Employment

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…)

By LVMAC, ago

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

Forward Observer — Doing Better in Veterans Employment Efforts

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Veterans Employment

LVMAC Poster Art 2005The Good:  As far as websites go, the new website My Next Move for Veterans, which tries to automatically relate military occupational specialties with civilian careers plus provide advice on the future prospects of those career fields, identify their characteristics,  salaries, educational requirements and apprenticeship programs  — and then even goes further in helping you locate actual job offerings in a state or zip code area —  is a long sought idea come to fruition. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits — VOW … Act, More Details

More on the VOW  to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (H.R. 674)

On 1 December 2011, we reported on  the tax incentives for employers of P.L. 112-56, signed into law on 21 November 2011, as it seemed at the time the most significant part of the act and had grabbed all the attention, but what about the other major provisions?  Below are five of possible individual interest: (more…)

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LVMAC Tidbits

Employers Now Can Now Receive Expanded Tax Credits for Hiring Veterans

On 21 November, the President signed new legislation, a portion of which continued and expanded tax breaks to employers who hire veterans.  H.R. 674 became Public Law 112-56 and Title II within it, the section which applies to veterans, is known as the “VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.”

While the bill directs certain federal departments to reform or improve veterans retraining and placement,  includes improvements to  Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and directs improvements in the somewhat infamous Transition Assistance Program (TAP) — among  other items of interest  — what seems to be grabbing the attention has been a small section on new tax credits found under “Other Matters.” (more…)

By LVMAC, ago