members to lose their jobs due to time 

spent away while deployed. Sometimes this is by employers who go out of business, 

but more because it costs employers money, time, and effort to reintroduce the employee to the company. 

The most recent national example is the case of Straub vs. Proctor Hospital in 

which Army Reservist Vincent Straub was fired by Proctor Hospital of Peoria due 

to his service requirements. The Supreme Court upheld Straub’s rights under 

USERRA. 

Employer Incentives 

Partnerships: The Army Reserve under Lieutenant General Jack Stultz initiated 

the Employer Partnership Program with civilian employers that is an initiative designed to formalize the relationship between the Reserve and the private sector, 


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sharing common goals of strengthening the community, supporting RC servicemembers and families, and maintaining a strong economy. Over 1,000 companies 

are currently in various preliminary stages of implementing partnership programs. 

This sets a model for businesses to hire veterans. The program has its own Web 

site, http://www.employerpartnership.org/ and provides job search, a re ́sume ́ builder, 

professional staff support, a list of employer partners and career resources. 

Periodic and Predictable: Employers need increased notification time in order 

to better support their personnel. The military services and components should provide greater notice of deployments to RC members, so that they, as well as their 

families and their employers, can better prepare. Collaboration between industry 

and the military needs to occur as the military considers deployment cycle models 

so that the Nation’s defense needs are met but its industrial base is not compromised. 

Employer care plans should be developed that will assist with mitigation strategies for dealing with the civilian workload during the absence of the servicemember 

employee and lay out how the employer and employee would remain in contact 

throughout the deployment. 

CNGR: The Commission on the National Guard and Reserve suggested key recommendations included expansion of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) committee to be able to work new employment as well as reemployment opportunities, the creation of an employer advisory council, and regular surveys to determine employer interests and concerns over reemployment of Guard and 

Reserve members. Unfortunately, the budget recommendation is to reduce ESGR’s 

budget. 

TRICARE as an employee/employer benefit: An employer incentive is when 

an employee brings importable health care such as TRICARE, reducing the costs for 

the employer. Guard and Reserve members as well as military retirees should be 

permitted to tout the availability of TRICARE as an employee asset, and permit employers to provide alternative benefits in lieu of health care. 

Another option is to fully or partially offset employer costs for health care payments for Guard and Reserve members who are employed, especially when companies continue civilian health insurance for servicemembers and/or their families during a deployment. DoD should provide employers—especially small businesses—with 

incentives such as cash stipends to help offset the cost of health care for Reservists 

up to the amount DoD is paying for TRICARE, with the understanding that the stipend is tied to reemployment guarantees upon the serving member’s return. 

Other incentives: Incentives of various types would serve to mitigate burdens 

and encourage business to both hire and retain Reservists and veterans. A variety 

of tax credits could be enacted providing such credit at the beginning of a period 

of mobilization or perhaps even a direct subsidy for costs related to a mobilization 

such as the hiring and training of new employees. Employers felt strongly that, especially for small businesses, incentives that arrive at the end of the tax year do 

not mitigate the costs incurred during the deployment period. Also, cross-licensing/ 

credentialing would ease the burden of having to acquire new licenses/credentials 

in the private sector after having gained them during their military service, and 

vice versa. 

While not under this Committee’s jurisdiction, we hope that the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee can support specific tax incentives to hire returning veterans and Guard and Reserve members. 

ROA and REA support H.R. 743 Hire a Hero Act of 2011 introduced by Rep. Lynn 

Jenkins which would allow the work opportunity credit to small businesses which 

hire individuals who are members of the Ready Reserve or National Guard. 

ROA and REA support H.R. 865 Veterans Employment Transition Act of 2011 introduced by Rep. Tim Walz that would extend work opportunity credit to certain recently discharged veterans. 

ROA and REA support the concept of H.R. 802 introduced by Ranking Member 

Bob Filner because it would recognize employers of veterans, but strongly believe 

that it should be amended to include employers of Guardsmen and Reservists. 

ROA and REA further recommend the following: 

ROA and REA encourage the implementation of certifications or a form that 

would inform employers of skills potential veteran and servicemember employees 

gained through their military service. 

ROA and REA support initiatives to provide small business owners with protections for their businesses to be sustained while on deployment, for example a potential program in which a trained substitute is made available to run the business 

while the member is out of country. Further SCRA protection on equipment leases 

should be included in the law. 


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Draft Legislation 

ROA has submitted draft legislation entitled ‘‘Equitable Justice for Terminated 

Veterans Act of 2011’’ which would direct courts to award reasonable litigation expenses of USERRA cases to prevailing veterans. 

ROA also submitted draft legislation called ‘‘Veterans Personnel Protection Enhancement Act of 2011’’ that would amend Title 5, section 2303 U.S.C., to include 

willful violation of USERRA as a prohibited personnel practice. 

Note: the draft legislative pieces are attached to the end of this testimony, and 

can be found on our Web site at http://www.roa.org/draftllegislation. 

Captain Sam Wright, JAGC, USN (Ret.), director for ROA’s Service Members Law 

Center, has drafted 23 additional pages of legislative improvements to USERRA 

which will be posted in the near future. ROA is also available to work with individual offices. 

SERVICE MEMBERS LAW CENTER 

In the summer of 2009 ROA established the Service Members Law Center (SMLC) 

as a source of excellence in the areas of employment and consumer law for active, 

Guard and reserve personnel. 

The Law Center’s goals include the following: 

• Advise Active and Reserve members who have been subject to legal problems 

that relate to their military service. 

• Develop a network of legal scholars, law school clinics and private practitioners 

interested in legal issues of direct importance to servicemembers. 

• Advance world-class continuing legal education on issues relating to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the 

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). 

• Broaden the existing database of USERRA and SCRA research. 

• In conjunction with bar associations, develop standards that will help to ensure 

that lawyers to whom servicemembers are referred for legal services have the 

requisite expertise to represent them effectively. 

Recruiting and retaining members of the armed services, especially those in the 

National Guard and Reserves, depends in part on assuring current and future Citizen Warriors that laws and regulations are in place to protect them effectively from 

discriminatory practices. 

The Law Center is functioning at a modest but effective level. ROA is pursuing 

efforts to obtain private or public funding and to identify public and private entities 

willing to sustain this effort in order to expand this service to fuller capacity. This 

is especially needed following potential cuts to ESGR. 

As part of the SMLC and under director Captain Sam Wright, JAGC, USN (Ret.) 

the Law Center maintains the ‘‘Law Review’’ data base and indices which contain 

over 700 articles on USERRA and SCRA issues (available at www.roa.org/ 

lawlreviewlarchive). On a monthly basis Captain Wright receives about 500 calls 

from concerned servicemembers, families and attorneys. In March 2011 about 80 

percent of the calls were about USERRA. 

The Law Center’s services include: 

• Counseling: Review cases, and advise individuals and their lawyers as to lawfulness of actions taken against deployed active and reserve component members. 

• Referral: Provide names of attorneys within a region that have successfully 

taken up USERRA, SCRA and other military-related issues. 

• Promote: Publish articles encouraging law firms and lawyers to represent 

servicemembers in USERRA, SCRA and other military-related cases. 

• Advise: File amicus curiae, ‘‘friend of the court’’ briefs on servicemember protection cases. 

• Educate: Quarterly seminars to provide attorneys a better understanding of 

USERRA, SCRA and other military-related issues. 

The Servicemembers Law Center is available at www.roa.org/ServiceMembersl 

LawlCenter. 

DEFENSE EDUCATION FORUM 

ROA also maintains the Defense Education Forum (DEF). DEF produces and 

sponsors a wide variety of educational events that number more than 30 per year. 

Some past programs comprise employment and transition issues. The DEF director 

is Lieutenant Colonel Bob Feidler, USAR (Ret.). 


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In fact in 2008 ROA published a report on continuum of service entitled ‘‘A New 

Employer-Reservist Compact: Initiatives for the Future’’ that is available upon request. 

Others events have included continuing education on USERRA, a joint issue event 

on mental health care and the Army Reserve Employer Partnership Program, Commission on the National Guard and Reserve and others. The Defense Education 

Forum is available at www.roa.org/Educate. 

CONCLUSION 

ROA and REA appreciate the opportunity to submit testimony, and we reiterate 

our profound gratitude for the progress achieved by this committee such as providing a GI Bill for the 21st Century and advanced funding for the VA. 

ROA and REA look forward to working with the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, where we can present solutions to these and other issues, and offer our support, and hope in the future of an opportunity to discuss these issues in person. 

ROA and REA encourage this Committee to utilize the Service Members Law 

Center and the Defense Education Forum and reports, both valuable assets, and to 

share it with your constituents and other Congressional Members. 

112th Congress 

First Session 

A (House/Senate) Bill 

To amend Title 38, section 4323(h)(2) United States Code, to direct courts to 

award reasonable litigation expenses in USERRA cases to prevailing veterans. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of 

America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE: This Act may be cited as ‘‘Equitable Justice for Terminated Veterans Act of 2011.’’ 

SECTION 2. FINDINGS. 

Congress makes the following findings: 

(1) Under USERRA, a person who leaves a civilian job for voluntary or involuntary service, in the Regular military or the National Guard or Reserve, is entitled to reemployment in the civilian job upon release from service. 

(2) Currently under this section of U.S.C., a Federal court may award to a veteran who prevails reasonable attorney fees, expert witness fees, and other litigation expenses. 

(3) U.S. Code 38 Sect. 4323(h)(2) applies to actions in Federal court against State 

and local governments, and private employers. 

(4) Too often a veteran or reserve component member has to seek private sector 

litigation because the Department of Labor is too slow at processing cases and 

the Department of Justice can’t handle all of the USERRA complaints that are 

received. 

(5) By making the award of litigation expenses mandatory rather than discretionary, private sector attorneys will have increased incentive to undertake 

such cases. 

SECTION 3. AMEND THE LIST OF PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES TO MAKE SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO USERRA. 

(a) AUTHORITY—Section 4323(h)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting ‘‘shall.’’ 

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICABILITY. 

(a) The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act. 

112th Congress 

First Session 

A House/Senate Bill 

To amend Title 5, section 2303 United States Code, to include willful violation of 

USERRA as a prohibited personnel practice. 


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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of 

America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE: This Act may be cited as ‘‘Veterans Personnel Protection Enhancement Act of 2011.’’ 

SECTION 2. FINDINGS. 

Congress makes the following findings: 

(1) There are 12 enumerated ‘‘Prohibited Personnel Practices’’ included in Title 5, 

section 2303 of U.S. Code. 

(2) A Federal employee can be disciplined by the Merit System Protection Board 

(MSPB) by committing a prohibited personnel practice. 

(3) Number 11 on the prohibited personnel practices list is action that would violate a veterans’ preference requirement. 5 U.S.C. 2303(b)(11). 

(4) The Department of Labor does not include a violation of the Uniform Services 

Employment Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) as a veterans’ preference 

issue. 

(5) Violation of USERRA would include discharge of a veteran, National Guard 

or Reserve member because of prior or pending service. A denial of a promotion, bonus, or merit pay could be another violation. 

SECTION 3. AMEND THE LIST OF PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES TO MAKE SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO USERRA. 

(a) AUTHORITY—Section 2303(b)(11) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after ‘‘a veterans’ preference requirement’’ the following: 

(1) ‘‘or the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act’’ to the end 

of this subsection. 

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICABILITY. 

The amendments made by this section shall— 

(1) take effect on the date of enactment of this Act. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Heather L. Ansley, Esq., MSW, Co-Chair, 

Veterans Task Force, Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities 

On behalf of: Brain Injury Association of America; Easter Seals; 

Goodwill Industries International, Inc.; Inter-National Association of 

Business, Industry and Rehabilitation; 

Lutheran Services in America Disability Network; 

Mental Health America; National Association of County Behavioral Health 

and Developmental Disability Directors; National Disability Rights 

Network; National Industries for the Blind; National Rehabilitation 

Association; NISH; Paralyzed Veterans of America; VetsFirst, a Program of 

United Spinal Association; Vietnam Veterans of America 

Executive Summary 

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Veterans Task Force believes that 

meaningful employment represents one of the best opportunities for veterans with 

significant disabilities to reintegrate successfully into their communities. In the 

most recent survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on employment for veterans with service-connected disabilities, 114,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and 

Afghanistan reported having a service-connected disability rated at 60 percent or 

higher. Unfortunately, 41,000 of these veterans are not participating in the labor 

force. Among veterans of all eras with a service-connected disability rated at least 

60 percent, workforce participation was 27.9 percent. 

Typically, discussions about veterans’ employment center on veteran-specific programs operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Small Business Administration, or Department of Labor (DoL). Veterans with disabilities, as people with 

disabilities, who need employment assistance, are also able to turn to programs authorized under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), or, in the case of veterans with 

significant disabilities, State vocational rehabilitation agencies (VRAs) and Ticket to 

Work Employment Networks (ENs) under Social Security. 

Veterans with the highest service-connected ratings and veterans on VA disability 

pension will likely qualify for State vocational rehabilitation services. Strengthening 

the connection between VR&E and State VRAs through the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration is critical to ensuring that veterans 


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1 News Release, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans—2010 

(Mar. 11, 2011) www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.nr0.htm. 

with disabilities receive the services they need to help them return to or remain in 

the workforce. 

Veterans with significant disabilities are often beneficiaries of Social Security disability insurance (SSDI). As SSDI beneficiaries, veterans are able to participate in 

Social Security employment programs such as Ticket to Work, which allows beneficiaries to purchase vocational rehabilitation services from an array of providers 

called ENs. Some veterans are dually eligible for SSDI and VA pension. If these individuals attempt to use SSA’s work incentives to increase their income, however, 

not only will their SSDI benefit be terminated but their VA pension benefits are reduced dollar for dollar. 

WIA covers most of the Nation’s major employment and training programs operated through DoL. Several sections of WIA incorporate veterans’ employment into 

its overall mission. WIA has been slated for reauthorization since 2003. While 

progress has been made, additional changes are needed to focus on the performance 

of the entire workforce system. 

Although many veterans with disabilities have the skills needed to qualify for employment opportunities and advance in their careers, barriers to employment continue to prevent these veterans from receiving opportunities. These barriers must 

be addressed. Otherwise, training opportunities alone will not address the needs of 

those veterans who have the most significant disabilities to allow them to reintegrate into the workforce and contribute to their communities. 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and other distinguished Members of 

the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify regarding how to improve 

employment opportunities for veterans who are severely disabled. 

I am Heather Ansley, Director of Veterans Policy for VetsFirst, a program of 

United Spinal Association. Today, I am here in my capacity as a Co-Chair of the 

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Veterans Task Force. 

CCD is a coalition of over 100 national consumer, service provider, and professional organizations which advocates on behalf of people with disabilities and chronic conditions and their families. The CCD Veterans Task Force works to bring the 

disability and veterans communities together to address issues that affect veterans 

with disabilities as people with disabilities. Veterans Task Force members include 

veterans service organizations and broad based disability organizations, including 

organizations that represent consumers and service providers. 

Over the years, we have reached out to both veterans and military service organizations to allow for cross collaboration and the application of lessons learned to new 

populations of people with disabilities. Because of the intersection of the disability 

and veterans communities that occurs when a veteran acquires a significant disability, the CCD Veterans Task Force is uniquely suited to bring both perspectives 

to issues that cut across programmatic and policy lines. 

The CCD Veterans Task Force believes that meaningful employment represents 

one of the best opportunities for veterans with significant disabilities to reintegrate 

successfully into their communities. Unfortunately, for veterans with disabilities, 

like their civilian brothers and sisters with disabilities, the employment picture is 

not very positive. 

The most recent statistics available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics addressing the cross section of veterans with service-connected disabilities illustrate 

the connection between disability and veteran status on employment.1 In July 2010, 

approximately 13 percent of veterans reported having a service-connected disability. 

Of those veterans, 729,000 reported having a service-connected disability rating of 

60 percent or greater. Workforce participation for these veterans was 27.9 percent 

compared to 53.2 percent for veterans with no disability. 

Among veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, nearly 25 percent reported 

having a disability related to their service. Of those veterans, 114,000 reported having a disability rated at 60 percent or greater. The workforce participation rate was 

63.7 percent compared to 86.2 percent for veterans without a service-connected disability. Thus, 41,000 veterans of the current conflicts reporting a service-connected 

disability rated at 60 percent or higher are not even in the labor force. 

Veterans with Disabilities and Federal Employment Programs 

Typically, discussions about veterans’ employment center on veteran-specific programs operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Small Business AdminVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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2Proceedings of the 34th Institute on Rehabilitation Issues, U.S. Department of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration, May 5–6, 2008. 

istration (SBA), or Department of Labor (DoL). The VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation 

and Employment (VR&E) program is generally available to veterans with serviceconnected disabilities who have an employment handicap. DoL offers programs and 

services through its Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) and SBA 

hosts a number of programs tailored to veteran small business owners and servicedisabled veteran small business owners. 

Veterans with disabilities, as people with disabilities, who need employment assistance, are also able to turn to programs authorized under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), or, in the case of veterans with significant disabilities, State vocational rehabilitation agencies (VRAs) and Ticket to Work Employment Networks 

(ENs) under Social Security. These programs are particularly critical for veterans 

who do not qualify for VA’s VR&E program. 

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies and Veterans 

VRAs operate under the Rehabilitation Act to assist individuals with significant 

disabilities in obtaining or regaining employment. Data from the Department of 

Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) indicate that State VRAs 

served over 63,000 veterans from FY 2006 through FY 2010 with overall successful 

employment rates of approximately 50 percent. 

Many VRAs have memoranda of understanding with their State department of 

veterans affairs to coordinate services to veterans with disabilities. Some State 

agencies have identified counselors with military backgrounds to serve as liaisons 

with VA and veterans groups. In addition, VA is increasingly engaged with State 

VRAs in outreach to the business community to promote veterans with disabilities 

as a valuable talent pool. Indeed, VA’s own Strategic Plan for FY 2006—2011 indicated plans to use non-VA providers to supplement and complement services provided by VR&E staff. 

There are many more State vocational rehabilitation counselors than there are 

VR&E counselors around the Nation. These numbers of vocational experts can amplify the assistance available to veterans with disabilities if appropriate outreach 

and partnerships are established and training is provided to improve cross-agency 

coordination. 

Most veterans with ratings at 40 percent and below are unlikely to qualify for 

State vocational rehabilitation services. However, those with the highest service-connected ratings and veterans on VA disability pension will likely qualify for State vocational rehabilitation services. Veterans rated between 50 percent and 70 percent 

might qualify depending on an appropriate evaluation of the veteran’s functional capacity.2

Participants at a May 2008 Department of Education symposium on vocational rehabilitation and returning veterans suggested that the potential exists for veterans 

in some States to be bounced between State VRAs & VR&E. One way to address 

this concern would be for VA to work with RSA to ensure accuracy in VRAs’ acceptance of veterans with service-connected disability ratings. It is our understanding 

that VR&E is finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with RSA. Formalizing the connection between VR&E and State VRAs through RSA is critical to 

ensuring that veterans with disabilities receive the services they need to help them 

return to or remain in the workforce. 

Veterans and AbilityOne® 

The AbilityOne® Program is a Federal initiative to help people who are blind or 

have significant disabilities, including wounded veterans, find employment by working for nonprofit agencies (NPAs) that provide products and/or services to the U.S. 

government. With a national network of 600 NPAs, which work through NISH and 

the National Industries for the Blind, and AbilityOne® projects in every State of 

the Nation, the AbilityOne® Program is the largest single source of employment for 

people who are blind or have other significant disabilities in the United States. The 

Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled is the 

Federal agency authorized to administer the AbilityOne® Program. 

In 2010, the AbilityOne® Program employed nearly 48,000 people who were blind 

or had significant disabilities, of which 1,700 were veterans with disabilities. National Industries for the Blind, NISH, and AbilityOne® participating NPAs also employed thousands of veterans outside of their AbilityOne® workforce. Through research and development activities, specific programs are in development to address 

veterans with traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depression, as well as long-term employment support models. The AbilityOne® ProVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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gram offers career transition support, exploration, and development for veterans in 

transition along with grants to prepare these veterans for management opportunities. Additionally, the revenue raised through AbilityOne® contracts and sales is reinvested in rehabilitation programs across the country, which help thousands more 

of individuals (including veterans) with disabilities find employment. 

The AbilityOne® Program has partnered with the National Organization on Disability, which has extensive experience and access to wounded servicemembers in 

the Army Wounded Warrior Program to conduct employment based research with 

veterans with disabilities. This project includes collaboration with the Department 

of Defense to match employment requirements to the research-identified career interests and abilities of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans with disabilities. 

In 2003, VA’s Compensated Work Therapy Program (CWT) signed an MOU within 

the AbilityOne®Program as the referral conduit between VA CWT and the 

AbilityOne®NPAs to collaborate with VA beneficiaries who have a disability. Approximately 2,100 veterans with disabilities have been employed since the partnership’s inception. The partnership agreement promotes local relationships between 

NPAs and VA CWT offices. This allows VA to pre-screen veterans to match 

AbilityOne® job requirements and to refer qualified veterans with significant disabilities to participate in AbilityOne® job coaching programs. 

TheAbilityOne®Program represents one of many programs supporting veterans 

and is just one example of how the members of the CCD Veterans Task Force help 

to increase employment opportunities for veterans with significant disabilities. 

Veterans and Social Security Work Incentives Programs 

Veterans with significant disabilities are very often beneficiaries of Social Security 

disability insurance (SSDI). Veterans have earned the right to Social Security retirement, disability, and survivor’s benefits since 1957 when military service was covered under Social Security. 

According to the March 2010 Current Population Survey, there were 649,000 veterans under age 61 receiving Social Security benefits. Roughly 3 percent—about 

19,000—of disabled veteran Social Security beneficiaries are younger than age 40 

and 15.4 percent are younger than age 50. Older data from Social Security Administration’s (SSA) 2007 Annual Statistical Supplement indicated there were 434,000 

Social Security beneficiaries who were service-connected disabled veterans rated 70– 

100 percent under age 65. Another 153,000 beneficiaries of Social Security were 

non-service-connected disabled veterans under age 65. 

As SSDI beneficiaries, veterans are able to participate in Social Security employment programs such as Ticket to Work. Ticket to Work was created in 1999 by the 

Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act. Under the Ticket program, 

SSDI recipients are able to purchase vocational rehabilitation services from an 

array of providers called Employment Networks (ENs). In return for assisting a beneficiary in going to work and off of SSDI benefits, ENs receive payment from Social 

Security for up to 60 months. 

Three years ago, the vocational rehabilitation program created by Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) became an employment network under the Social Security 

Ticket to Work program in recognition of the fact that most of the veterans PVA 

was serving are on SSDI. PVA’s vocational rehabilitation program is predicated on 

assertive outreach to veterans with disabilities early in their medical rehabilitation 

process, rapid deployment of counseling and job search assistance, lengthy follow up 

services, and leveraging of existing public programs and private resources to support 

its efforts. Since starting its vocational rehabilitation program, PVA has served over 

800 veterans, with over 126 veterans returning to work at an average salary of 

$39,200. 

Among the veterans PVA has served as an EN is ‘‘JM’’, a 34-year old Gulf War 

I veteran who acquired a non-service-connected spinal cord injury after his discharge from the Army. On SSDI, he had been living with his father and had not 

worked in 2 years when a PVA vocational rehabilitation counselor met him at the 

San Diego VA Spinal Cord Injury Center during hospital rounds. Within 8 months 

of entering the program, ‘‘JM’’ was working for a technology company as a repair 

technician II at a salary of $41,600. Fifty veterans have been helped thus far using 

Ticket to Work and PVA has received $40,737 in outcome payments from Social Security. 

Social Security Work Incentives and VA Pension ‘‘Cash Cliff’’ 

Some veterans and their spouses are dually eligible for SSDI and VA pension. 

These individuals may have had low paying jobs during their work life or not have 

had an extensive earnings history. As a result, they have a small SSDI benefit 


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3ORC Macro, Economic Systems Inc., and Hay Group, Evaluation of VA Pension and Parents’ 

DIC Programs: VA Pension Program Final Report (2004), http://www.va.gov/op3/docs/ 

ProgramEvaluations/Pension.pdf. 

based on that work record. These benefits will offset any VA pension payments up 

to the allowed pension level. This dual eligibility can have ramifications for those 

who want to work. 

VA pension is often likened to Social Security’s Supplemental Security Income 

(SSI) program, a means-tested income support program. SSI work incentives allow 

beneficiaries to work while gradually phasing out their benefits as their earnings 

rise. Unlike SSI, though, VA pensioners face a ‘‘cash cliff’’ similar to that experienced by beneficiaries on SSDI in which benefits are terminated once an individual 

crosses an established earnings limit. If these individuals attempt to use SSA’s work 

incentives to increase their income, not only will their SSDI benefit be terminated 

but their VA pension benefits are reduced dollar for dollar by their earnings. 

Over 20 years ago, under P.L. 98–543, Congress authorized VA to undertake a 

4 year pilot program of vocational training for veterans awarded VA pension. Modeled on SSA’s trial work period, veterans in the pilot were allowed to retain eligibility for pension up to 12 months after obtaining employment. In addition, they remained eligible for VA health care up to 3 years after their pension terminated because of employment. Running from 1985 to 1989, this pilot program achieved some 

modest success. However, it was discontinued because, prior to VA eligibility reform, 

most catastrophically disabled veterans were reluctant to risk their access to VA 

health care by working. 

The VA Office of Policy, Planning and Preparedness examined the VA pension 

program in 2002 and, though small in number, 7 percent of unemployed veterans 

on pension and 9 percent of veteran spouses on pension cited the dollar-for-dollar 

reduction in VA pension benefits as a disincentive to work.3 Now that veterans with 

catastrophic non-service-connected disabilities retain access to VA health care, work 

incentives for the VA pension program should be re-examined and policies toward 

earnings should be changed to parallel those in the SSI program. 

Workforce Investment Act 

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) covers most of the Nation’s major employment and training programs operated through DoL. DoL’s VETS is known as the 

primary veterans program within the workforce system. Several sections of WIA 

seek to incorporate veterans’ employment concerns into its overall mission as the 

engine for this Nation’s workforce development system. VETS is a mandatory partner in State workforce systems under the Act and Section 168 of WIA established 

the Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) which was intended to amplify 

workforce activities to veterans that were not adequately provided through public 

providers. Subtitle B—Linkages to Other Programs, Section 322, requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to coordinate with DoL in implementing various provisions of WIA. Numerous references to veterans throughout WIA indicate Congressional intent that the workforce system account for the employment success of veterans and veterans with disabilities. 

An MOU signed in 2005 by VA and DoL aimed to foster better coordination of 

services between the two agencies in serving veterans. At a hearing before the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee in 2009, John McWilliam, Deputy Assistant Secretary for VETS, outlined the work of a Joint Workgroup established after the 2005 

MOU with VA. The objective of this workgroup was to develop performance measures for the VETS and VA partnership and to engage in joint data collection, analysis, and reports of progress. Statistics from 2008 highlighted in his testimony indicated that there were over 7,000 veterans referred from VR&E to State workforce 

agencies, a little over 6,000 were registered by the State workforce agency and some 

3,500 entered employment at an average entry wage of $16 an hour. 

Such coordination between VA and DoL in addressing the employment needs of 

veterans with disabilities is commendable. However, further analysis should have 

been carried out to determine what happened to the 1,000 veterans who dropped 

out somewhere between the VA and the State workforce system or why only a little 

over half of the veterans referred by VA to a State agency entered employment. 

Moreover, these figures only relate to veterans deemed eligible for VR&E. How 

many veterans with non-service-connected disabilities or those with service-connected disabilities ineligible for VR&E have been served by State workforce systems 

and placed into employment? These veterans have served their Nation honorably 

but their employment successes and challenges do not always receive as much attention. 


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4 34th Institute on Rehabilitation Issues, When Johnny (or Jeannie) Comes Marching Home 

. . . and Back to Work: Linking Veterans Affairs and State Vocational Rehabilitation Services for 

Servicemen and Women (2009), http://iriforum.org/download/34IRI.pdf. 

Another example of increased collaboration between DoL workforce programs for 

people with disabilities and those serving veterans involved the Disability Program 

Navigators (DPN) and local VETS staff in Idaho. This project was highlighted in a 

Promising Practices series published in 2009 by DoL’s DPN initiative. DPNs are 

staff located in WIA One Stop Career Centers tasked with helping customers with 

disabilities traverse the array of job training and placement services available, 

evaluate Social Security benefits and work incentives programs, obtain assistive 

technology and workplace accommodations, and connect with private disability provider and advocacy groups. 

Effective January 19, 2009, VETS issued a final rule on priority of service for veterans in DoL job training programs. Priority of service was established in the 2002 

Jobs for Veterans Act (JVA) and provides that veterans and eligible spouses are entitled to priority over non-covered persons for receipt of employment, training and 

placement services under new or existing qualified job training programs funded by 

DoL. 

To fully implement priority of service, DPNs in the Idaho One Stop Career Centers worked with their partner Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP) and 

Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) staff to meet with disabled veterans and their families to identify the array of benefits and services available to 

them and to support job seekers’ employment goals. As a result of this partnership, 

DVOPs and LVERs added to their knowledge of public and private agency services 

for people with disabilities and the DPNs obtained valuable information about veterans’ resources that could be used to assist future clients. 

Unfortunately, this example of a positive working relationship between components of the workforce system is at risk due to current budget dynamics. Because 

States have considerable flexibility in the implementation of DVOP and LVER services, these staff are often diverted to other duties unrelated to serving veterans and 

veterans with disabilities or may only be available at One Stops on certain days of 

the week. If veterans with disabilities are to be served by the workforce system as 

intended by law, then resources will be needed to make sure appropriate employment personnel are available whenever needed. 

Furthermore, according to figures compiled from the DoL participant reporting 

system, the numbers of veterans served under priority of service has actually declined since JVA passed. Statistics for individual States indicate low rates of exit 

from WIA intensive training services for veterans with service-connected disabilities. We are particularly concerned over what this decline may represent in numbers of non-service-connected disabled veterans going unserved by the workforce 

system. Veterans whose disabilities occurred outside of military service are among 

those who must rely on the WIA workforce system for assistance. Veterans priority 

of service appropriately applied would go a long way in assuring these veterans receive the help they deserve. 

WIA has been slated for reauthorization since 2003. Many proposals for improving 

workforce system services for people with disabilities have been made over the 

years. Relevant to this hearing is a document that explores some of the connections 

between VA’s VR&E and State vocational rehabilitation systems.4 In its summary, 

the report outlines suggestions for improvements that could apply to all facets of 

the workforce development system including veterans, their family members, and 

businesses that recruit and hire veterans. Among their recommendations: 

• Enhance outreach efforts to veterans with disabilities so that they are more 

aware of needed services and how to access them. 

• Begin to retool existing Federal, State, and nonprofit systems or programs to 

better address the needs of veterans. Build and maintain a comprehensive national and State directory of these programs and identify their purpose, the 

service they offer, and how to find them. 

• Create ‘‘crosswalks’’ for transferable skills from military occupational specialties 

to civilian jobs and create certifications of skills acquired in the military that 

can be transferred for college credit/certification. 

• Recognize the important role families play in assisting veterans in activities 

such as accessing needed services for their disability, identifying symptoms of 

undiagnosed disabilities and coordinating needed services. 

• Assist businesses with education about veterans, their disabilities, available resources, and points of contact when assistance is needed. 


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• Streamline services to veterans, reducing redundancy in areas such as plan development, implementation of planned services, contacts with potential employers, and linkages to needed resources and contacts while providing a more 

‘‘rapid response’’ based on the needs of the veteran and minimizing the number 

of people and programs the veteran must deal with. • Press service providers to become more knowledgeable about other programs 

and their services and points of contact at the local level to ensure more comprehensive access to needed services by veterans and their family members. • Improve post-employment outreach to businesses that employ veterans or assist 

them in returning to work after becoming disabled, realizing that it is the business that may first notice undiagnosed conditions. • For those who have not served in the military, expand an understanding of 

military culture. • Create ‘‘top-down’’ support among State vocational rehabilitation programs, VA 

VR&E, and DoL VETS programs through collaborative meetings and more formal initiatives such as: national and State workgroups, national and State 

MOUs, interagency training and education, and ongoing program evaluation 

and improvement. 

An Example of a Disability Organization Expanding Its Mission To Serve 

Veterans 

Many general disability organizations have historically reached out to and served 

veterans with disabilities. For example, Easter Seals, a national service provider 

and advocate for people with disabilities, expanded its mission following World War 

II to include adults with disabilities specifically to assist servicemembers returning 

home with disabilities. Recently, Easter Seals was selected by VA to administer its 

new National Veteran Caregiver Training Program that provides training for family 

caregivers of seriously-injured Post 9/11 veterans who choose to receive care in their 

homes. 

Today, Easter Seals works with employers to help increase employment opportunities for veterans. Easter Seals developed an online, interactive training program 

for human resources and hiring personnel called Operation Employ Veterans that 

highlights the benefit of hiring veterans and strategies for successful integration. 

Easter Seals also works directly with veterans to provide them with the tools, resources and information they need to help find and maintain employment in their 

communities. Easter Seals’ headquarters in Chicago helps veterans and their families connect to services and reintegration resources through its Community 

OneSource program. At the local level, Easter Seals affiliates provide job training, 

assistive technology assessment, job placement and follow-up employment supports 

to veterans and wounded warriors. 

The CCD Veterans Task Force commends VA’s Non-Governmental Organization 

(NGO) Gateway Initiative aimed at helping qualified non-profits who are interested 

in assisting VA in employment and other service areas. Despite this NGO outreach 

effort, however, VA excludes NGOs and non-profits from competing for certain service opportunities and makes it difficult for other NGOs to serve veterans due to its 

overly bureaucratic National Acquisition Strategy. For example, several regional 

services areas within the recent VR&E VetSuccess Program competition were not 

open to non-profits. In order to benefit from the knowledge of other communities 

that serve veterans, VA should expand opportunities to NGOs as appropriate. 

Veterans With Disabilities as People With Disabilities 

Many veterans with disabilities have the skills needed to qualify for employment 

opportunities and advance in their careers. However, barriers continue to prevent 

these veterans from receiving employment opportunities. Unless these barriers are 

eliminated, training opportunities alone will not address the needs of those veterans 

who have the most significant disabilities to allow them to reintegrate into the 

workforce and contribute to their communities. 

Although veterans with disabilities are like their non-veteran counterparts in 

their employment disadvantages, there are differences as well. Barriers that prevent 

people with significant disabilities from being able to work include lack of access to 

Medicaid funded health care and long-term services and supports and loss of Social 

Security benefits. Although there are programs that allow people with disabilities 

to transition to employment, many are fearful of participating in these programs 

due to concerns about the loss of critical benefits or the inability to find employment 

providing sufficient resources to replace those provided under Medicaid. 

Veterans who have disabilities that allow them to receive health care and serviceconnected disability benefits through VA retain these benefits even if they return 

to work because eligibility is not income dependent. VA disability compensation is 


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intended to do more than offset the economic loss created by a veteran’s inability 

to obtain gainful employment. It also takes into consideration a lifetime of living 

with a disability and the everyday challenges associated with that disability. It reflects the fact that even if a veteran is employed, when he or she goes home at the 

end of the day, that veteran does not leave the disability at the office. 

Although ability to retain VA benefits may lessen the barriers to employment for 

some veterans who have significant disabilities, it is important to remember that 

many of these veterans may also be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. 

These benefits, which may include their own cash assistance plus family benefits, 

are lost if the veteran returns to work. Other veterans who acquire severe disabilities outside of military service may not be eligible for VA benefits and are thus subject to work disincentives in other Federal programs. 

Veterans with disabilities, like other people with disabilities, face other barriers 

to employment that include misinformation about disability and misperceptions 

about required accommodations. The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has developed a list of myths and facts that addresses some 

of the concerns that employers may have regarding hiring a person with a disability. 

Some of the most prominent myths include concerns that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to hire unqualified applicants with disabilities and prevents employers from firing employees with disabilities even if the reason for termination is not related to the disability. Both of these myths are false. 

Other myths that cause concern for employers relate to the provision of accommodation for employees with disabilities. Employers may believe that providing accommodations is costly and that this burden is particularly heavy for small businesses. 

However, many people with disabilities do not require accommodations to perform 

their jobs. The Job Accommodation Network, which is a program of ODEP, reports 

that of those individuals who require accommodations, two-thirds can be successfully accommodated at a cost of less than $500. 

Consequently, programs that assist veterans and people with disabilities must 

work together to ensure that all facets of the individual’s disability are adequately 

addressed to allow the veteran to return to employment. Veterans not only need 

programs that provide them with the skills that allow them to succeed but they also 

need placement specialists who can help potential employers to overcome concerns 

about hiring a person with a disability. 

Thank you for the opportunity to testify regarding the views of the CCD Veterans 

Task Force concerning employment opportunities for severely disabled veterans. 

There are many other veterans employment programs and initiatives being undertaken by the public sector, private companies, and nonprofit organizations that we 

could have highlighted. Our aim today is to convey to the Committee a sense of the 

many employment programs that can assist veterans with disabilities beyond the 

traditional VA avenues. 

We encourage the Committee to continue its exploration of this topic and salute 

your leadership on behalf of our Nation’s veterans with disabilities. The CCD Veterans Task Force is ready to work in partnership to ensure that all veterans are 

able to reintegrate into their communities and remain valued, contributing members 

of society. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Major General James D. Tyre, ARNG 

Assistant Adjutant General, Florida Army National Guard, 

United States Army National Guard 

Executive Summary 

Overview: The Florida National Guard (FLNG) remains challenged with unemployment among its 12,000 servicemembers. Through the support of legislators, a 

number of programs have been made available to assist transitioning servicemembers find employment. While the FLNG has experienced some improvements, 

the need exists to explore options to enhance and expand current processes, with 

an emphasis on follow-up in the 6–24 months after separation. 

• FLNG Employment. The 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team redeployed in 

December 2010 and reported a 30 percent unemployment rate among its members. A FLNG survey conducted in January 2011 indicated a 17 percent rate 

among soldiers of the Florida Army National Guard. A decline in available jobs 

and a steadily growing population of veterans contributes to the unemployment 

issue. 

• What We Are Doing Now. FLNG has long-standing partnerships with several 

State and Federal agencies, as well as a number of private and non-profit orgaVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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nizations. The FLNG Adjutant General established the Florida Guard Family 

Career Connection (FGFCC) in the fall of 2010 to link servicemembers with the 

Employer Partnership for Armed Services and Florida’s Agency for Workforce 

Innovation. This program also assisted servicemembers with employment-seeking skills and job placement. • What Else Can Be Done. Several agencies focus on assisting servicemembers 

with employment challenges, and most military installations provide transition 

services to separating servicemembers. Guardsmen lack the facility-based programs that are traditionally provided to the active component. The FLNG vision, properly resourced, is to establish a local, accessible source in our communities that integrates services and programs, and links Guardsmen to employers. • Importance of Employing National Guard Soldiers. Employers who hire 

National Guard servicemembers enjoy economic and other intangible advantages. A Guardsman is a worker that is already trained at the journeymanlevel, and who has access to medical benefits outside of the workplace. Further, 

a Guardsman is a disciplined, drug-free, physically-fit leader and role model for 

other employees. • Building Resiliency. Service and family member well-being remains a top priority for the FLNG. Unemployment is just one factor of several that contributes 

to an elevated rate of divorce, suicide and other challenges for members of all 

military services and components. The FLNG is committed to mitigating these 

issues in order to maintain a ready and reliable force for the Nation. 

1. Opening Remarks 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, distinguished Members of the Committee; I am honored to appear before you today, on behalf of the Adjutant General 

of Florida, Major General Emmett Titshaw and the 12,000 members of the Florida 

National Guard. 

I welcome the opportunity to illustrate, through our story, a picture that is likely 

common across all of our States and territories. Over the last 6 months, our units 

have returned home after the largest mobilization of the Florida National Guard 

since World War II. We have served our Nation in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, 

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the Horn of Africa, as well as here in the National Capital 

Region and other regions of the globe. Guardsmen have proudly answered the call 

when needed but have returned home to face a different threat; unemployment. 

Closing businesses, fewer jobs and an overall economic decline have contributed to 

the struggle associated with redeployment of our forces. A number of great Federal, 

State and private programs exist to assist Guardsmen transitioning back to civilian 

life. The challenge that remains is finding or creating a link that joins our unemployed Guardsmen with existing resources or programs that result in a viable career. Through various testimonies over the past several months, the National Guard 

has presented evidence of our enduring value to the Nation, through our contributions to the Nation’s defense at home and abroad, and by way of a ready and an 

accessible force. To maintain this cost-efficient resource, we must ensure our National Guard members are able to sustain and support their families with reliable, 

quality employment. 

2. FLNG Employment Circumstances 

Historically, unemployment ranges from roughly 14–38 percent across redeploying 

units of the Florida National Guard. In January 2011, the Florida National Guard 

initiated a statewide assessment of the unemployment rate among our units. To 

date, our surveys identified over 1,700 soldiers who responded that they are unemployed. This represents 17 percent of our Army National Guard force. The majority 

of these Guardsmen have been redeployed since July 2010. The 533rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team has been our largest redeploying unit with locations from Miami 

to Panama City. This unit returned this past December with more than 30 percent 

expressing civilian employment challenges. 

Though our detailed assessment of causes continues, the reasons are varied and 

include business closures, downsizing, and other economic factors that have impacted the entire Nation. Further, we have identified the greatest challenges to employment emerge months or years after the servicemember returns home. Currently 

there is no enduring program at the local level to address this need. During this 

economic downturn Florida has lost more than 900,000 nonagricultural jobs. According to the Office of Actuary, Department of the Veterans Administration, Florida 

has the fastest growing veterans’ population in the Nation, with almost 1.7 million 

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members who claim Florida as their home State of residence. The combination of 

decreasing jobs and a growing population of veterans contributes to the unemployment issue. 

3. What We Are Doing Now 

The Florida National Guard has successfully partnered on employment issues for 

many years with corporations such as Home Depot, CSX, and Lowes. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, Troops to Teachers, Helmets to Hard Hats and the 

Agency for Workforce Innovation, are some public and private organizations and 

programs that have also partnered with the Florida National Guard through our reintegration events which evolved into the Yellow Ribbon Program. 

In the fall of 2010, with the return of a large number of Florida National Guard 

units, the Adjutant General of Florida established the Florida Guard Family Career 

Connection (FGFCC), which joined with the Employer Partnership for Armed Services and Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation, to assist our soldiers and Airmen. These organizations registered approximately 450 returning Infantry Brigade 

soldiers with their respective employment agencies and also provided resume and 

cover letter writing classes so soldiers could immediately post their resumes for any 

open position they found. The soldiers also had access to a consolidated employment 

Web site and were able to add their resumes to well known employment search engines. Despite these efforts, our Guardsmen continue to experience employment 

challenges, and we have discovered that many of these actually begin to materialize 

6–24 months after redeployment. 

The Florida National Guard is authorized one uniformed and two contract employees working in the capacity of Transition Assistance Advisors (TAA). These individuals have the responsibility to ensure the 12,000 servicemembers are aware of 

the different benefits available after a deployment, and are challenged by these 

large numbers. In addition to the TAA, the Florida Employer Support of the Guard 

and Reserve Committee is responsible for gaining and maintaining employer support for Guard and Reserve. Through their Ombudsman, they work on the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) issue resolution with Florida employers. Since October 2010 the ESGR has successfully resolved 

77 USERRA cases. We currently have 3 cases pending resolution. 

4. What Else Can Be Done 

We’re proud of the progress we have made in engaging our servicemembers and 

linking them to employers through the resources that I just highlighted. We believe, 

however, that there are still some measures that can be taken to enhance our ability 

to foster these relationships. 

Developing incentives for employers to seek out and hire National Guardsmen 

would begin to address the needs of the businesses that do support the National 

Guard, and encourage those that would like to support, but cannot afford to during 

these tough economic times. While a servicemember is deployed many businesses 

must hire a temporary employee to take the servicemember’s civilian job. This creates a dilemma for the employer who must compensate for the loss of this highly 

skilled employee. Perhaps something can be done for these employers to reduce this 

burden. Due to recurring deployments this incentive should be perpetual. 

We are watching with interest several individual State programs that have already demonstrated value, but may be at risk of future funding. Identifying and 

adequately resourcing the successful ones is vital. One program, the Job Connection 

Education Program (JCEP) is funded through the Army National Guard, and piloted 

in the State of Texas. Since its establishment in March 2010, over 350 soldiers have 

been placed in jobs directly through the services of JCEP, and on average, are earning twice the wages of other veterans placed by the Texas Workforce Commission. 

Focusing on identifying and translating military experience into civilian job skills, 

many beneficiaries of this program have transitioned to careers as journeymen, 

rather than low-wage jobs as entry-level employees. This program is an adaptive 

process, continuously analyzing and discarding those activities that are ineffective, 

and enhancing those that work. It has progressed from placing just 4 veterans per 

month, to most recently over 50 per month into valuable careers. 

The Washington State National Guard instituted a similar full-time employment 

transition initiative to help link various programs for transitioning servicemembers. 

In 6 months, this program helped to employ 583 Guardsmen. Other examples of employment resources such as Direct Employers, the Employer Partnership of the 

Armed Forces and Save Our Veterans are available online and are tailored to assist 

veterans with translating military experience into civilian skill sets and connecting 

servicemembers to employers. 


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However; without sustained resourcing, centralized planning, decentralized delivery and an individually-tailored plan, servicemembers may miss opportunities just 

for lack of knowing ‘‘where to go.’’ 

For Florida National Guardsmen, we envision a one-stop shop that integrates 

complementary systems and locally ties them to employers. This program would 

provide an attractive menu of available skill sets to employers and convey the benefits of hiring Guardsmen. It would enable them to fill vacant positions and potentially create growth by presenting options to expand with more affordable costs. Additionally, this program would provide transition services to Guardsmen in an environment that eases the navigation through the numerous resources that are already 

available. Our armories and facilities, if properly resourced, are well-suited to house 

this type of enterprise because of their local ties to communities. 

5. Importance of Employing National Guard Soldiers 

The programs I’ve highlighted are just a few, and obviously require appropriate 

resourcing, but in the end, will pay dividends through other metrics. 

Reserve Component servicemembers who are employed are easier to retain in 

their respective services. We are at our peak of readiness, and the cost to replace 

and train even one servicemember is immeasurable. The institutional knowledge 

and experience that these combat-tested leaders possess cannot be learned overnight 

or even over several years. We cannot afford to lose this generation of soldiers and 

Airmen, as the negative consequences will impact the readiness that we’ve worked 

over a decade to achieve. 

Employers of National Guardsmen enjoy several economic benefits. Guardsmen 

arrive with trained skill sets, ranging from administrative, logistical, organizational, 

and maintenance to engineering, health services, and information technology. Often, 

their military-acquired skills exceed those of their civilian counterparts. Additionally, many transition with the Veterans’ Administration or other military health entitlements that may reduce the cost of employer provided health insurance. 

In addition to the financial advantages of hiring Guardsmen, employers profit 

from the intangible qualities these employees bring to the workforce. They are disciplined, motivated, physically fit, and drug-free leaders. They are viewed as trusted 

role-models in their communities, and help bring credibility to any organization. 

Employed National Guardsmen are active in both their unit and their community. 

In this dual role they contribute to the economic growth of society. In Florida, more 

than $472 million is injected annually into the local communities by the presence 

of the National Guard. 

6. Building Resiliency 

Addressing issues of unemployment is just one means to tackle what has become 

an issue of resiliency, not just for the National Guard, but also for other components 

and services. Throughout the National Guard we have experienced elevated numbers of suicide, divorce and other issues associated with physical and mental health. 

Sadly, these problems have multiple components, become ‘‘migratory,’’ and ultimately affect whole families, schools, and communities. As servicemembers redeploy 

and transition to civilian life, hometown communities want to embrace them and 

provide a support network for full assimilation. A locally embedded resource that 

is postured to integrate employers, Guardsmen and other available resources to 

eliminate unemployment among our servicemembers is critical. 

7. Closing Remarks 

On behalf of Major General Emmett Titshaw and the 12,000 soldiers and Airmen 

of the Florida National Guard, the civilian workforce, and their families, I would 

like to thank you for your service to this great Nation. It has been an honor to be 

with you today and I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to speak on this 

important issue. I look forward to your questions. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Ruth A. Fanning, Director, 

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service, Veterans Benefits 

Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and Members of the Committee, thank 

you for inviting me to appear before you today to discuss the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program. I 

am pleased to appear before you to discuss the vitally important topic of veterans’ 

employment. We look forward to continuing our strong collaboration with this Committee and the entire Congress as we work together to enhance the delivery of servVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00100 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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ices and benefits for veterans with disabilities seeking to live independent and productive lives through successful careers. 

Overview of the VR&E Program 

The VR&E program is designed to assist disabled servicemembers in their transition to civilian life and suitable employment and careers. Our primary mission is 

to assist veterans with service-connected disabilities through our VetSuccess program to prepare for and obtain suitable and sustainable employment through the 

provision of services individually tailored to each veteran’s needs. 

VetSuccess Program: VR&E VetSuccess services begin with a comprehensive evaluation to help veterans identify and understand their interests, aptitudes, and 

transferable skills. Next, vocational exploration focuses veterans’ potential career 

goals in line with labor-market demands. This allows veterans to participate as 

partners with their counselors in the development of a rehabilitation plan that 

builds on their transferable skills and ultimately assists them in achieving their career goals. To help veterans accomplish their rehabilitation goals, VR&E provides 

a broad range of employment services including: 

• Translation of military experience to civilian skill sets; 

• Direct job-placement services; 

• Short-term training to augment existing skills to increase employability (e.g., 

certification preparation tests and sponsorship of certification); 

• Long-term training including on-the-job training, apprenticeships, college training, or services that support self-employment; 

• Independent living services for those veterans so severely disabled they may not 

currently be able to work, with the goal of exploring vocational options when 

each individual is ready; and 

• On-going case-management assistance throughout their rehabilitation programs 

to assist with any needs that would interfere with retention and completion to 

the point of employment. 

Coming Home to Work (CHTW) Program: To maximize early intervention to assist transitioning servicemembers to achieve suitable careers, prevent underemployment, and mitigate risks of homelessness, VR&E provides extensive outreach and 

early intervention services through our CHTW program. Under this program, fulltime VR&E rehabilitation counselors are assigned to 13 military treatment facilities 

to assist disabled servicemembers in planning for their next careers. We also have 

CHTW coordinators in every regional office working with Department of Defense 

(DoD) Warrior Transition Units and programs, coming home events, Guard and Reserve Yellow Ribbon events, and Post Deployment Health Reassessments, with the 

goal of encouraging members and new veterans to enter programs of services that 

will assist them in achieving their individual career goals. 

The FY 2012 budget request includes an increase of 132 direct FTE to support 

additional outreach and early intervention programs, including: 

• 110 employees are requested to increase VR&E’s early intervention and outreach program in the joint VA/DoD Integrated Disability Evaluation System 

(IDES). VR&E rehabilitation counselors at the selected IDES sites will provide 

separating servicemembers with a mandatory initial counseling session, followed by continued vocational services for eligible servicemembers who elect to 

participate in the VR&E program. Initial meetings will inform servicemembers 

of the availability of benefits and services through VR&E and other VA education programs. In many cases, this will allow training and preparatory services to begin while the servicemember is still in the IDES process. 

• Nine additional FTE are requested to expand VA’s VetSuccess on Campus initiative. This program, already in place at eight campuses, supports veteran-students in completing college educational benefits, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, 

to assist them to complete college and enter fulfilling careers. VR&E rehabilitation counselors and Vet Center counselors provide strong on-campus support 

systems that include counseling services, assistance in accessing VA benefits, 

help in overcoming barriers that may include physical or mental health issues, 

assistance in connecting with other veteran-students, and assistance with employment. 

In addition, VR&E is in the process of modernizing the Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP). Program content will be specifically tailored to servicemember and veteran audiences, and DTAP will be deployed in multiple channels, 

including the traditional on-location base sessions, the web, and portable media. 

This new multi-media-channel approach will make DTAP available to veterans and 


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family members on a ‘‘just-in-time’’ basis. In addition, enhanced content will make 

information comprehensive and more easily understood. 

Transforming VR&E to a 21st Century Program 

VR&E Service recently launched a transformation project geared to make our program the premier 21st century vocational rehabilitation and employment program. 

VR&E’s transformation effort focuses on modernizing and streamlining services 

using a veteran-centric approach. 

VR&E’s transformative changes include allowing veterans more choice in their appointment scheduling through automated scheduling, and expediting veterans’ entry 

into a rehabilitation program by streamlining and expediting the evaluation and 

planning process through reduction of required processes and paperwork performed 

by VR&E counselors. The VR&E program plans to release a knowledge management 

portal to simplify counselors’ access to regulations, guidance, and other policy information needed to perform their jobs. VR&E is also developing methods and business 

rules to move to a paperless processing model that incorporates self-service. All of 

these initiatives focus on simplifying processes and streamlining the program so 

that veterans may more quickly and easily access services resulting in employment. 

Working in collaboration with VA’s Innovation Initiative (VAi2), VR&E Service is 

engaged in innovative initiatives to build self-employment incubators and tools, 

leading to more veteran-owned businesses and self-management that will allow the 

most seriously disabled veterans to work in the career of their choosing and live as 

independently as possible. We are also conducting a VA employee innovation competition to allow the staff working every day with our veterans to identify additional 

program enhancements. Important partners in the self-employment innovation have 

included the Small Business Administration and VA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. 

Employment Initiatives 

As illustrated in my testimony thus far, veteran employment is the fundamental 

mission of the VR&E VetSuccess program. Success relies on early intervention, 

smart processes, productive partnerships, good rehabilitation planning, and retention to the point that each veteran is job-ready. Although all of these areas are vitally important, the most important are those services that assist job-ready veterans 

to cross the finish line and land the career that they have prepared for throughout 

their civilian and military experiences. 

In FY 2010, out of the 10,038 veterans that were successfully rehabilitated from 

the program, 51 percent were hired in the private sector, 33 percent were hired with 

the Federal Government, 12 percent were hired with State and local government, 

and 4 percent were hired with faith-based and community organizations. Of note, 

79 percent of veterans were employed in professional, technical, or managerial careers, earning an average starting salary of $38,734 annually. 

I would like to highlight some specific VetSuccess initiatives focused on assisting 

veterans to obtain and maintain suitable employment consistent with their potential 

and interests. 

• Employer Education: VR&E staff work with all employment sectors to help 

them understand the smart business decision that hiring a veteran represents. 

Veterans bring with them a high degree of discipline, an understanding of both 

leadership and teamwork, a drive to achieve the mission, and a work ethic and 

maturity that are difficult to rival. 

• Executive Order 13518: VR&E is working aggressively with government agencies and departments to implement the Executive Order to hire veterans. VR&E 

is assisting these government employers in understanding special veteran and 

VR&E program hiring authorities and promoting their utilization of the VR&E 

Non-paid Work Experience (NPWE) Program—an internship program that allows a government entity to ‘‘try out’’ a veteran for a job at no cost. We are 

also encouraging them to take advantage of recruitment opportunities through 

VetSuccess.gov, a Web site designed by VR&E for veterans seeking employment 

and employers seeking veteran-employees. 

• Private-Sector Employers: VR&E works with the private sector to understand 

tax credits, special employer incentives, and on-the-job training programs available when hiring veterans, as well as the VetSuccess.gov program. 

• Career Fairs: VR&E participates in live and virtual career fairs. These fairs 

allow veterans to meet large numbers of employers in one location, whether in 

their community or via the internet; view and apply for jobs; chat live with recruiters; and participate in job interviews on the spot or via internet chat. 

VR&E is actively marketing these job fairs through multiple venues. VR&E 

partners are also linking to the VetSuccess Web site. Recently, on a Jumbo Tron 


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in Times Square, New York, a partner advertised VetSuccess in conjunction 

with an upcoming career fair. 

• Troops to Counselors: VR&E developed the Troops to Counselors Initiative to 

increase the number of veterans hired as Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors 

within VBA. This initiative introduces veterans with bachelors degrees in 

human services, and those interested in the human services field, to the field 

of rehabilitation counseling, one of the top 10 growth industries. It will also fast 

track employment since students may be hired as administrative staff using the 

Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) at any point during their bachelors 

and graduate programs, and hired as counselor interns once they enter the internship portion of their graduate programs. Participation in SCEP allows VBA 

to hire graduates noncompetitively. VR&E has set a goal that 60 percent of new 

vocational rehabilitation counselor hires in 2014 and beyond will be veterans. 

• VetSuccess.gov: The VetSuccess.gov Web site has been enhanced to provide a 

one-stop resource for both disabled and able-bodied veterans and family members to access services during transition, campus life, job search, and career attainment. The program also assists veterans with disabilities to maximize independence in their homes and communities. The Web site includes a job board 

for employers desiring to hire veterans; resume builders and upload tools that 

allow veterans to utilize resumes already developed; a military-to-civilian jobs 

translator; aggregator tools for employers seeking certain skill sets and for veterans seeking specific jobs; and a feedback mechanism to self-report employment gained through the site. The job-board feature of VetSuccess.gov currently 

connects over 68,000 veterans with over 1,500 employers. Veterans also have 

access through the Direct Employers Job Central career board to over 4 million 

jobs, with additional links to other popular and highly populated job boards. 

Other enhancements to the site include self-assessment tools and interactive 

maps that drill down to resources in the veteran’s community. Future enhancements will include self-assessment tools, an enhanced military-to-civilian-jobs 

translator, and linkage to E–Benefits effective next month, allowing self-service 

features such as checking the status of a specific employment application. 

• Stakeholder Relationships: Relationships with stakeholders including DoD, the 

Department of Labor (DoL), the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), private and public sector employers, and non-profit 

organizations are vital to the success of the VR&E program. Key stakeholders 

such as RSA and DoL play significant roles in working with VR&E toward the 

ultimate goal of suitable employment of veterans. 

• Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA): VR&E has several MOAs 

in place with local State Vocational Rehabilitation programs and is in the 

process of finalizing a national MOA with RSA. Our Employment Coordinators join the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation ‘‘NET’’, or national employment team, opening up a larger number 

of employer contacts and employment opportunities for veterans. In addition, shared training has helped to build skill sets, share best practices, 

and build networks important to success in job placement. 

• Department of Labor (DoL): DoL is a key partner in the placement of veterans with disabilities. DoL’s grant-funded Disabled Veterans’ Outreach 

Program (DVOP) specialists, and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives’ (LVERs’) primary roles are to assist job-ready veterans with disabilities to obtain and sustain employment. In addition, these staff members assist able-bodied veterans in their job searches. VA and DoL have 

an ongoing joint work group, along with State Workforce Agencies, which 

developed and rolled out a best-practice model and standard operating 

procedures, and provided training to staff from all organizations. In addition DoL worked with VR&E and the State Workforce Agencies to co-locate a DVOP specialist or LVER at each of the 57 VR&E regional office 

locations. The joint work group monitors and measures progress and successes and provides assistance to offices as needed. 

Conclusion 

VA continues to seek new and innovative ways to assist veterans in achieving 

their goals for full, productive, and meaningful lives and careers. Our focus is on 

helping veterans build upon the excellent skills gained through their military service, providing streamlined services resulting in career employment. VA will continue 

to work with all sectors of Government and private and public employment communities to assist veterans in reaching their highest potential in this challenging 

economy. 


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Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and Members of the Committee, this 

concludes my statement. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. I will be 

happy to respond to any questions. 

f 

Prepared Statement of Hon. Raymond M. Jefferson, 

Assistant Secretary, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, 

U.S. Department of Labor 

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Filner, and Members of the Committee: 

Thank you for the opportunity to appear as a witness before the Committee and 

speak to you on Putting America’s Veterans Back to Work. 

The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) proudly serves veterans 

and transitioning servicemembers by providing resources and expertise to assist and 

prepare them to obtain meaningful careers, maximize their employment opportunities and protect their employment rights. We do that through programs that are an 

integral part of Secretary Solis’s vision of ‘‘Good Jobs for Everyone.’’ 

For the purposes of this hearing today, I would like to elaborate on our programs 

and initiatives that assist America’s Veterans in getting to or back to work. 

Putting Veterans Back to Work—the Jobs for Veterans State Grants Program 

The first program that I would like to highlight for you is the Department’s Jobs 

for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) Program. Under this grant program, the Department offers employment and training services to eligible veterans by allocating 

funds to State Workforce Agencies in direct proportion to the number of veterans 

seeking employment within their State. The grants support two distinct JVSG programs: (1) the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) and (2) the Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVER) program. 

I am pleased to see that the National Association of State Workforce Agencies is 

testifying today. Their members are core partners in the public workforce system 

that operates the One-Stop Career Centers where the DVOPs and LVERs provide 

services to veterans. 

In the Department’s first JVSG program, DVOP specialists provide intensive employment services and assistance to meet the employment needs of eligible veterans. 

DVOPs do this primarily at the Nation’s One-Stop Career Centers funded through 

the Workforce Investment Act. Our specialists also provide recovery and employment assistance to wounded and injured servicemembers receiving care at Department of Defense military treatment facilities, the Army’s Warrior Transition Units, 

the Navy Safe Harbor Program, the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program and the 

Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiments through the Recovery & Employment 

Assistance Lifelines (REALifelines) program. 

In the Department’s second JVSG program, LVER staff reach out to employers 

and engage in advocacy efforts with hiring executives to increase employment opportunities for veterans, encourage the hiring of disabled veterans, and generally assist 

veterans to gain and retain employment. They are often members of One-Stop Career Center business development teams. LVERs also conduct seminars for employers and job search workshops for veterans seeking employment, and facilitate the 

provision of employment, training, and placement services to veterans by all staff 

of the employment service delivery system. 

Last year, the JVSG provided services to nearly 589,000 veterans, and 201,000 

veterans found jobs. 

Putting Disabled Veterans to Work—Vocational Rehabilitation 

VETS also collaborates with the Department of Veterans Affairs to support disabled veterans in the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program. 

DVOPs are outstationed at VR&E offices to provide employment information to 

VR&E participants during their rehabilitation program, and refer them at the end 

of the program to DVOPs at One-Stop Career Centers. The DVOPs at One-Stop Career Centers then provide intensive services to referred participants to assist them 

in obtaining employment. 

Besides working with job-ready veterans, the outstationed DVOP is involved at 

the front end of the VR&E process to help veterans determine local labor market 

information. This interaction facilitates the rehabilitation planning process by providing the veteran and the VR&E counselor with current data on salary and job outlook as well as increasing understanding of working conditions for specific occupations. 


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There is currently either a DVOP specialist or LVER outstationed at least halftime in 48 of the VA Regional Offices and in 19 satellite offices. In FY 2010, 4,989 

disabled veterans who completed VR&E were referred to the State Workforce Agencies for intensive employment services. Of these, 1,764 were placed into employment. 

Putting Homeless Veterans Back to Work—the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program 

The Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) is another initiative to 

assist America’s veterans in getting back to work. Through HVRP, the Department 

provides competitive grants to State and local workforce investment boards, State 

agencies, local public agencies, and private non-profit organizations, including faithbased organizations and neighborhood partnerships. HVRP grantees provide an 

array of services utilizing a holistic case management approach that directly assists 

homeless veterans and provides training services to help them to successfully transition into the labor force. 

In Program Year (PY) 2009, over 14,000 homeless veterans participated in this 

program through 96 grants, and 8,470 were placed into employment. 

Putting Veterans Back to Work—Training with the Job Corps 

In June of 2010, VETS and the Employment and Training Administration’s 

(ETA’s) Job Corps program developed a demonstration project to help younger veterans get back to work. Through this demonstration project, VETS and Job Corps 

offer additional educational and career technical training at one of three specific Job 

Corps centers to eligible veterans and transitioning servicemembers who are 24 

years old or younger. Participants will receive free transportation to and from the 

Job Corps center, housing, meals, basic medical services, and academic and career 

technical training. When veterans are ready to start looking for a job, staff will work 

with them to find job openings and submit resumes. Job Corps will help graduates 

for up to 21 months after graduation to connect with housing, transportation, and 

other support services. 

We have worked with Job Corps to streamline the program so that it recognizes 

the maturity and life experience that our veterans have gained from their military 

experience. Job Corps employs a comprehensive career development training approach that teaches academic, career technical, employability skills, and social competencies in an integrated manner through a combination of classroom, practical 

and work-based learning experiences to prepare participants for stable, long-term 

employment in high-demand jobs. Job Corps graduates have the opportunity to earn 

an industry-recognized certification or credential that supports the skills and knowledge gained through career training. 

Putting Veterans Back to Work—the Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program 

Yet another way the Department is working to help veterans get back to work 

is through the Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program (VWIP). Through VWIP, 

the Department awards competitive grants geared toward focused training, re-training and employment opportunities for recently separated veterans, veterans with 

service-connected disabilities, veterans with significant barriers to employment and 

veterans who served on active duty during expeditions or campaigns for which specific badges were awarded. These grants are awarded to meet the needs of employers for qualified workers in high demand industries, particularly those occupations 

requiring a license or certification. 

In FY 2009, VWIP was refocused to provide training and employment services in 

green energy occupations as envisioned in the Green Jobs Act of 2007. There are 

currently 22 grants serving 4,600 veterans. 

Putting Transitioning Servicemembers to Work—the Transition Assistance 

Program 

Our primary program for assisting individuals with their transition from the military to the civilian workforce is the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). TAP is 

an interagency program delivered via a partnership involving the Department of Defense, DoL VETS, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of 

Homeland Security. VETS provides an employment workshop that is a comprehensive two-and-a-half-day program during which participants are provided relevant 

skills and information, such as job search techniques, career decision-making processes, and current labor market conditions. 

Currently, VETS uses a mix of contractors, VETS Federal staff, Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program specialists, and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives as TAP facilitators. In the future, however, VETS will transition to all skilled 


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contract facilitators with DVOPs continuing their involvement in the workshops as 

subject matter advisors. 

VETS is taking the unprecedented step of completely redesigning and transforming the TAP employment workshop. We are creating experiential, effective, and 

enduring solutions for a successful transition from military to civilian life and employment. The new TAP will be based on established best practices in career transition. The request for proposals was issued on April 15, 2011. Our goal is to have 

the new workshop implemented by Veterans’ Day 2011. 

Last year, nearly 130,000 transitioning servicemembers and spouses attended a 

TAP employment workshop given at one of 272 locations world-wide. 

Putting Veterans Back to Work—Employer Partnerships 

I am pleased to see that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Society for 

Human Resource Management (SHRM) are testifying today. VETS created, and is 

implementing, a new approach to employer outreach that involves pilot programs 

and partnerships with both these organizations. These partnerships are giving us 

much broader access to employers so that we can communicate the value of hiring 

a veteran and how to access this extraordinary source of talent. It also allows us 

to educate employers about the unique skills veterans bring with them based on 

their military experience. Connecting the talent pool with the many companies looking to hire veterans allows for a more efficient hiring process for many veterans and 

employers. 

The Chamber is working to identify 100 hiring fairs exclusively for veterans, 

transitioning servicemembers and their spouses. In the partnership, the U.S. Chamber and its affiliates focus primarily on securing the participation of employers 

while the VETS team focuses on obtaining participation by veterans, transitioning 

servicemembers and their spouses. The larger hiring fairs are titled ‘‘Mega-Hiring 

Fairs.’’ An example was the hiring fair in Chicago on March 24, 2011 that connected 

over 100 employers with over 1,000 veterans, transitioning servicemembers, and 

spouses. 

VETS is working with SHRM to identify opportunities for VETS State managers 

to meet with local SHRM chapters to connect veterans seeking employment with 

companies who are hiring. For VETS this is an effective and efficient way to connect 

employers and veterans. We are also working with SHRM in the development of an 

H.R. Toolkit that will provide employers with the methods and procedures to establish a veteran hiring program and to hire veterans. 

Demographics of Veterans Placed into Employment by VETS Programs 

In your letter of invitation, you requested specific demographic information. Unfortunately, our reporting systems do not provide much of the information that you 

requested. However, I am able to provide the following: 

In FY 2010, for the VETS’ JVSG program, 13 percent of all participants were 

recently separated veterans, meaning they had left the service within 3 years. 

In PY2009 in the HVRP program, 6.1 percent of the veterans had been out 

of the service 3 years or less, 6.0 percent had been out 4–7 years, 4.9 percent 

were out of the service 8–11 years, 5.6 percent had been out of the service 12– 

15 years, 11.3 percent were out 16–19 years, and 66.1 percent were out 20 or 

more years. 

In PY2009 under the VWIP program, 22.4 percent of the participants had 

been out of the service 3 years or less, 9.4 percent had been out 4–7 years, 5.6 

percent were out of the service 8–11 years, 6.0 percent had been out of the service 12–15 years, 9.3 percent were out 16–19 years, and 47.3 percent were out 

20 or more years. 

The average salary 6 months after placement for veterans in the JVSG program (FY 2010) was $30,804. We do not collect information at other periods of 

time in the JVSG program. 

In the HVRP and VWIP programs we collect salary data at three intervals. 

All salaries provided are for PY2009. 

The average initial salary for veterans in the HVRP program was $21,133 

and the average initial salary for veterans in the VWIP program was $31,533. 

The average salary between 6 months and a year after placement for those 

veterans in the HVRP program was $22,818 and in the VWIP program it was 

$33,446. 

You also asked for the status of the contract for the National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI). The request for proposals closed on April 21, 2011, and 

we are currently evaluating the submitted proposals. We plan to make an 

award by mid-June 2011. 

This concludes my statement and I would be happy to respond to any questions. 


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MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

Washington, DC. 

June 22, 2011 

Richard A. Hobbie 

Executive Director 

National Association of State Workforce Agencies 

444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 142 

Washington, DC 20001 

Dear Richard: 

In reference to our Full Committee hearing entitled ‘‘Putting America’s Veterans 

Back to Work,’’ that took place on June 1, 2011, I would appreciate it if you could 

answer the enclosed hearing questions by the close of business on August 5, 2011. 

In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is implementing some formatting 

changes for materials for all full Committee and Subcommittee hearings. Therefore, 

it would be appreciated if you could provide your answers consecutively and singlespaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety before the answer. 

Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to Debbie Smith 

by fax your responses to Debbie at 202–225–2034. If you have any questions, please 

call 202–225–9756. 

Sincerely, 

BOB FILNER 

Ranking Democratic Member 

JL:ds 

National Association of State Workforce Agencies 

Washington, DC. 

August 3, 2011 

Honorable Bob Filner 

Ranking Democratic Member 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

U.S. House of Representatives 

335 Cannon House Office Building 

Washington, DC 20515 

Attention Debbie Smith: 

I am pleased to submit responses to questions raised as a result of my testimony 

before the Committee at the hearing entitled, ‘‘Putting America’s Veterans Back to 

Work’’ which took place on June 1, 2011. 

Please let me know if you would like further information. 

Sincerely, 

Richard Hobbie 

Executive Director 

Attachment 

Question 1: How can we help employers understand the qualifications veterans 

and servicemembers have to offer? 

Answer: With limited resources, State Workforce Agencies (SWA) attempt to 

make labor exchange services as efficient as possible. SWAs and local one-stop career centers work closely with unemployed veterans to gain a sense of their skills, 

and they assist them either to apply directly for available jobs, or if needed, they 

offer intensive services up to and including training. 

The SWAs have used web services, such as the National Labor Exchange (NLX) 

and the MOS crosswalk page at O*Net, where employers and veterans can relate 

the Military Occupational Classification with the private sector Occupations. Today 

much of the interaction between job seekers and employers occur thru Web sites. 


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The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) can help veterans learn how to communicate with employers in ways employers understand, and make connections for potential employment. Requiring all of the armed services to mandate transitioning 

members to attend TAP would help prepare them for connecting with employers. 

Promotional efforts to demonstrate the value of hiring a veteran and to better define the qualifications of a veteran or servicemember need to be increased. Congressional support for such efforts would help to maintain this as a priority. 

The employer tool kit developed by the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) is an excellent start, but may need to be 

marketed better to employers. The link is in a prominent spot on the VETS Web 

site, but could be identified better with an icon or something to attract attention. 

VETS could promote the tool kit more directly with employer groups and associations. The tool kit is available at: (http://www.americasheroesatwork.gov/ 

forEmployers/HiringToolkit). Many other groups and agencies also have developed 

employer tool kits. 

Question 2: Do you think that employers are looking for a labor pool of applicants with marketable and transferable job skill that veteran’s lack? 

Question 2(a): What types of jobs are most veterans likely to qualify for and do 

those jobs exist or are there enough of those jobs? 

Answer: To answer this question with any specificity we would need to discuss 

the skills of specific categories of veterans. For example, if we look at the education 

levels of veterans, we find veterans have a wide range of educational backgrounds. 

In the four categories shown in Appendix A, veterans have an education distribution 

equal to or better than the general population. 

We do not have data on unsuccessful matches between the veteran job seeker and 

available jobs; real-time labor market information and analysis may help, but the 

ability to do this is just now emerging among States. 

We have information on veterans who get training under the Workforce Investment Act. The data show more than 28,000 veterans received services in program 

year 2010, including training, to help them gain skills needed to obtain new jobs. 

Question 3: What grade would you give employers for understanding the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)? 

Question 3(a): What grade would you give to employers for USERRA compliance? 

Answer: NASWA and the SWAs are not involved directly with USERRA. VETS, 

especially the State Directors for Veterans Employment and Training (DVETs), have 

the primary responsibility for the USERRA program. Also, representatives for the 

Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) assist in processing initial 

USERRA questions and complaints. Workforce system staff members, especially 

DVOPs and LVERs, are knowledgeable about the basic criteria under USERRA, and 

refer veterans to the DVET in their State, or to ESGR representatives. 

NASWA does not have specific data on program understanding by employers; anecdotal evidence would indicate a good deal of understanding. The Society of Human 

Resource Managers (SHRM) conducted a survey in 2010; the results are shown in 

Appendix B. 

Although the SHRM survey is based on a relatively small sample of employers, 

it demonstrates a need to improve education of employers about their responsibilities under USERRA. There is heavy employer involvement in membership in 

DirectEmployers, which partners with NASWA to run the National Labor Exchange 

and VetCentral. 

There is evidence from VETS that the number of official complaints filed against 

employers has remained relatively constant for the last 5 years, which may indicate 

at least there is not a growing problem. In 2010, there were 1,438 new USERRA 

cases, plus 244 carry over cases. This compares with the following caseloads: 

2005—1,252 cases 

2006—1,434 cases 

2007—1,365 cases 

2008—1,426 cases 

2009—1,431 cases 

According to VETS, approximately one third of the meritorious cases each year 

are resolved, one third of the cases are not supported by evidence, and one third 

of the cases are withdrawn or were not eligible under USERRA. 


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Appendix A 

Educational Attainment by Veteran Status 

Percent distribution 

Veteran status 

Less than 

a high 

school 

diploma 

High 

school 

graduate, 

no college 

Some college or associate 

degree 

College 

graduate 

Nonveterans 14.3 30.8 27.6 27.2 

Veterans 7.4 32.7 32.8 27.1 

Gulf War-era II veterans 1.5 29.2 45.9 23.4 

Gulf War-era I veterans 1.5 28.0 41.4 29.1 

WWII, Korean War and Vietnamera veterans 10.2 32.3 28.9 28.6 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009, at: 

www.bls.gov/spotlight/2010/veterans 

Appendix B 

f 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

Washington, DC. 

June 22, 2011 

Jolene Jefferies 

Vice President, Strategic Initiatives 

DirectEmployers Association 

9002 North Purdue Road 

Quad III; Suite 100 

Indianapolis, IN 46268 

Dear Jolene: 

In reference to our Full Committee hearing entitled ‘‘Putting America’s Veterans 

Back to Work,’’ that took place on June 1, 2011, I would appreciate it if you could 

answer the enclosed hearing questions by the close of business on August 5, 2011. 


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In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is implementing some formatting 

changes for materials for all full Committee and Subcommittee hearings. Therefore, 

it would be appreciated if you could provide your answers consecutively and singlespaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety before the answer. 

Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to Debbie Smith 

by fax your responses to Debbie at 202–225–2034. If you have any questions, please 

call 202–225–9756. 

Sincerely, 

BOB FILNER 

Ranking Democratic Member JL:ds 

June 29, 2011 

To: The Honorable Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member House 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

From: Jolene Jefferies, VP Strategic Initiatives DirectEmployers Association 

Re: Response to Your Letter of June 22, 2011 

Mr. Filner, my answers to your questions are noted below: 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs U.S. House of Representatives Post-Hearing 

Questions for Ms. Jolene Jefferies From the Honorable Bob Filner 

Putting America’s Veterans Back to Work June 1, 2011 

Question 1: Are contractors aware of Federal Contractor Job Listings? 

Response: Yes, employers who are Federal contractors are aware of Federal Contractor Job Listings requirements. The affirmative action provisions of VEVRAA require covered contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to employ 

and advance in employment qualified covered veterans (38 U.S.C. 4212(a)). To implement the affirmative action requirement, VEVRAA and its implementing regulations found at 41 CFR Parts 60–250 and 60–300, require contractors and subcontractors to list most employment openings with an appropriate employment service delivery system and each such employment service delivery system is to provide 

protected veterans priority referrals to such openings. 

Positions that will be filled from within the contractor’s organization and positions 

lasting 3 days or less are exempt from this mandatory job-listing requirement. Listing employment openings with the State workforce agency job bank or with the local 

employment service delivery system where the opening occurs will satisfy the requirement to list jobs with the local employment service delivery system. The Office 

of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is responsible for ensuring compliance with requirements in VEVRAA that contractors list their employment openings with the appropriate employment service delivery system. Employers know 

they can find additional information regarding compliance with the job listing requirement on the OFCCP Web site in the form of FAQs http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/ 

regs/compliance/faqs/jvafaqs.htm. 

DirectEmployers Association, in partnership with the National Association of 

State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), operates the JobCentral National Labor Exchange (NLX) (http://www.jobcentral.com/). The NLX (http:// 

www.directemployers.org/about/national-labor-exchange/) was selected by NASWA in 

March, 2007, to provide job seekers, employers and State workforce agencies a costeffective transition from America’s Job Bank (AJB) when it was discontinued by the 

U.S. Department of Labor in June, 2007. 

The NLX provides a wide range of employment services to participating State 

workforce agencies, from job listing distribution to and from State employment Web 

sites, web traffic and search engine optimization (SEO) services and much more— 

all at no cost. The comprehensive NLX network of 50 individual State sites is powered by DirectEmployers’ Employment Search Engine. The site uses advanced 

search technology to index (‘‘spider’’) jobs from thousands of individual employer 

sites. When job seekers click on a job title on the search results page they are linked 

directly to the job on the company’s Web site or a State job bank’s site, depending 

on the origin of the job posting. 


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As a parallel service of the NLX, DirectEmployers also created VetCentral 

(www.jobcentral.com/vetcentral/). VetCentral is designed to assist our member companies, most of whom are Federal Government contractors, to comply with the mandatory job listing requirements of VEVRAA, amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act 

(JVA). 

VetCentral distributes the new job openings each day to some 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers putting these jobs directly into the hands of staff (e.g., the Local Veteran Employment Representatives and the Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Coordinators) dedicated to helping veterans find jobs. The job listings are sent directly 

to the Center nearest the job location. 

While the member companies of DirectEmployers Association are large and often 

distribute hundreds of jobs each week, we have created a tool within VetCentral to 

allow small companies to post jobs one at a time and have them distributed directly 

to the nearest One Stop Center and veteran employment staff at the Center. The 

cost of this service is underwritten by our members so it is free to the small companies and costs the taxpayers nothing. 

For a more detailed description about the JobCentral National Labor Exchange 

(NLX) (http://www.directemployers.org/about/national-labor-exchange/) and the accomplishments of the NLX, please see Attachment 1. 

Question 2: Why is there no official list of Federal Contractors? 

Response: The OFCCP does not appear to have an effective way within their own 

organization to track Federal contractors and the contact names and information of 

each contractor’s CEO, the company’s chief hiring official, the company’s Equal Employment/Affirmative Action compliance officer, and each State workforce agency’s 

contact person for affirmative action compliance. The OFCCP needs this information 

for assessing contractor compliance with Section 4212 and their employment of veterans. To reduce administrative burden, employers prefer providing the OFCCP 

with the chief hiring official’s contact information rather than each local hiring manager’s name and/or a company contact name on each individual job posting. Similarly, State workforce agencies prefer that the OFCCP work through a single point 

of contact from each State agency, such as an administrator or State manager, rather than working with a local DVOP or LVER when a question about a Federal contractor’s compliance audit regarding Federal contractor job listings may arise. 

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has a Web site to track and publish 

the names of Federal contractors (see Attachment 2 about USASpending.gov), but 

it doesn’t appear that this Web site or database is adequately and appropriately utilized across Federal agencies, such as the OFCCP. Rather than creating their own 

separate system to track much of the same information that the OMB is currently 

tracking on Federal contractors, the OFCCP should leverage the use of OMB’s database to track and access the contact names and contact information for each Federal 

contractor and each State workforce agency to ensure the right individuals from 

these organizations receive data and information from Federal agencies when communications deal with, or are about, the employment and retention of veterans or 

a compliance audit. 

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to these additional questions. Please let 

me know if I may be of further assistance. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Jolene Jefferies 

VP Strategic Initiatives 

Attachments: 

1—Description of the NLX and its Accomplishments 

2—OMB Tracks Federal Contractors 

Attachment 1: Description of the NLX and its Accomplishments 

JOBCENTRAL NATIONAL LABOR EXCHANGE (NLX) 

What is the NLX? 

The JobCentral National Labor Exchange (NLX) is a sophisticated electronic labor 

exchange solution. This online network connects businesses and State workforce 

agencies in their mission to create a cost-effective system that improves labor market efficiency and reflects our Nation’s diverse workforce. 


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The NLX network connects over 5,000 large employers and their job opportunities 

with the publicly operated State job banks—vastly expanding the number of searchable job opportunities for jobseekers and providing employers the ability to meet 

hiring goals. Further, NLX allows State operated job banks to seamlessly exchange 

job opportunity content collected through the activities of State workforce agencies 

business representatives. 

How does it work? 

In an automated and cost effective fashion, the NLX gathers currently available 

and unduplicated job opportunities from verified employers and pushes that content 

into State workforce agency sites to reach a maximum number of jobseekers. The 

NLX is not a destination point where you apply for a position, but rather a jobs content provider directing jobseekers back to the where the job opportunity originated 

(e.g., the job may have been originally posted on a State job bank or an employer’s 

corporate Web site). 

Who are the NLX Principals? 

This unique public-private venture is the result of an alliance between NASWA, 

an association representing State workforce agencies, and DirectEmployers Association, an organization representing primarily Fortune 500 companies. NLX leverages 

private, non-profit-owned technology with existing State workforce agency resources 

and combines the agility and innovation of the private sector with the public sector’s 

ability to offer information and services in a trusted environment. 

How does the NLX help employers? 

The NLX plays an important role in helping employers build their workforce and 

comply with State and Federal regulations by serving as our Nation’s only online 

cross-state labor exchange and distributing job listings to the State and local level. 

It also helps employers meet Federal job posting requirements for Affirmative Action Plans, Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), and 

Jobs for Veterans Act (JVA) compliance. 

By making their jobs available on the NLX, employers increase their recruiting 

reach and extend diversity initiatives with a consistent and aggressive program to 

make employment opportunities available to individuals from all cultures and population segments. 

NLX Accomplishments to Date 

Created in March 2007, the NLX has brought substantive value to jobseekers, employers and participating State workforce agencies. 

Jobseekers have access to a quick and easy platform that gives them free access 

to more, currently available jobs, from verified employers. 


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Employers can reduce hiring and resource costs, meet and exceed affirmative action objectives, achieve JVA compliance, get free nationwide exposure, and have access to a much larger pool of job applicants. 

State Workforce Agencies have embraced the NLX with a total of forty-eight 

(48) States, plus the District of Columbia signing participation agreements. Under 

the oversight of the Operations Committee—a group comprised of State and employer representatives, the NLX partnership has embraced the principles of transparency and flexibility. 

Over the last 3 years the NLX has: 

1. Delivered 8 million job openings into State job banks. State officials 

can access a Job Counter and view how many jobs the NLX contains in their 

State at any given day at http://stateadmin.jobcentral.org/statistics.aspx 

• This number reflects unduplicated and available jobs (not expired job orders). 

• This number does not include job orders originating from State workforce 

agency job banks. 

• This number includes 3 million Federal contractor jobs reportable under 

the Federal Contractor Job Listing (FCJL) program requirements. 

• These job orders are free of advertising of any kind. 

2. Provided an electronic bridge for State job banks to share job orders 

with one another. State workforce agencies can take a feed of job orders 

from neighboring States and State workforce agencies’ job banks. 

3. Offered State job banks downloads of job orders coded by O*NET. 

This affords State workforce agencies greater ease in pursing future jobmatching reemployment efforts. 

4. Offered State job banks free job order indexing as a service States 

can offer to their business customers. As a true national labor exchange, 

the NLX indexes a total of 5,000 employers who are not DE members. State 

workforce agencies do not need to purchase costly spidering packages, but 

can identify ‘‘indexable’’ business, notify the NLX, and download that file. 

5. Completed development of an Analytics dashboard tool enabling 

State workforce agencies to view transactional data about jobseeker 

searches. The tool captures: (1) the flow of jobseeker traffic into State job 

banks from the NLX, and the (2) flow of jobseekers from State job banks to 

jobs originating from employers’ Web sites. O*NET coding of job orders allows for in-depth use of data and the production of different reports. 

Of critical importance is the ability for State workforce agencies to demonstrate to specific employers that a State job bank is sending traffic to an 

employers’ Web site. Because DE can now show an employer the jobseeker 

traffic coming from a specific State job bank, the employer is able to better 

track applicant referral source information. This offers both employers and 

State workforce agencies tangible information about the value of the National Labor Exchange and its online self-services. 

The dashboard is now available to State workforce agencies at no cost. 

6. Provided free hosting of State Job Banks. The NLX provides a free 

labor exchange solution, skinned to the preferences of a State workforce 

agency. The job bank available offers flexibility in look and feel and can be 

easily administered by State workforce agency staff. In addition to cost savings, this option offers hosted States the full breadth of JobCentral services, 

such as free integrated extended searches*. Currently, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Nevada are being fully hosted by the NLX. 

*Extended search—a jobseeker’s search criteria on the NLX are run invisibly 

to him/her against other search engines. Results from those searches are offered in a sidebar option to the jobseeker and not comingled with the NLX 

results. 

7. Built and Administered VetCentral Services: Under Federal law, contractors receiving over $100K of Federal funds, must list their positions with 

either the State workforce agency job bank or with the appropriate local employment service delivery office. Since not all States are in the position of 

taking an NLX electronic download and since even those that do download 

cannot keep an electronic copy of all job postings, the VetCentral service was 

designed to facilitate the situation. 


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VetCentral is that part of the NLX that emails all Federal Contractor Job 

Listings (FCJL) jobs to the appropriate State staff at the appropriate local 

employment centers (where Wagner-Peyser funding exists). This functionality 

allows employers to generate a report they may provide to the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance. Most importantly, it allows States to put more 

jobs in the hands of local staff and provide greater opportunities to veterans, 

while at the same time helping the workforce system meets its own priority 

of service requirements. 

The NLX has maintained a robust list of the appropriate local One-Stop employment center addresses and contact information. In addition, the NLX 

partners provided countless educational discussions with interested stakeholders, many times conducting research on behalf of Federal employers and 

State workforce agencies engaged in an OFCCP audit. Finally, the NLX has 

provided thousands of copies of VetCentral materials to field staff. 

8. Partnered with the U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard. 

Since October 2008, JobCentral, the job search platform powering the NLX, 

has also served as the job search engine powering the Armed Forces Employer Partnership initiative created and directed by Lieutenant General 

Jack C. Stultz of the U.S Army Reserve. The initiative, which is in the process of expanding to include all branches of the Guard and Reserve, aims at 

outreaching to employers and bringing employment opportunities to servicemembers before they separate from service. NLX has become the primary 

employment search engine for this initiative and is provided to at no cost to 

the Department of Defense or the U.S. Army Reserve. 

You may view the site at: http://www.employerpartnership.org. 

This partnership has allowed servicemembers to connect with the workforce 

system before separation, which can bring a potential applicant pool of over 

one million servicemembers to State job banks. 

9. USAJOBs.gov: Since late September 2008, the JobCentral NLX is also receiving a download of jobs from USAJOBs. Sponsored by the Federal Office 

of Personnel Management, USAJOBs is a job bank containing Federal Government positions. This download of Federal job openings is available to 

States for inclusion in their own States job-banks. To date, the following 

States have requested the USAJOBs be fed into their own job bank: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, 

Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, 

South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. States interested in receiving this download may request it from 

NASWA. 

10. MySkillsMyFuture.org DoL ETA Partnership. On September 7, 2010, in 

a press release (http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20101216.htm) the 

Department of Labor announced the launch of a web portal to help job seekers called ‘‘mySkills myFuture.’’ DirectEmployers Association is proud to be 

the provider of jobs data to this valuable tool from the U.S. Department of 

Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The new tool, 

www.MySkillsMyFuture.org, is designed to connect workers with high quality 

training and local employment opportunities. DirectEmployers Association’s 

jobs are now in both the U.S. Department of Labor’s 

www.MySkillsMyFuture.org and www.CareerOneStop.org career sites. 

Attachment 2: OMB Tracks Federal Contractors 

Obama Administration begins publishing names of Federal subcontractors 

on Web 

By Carol D. Leonnig 

Washington Post Staff Writer 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010; 10:41 PM 

The U.S. government is giving the public new details about how it is spending 

taxpayer money on government business. 

Starting Wednesday, the Obama administration began publicizing the names of 

subcontractors—the companies that get the majority of Federal contracts—along 

with the dollar amounts they receive. For years, the government reported only the 

companies that won major, or prime, government contracts—even if those companies then hired subcontractors to do most of the job. Now taxpayers can follow more 

accurately where their dollars are going, tracing public money to the specific compaVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00114 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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nies and communities that share in multimillion-and billion-dollar Federal work. 

The previous dearth of information about government subcontracts led to incomplete 

and sometimes misleading conclusions about Uncle Sam’s impact on communities. 

For example, an agency may have boasted of awarding a $100 million prime contract for debris removal after Hurricane Katrina to a homegrown Louisiana company. But that company may have lacked the equipment to tackle the work, and 

then hired two hauling companies based in Virginia and Texas to do most of the 

job. 

The new subcontractor details are available on the Office of Management and 

Budget’s Web site, USASpending.gov. Recipients of all Federal contracts and grants 

larger than $25,000 will be required to report the names of companies they hire. 

The subcontractors’ names are being made public as required by the Federal 

Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, which became law in 2006 under 

President George W. Bush. The information’s’ release is 2 years behind schedule. 

A smaller portion of subcontractor information—for contracts larger than $20 million—was made public in October. Both the Bush and Obama administrations faulted technical obstacles for preventing accurate reporting and Web site publication of 

subcontractor information. After the Obama administration spent tens of millions of 

dollars in 2009 to create a public Web site, FederalReporting.gov, to track money 

spent on stimulus projects—including subcontractor details—it cleared the way for 

the same information to be published on standard government contracts. 

Moira Mack, an OMB spokeswoman, said resources also factored into the delay. 

Contracting spending dramatically increased under the Bush administration but the 

number of contracting employees remained stagnant, Mack said. 

Because of the law, the public will now learn if a huge contract won by a fledgling 

minority-or female-owned company helped that firm or instead flowed to a wellheeled contracting firm founded and run by a white man. The records also would 

reveal whether defense work that was meant to help shore up an electronics company in recession-plagued rural Pennsylvania was instead largely being done by a 

powerful defense giant in Arlington County. Craig Jennings, director of Federal fiscal policy at OMB Watch, an advocate for government transparency, said the public 

may learn good and bad news about government spending with the new initiative. 

’’You really have to follow the chain [of a contract] to the end, or you just don’t 

know where the dollars are going,’’ Jennings said. ‘‘Before this, sometimes a city is 

listed as the primary recipient of a grant or contract. We wouldn’t know prior to 

this that the brother-in-law of the mayor is receiving those subcontracts.’’ 

In an April letter setting reporting deadlines for senior Federal managers, Jeffrey 

Zients, then the acting OMB director, stressed the importance of the transparency 

effort. ‘‘Full and easy access to information on government spending promotes accountability by allowing . . . both the public and public officials to gauge the effectiveness of expenditures,’’ he wrote. ‘‘Transparency also gives the public confidence 

that we are properly managing its funds.’’ One day after being sworn into office, 

President Obama pledged that his administration would be the most open in history—a vow made in the wake of steady complaints that the Bush administration 

was too secretive. Although the current administration has made significant 

progress in releasing public information, it has faced its share of criticism that— 

like the previous White House—it has been loath to release public information that 

may cast its team in an unflattering light or hamper its agenda. 

Jennings said taxpayers could end up feeling more comfortable about government 

contracts when they know the nitty-gritty details. Instead of reading on a government Web site about a vague $14 million transportation grant given to a State government, taxpayers now can see how the State split those funds among 20 different 

road and bridge projects in different locations, and which subcontractors did the 

jobs. 

‘‘All we hear about is stupid, wasteful government spending,’’ he said. ‘‘But this 

will likely show us how the money is actually coming to your city, even your neighborhood.’’ 

f 


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Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

Washington, DC. 

June 22, 2011 

Kevin M. Schmiegel 

Vice President 

Veterans Employment Program 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

1615 H Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20062–2000 

Dear Kevin: 

In reference to our Full Committee hearing entitled ‘‘Putting America’s Veterans 

Back to Work,’’ that took place on June 1, 2011, I would appreciate it if you could 

answer the enclosed hearing questions by the close of business on August 5, 2011. 

In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is implementing some formatting 

changes for materials for all full Committee and Subcommittee hearings. Therefore, 

it would be appreciated if you could provide your answers consecutively and singlespaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety before the answer. 

Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to Debbie Smith 

by fax your responses to Debbie at 202–225–2034. If you have any questions, please 

call 202–225–9756. 

Sincerely, 

BOB FILNER 

Ranking Democratic Member 

JL:ds 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

Responses to Questions for the June 1, 2011, hearing 

Question 1: You state that the U.S. Chamber and local chambers are uniquely 

positioned to coordinate public and private sector efforts across America. What is 

preventing you from starting the coordination. 

Response:: The Chamber has been coordinating public and private sector efforts 

across America since we launched the Hiring our Heroes program in March of 2011. 

Our coordination efforts include engagement with the White House, State and local 

chambers, the Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs, State workforce 

agencies, veteran services organizations, and several non-profit organizations. Since 

the launch of Hiring our Heroes at end of March 2011, the Chamber has conducted 

16 hiring fairs and connected over 16,000 veterans and military spouses with over 

800 different employers in 13 States. Detailed coordination was required for all of 

those hiring fairs. Working with the local chambers, DoL VETS, and ESGR, the 

Chamber held its largest hiring fairs in Chicago on March 24, New York City in 

June, and Los Angeles in July. In Chicago, we connected 127 employers with 1200 

veterans and military spouses—over 200 of them got jobs. In New York City, there 

were 106 employers and over 1500 veterans and military spouses. And in Los Angeles, there were 160 employers and over 1600 veterans and military spouses in attendance. 

Question 2: Since licensure and certification is more of a State issue how can 

the U.S. Chamber of Commerce help with this very difficult issue? 

Response: In addition to our substantive efforts to conduct hiring fairs for veterans and military spouses, the U.S. Chamber can call on its federation of 2,500 

State and local chambers and industry associations and more than 3 million businesses to deal with issues that negatively affect employment of veterans to include 

licensing and certification. 

f 


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Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

Washington, DC. 

June 22, 2011 

George Ondick 

Executive Director, Department of Ohio 

AMVETS 

4647 Forbes Boulevard 

Lanham, MD 20607 

Dear George: 

In reference to our Full Committee hearing entitled ‘‘Putting America’s Veterans 

Back to Work,’’ that took place on June 1, 2011, I would appreciate it if you could 

answer the enclosed hearing questions by the close of business on August 5, 2011. 

In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is implementing some formatting 

changes for materials for all full Committee and Subcommittee hearings. Therefore, 

it would be appreciated if you could provide your answers consecutively and singlespaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety before the answer. 

Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to Debbie Smith 

by fax your responses to Debbie at 202–225–2034. If you have any questions, please 

call 202–225–9756. 

Sincerely, 

BOB FILNER 

Ranking Democratic Member 

JL:ds 

AMVETS Department of Ohio 

Columbus, OH. 

Bob Filner, Ranking Member 

Committee on Veterans Affairs 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Honorable Bob Filner: 

In response to your letter of June 22, 2011 whereas you asked if: 

1. Do Federal employers know and understand hiring authorities? 

I am sure some do understand hiring authorities. However, in my opinion the majority of Federal Employers do not. That is why we the Ohio AMVETS are attempting to establish a Summit meeting. This day long Summit will address the problems 

related to complying with Federal requirement on hiring veterans. We wish to invite 

representatives from OFCCP, ESGR, ODJFS, ONG, Federal Contractors, and any 

other stakeholders who may wish to participate. At the Summit we will look at the 

barriers to compliance, how Federal contractors skirt the requirement, how to be in 

compliance and most importantly how to find veterans to fill the positions within 

the company. 

2. In your opinion, do you think the current unemployment rate for younger veterans tends to be higher because they are taking time off after deployment(s) 

before obtaining employment or may be attending school? 

First of all I believe that veterans who are attending school are not considered 

in the ranks of the unemployed therefore those attending school would not skew the 

unemployment figures. That being said the members of the National Guard are also 

not considered in the ranks of the unemployed because they are in the Guard. This 

really skews the unemployment figures giving us a lower reading on the unemployment numbers for veterans than what is actually happening in the real world. 

Yes some returning veterans may take some well deserved time off, but it is not 

going to be an exorbitant amount of time that would impact unemployment stats. 

Most of our returning veterans, by necessity are eager to return to the workforce. 

However barriers to employment keep them in the ranks of the unemployed. One 

of the barriers is letting the unemployed veterans know about veteran friendly employers and visa versa. That is where the Ohio Veterans Career Assistance Network 

(Ohio Vets Can) is able to make the employer-employee link up. A product of the 

Ohio AMVETS Career Center this Web site makes the connection between the vetVerDate Mar 15 2010 11:14 Dec 23, 2011 Jkt 067189 PO 00000 Frm 00117 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6621 I:\VA\67189.XXX 67189

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eran and the employer. By making that connection it also aids in compliance with 

the Federal mandates to hire veterans and does so at no cost to either the veteran 

or the employer. 

George Ondick 

f 

Executive Director 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

Washington, DC. 

June 22, 2011 

Cpt. Marshall Hanson, USNR (Ret.) 

Director, Legislative and Military Policy 

Reserve Officers Association 

One Constitution Ave., NE 

Washington, DC 20002 

Dear Captain Hanson: 

In reference to our Full Committee hearing entitled ‘‘Putting America’s Veterans 

Back to Work,’’ that took place on June 1, 2011, I would appreciate it if you could 

answer the enclosed hearing questions by the close of business on August 5, 2011. 

In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is implementing some formatting 

changes for materials for all full Committee and Subcommittee hearings. Therefore, 

it would be appreciated if you could provide your answers consecutively and singlespaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety before the answer. 

Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to Debbie Smith 

by fax your responses to Debbie at 202–225–2034. If you have any questions, please 

call 202–225–9756. 

Sincerely, 

BOB FILNER 

Ranking Democratic Member 

JL:ds 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Post-Hearing Questions for Captain Marshall Hanson 

From the Honorable Bob Filner 

Putting America’s Veterans Back to Work 

June 1, 2011 

Question 1: What more can we do to help Reserve members with their employment needs? 

Response: Veterans are returning from war to an increasingly tough job market, 

with National Guard and Reserve members facing additional problems. The military 

paid $882 million in unemployment benefits in 2010. 

We are now seeing unprecedented levels of returning servicemember unemployment and under-employment. Eventually, this trend in unemployment could have 

negative impacts on force readiness with National Guard and Reserve members 

leaving the military to stabilize their civilian employment. 

The relationship between civilian employers and their employees or potential employees that also serve in the Guard and Reserve is extremely important. Many employers view USERRA as a negative incentive, and ask the Reserve Officers Association for positive reinforcements. 

Improvements can be made to help veteran/Reserve Component hiring: 

• Implement DoD documentation that would inform employers of skills potential veteran hirees gained through their military service. 

• Support employer tax incentives specific to the hiring of returning veterans 

and reserve component members. 

• Explore grants for related costs caused by mobilization such as the hiring and 

training of new temporary employees. 

• Simplify cross-licensing/credentialing of military skills easing the burden of 

having to acquire new training and time with equipment to earn private sector licenses/credentials. 


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• Oversee implementation of OPM and VA veterans’ recruitment and employment strategic plans. 

• Improve communications to field on improvements in veteran preference hiring programs. 

• Support incentives permitting deployed small business owners to keep their 

businesses. 

• Better educate separating servicemembers on their employment and reemployment rights (USERRA) including corrective actions that can be taken. 

Employer care plans should be developed that will assist with mitigation strategies for dealing with the civilian workload during the absence of the servicemember 

employee and lay out how the employer and employee would remain in contact 

throughout the deployment. Employers need increased notification time in order to 

better support their personnel. 

Question 2: Do you think that some employers are concerned about hiring a veteran with mental health issues? 

Response: Yes. The impact of the publicity campaigns about Post-Traumatic 

Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury paint veterans in a negative light; affecting their ability to be hired. 

Published Department of Labor statements aren’t helping: 

• Nearly one in five veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is currently suffering from depression or stress disorder. Estimates range up to 300,000 with 

PTSD. 

• PTSD among returning servicemembers will cost the Nation as much as $6.2 

billion in the 2 years following deployment—an amount that includes both 

direct medical care and costs for lost productivity. 

• When the Society for Human Resource Management surveyed its members 

(June 2010), 46 percent said they believed post-traumatic stress and 

other mental health issues posed a hiring challenge. 

• Although media attention has helped make the diagnosis and treatment of 

PTSD and traumatic brain injury a government priority, veterans say it has 

also contributed to the stigma associated with these wounds. 

• TBI/PTSD-related stigma exists among many employers—employers are unaware of the resources that exist to help them provide appropriate workplace 

accommodations. 

TBI/PTSD stigma exists in the very Federal agencies that are supposed to be assisting veterans, by portraying the returning veteran as disabled. The experiences 

taught by working with severely physically wounded warriors is that most don’t feel 

themselves as handicapped, but want to be self-reliant. 

Every treatment should be made available and assistance should be provided, but 

the veteran shouldn’t be labeled. The goal should be to help our veterans return to 

a normal life. 

f 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

Washington, DC. 

June 22, 2011 

The Honorable Raymond M. Jefferson 

Assistant Secretary, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service 

U.S. Department of Labor 

200 Constitution Avenue, NW 

Washington, DC 20210 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

In reference to our Full Committee hearing entitled ‘‘Putting America’s Veterans 

Back to Work,’’ that took place on June 1, 2011, I would appreciate it if you could 

answer the enclosed hearing questions by the close of business on August 5, 2011. 

In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is implementing some formatting 

changes for materials for all full Committee and Subcommittee hearings. Therefore, 

it would be appreciated if you could provide your answers consecutively and singlespaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety before the answer. 


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Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to Debbie Smith 

by fax at 202–225–2034. If you have any questions, please call 202–225–9756. 

Sincerely, 

BOB FILNER 

Ranking Democratic Member 

JL:ds 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Post-Hearing Questions from the Honorable Bob Filner 

Putting America’s Veterans Back to Work 

June 1, 2011 

1. Which groups of veterans are struggling the most with employment? 

Veterans of all ages and periods of service are struggling at this time and deserve 

the attention of the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). This fact 

is illustrated by the rise in the veteran unemployment rate from 3.2 percent in September 2007 to 8.1 percent as of September 2011. Currently, there are nearly one 

million unemployed veterans of all ages. Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 

measures of unemployment rates, younger veterans appear to experience the highest incidence of unemployment. Because of this, VETS conducts increased outreach 

to younger veterans to ensure that they are aware of the employment and training 

services that are available to them. 

VETS strives, consistent with its mission, to provide services to all veterans, 

based on individual need. Therefore, we have included employment data on both 

veterans and non-veterans. VETS believes this data should provide the Committee 

with some insight into the struggles facing the men and women who served this 

country. 

Below please find the September 2011 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic 

News Release, table ‘‘A–5–Employment status of the civilian population 18 years 

and over by veteran status, period of service, and sex, not seasonally adjusted,’’ 

which provides a snapshot of the employment status from the previous month. Updated information can be found on the VETS Web site http://www.dol.gov/vets/ under 

‘‘Veterans Employment—Current Monthly Data.’’ 

It is clear from table A–5 that veterans have much lower labor force participation 

rates than non-veterans, 52.5 percent vs. 67.1 percent in September 2011. Female 

veterans have a higher labor force participation rate (61.5 percent) than do male 

veterans (51.7 percent), because female veterans as a group are younger on average 

than the male veteran group, on average. Similarly, employment-to-population ratios of male and female veterans were 47.6 and 55.5 compared to 70.2 and 54.4 for 

male and female non-veterans in September 2011. 

On the other hand, overall unemployment rates are lower for veterans than nonveterans, in part due to the fact that veterans are concentrated in the 45–65 year 

old range, as pointed out below. However, recent veterans have unemployment in 

the double digits compared to non-veterans. The unemployment rates were 11.1 percent and 14.7 percent for male and female Gulf War-era II veterans in September 

2011 compared to 8.7 percent for male non-veterans and 8.6 percent for female nonveterans. This may be partly due to the fact that Gulf War-era II veterans tend to 

be younger, and younger individuals, whether veteran or not, tend to have higher 

unemployment rates. 


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HOUSEHOLD DATA 

Table A–5. Employment status of the civilian population 18 years and over by veteran 

status, period of service, and sex, not seasonally adjusted 

[Numbers in thousands] 

Employment status, veteran status, and 

period of service 

Total Men Women 

Sept. 

2010 

Sept. 

2011 

Sept. 

2010 

Sept. 

2011 

Sept. 

2010 

Sept. 

2011 

VETERANS, 18 years and over 

Civilian noninstitutional population 21,933 21,528 20,142 19,724 1,791 1,804 

Civilian labor force 11,683 11,310 10,590 10,200 1,093 1,109 

Participation rate 53.3 52.5 52.6 51.7 61.0 61.5 

Employed 10,746 10,394 9,743 9,393 1,003 1,002 

Employment-population ratio 49.0 48.3 48.4 47.6 56.0 55.5 

Unemployed 937 916 847 808 90 108 

Unemployment rate 8.0 8.1 8.0 7.9 8.2 9.7 

Not in labor force 10,250 10,218 9,552 9,524 698 695 

Gulf War-era II veterans 

Civilian noninstitutional population 2,228 2,451 1,828 2,042 399 409 

Civilian labor force 1,857 2,017 1,575 1,712 282 305 

Participation rate 83.3 82.3 86.1 83.8 70.6 74.7 

Employed 1,666 1,781 1,411 1,521 256 260 

Employment-population ratio 74.8 72.7 77.1 74.5 64.1 63.7 

Unemployed 190 235 164 191 26 45 

Unemployment rate 10.2 11.7 10.4 11.1 9.2 14.7 

Not in labor force 371 434 254 330 117 104 

Gulf War-era I veterans 

Civilian noninstitutional population 2,966 2,980 2,525 2,520 441 460 

Civilian labor force 2,515 2,474 2,199 2,147 316 327 

Participation rate 84.8 83.0 87.1 85.2 71.7 71.1 

Employed 2,347 2,295 2,057 1,987 289 308 

Employment-population ratio 79.1 77.0 81.5 78.9 65.6 67.0 

Unemployed 169 179 142 160 27 19 

Unemployment rate 6.7 7.2 6.4 7.4 8.6 5.7 

Not in labor force 451 506 326 373 125 133 

World War II, Korean War, and Vietnamera veterans 

Civilian noninstitutional population 10,911 10,346 10,547 10,016 364 331 

Civilian labor force 3,984 3,491 3,870 3,405 115 86 


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HOUSEHOLD DATA—Continued 

Table A–5. Employment status of the civilian population 18 years and over by veteran 

status, period of service, and sex, not seasonally adjusted 

[Numbers in thousands] 

Employment status, veteran status, and 

period of service 

Total Men Women 

Sept. 

2010 

Sept. 

2011 

Sept. 

2010 

Sept. 

2011 

Sept. 

2010 

Sept. 

2011 

Participation rate 36.5 33.7 36.7 34.0 31.5 26.0 

Employed 3,649 3,256 3,545 3,177 104 79 

Employment-population ratio 33.4 31.5 33.6 31.7 28.6 23.9 

Unemployed 336 235 325 229 10 7 

Unemployment rate 8.4 6.7 8.4 6.7 9.1 8.0 

Not in labor force 6,927 6,855 6,677 6,610 250 245 

Veterans of other service periods 

Civilian noninstitutional population 5,828 5,751 5,241 5,146 587 605 

Civilian labor force 3,326 3,328 2,946 2,936 380 392 

Participation rate 57.1 57.9 56.2 57.1 64.8 64.7 

Employed 3,084 3,062 2,730 2,707 354 354 

Employment-population ratio 52.9 53.2 52.1 52.6 60.4 58.6 

Unemployed 242 266 216 229 26 37 

Unemployment rate 7.3 8.0 7.3 7.8 6.9 9.5 

Not in labor force 2,502 2,423 2,295 2,210 207 213 

NONVETERANS, 18 years and over 

Civilian noninstitutional population 207,224 209,678 90,661 92,251 116,563 117,427 

Civilian labor force 140,190 140,784 70,272 70,876 69,918 69,908 

Participation rate 67.7 67.1 77.5 76.8 60.0 59.5 

Employed 127,552 128,657 63,543 64,737 64,009 63,920 

Employment-population ratio 61.6 61.4 70.1 70.2 54.9 54.4 

Unemployed 12,638 12,127 6,728 6,139 5,909 5,988 

Unemployment rate 9.0 8.6 9.6 8.7 8.5 8.6 

Not in labor force 67,034 68,894 20,390 21,375 46,645 47,519 

NOTE: Veterans served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and were not on active duty at the time of 

the survey. Nonveterans never served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. Veterans could have served anywhere in the world during these periods of service: Gulf War era II (September 2001–present), Gulf War era I 

(August 1990–August 2001), Vietnam era (August 1964–April 1975), Korean War (July 1950–January 1955), 

World War II (December 1941–December 1946), and other service periods (all other time periods). Veterans who 

served in more than one wartime period are classified only in the most recent one. Veterans who served during 

one of the selected wartime periods and another period are classified only in the wartime period. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data. 

Also, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published a more detailed News Release in March 2011 summarizing the annual unemployment statistics for veterans 

in the same four categories of service, along with data from a July 2010 special supplement to the Current Population Survey on veterans with service-connected disabilities. A copy of the News Release is attached and can also be found at: http:// 

www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/vet.pdf. 

In addition, the three tables below present some aspects of the BLS data on veterans’ and non-veterans’ unemployment in 2010. The first table: (a) identifies the 


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proportion of unemployed veterans in each of eleven specific age groups that BLS 

applies in tabulating veteran and non-veteran unemployment; and, (b) aggregates 

the proportions within those specific age groups into three more general age groups. 

Age 

Group 

Unemployed Veterans by 

Specific Age Groups 

Unemployed Veterans by 

General Age Groups 

Number Proportion of 

Total Number Percentage Rate 

18–19 2,000 0.2% 

20–24 44,000 4.3% 215,000 21.1% 

25–29 92,000 9.0% 

30–34 77,000 7.5% 

35–39 73,000 7.2% 

40–44 86,000 8.4% 

45–49 127,000 12.5% 536,000 52.5% 

50–54 132,000 12.9% 

55–59 118,000 11.6% 

60–64 151,000 14.8% 270,000 26.5% 

65 + 119,000 11.7% 

Total 1,020,000* 100%* 1,020,000* 100% 

• Group figures do not add to totals due to rounding. • Source: Current Population Survey tables, available upon request from BLS. 

The second table presents the differences between the veteran and non-veteran 

unemployment rates within the eleven specific age groups. Note that when the veterans and non-veterans in the civilian labor force are standardized according to 

their specific age groups, the veteran unemployment rates are higher for nine of the 

eleven age groups. 

Age Group 

Unemployment Rate 

Veteran Non-Veteran Difference 

18–19 29.4% 24.2% +5.2% 

20–24 20.6% 15.4% +5.2% 

25–29 14.9% 10.7% +4.2% 

30–34 10.5% 9.1% +1.4% 

35–39 8.0% 8.1% ¥0.1% 

40–44 6.7% 8.2% ¥1.5% 

45–49 8.3% 7.8% +0.5% 

50–54 8.4% 7.5% +0.9% 

55–59 8.5% 6.9% +1.6% 


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Age Group 

Unemployment Rate 

Veteran Non-Veteran Difference 

60–64 8.0% 7.1% +0.9% 

65 +7.2% 6.5% +0.7% 

The third table illustrates why the overall veteran unemployment rate is lower 

than the non-veteran rate, despite the higher veteran unemployment rates in nine 

of eleven age groups. Specifically, the veterans in the civilian labor force are concentrated in the 45–65 age range, with an average unemployment rate of 8.1 percent, while the non-veterans are concentrated in the 18–44 age range with an average unemployment rate of 10.9 percent. In light of the difference in the age structure of the veterans and non-veterans in the civilian labor force and the differences 

in unemployment rates by age, the overall lower average unemployment rate for 

veterans reflects a comparison between two groups that are not truly comparable. 

Therefore, the overall averages are somewhat deceptive. 

Age 

Group 

Veteran 

(Ages 18 and over) 

Non-Veteran 

(Ages 18 and over) 

Percent of 

Civilian 

Labor Force 

Unemployment 

Rate 

Percent of 

Civilian 

Labor Force 

Unemployment 

Rate 

18–44 32% 10.0% 59% 10.9% 

45–65 +68% 8.1% 41% 7.3% 

Total 100% 8.7% 100% 9.4% 

2. What are some of the unique employment needs of homeless veterans? 

Among their other unique needs, many homeless veterans require stable housing 

and health care before they can be considered job-ready. Similar to veterans in other 

DoL grant programs, each homeless veteran needs to be assessed for transferable 

skills and skill development prior to seeking employment. These individual assessments are conducted by Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) grantees 

and form the basis of a veteran’s Individual Employment Plan (IEP), which addresses his or her particularized employment needs, including: 

1. job search workshops 

2. job counseling 

3. re ́sume ́ writing techniques 

4. interviewing skills 

5. on the job training 

6. job development services 

7. competitive job placement 

8. job retention services 

9. soft skills training, such as how to present oneself (i.e., dress, network) 

Some homeless veterans may also have suffered an injury or illness while on active duty, which can result in a serious reduction in their employability. When this 

happens, the HVRP grantee must then secure appropriate services in the local community to help the veteran overcome the barriers incurred as a result of the injury 

or illness. For example, a veteran suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 

(PTSD) may participate in prescribed therapy to stabilize his or her condition. After 

the treating physician determines that the veteran’s condition is stable enough for 

him or her to seek employment, the service provider then works to place the veteran 

with an appropriate employer. As part of these placement efforts, the service provider typically follows up with the veteran and the employer frequently in the first 

weeks of employment, and gradually reduces assistance until the veteran is fully 

independent. Service providers refer to this type of assistance as ‘‘supported employment.’’ 


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Veterans who have suffered physical disabilities—such as amputations—need a 

rehabilitation technology assessment to determine if the physical disability can be 

overcome so that they can successfully enter the workforce. In this situation, service 

providers refer veterans to the Veteran Affairs (VA) Health Care system for these 

assessments, including training on needed technology to help veterans overcome the 

challenges presented by their physical difficulties in the workplace. When the assessment and training are complete, the service provider works to place the veteran 

with a suitable employer in a position that does not further aggravate the disability. 

Some service providers may also request reasonable accommodations on the job site. 

Skilled job placement specialists are able to properly educate employers on the need 

for reasonable accommodations while still being sensitive to imposing undue burdens on the employer. 

Another employment-related need common to the homeless veteran population is 

reliable transportation. Transportation is especially deficient in rural areas of the 

country where many homeless veterans live. Service providers are required to link 

with local resources to try and overcome transportation barriers to employment. 

Perhaps the most difficult barrier for the provider of employment services to 

homeless veterans to overcome is mental illness. In this situation, service providers 

refer veterans to the VA Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) program to help overcome this barrier. CWT is a VA vocational rehabilitation program that endeavors 

to match and support work ready veterans in competitive jobs, and to consult with 

business and industry regarding their specific employment needs. In addition, some 

service providers utilize on-the-job training as a trial work experience to determine 

whether the veteran’s skills match the employer’s needs. Other HVRP grantee service providers utilize the ‘‘job carving’’ technique, where job developers examine the 

employer’s needs and carve out specific duties within a veteran’s ability despite the 

presence of mental illness. The service provider then offers supported employment, 

as discussed above, to the employer and veteran as a means of ensuring job retention. 

Two other issues impacting a significant number of homeless veterans are substance abuse disorders and legal problems, such as child support delinquencies and 

‘‘failure to appear’’ warrants for minor citations, which mostly result from their 

homelessness. These obstacles are most effectively addressed when the veteran participates in a transitional program that offers residential stability, employment support and legal assistance, with the provider serving as the veteran’s advocate. Participation in a structured, supervised program demonstrates the veteran’s commitment to correcting past indiscretions and opens up opportunities that might otherwise be denied. 

Homeless female veterans and homeless veterans with families also face unique 

challenges such as the need for reliable child care. Moreover, many of these veterans may not come forward and seek the help available to them for fear that their 

children may be placed into foster care if they disclose their status as a homeless 

individual to a service provider or other government entity. Unfortunately, this fear 

of coming forward only exacerbates an already precarious situation. 

3. There is a need to ensure that veterans are getting trained and afforded ample opportunities to succeed. What kind of training should 

combat arms veterans receive versus a non-combat arms veteran to 

succeed in the job market? 

The reality is that when it comes to employment training, all veterans need a 

solid set of skills to be competitive. A veteran’s military experience makes him or 

her competitive in the job market; each possesses critical ‘‘soft skills’’ such as leadership, strategic planning, risk assessment, and management. However, some employers may view PTSD or TBI as barriers for many young veterans being competitive. 

Additionally, VETS believes that younger veterans experience some difficulty translating their knowledge, skills, and abilities into compelling language that employers 

understand. For these reasons, it is important that every veteran be able to fully 

articulate his or her personal story, experiences, skills, and value that he or she can 

provide to a prospective employer. Thus, while the opportunity for Federally supported training, available resources, and course content should be uniform for both 

combat and non-combat veterans, their individual stories, experiences, and employment needs will necessarily differ. 

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