Printable PDF: Hire America’s Heroes 2013 Symposium at U.S. Coast Guard Island Alameda

Building 4, Campbell Blvd, Coast Guard Island Alameda, CA 94501
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on July 19, 2013

Join America’s Coast Guard as they introduce Sponsors to an insider’s experience of the roles and responsibilities taken on by the U.S. Coast Guard Island Alameda component military service members.

Arrival, Check-­‐In, Continental Breakfast

Welcome

• Coast Guard Island Alameda, Vice Admiral Paul Zukunft, Commander Coast Guard Pacific Area
• PG&E Corporation, Anthony F. Earley, Jr. Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President
• Hire America’s Heroes, James M. Collins, Major General, U.S. Army (retired), Board Chair and President, Hire America’s Heroes

Coast Guard Showcase

• National Security Cutter (NSC) Tour: USCGC WAESCHE (WMSL-­‐751)
• Pacific Strike Team Demonstration
• Communications Area Master Station Pacific, Mobile Communications Vehicle
• Hazardous Materials Response Trailer
• Canine (K9) Team Demonstration
• Base History and Tour

Lunch

Military Employment Panel Best Practices

A panel of Veterans and their current employers will be available to answer questions and share information about what makes Veterans valuable employees.

Reverse Career Fair

Coast Guard personnel will set up tables featuring several different skill clusters, providing an excellent opportunity for Symposium attendees to learn more about the professional skills and values these great Americans have developed during their military service. This unique career fair allows participants to better understand how such skills might fit into the corporate workforce—and their companies.

Be a part of this Hire America’s Heroes 2013 Symposium, featuring the emergency response and national defense services provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Island Alameda military service members! NOTE: This is an invitation-­‐only event for Sponsors and guests of Hire America’s Heroes. If your or your company might be interested in becoming a Sponsor, contact Andrea at andrea@hireamericasheroes.org.

Hire America’s Heroes continuously works with partners and allies in Washington and California to bring together private sector employers and the military community. Through our Annual Symposia, sponsors and supporters have an opportunity to visit local military bases and experience life inside these “gated communities,” gaining a greater understanding of military personnel and the value they bring as employees in the corporate workforce.

The Coast Guard is hosting this Hire America’s Heroes event at Coast Guard Island. The Coast Guard cannot and does not officially endorse Hire America’s Heroes or any of its fundraising or sponsorship activities.

Printable PDF: Hire America’s Heroes 2013 Symposium at U.S. Coast Guard Island Alameda

May 10, 2013
Source: David Postman, Governor Inslee’s Communications Office  |  360.902.0632

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD – Gov. Jay Inslee today signed an executive order aimed at boosting hiring of Washington’s veterans. He was joined by state military leaders, veterans advocates and business leaders at the 2013 “Hire America’s Heroes” symposium at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

“Through this executive order, we are increasing our collective efforts to make sure our veterans and their families share in Washington’s prosperity. State government will lead the way, and serve as a model employer, and I’m asking leaders in the public and private sectors to support these efforts as well.” said Governor Inslee.

Executive Order 13-01 includes several directives to make veteran hiring and contracting a higher priority for state agencies. It also strengthens collaboration between governmental organizations so services are more effectively and efficiently available to veteran employees. Under the executive order:

• Each executive cabinet agency is directed to set a target of awarding five percent of procurement contracts to veteran-owned businesses and to develop annual veteran employment plans that include awarding equivalent experience obtained during military service.
• A Washington Military Transition Council is formed to better take advantage of the federal VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 which promotes collaboration between the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies with state, local, private, and non-profit partners to support transitioning service members.
• The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WSDVA) is directed to oversee a data sharing and warehouse agreement among state agencies that will improve agencies’ abilities to ensure veterans and their families have full access to veterans benefits.

“Leaders in Washington State understand how important it is to serve our military personnel before they pass through the base gates for the last time,” said Alfie Alvarado-Ramos, director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. “This Executive Order along with Congress passing the VOW To Hire Heroes Act ensures each of these new veterans has a plan for what they will do when they leave the military and knows who they can count on in their own state if they need any help along the way. We’ve come a long way in supporting veterans as they transition from military life to civilian life and I’m excited to stand with Governor Inslee to put Washington’s commitment on paper.”

“The men and women that serve our nation and assist our communities deserve the same level of assistance when they depart from the military,” said Major General Bret Daugherty, the state’s adjutant general and commander of the Washington National Guard. “Our veterans possess unique skills that will truly benefit Washington employers. Throughout their military career, our veterans have received valuable job training – and have developed into strong leaders and team players. I commend Governor Inslee for signing this executive order, which will provide the needed hand up our veterans deserve.”

Inslee’s executive order goes into effect immediately.

Watch the video here: Governor Jay Inslee Executive Order Signing Ceremony.

Boeing employee Dan Limberg throws the ceremonial first pitch at the Boeing-sponsored Seattle Mariners Salute to Armed Forces game on April 13. (Ben VanHouten photo)

Hire America’s Heroes helps the transformation

by Carrie Ann Berry

When Dan Limberg reports for duty these days, he’s sporting a Boeing badge instead of a uniform. After 24 years in the U.S. Navy, Limberg retired as a commander last September and came to work on the 787 program in Everett, Wash.

Limberg is among 3,600 veterans hired by Boeing in the last two years, according to company statistics, making their transition to the private sector an area of emphasis for Boeing.

“I started looking for a follow-on employer about three years ago when my wife and I decided that we wanted to remain in the Seattle area after I retired from the Navy,” Limberg said. “I talked to several retirees and community leaders and sought tours of Boeing, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a few other large organizations. I decided that Boeing and FEMA were the ones I’d enjoy working for most after my retirement.”

The transition soon progressed to attending job fairs. At one job fair, he was introduced to the nonprofit Hire America’s Heroes, among others, and corporate representatives, including Boeing’s Robert “Chili” Hicks.

Hicks, a Commercial Airplanes Quality Integration manager, said Boeing partners with organizations such as Hire America’s Heroes that connect companies with transitioning veterans, because Boeing’s commitment to service members and their families doesn’t end when their missions are over.

“When our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are finished serving, we want to help them and their families transition successfully into civilian life,” Hicks said. “They have technical skills, experience and a work ethic hiring organizations value.”

In addition to his involvement with military-targeted job fairs and other events, Hicks, who served 21 years in the U.S. Navy, also is the Puget Sound, Wash., regional chapter president for the Boeing Employees Veterans Association. The affinity group helps connect Boeing employee veterans inside the company.

Hicks said networking benefits veterans not only after they’ve been hired but during the recruiting process, too. It’s a piece of advice Limberg would like to pass on to other transitioning vets.

“Veterans need to continue to participate in career fairs and meeting with friends during the job search,” Limberg said. “By exchanging helpful information with other people in their network, veterans will be able to find the right career and company.”

Full story courtesy of Boeing News (with permission from Boeing)

Allan Bradshaw with one of the Marine sergeants who showed him around Camp Pendleton and guided him through the sophisticated training today’s Marines receive.

Source: Weyerhaeuser
Date: 4/11/2013

Weyerhaeuser’s operations demand capable employees in highly technical roles ranging from process control to engineering. As current employees retire, the company will need to replace them, but fortunately there’s a rich source of talent that’s often overlooked — soldiers and sailors making a transition from the military to civilian life.

In March, Allan Bradshaw, director of Wood Products R&D, got a close look at just how qualified some veterans might be. He participated in a Marine Corps executive forum designed to build bridges with potential civilian employers.

Bradshaw and 15 other representatives from Seattle companies flew by military troop-transport helicopter to the Miramar recruit depot and air base near San Diego, Calif. They got a little taste of boot camp, watched firing-range target practice, and enjoyed an up-close meeting with F/A-18 jets. They also flew up the coast to Camp Pendleton for a view of the sophisticated training received by soldiers

deployed to the Middle East — including an impressive recreation of an Afghan village, complete with animatronics and Hollywood explosives.

“That was a highlight of the trip,” Bradshaw recalls, “and it really increased my confidence in the nation’s military efforts. We found these talented young men and women who are incredibly well prepared for jobs in civilian life. I came away extremely impressed with what I saw — the caliber of people and the training they do. I think all of us had our perceptions changed a bit.”

Bradshaw spent 20 years in Human Resources for Weyerhaeuser before taking his current position. He went to Miramar with a job description in hand, hoping for leads on candidates. Yet the experience still increased his appreciation for how skills honed in the military — such as world-class logistics management — could apply at Weyerhaeuser.

Nothing new, really

Former military experience would be no novelty at Weyerhaeuser, of course.

“We’ve always had pretty strong ties with the military,” Bradshaw says, “with a long-established track record of employing veterans.”

One notable employee-veteran example is James “Jimmy” Collins Jr., retired Army general. After retiring from Weyerhaeuser, too, he founded Hire America’s Heroes, a nonprofit organization that promotes the hiring of veterans. A number of Weyerhaeuser managers are involved, including recruiting manager Stan Weeks, who’s a director for the organization.

“I try to keep Weyerhaeuser as engaged as possible,” says Weeks, who selected Bradshaw as the company’s representative to the executive forum. “The forum’s intent was to educate leaders with little or no exposure to the military about what former soldiers can bring to the table, and I thought Allan would be the right guy. He’s a get-it-done type, and he can engage other leaders, both inside and outside Weyerhaeuser.”

In August, Bradshaw and other participants will promote Marine Week. Marine Corps representatives will connect with the community in a joint celebration linked to Seattle’s annual Seafair festivities. Of course, the civilians also will keep new relationships and communication channels in mind as they fill new positions in their employee ranks.

“The Miramar trip just continues to build on our relationships and reminds us not to forget these brave people,” Bradshaw adds. “We should be so lucky as to get a chance to hire them.”

Greetings from the Executive Director

The year is off to an exciting start for Hire America’s Heroes. Nearly 1,000 people participated in our February Career Day at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, including close to 600 Job Seekers and representatives from 43 different Employers. One Job Seeker commented that the event “opened my eyes to opportunities I had not considered before.” Another said, “All the activities were helpful and the employers were friendly and encouraging.” A common theme among the Employers was their delight with Career Day as “a great forum for meeting a large number of qualified candidates.”

The California Chapter of Hire America’s Heroes is growing in both the San Francisco Bay Area and in San Diego. Seven corporate Sponsors have begun to build out the Chapter’s infrastructure and programs and are bringing in more companies to join the activities. Following the Washington model, California will deliver a Symposium and a Career Day this calendar year. Symposium locations under consideration include the Alameda Island Coast Guard Station in the San Francisco Bay Area and Camp Pendleton near San Diego. Of course, just as California companies are invited to attend Puget Sound Area programs, Washington-based companies will also be invited to attend activities and events held in California. We will alert you as dates and locations are confirmed.

Preparations are now underway for our 2013 Symposium celebrating Washington’s Army and Air National Guard and Reserve component service members. This event will be held May 10 on Joint Base Lewis-McChord from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will feature visits to the 66th TAC Readiness Center, 66th Aviation Facility, Combined Maintenance Support Facility, and the Western Air Defense Sector.

Plans are underway for our 2013 Career Day at Safeco Field on August 9. We are excited to be partnering with the Marine Corps as they host “Night at the Ballpark” on August 9, following our Career Day event at Safeco Field. For preliminary details about these activities and Seattle’s first “Marine Week,” be sure to refer to Hope to See You There below.

Speaking of Marines, you might also enjoy reading about my recent experience at the Marine Corps Educators Workshop in San Diego, where I was embedded with recruits for four days. That article—and links to videos and photos taken during my time there—is included in the new Bonus Feature section at the end of this newsletter.

Educators and community influencers from RS Seattle pose for a group shot at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. On this final day of their workshop, they watched a company of Marines graduate from boot camp and be reunited with their families. Marjorie is the first person on the left in the second row of workshop participants. SSgt. Jackson is standing, third from left, in the classic campaign cover worn by Marine Corps Drill Instructors. (Photo by Sgt. James A. Hall)

Sincerely,

Marjorie A. James, Executive Director
Hire America’s Heroes

Upcoming Events

Hire America’s Heroes 2013 Symposium
Washington National Guard and Reserves

Honoring America’s Citizen Soldiers and Airmen
and Reservists

Featuring the emergency response and national defense services provided by
the Washington Army and Air National Guard and Reserve component military service members

May 10 at 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The Washington National Guard is proud to host the Hire America’s Heroes 2013 Symposium. Sponsors will join their colleagues for a rare invitation-only chance to explore 66th Theater Aviation Command aircraft, including a Boeing CH-47 Chinook and a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. The day will also include tours of the Combined Maintenance Support Facility and Western Air Defense Sector (WADS). Following are more event highlights:

Continental Breakfast provided by the USO

Music courtesy of the 113rd Army Band

Featured Speakers:

• Governor Jay Inslee, Commander in Chief, Washington National Guard (invited)
• Tay Yoshitani, CEO, Port of Seattle
• Lourdes E. Alvarado-Ramos, Director, WA State Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Army (retired)
• Major General Bret D. Daugherty, The Adjutant General (TAG)
• James M. Collins, Major General, U.S. Army (retired) and Board Chair, HAH
• CSM Robert Sweeney, Senior Enlisted Leader, Washington Army and Air National Guard
• Robert DeWald, State Chair, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR)

Lunch at the 66th TAC Readiness Center prepared by some of the nation’s best field cooks (competition-ready personnel!)

Exclusive Open House Tours featuring personnel and programs of the Washington National Guard and Federal Reserve component; attendees will interact with citizen soldiers and airmen as they showcase the diverse ways in which they serve our state and country, the skills they use, and the unique programs they staff.

You can learn more about this invitation-only event on our website at Hire America’s Heroes Hosts 2013 Symposium. If you or your company would like to learn more about sponsorship, please visit our Become a Sponsor page.

Hire America’s Heroes continuously works with partners and allies in Puget Sound and beyond to bring together private sector employers and the military community. Through our Annual Symposia, sponsoring supporters have an opportunity to visit local military bases and experience life inside these “gated communities,” gaining a greater understanding of military personnel and the value they bring as employees in the corporate workforce.

News You Can Use

Starbucks Armed Forces Network Hosts Medal of Honor Recipient, SFC Leroy Petry

Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry talking with Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz following the event

On February 20, Howard Schultz and the Starbucks Armed Forces Network (AFN) hosted Sergeant 1st Class Leroy Petry, Medal of Honor recipient. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the U.S. government. Presented by the President of the United States in the name of Congress, it is conferred only upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.

Sgt. Petry was joined by his wife and oldest son for a one-hour event to share his experience as an Army Ranger, specifically his story as it unfolded in the rare daylight raid on a Taliban target in Afghanistan. The event was followed by questions and a challenge by AFN member Rob Porcarelli (Director, Law and Corporate Affairs) to bring veterans to the table when considering hiring decisions. HAH Board Chair, General Jimmy Collins attended the event with his wife Linda and representatives of local military commands.

Shortly after meeting Sgt. Petry, Howard Schultz provided a moving introduction to the event. According to one AFN member, Schultz “challenged the attendees that sometimes we as Americans take our freedom for granted.” The event closed when Mick James, president of the AFN, presented Sgt. Petry with an AFN “challenge coin,” recognizing and thanking Sgt. Petry on behalf of Starbucks Coffee.

Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry with Mick James, who presented him with a Starbucks Armed Forces Network “challenge coin”

Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry with Mick James, who presented him with a Starbucks Armed Forces Network “challenge coin”

Sgt. Petry earned the Medal of Honor for actions in 2008 during Operation Enduring Freedom. On May 26, 2008, during his seventh deployment, Sgt. Petry was a member of a team on a mission to capture a Taliban target in Paktia Province, Afghanistan. Despite being wounded in both legs and continuing to be under accurate enemy gunfire, Sgt. Petry led a fellow Ranger to cover. When a grenade landed between him and two other soldiers, Sgt. Petry attempted to throw it away from them, and it detonated. He saved the soldiers’ lives, but the explosion severed his right hand.

Sgt. Petry now wears a high-tech, robotic artificial hand. When he received the award from President Barack Obama in July 2011, he became the second living recipient of the medal since the Vietnam War. He is one of only ten service members to have earned the medal during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has since reenlisted and remains on active duty in the Army, where he assists wounded soldiers and their families. Sgt. Petry is currently stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, where he serves as a liaison officer for United States Special Operations Command’s Care Coalition Northwest Region. He and his wife Ashley have four children.

The Starbucks AFN is dedicated to supporting military partners, supporting transitioning military and creating a veteran friendly workplace at Starbucks.

Mick James submitted this article. If you or your company would like to share a story in the next newsletter or on the Hire America’s Heroes blog, please send it to our Communications Specialist at Liesl@hireamericasheroes.org.

After Action Report

Hire America’s Heroes 2013 Career Day at CenturyLink Field

Hire America’s Heroes’ Career Day events are designed to provide a venue to connect Military Job Seekers with Corporate Employers, discuss specific employment opportunities, learn about corporate employment procedures, and improve job-search skills.

The CenturyLink Field event in February featured a variety of transition assistance activities, including career coaching by “been there done that” veterans who are now employed in corporations. Accenture hosted “Skills to Succeed” workshops in the form of videotaped practice interview sessions and LinkedIn workshops, while recruiting and hiring activities featured access to the Futures Inc. resume-matching database and a networking workshop powered by ProLango. Additionally, Job Seekers were invited to attend presentations on “Navigating Careers at Boeing,” and Military Spouses were encouraged to go to a Military Officers Association of America career seminar tailored specifically for them.

2013 Career Day at CenturyLink Field: Participation by the Numbers

Exhibitors: 250 people representing 43 employers
Job Seekers: 595 members of the American Military Family
Volunteers: 60 people who contributed a total of 120 hours of service
Total: 905 participants

Successful Hires: We know that at least 5 Job Seekers have been hired by Career Day Employers since this event.

Military Branch of Service Represented by Job Seekers in Attendance:

Air Force 38 Air Force Reserves 20 Army 237 Army Reserves 35 Coast Guard 35 Marine Corps 11 Navy 106 National Guard 27 Dependent 1 Spouse 24 Not Specified 61 Total Number of Attendees 595

To see photos and a video of Career Day at CenturyLink Field, check out the Recap on our website at http://hireamericasheroes.org/2013/02/15/2013-career-day-at-centurylink-field-recap/.

For more details about this Career Day, refer to our Event Summary (PDF).

Hope to See You There

Marine Week, Marine Night and Hire America’s Heroes 2013 Career Day at Safeco Field on August 9, 2013

Hire America’s Heroes 2012 Career Day at Safeco Field (Photo © HAH / Stephen Giang Photography)

This August Hire America’s Heroes will partner with the United States Marine Corps as “Marine Week” is celebrated in Seattle for the first time. Marine Week will be August 5-11, extending Seattle’s Seafair celebrations and offering Seattle residents an opportunity to learn more about the roles Marines play in national defense.

On Friday, August 9, Safeco Field will host Hire America’s Heroes’ Career Day during daylight hours and “Marine Night” in the evening as the Seattle Mariners take on the Milwaukee Brewers. Come join 1,000 Job Seekers from the American Military Family and 70 exhibiting companies for Hire America’s Heroes 2013 Career Day at Safeco Field!

As a Sponsor of Hire America’s Heroes, the booth space for Career Day is included in your annual membership package. Table space is $1,200 for non-members. To register or learn more about Career Day, contact us at andrea@HireAmercasHeroes.org.

In anticipation of Marine Week, the Marine Corps reached out to the Seattle Mayor’s Office, the Seattle City Council, and to our corporate Sponsors, inviting representatives to a first-hand experience through the Marine Corps Executive Forum (MCEF), which was held March 7-8 at Camp Pendleton. See “Marine Corps Educators Workshop” (below and on our blog) by our Executive Director, Marjorie James, for a taste of the experience.

By Marjorie A. James, Executive Director
Hire America’s Heroes

Educators and community influencers from RS Seattle and RS Portland learn about and get to view up close various aircraft at MCAS Miramar, California. During their workshop in March 2013 they were shown what it takes to become a Marine and what happens after boot camp, from recreational activities to various jobs given to Marines in the fleet. Marjorie James is in the front row, third from left. (Photo by Sgt. James A. Hall)

“Get off my bus!” our Drill Instructor was shouting at us, as usual. It was our third day embedded with the recruits at Marine Corps Recruiting Depot (MCRD) in San Diego, CA, and by now we were used to Staff Sergeant (SSgt.) Jackson. We were headed into the Marine Corps Museum where we would learn about major Marne Corps battles and would visit the gift shop to pick up a few souvenirs before heading back to the Pacific Northwest. We scrambled off the bus and lined up in formation in front of the museum. “Ears!” he shouted and we responded, “Open Sir!” which meant that we were listening for the next instruction. “Take the building!” We responded with “Aye, aye, Sir!” and ran toward the Museum, shouting a battle cry in unison, “Aaaaaaye!”

We were a group of 76 educators and community “influencers” from Seattle and Portland and were being introduced to Marine Corps life from the beginning—as though we were recruits. By Marine Corps recruit standards we were a motley bunch. Middle-aged and older, our formations were a disgrace compared to the crisp platoons of young men surrounding us. Our marching was out of step, our turns twisted and disorderly. We were getting a taste of what these recruits were experiencing, and it was sobering.

Educators from RS Seattle and RS Portland participate in a mock Combat Fitness Test on Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Rebecca Eller)

On Monday, March 4, we arrived in time for a dinner together and instructions for the following four days. We were issued notebooks, 32-oz. water bottles (referred to as “sippy cups” by SSgt Jackson) and a sling sack in which to carry these items. “Take a drink out of your sippy cups now,” SSgt Jackson chided from time to time. “We don’t want you getting dehydrated.”

On Tuesday morning we stood in rows, just like the brand new recruits, on the Yellow Footprints that had launched the Marine Corps careers of thousands of young men at the MCRD. (Female recruits train at Parris Island, SC, not at the MCRD.) The Yellow Footprints show every new recruit how to stand, heels together and toes apart. From this moment on a recruit’s every action is controlled—when to eat, when to sleep, how to march, what to say, when to speak, when NOT to speak… even when to drink water.

After the Yellow Footprints, we were marched to the intake area where we stood in front of red-painted bins and turned over our coats, sweaters, backpacks, purses—all personal possessions—and emptied our pockets of “contraband” like pocket knives, cigarettes, cell phones, etc. We were then sent to telephones hanging on the wall next to signs printed with the exact text we were to read to the parent or family member who received our call. The script was specific and was to be shouted into the phone. It read something like, “Hi Mom! I’m safe here at the MCRD! I love you! Good-bye!” We were then to hang up the phone without waiting for a response from the other end. And then it was off to 13 weeks of Marine Corps Boot Camp.

Educators from Recruiting Station Portland learn about basic marksman ship with the M16A4 service rifle at Edson Range on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Rebecca Eller)

During the week we attempted the Combat Fitness Test (CFT), which every Marine recruit is required to successfully complete. We followed the young recruits through the many obstacles of the Bayonet Assault Course, and we worked in teams on the logic tasks of the “Twelve Stalls” that present challenges such as rescuing an injured fellow Marine, ferrying supplies over a river, mounting a wall too high to climb alone, etc. We learned the core values of the Marine Corps: Honor, Courage, and Commitment. We learned the three Marine Corps missions: to make Marines, to win our nation’s battles, and to return quality citizens who will strengthen the fabric of our society.

On Thursday morning we departed our hotel at 4:15 a.m. to join a group of 237 young recruits who were completing the final test of Boot Camp, the “Crucible.” This 54-hour ordeal includes a 40-mile march during which Marine Corps recruits are issued only three meals, allowed only three hours of sleep each night, and complete eight war-fighting challenges in teams. The Crucible ends in a steep climb called “The Reaper.” Not all recruits complete the test. But those who do arrive at the top of the hill at dawn exhausted and hungry but filled with the pride of accomplishment. Now the recruits are welcomed into the brotherhood by their Drill Instructors. Each is given the coveted Eagle, Globe and Anchor—a pin that signifies their success. And now the recruits are, for the first time, called “Marines.”

At noon on Friday, March 8, 76 educators and community influencers departed the Parade Grounds at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot following an impressive and emotional Basic Marine Graduation Ceremony. The recruits’ cheering families were in the stands, welcoming back the utterly changed sons, brothers, nephews, and cousins that they had dropped off at the MCRD only 13 weeks earlier. The recruits were now distinguished by their physical fitness, accomplishments, discipline, and proud bearing. They were now United States Marines.

It was an honor to have accompanied them, even in just a small way, on their journey. 

For more photos, see the Educators Workshop RS Portland and RS Seattle 2013 album on the 12th Marine Corps District Facebook page. 

To see videos taken on the last day of our workshop, click on these links from KING 5 News:

GI Johnson: Colors Ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot

Seattle recruit completes long journey to become a Marine

PHILADELPHIA, PA and WASHINGTON, DC – March 6, 2013 – Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), a global media and technology company, announced today that Comcast and NBCUniversal have achieved their publicly announced three-year goal of hiring 1,000 veterans as part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s “Hiring Our Heroes” initiative two years ahead of schedule and that it will double its pledge by committing to hire an additional 1,000 U.S. veterans by 2015.

Hiring Our Heroes launched in March 2011 as a nationwide effort to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. As a key partner in this effort, Comcast and NBCUniversal have hired 1,000 veterans in the last year to work in a variety of positions at all levels, including network engineering, technology, operations, theme parks and resorts, programming, customer service, marketing, human resources and other careers. Comcast and NBCUniversal’s pledge contributes to the Chamber’s Hiring 500,000 Heroes campaign, the largest private sector commitment of its kind with a goal of hiring half a million veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014. To date, businesses have pledged to hire more than 210,000 veterans and military spouses, and 93,000 hires have been confirmed.

“Comcast and NBCUniversal are thrilled to have reached our original hiring commitment early,” said William Strahan, Executive Vice President of Human Resources for Comcast Cable. “We have had the privilege of hiring extremely talented men and women over the last year and we look forward to making our workforce even stronger with our next wave of veterans joining our team.”

“To move the needle on veteran unemployment, it will take companies increasing their levels of veteran hiring and Comcast and NBCUniversal have stepped up to do just that,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Schmiegel (ret.), executive director of Hiring Our Heroes. “Comcast and NBCUniversal are among the biggest supporters of our program and through their dedication and leadership, we are seeing a difference in how businesses across America are recognizing the value in hiring a veteran.”

Comcast and NBCUniversal have fostered a culture that supports veterans and reservists within its ranks. Veterans are invited to join employee resource groups where there is a community among veterans. The Comcast and NBCUniversal Veterans Network employee resource groups serve as a base of support for members, in several ways, including a mentoring program and events focused on growing the professional and personal development of veterans and their allies. Additionally, NBC News created the “Making a Difference on the Homefront” news series in an effort to shine a light on veterans, military families and the issues affecting them across the country. NBC Publishing also just released a free enhanced eBook and guide for veterans, Heroes Get Hired: How to Use Your Military Experience to Master the Interview (downloadable at http://www.heroesgethired.com/).

This summer, NBC News and the Chamber will launch a jobs and education resource portal to connect veterans and their families with up-to-date tools and information to help them in their transition after returning home from military service. The centralized hub will feature the best resources from leading industry partners, in addition to NBC News features, and family, spouse and community resources.

“Our goal is to offer veterans tangible tools that help them with their transition back into the workforce and civilian life,” commented Beth Colleton, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, NBCUniversal. “We look forward to working with the entire Comcast and NBCUniversal family in collaboration with stellar partners like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to continue to expand our veteran initiatives.”

Comcast is also offering its programming resources to help veterans find careers at other employers through programs such as the “Hire a Veteran” On Demand on Xfinity TV initiative as well as engaging in numerous partnerships with veteran serving organizations in local communities. From March 15-28, Hiring Our Heroes will host a series of major job fairs in different communities across America, including Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Fort Hood, Fayetteville, and Dayton with support from Comcast and NBCUniversal.

In November 2012, Comcast and NBCUniversal were honored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Chamber Foundation with the 2nd Annual Hiring Our Heroes Lee Anderson Award. This award recognizes Comcast and NBCUniversal’s dedication to addressing the challenges faced by veterans, transitioning service members and military families in their search for meaningful employment.

About Comcast Corporation: Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates 30 news and entertainment cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation: 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness by addressing developments that affect our nation, our economy, and the global business environment.

Additional info: http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/news-feed/comcast-and-nbcuniversal-double-commitment-to-hiring-our-heroes

Date: February 20, 2013
Sources: Citi and NBC Publishing

New York – A free e-book and guide for veterans, Heroes Get Hired: How to Use Your Military Experience to Master the Interview, was released earlier this month by NBC Publishing. Sponsored by Citi and produced in collaboration with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN), this free enhanced e-Book by Michelle Tillis Lederman provides a resource to aid veterans in the difficult career transition from military service into civilian employment.

Featuring an introduction by Medal of Honor recipient and MSNBC military analyst Col. Jack Jacobs (Ret.), as well as editorial input from IAVA and MSCCN, two leading veterans service organizations, the invaluable information provided in Heroes Get Hired includes specialized advice and coaching designed to meet the unique needs of veteran job-seekers and their families. Lederman’s eBook includes job search and interview tips, real-life success stories, and instructional videos that feature IAVA member veterans interacting with seasoned human resources professionals in order to visualize and demonstrate key concepts.

Heroes Get Hired: How to Use Your Military Experience to Master the Interview is available in both enhanced and non-enhanced versions as a free download for e-reading devices such as Kindle, Nook, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Sony Reader, Kobo and Google Nexus.

For veterans and family members without access to a dedicated e-reader, Heroes Get Hired: How to Use Your Military Experience to Master the Interview is available in full at www.HeroesGetHired.com.

The enhanced edition features a video message from Medal of Honor Recipient Col. Jack Jacobs, Ret., and 20 videos that demonstrate best conduct during the interview process.

For more information, visit these links:

http://www.citigroup.com/citi/news/2013/130218b.htm
http://www.nbcpublishing.com/book/11/
http://www.heroesgethired.com/

If you have seen news stories about Career Day, please share them with us at info@hireamericasheroes.org.

To view photos, click on any image to open a slideshow of its gallery. Except where noted, all photos are © HAH / Stephen Giang Photography.

2013 Career Day Photo Gallery

Event Sponsor Booths

Event Sponsor Presentations and Workshops

Additional Exhibitor Booths

HAH Career Coaches, Team Members and Volunteers

Early Post-Event Video Grabs

Video stills © Hire America’s Heroes / Roberto Morales (2insite.com)

Hire America’s Heroes is grateful to our Event Sponsors: