Veterans Newsletter May 2018 The purpose of this newsletter is to inform veterans of the various programs, workshops and services available to the veteran community, along with items of interest. Each issue will strive to keep veterans apprised of any changes in state and federal veterans programs, along with events occurring locally. Your feedback on what you would like to see covered will always be welcomed. News from the AD Works VETS Program Veteran ONLY Networking Event at AD Works! This monthly event is designed to place highly qualified veteran job seekers and military spouses in front of employers that are hiring. The environment is informal so that the veterans and spouses can be given immediate feedback on their networking skills, resume quality, and qualifications for the available jobs. It is less of a job fair, and more of an instructional job skill development workshop. The next event will be held on May 31st from 930am to Noon at the Centennial offices of AD Works! Please contact Regional Veteran Employment Representative, Marty Bangert at 303 636-1253, to answer your questions and or to reserve a seat. The new Vets Corner The AD Works! Workforce Center now has a designated area for veteran related information, to include, job fair postings, reading material from the various military related organizations, like the
American Legion, VFW, and the DAV. Vets can also find contact information for other resources in addition to employment opportunities. VA News ebenefits Reaches 7 Million User Milestone Last month, ebenefits reached the impressive 7 million user mark, that is enough people to fill an average football stadium more than 70 times! Each of these lives has been positively impacted by having on demand access to benefits information and selfservice through this joint VA/DOD web portal. New Act Brings Expanded GI Bill Benefits The new Forever GI Bill promises greater access for Veterans, Service members, and their families and survivors. The 15 year time limit hs been removed for certain groups, along with additional changes designed to enhance the benefit. VetSuccess on Campus: Paving a Smoother Path Through Higher Education The VA has innovative ways to help Veterans transition to college life. VetSuccess on Campus is helping Veterans, Service members and their eligible dependents succeed in higher education. Through on campus support, VA counselors help to resolve issues and assist with disability accommodations. For more information on any of the VA programs, contact the VA Benefits Administration.
In Other Veteran Related News Military Veteran Employment Expo 2018 On April 5, 2018, the City of Aurora, and several partnering organizations to include the Colorado Department of Labor and Arapahoe Douglas Works, joined forces to produce the Military and Veterans Employment Expo (MVEE) 2018 at the City s Municipal Center. All Active Duty, National Guard, Reservists, and Veterans and their spouses were urged to attend the event, where they had access to 50+ employers boasting 1500+ job opportunities. One of the biggest hiring events in Aurora, the MVEE is an annual occurrence that showcases businesses and service providers intent on helping military veterans and their spouses apply skills learned in the service to civilian careers. New this year was an open invitation to the general public after an initial two and a half hour observance of veterans Priority of Service. Congressman Mike Coffman(R-CO) 6 th Congressional District, was on-hand to welcome participating employers and give veteran job seekers advice on how to make the job fair productive. The event was widely publicized throughout the Denver Metro and Colorado Springs areas and it was estimated that over 175 job seekers were in attendance. Veteran job seekers shared that it was an excellent event with great atmosphere and energy. Employers also found the Expo9 highly productive. One of them was quoted as saying, It was a great event, well attended and I wuld love to attend another one of these.
I did speak with over 50+ individuals and enjoyed each one of them! Stay tuned for information about next year s Military & Veteran Employment Expo! Rebuilding America s Warriors Rebuilding America s Warriors (RAW) is an extraordinary non-profit foundation dedicated to providing free reconstructive surgery to wounded and disfigured active service and veteran status warriors from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Disfiguring scars can remain as a result of shrapnel, burn and artillery wounds. RAW has formed a network of 390 Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in 49 states, soliciting their services across the country to provide reconstructive surgeries on a national basis to our wounded and disfigured warriors. If you are a soldier or veteran who needs more information regarding RAW, please call 760 568-4039 or email infoforraw@aol.com. Honoring the Military Service of Native Americans Plans are in the works for a National Native American Veterans Memorial at the Smithsonian s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. The memorial will be built on the Mall. Congress approved the memorial in 1994, but did not authorize fundraising for it until 2013. The memorial is scheduled to be unveiled on Veterans Day in 2020.
Veterans: Beware The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have issued another warning to veterans about the latest scam against veterans. In contacting veterans, the scammers are posing as VA representatives and offering VA loans to veterans. The catch, the veteran must pay up front fees to cover administrative costs of processing the VA Loan. Of course, there is no VA Loan, and veterans find themselves out of fees ranging from $75 to $675. It appears the scammers will get as much money from the veteran as the veteran will give. VA cautions veterans that it does not make personal loans. In the VA home loan program, veterans select a private lender, and the VA guarantees a portion of the loan. Veterans may contact VA at 877 827-3702 to confirm whether a lender is a participant in the Loan Guaranty Program. Job Search Advice Handling the Salary Question Many individuals leaving the military are initially unprepared to properly handle the salary question, believing it is predetermined. However, many employers have some flexibility to to negotiate salary. It s important to determine your salary requirements and negotiate a fair salary based on the requirements of the civilian job. Before going into salary negotiations, determine your salary requirements based on your pay and benefits combined.
Transitioning service members often underestimate their value in the civilian work world because they tend to equate salary with base pay. To determine your equivalent civilian compersation, use the Military Compensation Calculator found at http://militarypay.defense.gov/calculators/rmc-calculator. Your military salary has been based on your rank and years of service. The situation is far different in the private sector. Recruiters are looking to pay someone based on the requirements of the job rather than the rank you held in the military. You must be prepared to negotiate your compensation based on your projected value to the employer. When negotiating salary with the employer, first summarize the job responsibilities and duties as you understand them. This will help to clarify them and emphasize your value and the worth of the position to the organization. Significant days and observances for the United States Armed Forces in May. May is National Military Appreciation Month May 1 st Silver Star Service Banner Day A day set aside to honor our wounded, ill, and dying military personnel by participating in flying a Silver Star Banner. May 8 th Victory in Europe (VE) Day The day which marks the anniversary of the Allies victory in Europe during World War II. May 11 th Military Spouse Appreciation Day The day set aside to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of the spouses of the US Armed Forces.
May 13 th Children of Fallen Patriots Day The day to honor the families our Fallen Heroes have left behind, especially their children. It s a reminder to the community that we have an obligation to support the families of our Fallen Patriots. May 20 th Armed Forces Day The day set aside to pay tribute to the men and women who serve in the US Armed Forces. May 28 th Memorial Day The day set aside to commemorate all who have died in military service for the United States. We are here for you! We view this newsletter as a way to talk to veterans and find out what their needs are. I, along with the other members of the Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Vets program, are here for you. If you would like more information on the veteran services available at our Workforce Center, please contact one of us: Dave Alred DAlred@arapahoegov.com 303 636-1596 Sarah Norway SNorway@arapahoegov.com 303 636-1263