Finding a job is one of the biggest challenges veterans face after discharge, but new efforts are being made to help former service members get the career services and training they need to reenter the civilian workforce. In September, a measure was passed that would allocate $3.5 million for a pilot program designed to help veterans find jobs.
U.S. Senators Dean Heller (R-NV) and Jon Tester (D-MT) drafted the amendment, which was included in the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill (H.R.6157) that passed in September. Specifically, it states that the money would be used to:
“…carry out a pilot project designed to prepare transitioning service members to qualify for, and to assist in placing them in, apprenticeship programs, as an additional training opportunity under subsection (f) of 10 U.S.C. 1144.”
“Taking care of our military heroes when they return from the front lines and facilitating their transition back to civilian life remain top priorities of mine,” said Senator Heller in a recent new release. Heller is a member of both the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Senate Veterans Jobs Caucus.
Why is employment assistance so important for veterans?
Members of the armed forces grow accustomed to the fast pace, tight camaraderie and carefully structured routine that comes with being in the military, making it difficult for them to find their place in everyday society after they are discharged. Although finding steady work is one of the most important steps veterans can take toward reintegration, employers are sometimes hesitant to take a chance on returning service members.
Negative assumptions about veterans’ mental health and fear of future deployments are among the top reasons a lot of companies are wary of hiring veterans, in addition to a lack of understanding about how military skills and rankings translate to so-called “real-world” skills and positions. Age and disability discrimination are also very real problems for veterans seeking civilian employment.
Measures like the one drafted by Senators Heller and Tester, along with VA-provided employment services and other free training and certification programs, are crucial to help returning veterans find success in the next stage of their careers.
You will need your DD214 to take advantage of veteran employment benefits.
Government-backed apprenticeship programs and other on-the-job training opportunities represent a unique opportunity for veterans transitioning back to civilian life. However, you will need a copy of your DD214 early on in the application process.
The DD214, or Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, shows proof of service and includes details about the character of your discharge or service. (In general, this must be anything other than dishonorable conditions to receive VA benefits and services.) If you never received a copy of your DD214, or if it was lost, stolen or damaged, DD214Direct can help.
Veteran-owned DD214Direct helps you get the documents you need, when you need them.
Our cutting-edge technology platform and keen knowledge of government protocol and procedure allow us to deliver your documents faster than competitors. We physically stand in line at the records repository and manually coordinate your order, freeing up your time and easing your worries about whether or not you will get your DD214. Much like paying a small fee to have your taxes done by a professional, DD214Direct provides the service and convenience you’ve been hoping for, plus we make it a lot easier.
Instead of having to download, print, sign and fax your document request form, you can submit your order directly through our website with the ease of e-signature technology from a desktop, laptop or mobile device. Once we locate your DD214, we will email you a copy immediately—a service not offered by the government. And tracking your request through us is simple, so you never have to worry about long hold times and inconclusive answers.
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