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U.S.
Senator
Sherrod Brown…
Connecting
Veterans with New Employment Opportunities
Ohio
is home to more than 890,000 veterans, making our state
the nation’s sixth-largest population of veterans.
Despite
their service, an unacceptably high number of veterans struggle to find
work. Just as we invest in our servicemembers while they’re on the
battlefield,
we should do the same when they return home.
That’s
why it’s imperative that we do a better job of connecting veterans with
the support resources they deserve.
Among
them is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), a joint
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Labor training
initiative
that is a component of the recently passed VOW to Hire Heroes
Act. VRAP
provides unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 the
opportunity to
pursue training for new careers in high demand occupations. From
welders, to
paralegals, to teacher’s aides, VRAP offers wide ranging opportunities
for
veterans seeking work.
However,
as the program is limited to 99,000 participants through March 31,
2014--and with the first wave of enrollment closing at the end of
September--
it’s crucial that Ohio’s veterans apply quickly for these vital
benefits. It’s
our duty to Ohio’s heroes that we spread the word to all eligible
participants.
Eligible
veterans must be at least 35 but no more than 60 years of age;
unemployed; received an other than dishonorable discharge; not eligible
for any
other VA education benefit program; not receiving VA compensation due
to being
unemployed; and not enrolled in a federal or state job training
program.
Veterans
can also find work through the Justice Department’s new initiative,
“Vets to COPS” (Community Oriented Policing Services). This program,
which is a
component of the Department of Justice’s Cops Hiring Program (CHP),
requires
that all new officers hired through the program must be military
veterans that
have served at least 180 days of active military service, any part of
which
occurred on or after September 11, 2001.
While
too many police departments across our state have had to lay off police
officers due to budget challenges, too many recently-returned veterans
have
struggled to find work. These men and women who fought to keep our
country safe
shouldn’t have to fight for a job when they come home.
“Vets
to COPS” is a critical investment in the people who devote their lives
to
protecting Ohioans—both as members of our Armed Forces and as law
enforcement
officers. Finally, it’s crucial that word spreads regarding the U.S
Department
of Transportation and VA’s new websites designed to help military
veterans find
jobs in the transportation industry. The websites will link to the
Veterans
Transportation Career Center, where veterans can enter their specific
military
work experience and see how it translates to jobs in the civilian
transportation industry.
The
site will guide veterans to jobs in five positions from aviation pilot,
aviation maintenance technician, air traffic controller, commercial
motor
vehicle driver, and emergency medical services. Veterans seeking work
can find
what training and certification is needed for civilian jobs, determine
what
career fits best with their background, and search for available jobs
in their
field. The portals are available at www.dot.gov and www.va.gov.
Our
servicemembers and veterans deserve our nation’s full support. And at
the
very least, they deserve elected officials who are willing to put
partisan
battles aside to ensure that returning veterans have jobs to ease their
transition into civilian life.
My
constituent services office – which you can reach by calling 216-522-7272 –
stands prepared
to help Ohio veterans receive the support they need. As a member of the
Senate
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I’m committed to ensuring veterans have
the
tools they need to find employment.
Sincerely,
Sherrod
Brown
U.S.
Senator
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