Employment

LVMAC News — Why War Stories Matter

 DAVE VENDITTA AND HIS WAR STORY PROJECT

Newspaper Logo 70%Dave Venditta, Content Editor for The Morning Call newspaper, spoke to the Council at its business meeting on 18 July on the subject of war stories and why they matter.

He got interested in the subject in the mid-1990’s while trying to find out how his cousin, Nicky, a twenty year old helicopter pilot, had actually died in Vietnam within eleven days of his arrival. Venditta was a 15 year old at the time of the funeral, but memories of his cousin haunted him. In the end, he discovered the official version of death by enemy action was untrue. Instead, Nicky had actually died at the hands of his own while undergoing an in-country orientation. Whether or not the sergeant pulling the pin of the grenade in a demonstration of its safe use actually new it was a live grenade or thought it was a dud or practice grenade was never determined, but three died as a result. One of them was Nicky. However, in the process of relaying the news to the family, his cousins and uncles began recounting their own war stories. (more…)

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LVMAC News — Lang Says Schools Need to Pay More Attention to their Veterans

LANG EMPHASIZES ROLE OF THE STUDENT VETERANS OF AMERICA, INC.

On 16 May 2012, Mr. Joshua Lang, Vice President, National Leadership Council, Student Veterans of America,  spoke to the Council at its business meeting on the topic of “Student Veterans of America and Returning Veterans.”

Mr. Lang served in the 82nd Airborne Division from 2005 to 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan. Subsequently he has served in the National Guard.  He is one from the youngest generation of veterans.

At the beginning of his talk, he highlighted the process of “getting out.”  In his experience, many veterans, especially the younger ones, are not set up for success when their term of service expires – both financially and mentally. The Department of Defense has acknowledged this and begun taking steps forward.  The Student Veterans of America, Inc. (SVC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is all about “setting up veterans prior to their getting out and sending them on the path to success.” (more…)

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LVMAC Tidbits — Older Vets Retraining Assistance Update

“VOW to Hire Heroes” Act’s Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) About to Begin Accepting Applications

This is an update to the 28 March article.  Short story is:

  1. Applications will accepted starting 15 May but the application form is still unknown;
  2. High demand occupations the program will support are now specified;
  3. One can now sign up to receive personalized email notifications to keep abreast;
  4. Competition can expected to be heavy considering the number of slots available and the state of the economy — get up early and get there first.

And here is the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say: (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News — Mensch Says More Can Be Done

SENATOR MENSCH SAYS STATE MUST PAY MORE ATTENTION TO ITS VETERANS

 State Senator Bob Mensch, 24th District, spoke to the Council at its business meeting on 18 April 2012.

A Valley Forge Military Academy graduate, he served in the Army Reserve as a platoon sergeant of a heavy engineer equipment platoon during the Vietnam Era. Currently, among other committees, he serves on the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, headed by Senator Lisa Baker.  He is on the only legislator in the valley to so serve on a veterans affairs related committee.

He began by stating he recognizes that the Vietnam War veterans often returned with unattended problems and with little due respect from their society. He has had buddies who suffer from Agent Orange diseases and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Consequently, he feels strongly we must do better by our veterans.

Things are significantly different now, he related, and we have learned to respect our troops, no matter our disagreements about the current war.  Nonetheless, our state legislature is not doing as good a job as it should in helping to catch returning veterans who need help, particularly in the area of mental health and PTSD. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits — Resources for the Unemployed

Local AFL-CIO Holds a Resources Fair at the Allentown IBEW Hall.

Unemployment leads to a host of problems.  For that reason, the AFL-CIO is holding a resource fair for those who are unemployed on 12 April at the IBEW Hall located at 12th and Liberty in Allentown.  It is one of the five planned for the state.  This should give you an idea of the seriousness of the problem in the valley, despite the “happy talk” you might hear and see in the media.  View it as a survival fair.  Unemployed veterans might benefit from attending. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits — Older Vets Retraining Assistance

VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 Creates New Benefit for Older, Unemployed Veterans

We have reported previously on the VOW  …. Act.  Included in this new law is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) for unemployed Veterans.  It applies to older, unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and the Department of Labor (DoL) are working together to roll out this new program on July 1, 2012. The new program will provide retraining for Veterans hardest hit by current economic conditions.  There are a limited number of slots available. Go to the VA’s VRAP website  found in their GI Bill website for details. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News — Larry Holm..an Speaks Out

President of Vietnam Veterans of America’s State Council Addresses the Council

Larry Holman, the President of the State Council of the Vietnam Veterans of America, spoke to the Council at its 21 March business meeting on the topic of the “Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) — Not Forgetting Its or the Next Generations.”

First, he explained its origins. VVA came into being because existing veterans organizations at the time were not always welcoming to returning Vietnam veterans – many felt rejected.  However, it did not really get started as an organization until the late 1970’s, early 1980’s.  It realized there was strength in numbers. Out of their own experiences, came its founding principle and its motto:  “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.” More on its history can be found on its website.

Mr. Holman stated VVA is an active organization and an outspoken advocate for the current generation of war veterans.  There is good reason.  There are concerns over hazardous exposures, let alone trauma injuries. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News — TRICARE in the Lehigh Valley

MR. TERRY GOODYEAR EXPLAINS THE TRICARE PROGRAM

Mr. Terry Goodyear, Educational Specialist for HealthNet Federal Services LLC, which manages the TRICARE North contract serving our region, spoke to the Council on 15 February at its business meeting on the subject of TRICARE and the options available.

TRICARE brings together the health care resources of the Military Health System—such as military treatment facilities (MTFs) —with a network of civilian health care professionals, institutions, pharmacies, and suppliers.  It is a worldwide system managed regionally. (more…)

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LVMAC News — DiLuzio Says Homeless Veterans Are Not on Radar of Public

MR. DiLUZIO OF LVMAC SPEAKS OUT ON VETERANS HOMELESSNESS

 Mr. Pat DiLuzio, Executive Director of Victory House, the area’s only VA recognized homelessness shelter and the new Homelessness Subcommittee Chairman for our Veterans Affairs Committee, addressed the Council at its 18 January 2012 meeting on the subject of homelessness and the plight of our veterans who are a significant proportion of that problem.

He started off with, “Close your eyes and when you think of a homeless person – what comes to mind or what do you see?  Someone sitting on a heating grate; someone with a cup on corner of a busy street asking for food or dollars; children and families; someone in line at a soup kitchen; sadness and sorrow?  These were some of the common answers I’ve heard people who were questioned about homelessness in United States.

“Others were asked, why do you think homelessness exists and what are the causes?  The responses varied, but the top causes in the eyes of the respondents were: alcohol and drug addictions; family break-ups including abusive behavior/family dysfunctions; and physical and mental disabilities.

“But what is really interesting is that when people thought about what came to mind when they [the public] thought about homelessness, no one mentioned the homeless veteran.” (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits — Job Hunt Training Offer

LVMAC OFFERS FREE, JOB HUNT TRAINING TO RETURNING VETERANS

Training to Commence 7 March in South Bethlehem

In response to the growing concern over the unemployment rate of returning veterans, the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council (LVMAC) is once again offering its JOVE (Job One:Veterans Employment) program to veterans willing to invest their time to hone their job-seeking skills. Priority will go to those returning from the recent conflicts, for they are less likely to have the job hunting skills needed.

Call 484-602-JOB1 or 610-349-5856, send an email to JOVE@lvmac.org , or use the online application form from our website,  if you are interested in enrolling. Applications are being accepted now. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago