Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin, Ranking Member Boozman, members of the Subcommittee, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) would like to thank you for the opportunity to express our views on the issue of opportunities for transitioning veterans.   This Subcommittee has worked diligently during this session to ensure employment opportunities are available for new veterans and veterans of the past.   PVA appreciates the hard work and sincere effort that this Subcommittee applies to their mission which results in programs to help veterans assimilate back into society.

The emphasis on licensure and certification can present significant barriers for transitioning military personnel seeking employment in the civilian workforce.  Credentialing standards, such as education, training, and experience requirements, are developed based on traditional methods for obtaining competency in the civilian workforce. As a result, many transitioning military personnel who have received their career preparation through military service find it difficult to meet certification and licensing requirements due to the lack of civilian recognition of military training and experience.  For some, this inability to become credentialed bars entry into employment in their fields entirely.  For others, the lack of credentials will make it difficult to compete with their civilian-sector peers for jobs.  Those who are able to obtain employment in their fields without the applicable credentials may face decreased earnings and limited promotion potential.

 Pilot programs have been initiated in some states to provide credentialing to servicemembers in a limited number of fields.  PVA believes that there are a number of factors that have an impact on the ability of current and former military personnel to obtain civilian credentials.  Many civilian credentialing boards do not have adequate knowledge of and do not give proper recognition to military training and experience. The lack of clarity regarding the procedures for exchange of transcripts between military and civilian credentialing boards creates undue barriers for military personnel.

The Department of Defense (DoD) should assist members preparing to transition from active duty to civilian employment through the proper dissemination of information. The DoD and the Department of Labor (DOL) must maintain involvement with the certifying organizations and coordinate efforts among Federal agencies and private industry. Armed Forces training schools should pay greater attention to the activities and requirements of civilian credentialing agencies.

ALTERNATIVE USE OF THE POST 9/11 G.I. BILL

PVA along with the other coauthors of The Independent Budget supports the idea of using the Post 9/11 GI Bill for employment training programs.  This highly regarded benefit should be available to veterans as they enroll in additional or supplemental training which would complete the requirements of civilian certification or licensing. This would involve expansion of Chapter 33 to include vocational, on-the-job training, apprenticeships and certificate programs. The original GI Bill provided benefits for over 8 million WWII veterans, but just over 2 million of those went to a four-year, degree seeking institution. The other 6 million sought training through apprenticeships, on-the-job training (OJT) and vocational training.

 Today’s veterans are not provided the same benefit. The Post-9/11 GI Bill only provides benefits to veterans who seek a degree. The remaining veterans must continue to use the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB). Veterans pursuing these non-degree seeking careers are being penalized by being forced to pay into the MGIB to later receive a lesser benefit. Veterans, regardless of their post-military occupational desires, should have access to the benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill.  In accordance with the recommendations of The Independent Budget for FY 2011, Congress should grant Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to veterans who enroll in apprenticeships, OJT and vocational programs.

DoD MILITARY- WORK TRANSITION PROGRAM

The DoD Military–Work Transition Program could be an extension of the DoD “Operation Transition.”  Operation Transition established a framework for transition programs administered by each of the military service branches.   The program established in 2008, offers an extensive array of services and benefits designed for separating service members.   These services include counseling, personal financial planning, information about Federal Government employment, and other tools to prepare the separating members for future employment.   This military-work transition program would resemble the current DoD fellowship program.  The fellowship program allows both military and civilian staff of the DoD to work in support positions for members of Congress and Federal agencies.   The military personnel continue in their current pay grade, including benefits, since they are still DoD employees.  

This would start as a pilot program which would allow the necessary time for Congress to evaluate its success and the effort involved in creating and monitoring such a program.  However, legislative action may be required to allow military personnel to work in civilian nongovernment positions.  

This initiative would involve DoD working in coordination with the Department of Labor (DOL), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS).  VETS would identify and encourage private sector organizations that would participate.   The ideal corporations would be those organizations that have already demonstrated that they value veterans when hiring new employees; organizations such as Home Depot, UPS, BNSF Railway, and GE.  The Fortune 500 list contains many corporations that have never considered the benefits of employing veterans.  However, those corporations that have multiple locations and a continuing need for mature personnel may be interested in this program.  The message and benefits of employing veterans must continue to be presented to the business community.

There is a wide variety of civilian work positions that this temporary personnel program could engage with.  These could involve entry level positions as well as management training positions.  Those positions that involve a collective bargaining agreement or a union contract would not be available for this program.

Additionally, a six month period toward the end of a service member’s commitment could be the length of this program.  The employer would agree to expose the military personnel to several aspects of the organizations activities such as production, marketing, sales, distribution, or financial services. The program’s goals would be to allow the military personnel to experience more than one position while providing an additional staff member for the employer.  The employer would benefit from the additional assistance of a mature, disciplined, goal orientated staff member.  This individual could be an ideal candidate for permanent employment for the company upon separation from the military.

Those military personnel who participate in this program would realize some of the challenges and often misfortunes of the corporate world.  After experiencing the business world, some individuals could have second thoughts about their future.  During this temporary work assignment, participants would undoubtedly evaluate the entire military benefits package they currently have.   Traditionally starting salaries in the corporate world for most departing military personnel including officers are less than expected.  This reality could influence a participant to decide to continue their career in the military for the quality of life it offers for themselves and their family.  PVA would encourage the DoD, DOL, and VA to work together to explore this possibility of a military-work transition program.

MEDICS AND CORPSMEN TO PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS

The medical support personnel serving in the military have received many months of intense state –of-the- art training in their medical specialty including emergency medical procedures.  Some may have advanced training with years of practical experience which could include life-saving procedures performed while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Unfortunately, this real life experience is not recognized by the civilian medical field. A program should be established including financial support in the form of a grant with accredited physician assistant colleges to help those transitioning medics and corpsmen.  This would establish a fast-track program that would encourage the participating medical teaching facilities to recognize and credit the military experience.  After receiving an individual evaluation of a veteran’s military medical background, and completion of appropriate supplemental classes, a veteran with previous military medical experience would be a candidate for the position of physician assistant.  There is a projected shortage of medical support personnel in the future including physician assistants.  These military trained, experienced personnel should be encouraged to stay in the medical field with the support and direction from programs offered by the VA.

CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR DOL- VETERANS JOB CORPS

DOL VETS will soon offer a unique program for younger veterans up to age 24.   The program which will be a version of their Job Corps program has never been targeted to veterans in the past. This apprenticeship program for young veterans will teach the necessary skills required for one of several trades.  The program will offer housing, food, a living stipend, medical care from a VA facility, and the camaraderie of other veterans as they face new challenges.  The pilot program will be offered at three mid-west locations this year.   Unfortunately the program is limited to the first three hundred veterans that apply.  With the demonstrated success of this program, we hope it will be expanded to every region of the country soon.  This can offer hope for the men and women that have honorably served their country, but have not received specialty training that is transferable to the civilian world.  

BRING BACK THE MESSAGE “HIRE THE VETERAN”

This slogan of “Hire the Veteran” has disappeared from the literature and information produced by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.  For decades this message was included on many informational documents and VA forms distributed by the VA. 

In the present economic situation with a disproportional number of veterans unemployed the VA should start emphasizing this message once again.  All Federal agencies that distribute information to the public should include this message somewhere on their literature.  The VA could provide guidance to the other agencies on this initiative. This would be a constant reminder to America that the government does care about the employment of veterans.  It would also remind government agencies that “they” should also hire the veteran.

Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin, Ranking Member Boozman, PVA would like to thank you again for allowing us to share our views on veterans employment.  We are always available to work with this Subcommittee as it explores employment opportunities for America’s veterans.