LVMAC Tidbit — An Ideal Job for a Post 9/11 Veteran Who Cares?
Berks County Seeks Deputy Director of Veterans Affairs
We’ve just heard the Berks County’s Director of Veterans Affairs has announced he is seeking a Deputy Director of Veterans Affairs to assist him. He seems to be wisely developing a succession plan to ensure continuity of operations in Berks County.
From our point of view, if you are a Post 9/11 veteran seeking a job, especially a student or graduate who went back to school to receive training which might be applied to helping fellow veterans, this might be the perfect position in which to do the most good. Beyond requiring a firm conviction to serve others, it is meant to be a job which requires drive, smarts, technological savvy (the new VA is making this a requirement) and, ultimately, character. It is not a position for the self-serving or for ego-driven, status-seeking dabblers.
One does not need to be a resident of Berks County to apply, nor reside in it if hired — but as it is a management position, a willingness to work evenings and weekends is expected. Therefore, living reasonably close by is a practical consideration.
The salary typically ranges from $40,749 to $67,916 and is dependent upon experience and years of service. The midpoint matches well with the median household income for the county. The Salary Board of late has tended towards the low side, but cost of living adjustments (COLA) are applied usually annually. Because starting pay is modest, being retired military can help.
See the position description for more details on the position, but before applying, please contact the County Director of Veterans Affairs, Dale G. Derr, personally at (W) 610-378-5601, (C) 484-824-2021, dgderr@countyberks.com. This will help properly expedite the filling of this key position and prevent miscues.
[Editor’s Note: You may be asking why LVMAC is promoting a position not in its operational area. Why should it care? It is for two reasons: 1) Under the present county director, the Berks County Office of Veterans Affairs appears to be serving military veteran families who belong to our organizations well. We wish to see this continue. 2) In many ways, this is a veterans affairs office for other county governments to emulate. LVMAC has asked for the reform of the state’s veterans affairs system currently managed by its National Guard. In a quasi-statewide veterans affairs system which involves county offices and is not historically renowned for its quality and uniformity of service or outreach to veterans, we think it appropriate to acknowledge an office that gets out from behind its desks and tackles a variety of veterans’ issues needing addressing – it does more than complacently shuffle claims paperwork.]
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As of 23 March 2016