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Transitioning Service Members

Baltimore Industry Liaison Group Baltimore, MDFebruary 14, 2012

Ron DrachDrach Consultingconsultrwd@yahoo.com240-413-3183

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What we know about Transitioning Service Members

• Tend to possess an overall skill set that shows tremendous benefit in the civilian workforce:

• Commitment and loyalty• Dedication and focus• “Get the job done” attitude• Unsurpassed experience working under pressure• Experience in conflict resolution• Multicultural experiences• Security issues on an international scale

• Have difficulty translating their military experience into civilian language and terminology – and therefore have trouble getting their resumes to “the top of the pile”

• Are often unsure about exposing their military history due to societal stigma (re “the war” and media-displayed invisible injuries of war)

• Unprecedented number of National Guard and Reserve Component

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What we know about Injured Returning Service Members

Signature injuries of the current conflicts are unseen.

• Nearly one in five veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has dealt with depression or stress disorder. Estimates range up to 300,000 with PTSD.

• 19% report they might have experienced a TBI, usually as the result of a roadside bomb. Approximately 60,000 have sustained mild TBI.

• PTSD among returning service members will cost the nation as much as $6.2 billion in the two years following deployment -- an amount that includes both direct medical care and costs for lost productivity.

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STIGMA

• When the Society for Human Resource Management surveyed its members (June 2010), 46% said they believed post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues posed a hiring challenge. Just 22% said the same about combat-related physical disabilities.

• 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.

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Seamless Transition

DoD has established the Recovering Warriors Task Force (dtf.defense.gov/rwtf) whose mission is:

– To look at areas including medical and non-medical case management

– Staffing of wounded warrior units– Performance and accountability – Services for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-

Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)– First report was submitted in September 2011– http://dtf.defense.gov/rwtf/finalreport2011.pdf

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Military Services Wounded Warrior Programs

Armyhttp://wtc.army.mil/aw2/community_support/career.html

  Navy

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/woundedwarrior.html  Air Force

http://www.woundedwarrior.af.mil/

Marineshttp://www.woundedwarriorregiment.org/

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Employment Pilot ProjectAmerica’s Heroes at Work

Findings:• The most responsive employers show strong, visible

commitment from top-level decision makers • Individualized workplace flexibility is key to success, and has

applicability to the entire workforce• Work experience, internship and mentorship opportunities are

extremely beneficial to both employers and vets • TBI/PTSD-related stigma exists among many employers –

including those employers used to hiring vets• Employers are typically unaware of the resources that exist to

help them provide appropriate workplace accommodations

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America’s Heroes at WorkAn Initiative Created FOR Employers

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New Employer Toolkit

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34th Annual Institute on Rehabilitation Issues (IRI)

According to a report of the 34th Annual Institute on Rehabilitation Institute When Johnnie (or Jeannie) Comes Marching Home

Three major themes developed throughout:– Pride in serving their country – Anger at the way that they felt they were perceived by

others ( connote “disabled” as a pejorative label)– Frustration with the systems created to assist them

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The Veterans Voice

• Uncertain about the variety of resources available• Mental health challenges/having individuals seek the

necessary services• Ensuring that gender appropriate services are

provided • The sometimes difficult transition to civilian life • Lack of centralized services can be particularly

frustrating when utilized by consumers with TBI & PTSD whose patience and cognitive ability has been impacted

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The President’s Challenge

The President has issued a Challenge to the Private Sector to Hire or Train 100,000 Unemployed Veterans or Their Spouses by the End of 2013: The President has challenged businesses to commit to hire or provide training to unemployed veterans and military spouses. Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Accenture, JP Morgan, AT&T and many other companies and non-profits have already risen to the challenge and announced new commitments to training or employing veterans. Joining Forces will lead this work with businesses and industry.

The Jobs Council has been established and they are looking at veterans’ employment issues

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The President’s Job Proposal

President unveiled a new proposal $5 Billion price tag $166 Million for law enforcement jobs $320 Million Fire Departments $1 Billion = 20,000 jobs relating to conservation Expand training for small business start-ups Veterans Small Business Conference

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Employers have stepped up

The Center for Energy Workforce Development and the Edison Electric Institute worked with various public and private partners to develop a “Troops to Energy Jobs” program

Veterans on Wall Street (“VOWS”) is an initiative supported by a coalition of Wall Street banks, including Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs. One in seven jobs in New York is associated with Wall Street

Microsoft will offer 10,000 technology training and certification packages to U.S. military veterans over a two year period, through a partnership with the Department of Labor.

Siemens pledged to fill 10 percent of their 3,000 open positions with veterans earlier this year.  Having exceeded that goal, Siemens has increased their commitment by an additional 50 percent

Accenture’s Skills to Succeed program will equip 250,000 people, including veterans, around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business

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Employers have stepped up

U.S. Chamber of Commerce is creating a private sector National Veterans Employment Advisory Council (VEAC), which will be comprised of 25 of America’s biggest employers, representing every major industry and sector

Honeywell is expanding its ongoing recruitment efforts to include a target job placement goal of at least 500 veterans in 2011 across the company’s four businesses

Humana will provide $1 million to support the continued expansion of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) program

JP Morgan Chase has developed and is executing a holistic veteran's strategy.  Two key elements include a commitment of $7.5 million to provide seed funding for the creation and launch of a “first-of-its-kind” Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University as well as the 100,000 Jobs Mission. 

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Other Employer Initiatives

Northrop Grumman established Operation Impact several years ago;

BAE Systems has a program for hiring veterans with PTSD and/or TBI;

CSC developed a program for hiring veterans, military spouses,

spouses of severely wounded and injured veterans, and caregivers.

Transition Training Academy (TTA) – there currently exists a TTA but it

is for active duty wounded, ill and injured (WII). It is a collaborative

effort between DOL/VETS, Cisco Systems and Wounded Warrior

Project.

These have been ongoing and started before the President’s challenge

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Recruiting

VetSuccess – www.vetsuccess.gov National Portal. DOL/VETS has established a web site

through the National Resource Directory (NRD) https://nationalresourcedirectory.gov/home/veterans_job_bank One-Stop Career Centers (www.servicelocator.org) Postings at job service or workforce employment centers Contacting college and university veteran & disability

student services offices Partnerships with veteran and disability-related advocacy

organizations Including veterans and people with disabilities in recruitment

goals Establishing summer internship and mentoring programs

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Employer Partnership Office of the Armed Forces

The Employer Partnership was created as a way to provide America’s employers with a direct link to some of America’s finest employees – service members and their families. Through the partnership, service members can leverage their military training and experience for career opportunities in today’s civilian job market with national, regional and local Employer Partners.

www.employerpartnership.org

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Additional Resources

America’s Heroes at Work (AHaW)www.americasheroesatwork.gov

National Resource Directory (NRD)www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov

VA/VR&E VetSuccess http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/  VA Education and Traininghttp://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/education_and_training

  

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Additional Resources (con’t)

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)www.askjan.org

Computer Electronic Accommodation Program (CAP)www.tricare.mil/CAP

Real Warriors, Real Battles, Real Strengthwww.realwarriors.net

Military Skills Translatorwww.onetonline.org

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Questions: Please contact

Ron Drach, President

Drach Consulting

consultrwd@yahoo.com

240-413-3183