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Transition Summit to assist veterans seeking employment opportunities


JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, WA—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, along with lead sponsors Call of Duty Endowment (CODE), Starbucks, Toyota, University of Phoenix, USAA, and Verizon, will join Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Washington State Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Washington National Guard, the U.S. Army’s Installation Management Command and Soldier for Life, the U.S. Small Business Administration, Camo 2 Commerce, and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce to host the Washington State Service Member for Life Transition Summit, a free three-day conference to connect veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with government, military, and business leaders. This summit – primarily focused on service members within 12 months of transitioning to the civilian workforce – is part of a series of collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors to connect veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses to meaningful employment opportunities. More than 4,500 veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses are expected to attend, which would make it the largest event since the inception of Hiring Our Heroes in March 2011.

Day One will give business, military command, and government leaders the opportunity to share strategies for veteran hiring, national & state transition initiatives, gain senior leader support and explore ways to help veterans best prepare for their transition into the civilian job market. Day Two will feature employment workshops in different industry sectors for veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses. Day Three will include keynote remarks and a panel discussion geared toward jobseekers and will culminate with a large-scale hiring fair with more than 200 employers and service organizations expected to participate. Since Hiring Our Heroes began, more than 1,500 companies have hired 24,000 veterans and military spouses as a result of more than 790 hiring fairs.

Registration for this free event is open to all interested military, federal, and state agencies; community leaders; businesses and employers looking to hire veterans; and veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses.

 WHO:

The Honorable Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington

The Honorable Patty Murray (D-WA), United States Senate

The Honorable Denny Heck (D-WA), United State House of Representatives

Sergeant Dakota Meyer, Marine veteran and Medal of Honor recipient

Lieutenant General Stephen R. Lanza, Commanding General, I Corps Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Eric Eversole, Vice President & Executive Director, Hiring Our Heroes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The Honorable Allison A. Hickey, Under Secretary for Benefits, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The Honorable Jessica Wright, Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, U.S. Department of Defense

The Honorable Stephanie Barna, Assistant Secretary, Readiness and Force Management, U.S. Department of Defense

Teresa Gerton, Deputy Assistant Secretary (Policy) for Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), U.S. Department of Labor

Rosye Cloud, Senior Advisor for Veteran Employment, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Susan Kelly, Director, Transition to Veterans Program Office, U.S. Department of Defense

Colonel James P. Isenhower, Director of the Chairman’s Office of Reintegration, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Colonel Adam Rocke, Director of the Soldier for Life Program, Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army
Command Sergeant Major James P. Norman III, I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Walter Lavrinovich, ‎Director, Marine For Life Network, U.S. Marine Corps

Walter Herd, Human Resource Command, Director of Transition Assistance Program

Horace L. "H.L." Larry, Deputy Director of Air Force Services, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force

 WHAT:

Washington State Service Member for Life Transition Summit

 DETAILS:

Day One: Business and Civic Leader Forums

Tuesday, October 21, 2014
American Lakes Conference Center (Access directed once on base)

Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PDT

Day Two: Industry Sector Employment Workshops
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Multiple locations
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PDT

Day Three: Employment Workshops and Hiring Fair
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Hangers 3 and 4 (Access directed once on base)
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
Keynote Remarks and Panel Discussion: 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. PDT
Hiring Fair: 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PDT

Free registration is available online at www.hiringourheroes.org.