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SAN DIEGO - When a motivated group of service members shoots for
the stars, sometimes they can exceed even their own lofty goals.
Three years ago, when California National Guard leadership set their
goals for the new Work for Warriors program, they asked their troops
to achieve something that apparently could not be done: find 1,000
jobs for Cal Guard members in the next five years.
“That was
a totally unrealistic goal — 1,000 people — given the unemployment
rate, given the state of the economy, given the other problems that
we faced,” Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, the adjutant general of the
Cal Guard, said March 14, 2015. “But with the hard work of the
Soldiers and Airmen and civilians that are on our team, and through
the partnerships we've developed, we have now placed over 4,000
Soldiers and Airmen.”
Baldwin was speaking aboard the USS Midway to a group of Work for
Warriors' employer-partners, representatives from several military
branches and distinguished guests including Speaker of the State
Assembly Toni Atkins. The event marked three successful years for
the employment initiative and recognized the invaluable support of
the Cal Guard's partners in the private sector and the state
government.
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Some of the California National Guard's employer-partners tour the USS Midway during the third anniversary celebration for the Cal Guard's Work for Warriors employment initiative March 14, 2015. (Image
created by USA Patriotism! from California National Guard photo by USAF Master Sgt. Julie Avey)
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“This partnership between the Assembly and the California
National Guard is an example of the best of what government
can do when we truly collaborate,” said Atkins, whose
district includes the USS Midway Museum. “The community
benefits, the economy benefits and thankfully, most of all,
our veterans benefit.
“The assembly is not only proud
but determined to continue our partnership with the
California National Guard on Work for Warriors.”
Work for Warriors was founded in March 2012 with funding
from the State Assembly to assist Cal Guard members. It has
been so successful, however, that it has since secured $1
million in funding from the U.S. Congress, enabling Work for
Warriors to expand its services to include all of
California's reserve-component members, military spouses,
post-9/11 veterans and families of fallen troops.
By
working directly with both job candidates and employers to
find a perfect match, Work for Warriors has placed 4,000
people in new jobs at a cost of roughly $750 per job found —
that's about 1/10th the cost of other government-run veteran
jobs programs. Work for Warriors is now being used as a
model for programs in other states and has been recognized
by the National Guard Bureau as its model for reducing
unemployment.
“The value a Guard
member brings to [our company] goes beyond the commitment
they bring to an employer, as with them comes their civilian
work history,” said Lloyd D. Songne Jr., director of
military programs for Volt Information Sciences Inc. “By
getting to understand Volt better, [the Work for Warriors
team] identifies candidates that will excel and even exceed
at the work they are hired to do.
“We know that
Guard members are going to represent Volt with our customers
in a manner that is hard to match.”
The third
anniversary event aboard the Midway included distinguished
guests Capt. Mark Howell, commander of the Navy Region
Southwest Reserve Component Command; and Brig. Gen. John C.
Flournoy Jr., commander of the active-component's 4th Air
Force, who attended to show their support for the program,
which will soon begin serving active-component members as
well. The next step in Work for Warriors' evolution is to
reach out to members who will soon separate from active
duty, to help ensure a seamless transition to civilian
employment.
“We owe a major debt to the men and the
women who have served our country, and making sure we honor
that debt is not just our job as policymakers — it's our
obligation, all of us, as citizens,” Atkins said. “One of
the ways we can do that is by helping veterans find
employment when they return home.”
Work for Warriors now has more than 250 corporate
partners that recognize the value in hiring service members
and veterans. In addition to Volt, which has hired 73
employees through Work for Warriors, the Cal Guard
recognized 14 other employers March 14, 2015 for their
commitment to the program, including the California
Conservation Corps, which has hired 143 Cal Guard members;
Allied Barton Security Services, which has hired 133; and
U.S. Vets, which has hired 118.
Employers often
remark that veterans and reserve component members are
entrepreneurial, easily grasp advanced technical training,
are highly resilient and exhibit a strong organizational
commitment. Service members also have a great variety of
cross-cultural experience, are results-driven and are
efficient with their time.
“Every California business
needs to be aware of this program, not just because Guard
members and veterans make good employees,” Atkins added,
“[but because Work for Warriors is] making it easier for
Guard members to fulfill their duties to the public.”
Reducing unemployment among National Guard members is
critically important to maintaining the Guard's state of
readiness, she said, as recent events in our state have
shown. Guard members are often called upon to provide
assistance during natural disasters and times of emergency,
and they must be able to deploy on short notice for an
undetermined period of time.
“[Employed] Guard
members can leave home and know that their family will be
economically secure. That doesn't just protect the Guard
member; that protects the public as well,” she said. “With
Work for Warriors, we are fulfilling our duty to veterans
and making it easier for Guard members to fulfill their
duties to the public.”
By Brandon Honig, California National Guard
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
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