Bill would help veterans capitalize on military skills
They fought for our freedom. They shouldn’t have to fight for jobs.
Too often, veterans of the various recent conflicts abroad return home to discover the skills they needed in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere aren’t appreciated by potential employers, and that they don’t have a way of explaining just how prepared their experiences make them for all kinds of jobs.
Fortunately, a first-term U.S. Senator from Virginia and a Congresswoman from Illinois are jointly sponsoring a measure, one that has significant bipartisan support, to alleviate the situation.
“The Troop Talent Act of 2013 improves the alignment of specialty skills acquired in the military with civilian certifications or licenses required for post-service employment,” according to a recent press release put out by the office of U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth . “The legislation will also enable Military Tuition Assistance (MTA) and the Post 9-11 GI Bill to be used on courses and programs that guarantee a credential or industry certification after successful completion.”
The statement goes on to announce that 66 members of the House of Representatives and 10 members of the Senate have signed on as cosponsors of the legislation.
“Veterans who return from Iraq, Afghanistan, and any other place where they wore one of the nation’s military uniforms should get more help converting their specialized military training into a civilian career, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said (Oct. 24) in Toledo,” according to an item in The Blade newspaper.
Brown is among the cosponsors of the measure, which was introduced by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, a former governor of the state.
“If you’re a medic in the military you ought to have a leg up on getting EMT certification,” Sen. Brown was quoted as saying. “If you’re a driver in the military you ought to be able to get a commercial driver’s license easier and you should be able to get a job when you come back to Lucas County. The purpose of this bill is to connect better than we’re doing. If you’re an electrician in Iraq you have a leg up on electricians’ apprentice programs.”
“None of us can feel good if we hear the unemployment stats that our veterans are facing in a tough economy,” Kaine said in the statement from Rep. Duckworth’s office. “As we draw down out of Afghanistan and as more transition from active to veteran life this challenge could compound if we don’t tackle it. It’s something that we owe to those who serve. It’s also good for our country and economy. Military training is an enormous public investment in skills. We should take advantage of those skills and talent that is there among our folks who are transitioning out of active duty for the benefit of our entire society.”
