SALUTE | #1 MILITARY TRANSITION E-MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2018

#1 MILITARY TRANSITION E-MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2018

Special Veterans Day Edition

How Much “Military” is in Your DNA? Saint-Gobain #1 Veteran Employer

The Only 5-Star Veteran-Friendly Employer

2019 COLA Increase

The largest retirement and disability pay increase in seven years

Six Steps To Hire Veterans

SALUTE is the premier e-magazine of Hire G.I., inspiring a purposedriven network of thousands of employers who embrace a common vision to hire transitioning military Veterans and their spouses—who in turn bring key skills in leadership, teamwork, loyalty, integrity, and a determination for success.

Who We are Hire G.I. serves those who have served by developing transitioning military personnel, and pairing those candidates with top-tier employers. Since its inception, Hire G.I. has become the working link between Veterans entering the civilian workforce and military-friendly companies seeking optimum employee fit.

What We Do We understand the challenges of military transition into the civilian workforce. Through strategic partnerships, Hire G.I. has developed a proprietary blend of Veteran candidate development and placement services, resulting in synergistic human capital investments for all of our clients.

Our Mission At Hire G.I., we strive to close the gap between employable Veterans and employers of the highest caliber. By providing superior services to our Veterans and clients, we exemplify our motto of, “Serving Those Who Have Served.�

Our Vision We strive to become the preferred source for employment and human resource services.

Dedicated to serving our customers and the community with the highest levels of service, knowledge, professionalism, honesty and integrity.

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NOVEMBER 2018 Volume 1, Issue 1

Inside This Issue Top Companies Hiring Military Serco .....................................................

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Saint Gobain—Veterans Among Us 17 Cal Fire ..................................................

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Feature Story Veterans’ Day 2018 ................

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Honoring All Military Past and Present

Veteran Focus 2019 COLA Increase ............................

The Difference Between Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day .................................

Why Hiring Veterans Matters ...........

Attract, Hire, and Retain Veterans ...

4 12 13 14

Become A Successful Franchise Owner 30

Upcoming Military Hiring Events 2019 Career Fair Calendar ................

The Great American Franchise Expo November: Seattle and JBLM .............

Hire GI Veteran Career Services ......

29 33 34 36 3

2019 COLA Increase Largest Increase in 7 Years In 2012, the annual COLA increase was 3.6%. It has not come close to that again until the COLA that will be received by Social Security recipients and many federal retirees starting in January 2019. The COLA for 2019 is 2.8% according to the official announcement released by the Social Security Administration on October 11, 2018.

It represents the biggest increase in seven years. The higher benefits will start on January 1st. Annual increases in Social Security and retirement annuities for many federal employees are determined each year based on changes in a component of the consumer price index. This component is called the CPI-W. There was a 2% cost -of-living adjustment in 2018 and an 0.3% adjustment in 2017. These annual increases are meant to keep up with inflation.

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Who Receives COLA? First, for those former federal employees who are under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or FERS Special benefits employees, you may receive a different amount than other employees.

Under FERS or for FERS Special benefits, if the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is 2 percent or less, the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is equal to the CPI

increase. If the CPI increase is more than 2 percent but no more than 3 percent, the Cost-of-Living Adjustment is 2 percent. If the CPI increase is more than 3 percent, the adjustment is 1 percent less than the CPI increase.

The new amount is rounded down to the next whole dollar.

Second, to get the full COLA, without regard to whether you are in FERS or the CSRS system, you must have been

If the CPI is:

Then the COLA is:

<= 2%

COLA = CPI increase

> 2% and <= 3%

COLA = 2%

> 3%

COLA = CPI –1%

getting paid as a retiree for a full year.

If you are planning on retiring late in the year, you will not get the full COLA increase in 2019. If you were not retired for the entire year, the increase is prorated. You will receive one-twelfth of the increase for each month in which you received retirement benefits.

Third, Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and FERS Special Cost-of-Living Adjustments are not provided until age 62, except for disability, survivor benefits, and other special provision retirements.

• Retired military veterans, VA rates for

compensation and pension for disabled veterans and surviving families will be effective December 1, 2018 and will be reflected on the first check to be paid on December 31, 2018.

• Social Security benefits will be

effective beginning with December 2018 benefits, which are payable in January 2018.

• Federal SSI payment levels will begin

on December 29, 2017.

Source: militarybenefits.info

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SERCO Serco pulls together the right people, technologies, processes, and expertise to deliver exceptional services across six distinct market segments.

Serco Inc. is the Americas division of Serco Group, plc, one of the world’s leading and most admired service companies. Serco serves Federal, state and local governments, along with the Canadian government and commercial customers. We help our customers deliver vital services more efficiently, while increasing the satisfaction of their end customers. Serco brings deep domain expertise and proven processes informed by over 50 years’ experience, with over 50,000 people across four geographies: UK & Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North America, which includes 8,000 people in the U.S. and Canada.

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Our Mission “Deliver services that improve the experience of our clients and their end customers.”

Service & Solutions Serco professionals advise our customers, as well as design, integrate and deliver solutions that transform how clients achieve their mission and transform government efficiency. We help tackle the big, complex problems of our interconnected world in areas like healthcare, transportation and defense. We have the clearances and secure systems to perform the most sensitive federal government work, combined with the commercial savvy to drive business results for global corporations. Whether the assignment is helping citizens travel safely by plane or car, enhancing intelligence capabilities, helping federal agencies share critical data, or supporting personnel functions, Serco is there.

Serco’s clients come to us with confidence that we have the expertise to take service delivery to the next level of performance. We know how to make services run smoother, smarter and more efficiently. We pull together the right people, processes and expertise to take service from “good enough” to great. We are a source of fresh ideas and global insights. We help transform the experience of the end customers in a positive and sustainable way.

We pull together the right people, technologies, processes, and expertise, and combine it with fresh thinking to take service delivery and our customers’ experience to a whole new level. We help transform the experience of the end customers in a positive and sustainable way.

As a values-based company, we apply a strong service ethos to every assignment. Serco people are passionate about the work that we do and the missions we support. We bring service to life for a better tomorrow.

Every day we are working to be the world’s greatest service company.

At-A-Glance •

We employ approximately 8,000 dedicated professionals in the United States and Canada; our parent company employs over 50,000 people worldwide

•

We have approximately 200 active contracts in the areas of IT & Professional Services and Managed Services

•

We have approximately $1 billion in revenue and are part of a $4 billion company – Serco Group plc – a leading international services provider 

Story contributed by SERCO.com | November 2018

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Veteransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day

Veteransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day

is an official United

States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

While the holiday is commonly printed as Veteran's Day or Veterans' Day in calendars and advertisements (spellings that are grammatically acceptable), the United States Department of Veterans Affairs website states that the attributive (no apostrophe) rather than the possessive case is the official spelling "because it is not a day that 'belongs' to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans." What is the difference between Memorial day and Veteransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day?

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History: On November 11, 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson issued a message to his countrymen on the first Armistice Day, in which he expressed what he felt the day meant to Americans: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A year ago today our enemies laid down their arms in accordance with an armistice which rendered them impotent to renew hostilities, and gave to the world an assured opportunity to reconstruct its shattered order and to work out in peace a new and just set of international relations.

The soldiers and people of the European Allies had fought and endured for more than four years to uphold the barrier of civilization against the aggressions of armed force. We ourselves had been in the conflict something more than a year and a half.

With splendid forgetfulness of mere personal concerns, we remodeled our industries, concentrated our financial resources, increased our agricultural output, and assembled a great army, so that at the last our power was a decisive factor in the victory.

We were able to bring the vast

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Joseph Ambrose, an 86-year-old World War I veteran, attends the dedication day parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982. He is holding the flag that covered the casket of his son, who was killed in the Korean War.

resources, material and moral, of a great and free people to the assistance of our associates in Europe who had suffered and sacrificed without limit in the cause for which we fought. [continued]

Out of this victory there arose new possibilities of political freedom and economic concert. The war showed us the strength of great nations acting together for high purposes, and the victory of arms foretells the enduring conquests which can be made in peace when nations act justly and in furtherance of the common interests of men.

To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.â&#x20AC;?

WOODROW WILSON

An Act of Congress The United States Congress adopted a resolution on June 4, 1926, requesting that President Calvin Coolidge issue annual proclamations calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. A Congressional Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday:

"a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'.

In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks from Birmingham, Alabama, had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. Weeks led a delegation to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who supported the idea of National Veterans Day. Weeks led the first national celebration in 1947 in Alabama and annually until his death in 1985.

President Reagan honored Weeks at the White House with the Presidential Citizenship Medal in 1982 as the driving force for the national holiday.

Elizabeth Dole, who prepared the briefing for President Reagan, determined Weeks as the "Father of Veterans Day." U.S. Representative Ed Rees from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill establishing the holiday through Congress. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954. It had been eight and a half years since Weeks held his first Armistice Day celebration for all veterans.

Congress amended the bill on June 1, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day since.

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The Difference Between Memorial Day & Veterans’ Day Memorial Day

Veterans’ Day

Memorial Day or Decoration Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces. The holiday, which is currently observed every year on the last Monday of May, was originally held on May 30 from 1868 to 1970. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

Observed annually on November 11, Veterans’ Day honors all military veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces.

When Veterans’ Day falls on a Saturday then either Saturday or the preceding Friday may be designated as the holiday, whereas if it falls on a Sunday it is typically observed on the following Monday.

When it falls on weekend many private companies offer it as a floating holiday where employee can choose some other day.

LEFT: Picture of graves decorated with flags at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2008.

ABOVE: Veterans Day parade in Baltimore, Maryland, 2016 12

Why Hiring Veterans Matters Veterans bring valuable skills to the workforce and more organizations are recognizing the unique talent this group is bringing to the workforce.

Veterans receive the best training in the world including job specialty, leadership, and discipline. Hiring Veterans is good for the employer, for the nation, and for the Veteran,

Key Strengths

Hiring Veterans is more than a warmheart “I helped a Veteran” operation.

The nation actually depends on it. We need our Veterans to understand they will be taken care of after their military service through employment opportunities for continued growth and success. The next generation in this all-volunteer military will look to the call for service and have a sense of long-term security knowing that our nation’s Veterans are taken care of.

The incentives for life-long support must always be there for our Veterans and for our nation.

Transferable Skills

Veterans bring a unique adaptability to every situation. They are wellequipped to handle challenges and embrace change. Veterans are trained to deal with change through an adapt—improvise—overcome mindset.

Problem solving, teamwork, working under pressure, and working in a diverse environment with people from many different cultures and backgrounds. This is what employers get when hiring Veterans. Veterans are trainable. They have received some of the toughest training and completed comprehensive courses to succeed in their particular roles. They are equipped with the skills to receive and implement solutions through effective training.

Hiring Veterans is more than for the good of the Nation – employers are benefiting from hiring veterans, too.

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Attract, Hire, and Retain Veterans Develop Veterans Hiring Initiatives Be proactive. Get involved. Become a Military Friendly Employer. Develop a Veterans-Hiring committee. Seek existing Veterans or military-friendly employees who already work at your company and develop them into advocates. Sign-up teams of your employees to volunteer at Veterans organizations, fill up care packages, or write thank-you letters.

Network with organizations who help transitioning Veterans.

Create a PR campaign highlighting your company's involvement in these Veteransupport activities. Be humble in your support, but let the world know what your company is doing to support the Military and Veteran community. Seek to earn awards and titles. Post your job listing on Military-Friendly Job Boards to increase the exposure and awareness that your company is hiring.

Connecting Employers and Veterans The gap between Veterans and employers has finally been connected.

Hire G.I. is the full-service Veteranfriendly agency focused on connecting Veterans to Veteran-Friendly employers.

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Employers can sign up for career-fairs directly on Military Bases through the unique relationship that Hire G.I. has with the military community.

Hire Veterans, Get Tax Credits Businesses that hire eligible unemployed Veterans can take advantage of a Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). This credit is also available to certain taxexempt organizations. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit now provides incentives of up to $5,600 for hiring unemployed Veterans, and the Wounded Warriors Tax Credit doubles the existing Work Opportunity Tax Credit for longterm unemployed Veterans with serviceconnected disabilities, to up to $9,600.

Complete IRS Form 8850 by the day the job offer is made. Complete ETA Form 9061 , or complete ETA Form 9062 if the employee has been conditionally certified as belonging to a WOTC target group by a State Workforce Agency , Vocational Rehabilitation agency, or another participating agency.

6 Tips to Veteran Recruiting 1 BEFRIEND A VETERAN • Know what types of Veterans to look for in terms of military specialty & paygrade • Know where to look for these types of veterans • Bridge communications gap • Understand the language 2 PARTICIPATE IN VETERANS TRANSITION EVENTS • Host one if possible • If not, participate in Transition Workshops 3 NETWORK WITH TRANSITIONING VETERANS • Host transition-focused Job Fairs • You will learn about veterans needs in your market • Access the skill sets quickly • They will point suitable candidates to you • Both in person and online

4 ENSURE JOB POSTINGS DON’T UNNECESSARILY PRECLUDE VETERANS • Know what you want and ensure Required v. Desired skills and experience reflect that • Be willing to make investment in someone with demonstrated loyalty, integrity, and strong work ethic, ensure posting reflects that 5 MOVE PROMPTLY • Many veterans jump at first job offer – move quickly 6 INVOLVE CURRENT VETERANS, SPOUSES, & NATIONAL GUARD / RESERVISTS • Recruiting (e.g. at events) • Interviewing & Onboarding • Mentoring • Join a “Military” Group or form a Veteran committee at work

Veteran Employee Resource Groups Veteran resource groups can take many shapes and forms. Hire G.I. advises that a veteran resource group should begin with these key elements: • • •

A place to meet up, collaborate, and learn Support and camaraderie for veteran employees and others with shared experiences A mentoring program to help veteran employees navigate their professional life

Often, a VRG provides feedback to organizational leaders on issues that are important to veterans. Many programs also sponsor and participate in a variety of events for the veteran community, and offer other volunteer opportunities. A veteran resource group can help newly-hired veterans feel as though they have landed in a familiar environment, while also giving them a community where they can grow their career, share their experiences, and grow as leaders.

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How Much “MILITARY” is in Your DNA? If you’re a science buff, you might be familiar with the Big Five Personality Test. It’s one of the most widely known tests that is supported by academic psychology research. This test measures for the five personality traits that are most commonly used in testing methods. It’s easy to take and consists of fifty items that are rated on a scale ranging from agreement to disagreement. If results will aid in understanding of how you’re going to best fit into the civilian workforce and 16

can help channel some of your efforts into areas that might be most appropriate given your interests and strengths advantage.

Take Your DNA Assessment Free For Veterans -click here-

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Puyallup Aerospace Division

Veteran Careers - CLICK HERE -

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Saint-Gobain’s tradition of excellence goes back more than 350 years when it was established near Paris, France in 1665.

Today, Saint-Gobain is one of the world’s top 100 industrial corporations and a leader in a wide array of engineered materials. Saint-Gobain employs over 170,000 employees in over 66 countries.

This issue of SALUTE e-magazine highlights two veterans working at the Puyallup, Washington manufacturing facility.

plastics.saint-gobain.com © Hire G.I. | 2019

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Puyallup Aerospace Division Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Saint-Gobain just moved to a new state of the art North American headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with a presence in PA for more than 40 years. Today, SaintGobain has more than 265 locations across North America, with approximately 15,000 employees. In 2014, the company reported U.S. and Canadian sales of approximately $6.2 billion. At Saint-Gobain North America, we know diversity is a competitive advantage. We believe the best ideas are born when teams are given the opportunity to come together and work as one. Saint-Gobain North America is committed to ensuring it recruits and selects the very best people for its workforce and at all levels within the organization. A career at Saint-Gobain can take many forms, directions and shapes. With dozens of locations and thousands of employees, we know we need a workplace that reflects different lifestyles and needs.

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics (PPL) has headquarters in Solon, Ohio and is worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading producer of engineered, high-performance polymer products. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics serves virtually every industry across the globe. Our advanced plastics are used in a broad range of challenging applications â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from the bearings and seals found on Formula 1 race cars to radomes that protect radar devices on commercial and military aircraft.

Backed by a deep heritage of product innovation, technological expertise and market leadership, the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics team has a reputation for working with its customers to solve their most pressing business challenges.

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Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Puyallup Aerospace Division

Saint-Gobain Performance Plasticsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Puyallup, WA In 2010, Saint-Gobain marked the completion of the move of the its Performance Plastics manufacturing facility from Seattle to a new location in Puyallup with a ceremony attended by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, company executives from throughout North America, as well as business and community leaders.

30 Minutes

The state-of-the-art facility at 507 North Levee Road in Puyallup manufactures highperformance plastics and composite parts, primarily for the aerospace industry.

from

Joint Base Lewis McChord 507 N Levee RD Puyallup, WA 98371

"Good work life balance at times" "Allows everyone to be engaged in the work environment and everybody is really friendly as well"

Employee Rating â&#x20AC;&#x201C;glassdoor.com 19

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Puyallup Aerospace Division

Veterans Among Us Chuck “CJ” Price CJ is the Quality Manager at Saint Gobain Performance Plastics, an aerospace supplier in Puyallup, WA, specializing in composite and thermoformed plastic manufacturing.

His mission is to deliver aerospacecompliant manufacturing and quality engineering, reinforced with a former career as an Aviator and Detachment Commander in the United States Marine Corps.

CJ flew high performance military aircraft under highly dynamic and demanding conditions in his early military career. He moved up the ranks quickly, supervising incoming student aviators, training newly designated Naval Aviators, and tracking flight schedules in support of the Wing Operations Officer. After Active Duty CJ served as the Tactical Air Operations Center (TAOC) Detachment Commander for MACS-23, a reserve squadron in CO, providing him the opportunity to lead a 60-Marine team operating C3 systems in support of aviation operations and missile defense.

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CJ’s civilian transition took him to new heights utilizing his BS in Mechanical Engineering as a Quality and Manufacturing Engineer and earning a MBA from Colorado Technical University in 2012. In his civilian career CJ has continued his professional education earning a Six-Sigma Green Belt through process improvement programs though Lockheed Martin and Saint-Gobain. His leadership includes employee development, program management, operational management, resource management, team building, and training in several fields. His mission-focused mindset, developed through his military background, and business acumen has lead SaintGobain to numerous industry awards and increased market share of their existing product lines.

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Puyallup Aerospace Division

Veterans Among Us Darren DaCosta Darren is a Production Supervisor at the Saint-Gobain, Aerospace Division, Puyallup, Washington. He specializes in planning and executing work required on composite and thermoformed plastic production parts in accordance with customer demands and FAA quality requirements. With a former career as a Technical Program Manager and Maintenance Officer in the United States Army, Darren brings extensive leadership in logistical management and quality assurance.

Darren transitioned out of the Army in 2016 as a CW3 assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group, Battalion SPO maintenance officer. Darren deployed multiple times with his last deployment to

Iraq in 2009 managing convoy operations. He earned the prestigious Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal(2OLC).

Darrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s civilian transition brought him to the Puyallup business unit where his indepth knowledge of all aspects of maintenance operations and the management to meet Saint-Gobain production standards. Darren works collaboratively with the Production Manager, Shawn Feist, Plant Manager, David Ankcorn, and other members of the leadership team who are focused on monitoring, improving and implementing increased efficiency and quality to meet customer demands and core principles of Saint-Gobain professional standards.

Darren earned a BS in Business Administration and Management from the University of Maryland University College.

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Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Puyallup Aerospace Division

Honoring Diversity Saint-Gobain is an allinclusive organization, dedicated to building an environment that celebrates diversity and offers all employees a chance to thrive. To better serve individual communities within the workplace, Saint-Gobain offers Employee Resource Groups (ERG), such as the Women’s Network, which focuses on helping women with career advancement.

Created by women, for women, the Saint-Gobain Women’s Network is open to all employees who support the mission of promoting diversity and inclusion by developing the potential of women in Saint-Gobain North America in a way that advances the Saint-Gobain business strategy. To achieve this, the Women’s Network focuses primarily on the recruitment and retention of talented women, regardless of geographical location. With the establishment of Regional Hubs located throughout North America, the Women’s Network is active at career fairs and events across the country. Additionally, programs developed to empower current members, such as networking or professional development seminars, take place in various locations - with the option to attend virtually, if needed. Externally, the Women’s Network fosters opportunities for members to engage with each other, as well as in their communities. Through partnerships with local organizations, donations and volunteer opportunities, members are able to give back and help impact those in need.

Follow along with the Saint-Gobain Women’s Network on Twitter 22

JOBS FOR VETERANS

JOBS.HIREGI.COM

CAL FIRE R.V.E.T.S. Program Welcomes Veterans

Recognizing the hardships accompanying reintegration into the civilian workforce, as well as the valuable skills and experiences veterans possess, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has launched Returning Veterans; Enlisting Their Skills for CAL FIRE Service (R.V.E.T.S). R.V.E.T.S. is CAL FIREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grassroots effort to assist veterans with integration and transition into service with the Department.

In partnership with a variety of organizations including, but not limited to, the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), and the California National Guard (Cal Guard), and the United States Armed Services, R.V.E.T.S. explores a variety of employment options and educational opportunities for veterans who have successfully served as well as those who continue to serve in the National Guard and Reserves.

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CAL FIRE is an all-hazard organization, employing approximately 170+ different civil service classifications and 13 bargaining units spanning many occupational areas.

There are jobs in administration, aviation, information technology, fire protection, resource management, etc.

CAL FIREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of the State Fire Marshal employs Arson and Bomb Investigators (Class Code 8997), Pipeline Safety Engineers (Class Code 2278), Deputy State Fire Marshals (Class Code 9086), and more.

CAL FIRE also utilizes temporary, non-testing civil service classifications for much of its seasonal workforce in fire protection and resource management.

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CALIFORNIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STATE HIRING PROCESS For those who are not familiar with the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s civil service system, obtaining employment with the State of California can seem daunting at times. This page is designed as a resource for veterans, active service members, and their families by providing a broad overview of the civil service process and providing links to various informational websites. For detailed information on the civil service process, please visit the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) CalHR website .

ASSESSMENTS Your experiences may have already prepared you for a career in a specific occupational area, or you may be considering a different career altogether. Research, including a selfassessment, is essential in any career planning. A self-assessment evaluates your strengths, weaknesses, successes, failings, likes, and dislikes in order to assist you in matching yourself to a certain occupational area.

The State of California offers a Limited Examination and Appointment Program (LEAP) for qualified members, although not specific for veterans. LEAP is an 26

alternate selection process designed to facilitate the recruitment and hiring of persons with disabilities. LEAP also provides applicants with an alternative way to demonstrate their qualifications for employment rather than the traditional State civil service examination process. For frequently asked questions regarding LEAP or to view a listing of LEAP examinations, please visit the CA Website .

DISABLED VETERANS The State of California also acknowledges the service and sacrifice of its disabled veterans, in part, through the Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Participation Program. With the DVBE Program, State agencies have goals toward awarding a portion of their annual contract dollars to certified DVBEs. DVBE certification is obtained through the California Department of General Services.

Eligible veterans qualify for preference in examinations and have the ability to take promotional examinations. For specific examination information for veterans, please visit the CalHR

website.

Forestry Aide

(Class Code 1060) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; In the fields of forestry, fire prevention,

or natural resource management, a Forestry Aide provides subprofessional assistance. Examples of work tasks include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: timber marking, cruising, pest control, forest engineering, establishing and measuring sample plots, remote sensing, geographic information systems processing and analysis, resource surveys, nursery operations, seed processing and storage, State Demonstration Forest operations, forestry assistance, urban forestry programs, and/or directing work crews. May perform or assist in such assignments as fire prevention patrol and inspections, Emergency Command Center/Operations Center call taker, incident base support, and other emergency related assignments (e.g., fire suppression and control).

Fire Fighter I (FF I) (Class Code 1083) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; As a member of a fire crew, a FF I receives training in wildland, rural, and structural fire suppression methods and techniques; fights fire as a member of a fire crew using tools and equipment such as a shovel, axe, McLeod, Pulaski, and back pump; clears trails and cuts brush; assists in building, grounds, and equipment maintenance and repair; inspects, cleans and repairs fire hose and equipment, sharpens fire tools, paints equipment and buildings and performs semiskilled or laboring construction work; performs general station house- keeping and kitchen duties.

Both the FF I and Forestry Aide civil service classifications are nontesting temporary classification used by CAL FIRE. Unlike other civil service classifications, these do not require a civil service examination. For more Forestry Aide information, please visit CAL FIRE. CAL FIRE'S SHASTA TRINITY UNIT, left to right, Tanner Sisneros, Kim Fullingim, Kole Oliver and Brian George gather for a briefing along Freshwater Lane on Sand Fire, 2014. Photo by Krysten Kellum

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VETERAN CAREER SERVICES







HIREGI.COM

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Meet Veterans At Our Next Hiring Event

Single Booth Multi-Booth Title Sponsorships

(855) 383-3332

Additional Services Veteran Job Boards Veteran Marketing

© Hire G.I. | 2019

2019 Career Fair Calendar

VETERAN CAREER SERVICES

FEB 26 FEB 28

Ft Gillem, Atlanta Ft Bragg, NC

MAR 14 MAR 28

Luke AFB, Phoenix JBLM, Seattle

APR 4 APR 5

*Camp Pendleton, San Diego Naval Base, San Diego

MAY 14 MAY 15 MAY 16

Andrews AFB, Maryland Ft Lee, Virginia Ft Hood, TX

JUN 6 JUN 20

Ft Gillem, Atlanta San Antonio, TX

JUL 11 JUL 25 JUL 26

Ft Bragg, NC Camp Pendleton, San Diego Naval Base, San Diego

AUG 22 AUG 29

JBLM, Seattle Ft Gordon, GA

SEPT 12 SEPT 19

Ft Stewart, GA Ft Gillem, Atlanta

Job Offers Expected Per Event

OCT 10 OCT 18 OCT 24

Travis AFB, CA Naval Base, San Diego Nellis AFB, Las Vegas

92%

NOV 7 NOV 7

JBLM, Seattle Coast Guard, Seattle

Exhibitors Plan to Attend Again

DEC 5 DEC 12

San Antonio, TX Ft Gillem, Atlanta



EMPLOYERS



FRANCHISORS



EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Average

320

Veterans and Military Spouses Pre-Registered On Site

125 Job Seekers Per Event

120+

*Event Tentative.

HIREGI.COM

(855) 383-3332

Dates and Locations May be Subject to Change.

For More Information Visit hiregi.com © Hire G.I. | 2019

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Franchising For Veterans

VETERAN CAREER SERVICES

Veterans Make Your Next Career...

...A Business Of Your Own!

Key Traits of a Successful Veteran Franchise Owner The main reason that a service member chooses to invest in a franchise is that the franchisor (parent organization) has already established the business and it’s proven to be successful. But successful budget sheets and forecast projections aren’t going to be the only things you need to make your new venture successful. As a veteran, you’re uniquely poised to be a very successful franchise owner – for a few key reasons.

Perseverance You know that Rome wasn’t built overnight. A key indicating factor to the failure of businesses is because the owner doesn’t have the fortitude and willpower to overcome the early challenges that come from trying to build a successful business.

It’s easy to forget that some of the most dynamic and successful companies in the history of business have endured their fair share of hard times. Instead of throwing in the towel, the founders of these companies recognized the challenges and worked to overcome them. As a veteran, you’re perfectly poised to whether these kinds of storms. Your professional training

has provided you with a core truth that many people lack – you know you aren’t easily deterred when confronted with challenges or obstacles. You have the grit and sheer determination to accomplish your objective, no matter how overwhelming it might feel. Even though a franchise is likely going to come without many of the associated headaches of a start-up, fresh from the ground business, there are still going to be hurdles to master. You have the capacity to identify these blockades, develop a new strategy, and find a way around them.

Leadership There isn’t a better organization in the world that’s better at building leaders than the military. To run and operate a successful business, an owner needs to have a vision of the kind of organization that s/he wants to create.

Franchises give owners a great opportunity to exercise their leadership capabilities while having the foreknowledge of others who have done it before them.

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As a veteran, you have the most dynamic and versatile skill set available, and you’re well equipped to take on any leadership roles. This combination is an ideal matchup when considering opening a franchise. The key here is that the successful franchise owner is going to be able to take on a leadership role with increasingly more demanding responsibilities all the while maintaining the vision of the franchise.

Teamwork A business team has to have a clear vision and a direct route of the path that they’re going to follow. That’s why business plans are so important when starting a ground-up business.

Franchises differ in that the teamwork that the owner is able to have with the parent company means that you’re never going to have to go it alone.

Veterans wholeheartedly understand the culture of teamwork. Camaraderie is an essential element to a successful organization. The ability to appreciate and develop this culture of interdependence is invaluable to both you as the franchise owner and your future employees. You have already proven that you can be dropped into any situation in the world and find a way to work together with people who might come from different backgrounds; running a business is no different.

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You’re already equipped to handle more than your civilian peers. Opening a franchise allows you to put all of those skills to work in an environment that supports, encourages, and futures you – and one that if given enough attention and care, can be very successful as well.

If interested in speaking to a franchise consultant, schedule an appointment with a Hire GI trusted partner.

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