Billy Long: Missouri working to make sure veterans have successful careers

(From Seventh District Congressman Billy Long)

In the military, everyone has a job to do and a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They are held to the highest standards of job performance and are the best-trained men and women we have. While these are attributes that all businesses look for when hiring new employees, many veterans face unique obstacles in landing a job in the civilian workforce. With the speed in which our world is constantly changing, our veterans find themselves in a very different workplace landscape than when they first entered the military. Despite these obstacles, our veterans have the skills and knowledge to thrive in any business setting, and Missouri is working to ensure they have a successful career once they come home.

Luckily, veterans aren’t facing these challenges alone. On the federal level, veterans have access to a variety of resources, including educational benefits that allow access to vocational and technical training. One resource, which is fairly new, is the Veterans Employment Center on the Department of Veterans Affairs website.This program started in 2014 and allows veterans to build their resumes, search for local jobs and connect them with opportunities that match their military skills and specialties. The federal government also has specific policies and programs in place that give veterans an edge in the federal hiring process, giving them special preference.

There are numerous resources at the federal level that help veterans find employment, and programs at the state and local level have also had a great impact in Missouri – such as the Show-Me Heroes program. Established in 2010, the Show-Me Heroes program provides a cost-sharing program that reimburses a business 50 percent of its costs during a veteran’s training period, encouraging businesses throughout Missouri to hire veterans. The program also connects businesses with veterans and allows businesses to post jobs at no cost to them.

Jacob Condon, owner of Broyles Transfer & Storage in Kirksville, Missouri, makes it a top priority to hire veterans. With the right amount of elbow grease, Broyles Transfer & Storage took off with Condon crediting much of its success to hiring hardworking and dependable veterans. As a military man himself, Condon understands firsthand the challenges these veterans face when transitioning to civilian life. Over the years, Broyles Transfer & Storage has exemplified the successes of hiring veterans and why the Show-Me Heroes program works.

A Marine from southwest Missouri is proof of this as well. After two tours in Iraq, Casey Rash came back to southwest Missouri in search of a job. After turning to the Missouri Career Center, he was told about the Show-Me Heroes program. Not long after, Rash found a great technology job that allowed him to utilize the skills he developed while deployed. Since much of his background was in technology during his time in the military, it was the perfect fit. Rash now works to educate employers and help veterans like himself find a job.

Rash and Condon’s stories are similar to many others throughout our state. With more than 450,000 veterans in Missouri, ensuring a smooth transition between military and civilian life is vital to making sure our veterans are taken care of and have a job to come back to. Many of those jobs would not be possible without the help of programs like Show-Me Heroes. Helping businesses understand these challenges helps both our communities and military families.