Employment assistance available to wounded, ill and injured veterans, families
11/23/2009
by Bruce Moody
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy provides no-cost consultations from employment specialists to veterans, including the wounded, ill and injured, and their families though the Family Employment Readiness Program (FERP).
The Fleet and Family Support Program, which manages FERP, is observing Warrior Care Month.
"We have employment experts around the fleet who are motivated in assisting all veterans and their families as they transition from military to civilian life," said Panshella Cole, FERP manager.
Although FERP is not a job placement service, its employment specialists provide individual counseling, workshops and seminars which provide current strategies on job searches, interview techniques, dressing for success and resume writing to prepare people for the challenges and opportunities of today's changing job market.
"Oftentimes, when veterans transfer from the military to the civilian sector, it is difficult to put that military experience into civilian terms," Cole said. "Our goal is to assist these veterans in creating a resume that is civilian friendly."
For veterans and families whose transition involves moving to a new location, they are encouraged to contact the Fleet and Family Support Center in that area. The employment specialists there can discuss the job environment and opportunities and can assist with fine tuning resumes and applying for jobs before arriving.
FERP partners with the Department of Defense, the Department of Labor, Military Spouse Corporate Career Network, Navy League, Avue Central and the Department of the Navy's employment Web site, www.donhr.navy.mil. These organizations allow visitors to post their resumes and search for job openings on their Web sites. Cole said the Department of Homeland Security has recently stepped up their drive to hire more veterans.
Federal agencies will soon have the option of hiring certain military spouses without having them compete for federal jobs, under guidelines recently issued the Obama administration. The rules apply to the spouses of military service members relocating for a new assignment, some physically disabled spouses, and those whose husband or wife was killed in the line of duty. Under the guidelines issued by the Office of Personnel Management, eligible spouses will be able to apply for a federal job and ask that recruiters allow them to bypass the traditional hiring process.
"It's a family-friendly policy," Cole said. "It provides employment opportunities for individuals and a measure of economic stability to military families who must deal with a multitude of issues arising from one spouse serving their country."
Employment specialists at each Fleet and Family Support Center also reach out into their local communities and build partnerships which can benefit the wounded, ill and injured veterans as well as their family.
"We are constantly adding employers to our growing list of partners who are excited about hiring our military families," Cole said. "These employers are generally familiar with the transition that military families face as well as the employment gaps, and they are able to overlook this. There are many organizations in communities that want to support veterans and their families, and these organizations have pledged their support in assisting these veterans in making this transition as well as hiring veterans who are wounded, ill and injured."
Once a veteran or family member is ready to begin their job search, Cole said the global network of FERP employment specialists, "will do whatever it takes to assist with that effort to gain employment."
For more information about FERP, visit https://www.nffsp.org/skins/nffsp/display.aspx?moduleid=371fd523-a4c5-4614-a482-c059e02e71b2&mode=user&Action=display_menu&ObjectID=37ae0e50-bc92-429c-be81-000e8e4523d6.
The Family Employment Readiness Program is one of several provided by the Fleet and Family Support Program, which enhances Sailor readiness and family preparedness, thereby contributing to mission readiness. The program is committed to promoting self-reliance and resilience, not dependency, and empowers Navy families to meet the unique challenges of the military lifestyle.
