LVMAC Tidbit — Wilkes-Barre VA Is Suddenly Interested in How Women Dress

Women Veterans Program partners with Dress for Success

va_sealA little short on the notice, the information below being released yesterday,  but women veterans in our area ought be aware that Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center has a women’s program.  This is one of its latest offerings:

What:  The Women Veterans Program at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center is inviting all Women Veterans to a presentation by Linda Armstrong of Dress for Success.  Dress for Success is an organization aimed at enhancing the professional development of women.  The program offers a variety of resources, including no cost professional attire and skills based development activities, necessary to build and enhance a successful career.

VA Eligibility and Human Resource Staff will also be available to answer your questions regarding enrollment for VA Services and VA employment.

For more information, contact Pat Conroy, Women Veterans Program Manager, at 824- 3521 ext. 7517 or Patricia.Conroy2@va.gov.

Attendees are asked to RSVP to Pat Conroy by close of business Wednesday, September 21, 2016. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — Veterans Retention Survey | Center for a New American Security

CNAS LogoEditors Note:  We thought we would bring this ongoing survey to your attention for the purpose of encouraging your participation.  Over time and among its other efforts, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) has produced useful studies which have provided fresh insights to the issues of the current war generation of veterans and has undoubtedly influenced both public agency and private corporate policies consequently. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — Looking for a Job in State or Local Government in PA? Do Know About the Veterans Preference Law?

PA State LogoThe Commownwealth’s Veterans Preference statute might not be the greatest thing since sliced butter and we have heard that there have been problems of fairness in hiring veterans in by state government. It is what drove a state law which now requires a veteran to be appointed to the state’s Civil Service Commission.  However, that does not mean you should be ignorant of the benefit when applying.  It has helped many. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — The Little Known Veterans Employment Center™ (VEC)

VA VEC LogoLast Veterans Day 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched with little fanfare a new website, www.vets.gov, though it is still under development and not anticipated to be finally complete for a year.  It is part of the ostensibly transformative MyVA initiative and is being done in response to the federal government’s acknowledgment that there is are far too many “helpful” websites, call centers and 1-800 numbers out there.  The end result is “the VA customer experience is fragmented, frustrating and confusing.”  The VA is attempting to develop a simplified website “which provides useful information that’s clearly written and presented and tools that are easy to find and use” in all one place.  This is no easy task.

One of its better efforts on this website seems to be the  The Veterans Employment Center™ (VEC).  Its intention is to connect veterans and their families with meaningful employment and career-development opportunities. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — Ever Consider a Career in Farming? Looking for Housing?

usdalogocolorIt is estimated forty-five percent of those in the armed forces are from rural areas.  Surprisingly, considering its its wealth of industry and size of population, Pennsylvania has large rural tracts.   About 89.5% of its area and 21.3% of its population is rural.  Even in the Lehigh Valley, the third largest metropolitan area of commonwealth, there are sizeable, rural areas.  These fall within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s sphere of responsibility, and that is useful to know. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — Want to Learn How to Drive and Get Paid?

NCC Offers Free Tuition for Truck Driver Training

NCC LogoAccording to a 4 March 2016 posting by Northampton Community College (NCC), a grant from the United States Department of Transportation has enabled the college to offer free commercial truck driver training to current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their spouses (including current members of the National Guard and Reserves) who reside in Northampton, Monroe, Pike, Wayne, Carbon, or Lackawanna counties.   [Editor’s Note: It is unfortunate such a course offering does not exist for Lehigh County residents.] (more…)