Working for Veterans

Working for Veterans

Veteran says ‘there was a lot of excitement’ at Oregon Lottery when Measure 96 passed

By Tyler Francke, Oregon Veterans News Magazine

In a political era defined by polarization and divisiveness, Oregon voters went to the polls in November 2016 and spoke with an overwhelmingly clear and unified voice on at least one issue: We support our veterans.

Measure 96, a proposal to devote 1.5 percent of Lottery revenues to fund veteran services, was passed by a historic margin, with 84 percent in favor.

As with any beneficiary of lottery funds, the allocation of the this new funding is determined through the legislative budget process each biennium. What is certain is that the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs has a new active and eager partner in serving the state’s some 300,000 veterans and their families.

“There is definitely an atmosphere at the Lottery, of people enjoying the work that they do, and enjoying giving back to their community,” said Jason Virnig, area field service supervisor for gaming operations at the Oregon Lottery.

Virnig is a Marine veteran, and he says there are many other veterans who work at Lottery, several of whom he reports to.

Marine veteran Jason Virnig, a field service supervisor for Oregon Lottery, says there was 'a lot of excitement' among his coworkers when Measure 96 passed. 'We love our jobs, we love being able to help people in the communities where we live,' he says. 'But to be able to now do that for veterans, as well? That's awesome.'

“You can definitely tell that they’re veterans,” he said. “Just in terms of their attitude, and the way they approach things is pretty systematic.

“They’re definitely solution-oriented,” he added with a laugh.

Virnig joined the Marine Corps in 1999, pretty much right out of high school. He went in to avionics and was stationed on the West Coast, where he worked as an electronic countermasures technician on F-18s.

Like most every service member at the time, Virnig vividly remembers the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

“I never watched the news in the morning. But that morning, for whatever reason, I got up and I turned the TV on,” he recalled. “I saw the plane hit, and I was just, like, ‘OK. I’ve got to go.”

He reported to base, just as a lock-down was going into effect. He remembers a day filled with chaotic activity.

“Nobody really knew what was going on. I think a lot of us were just thinking, ‘We don’t know where we’re going, but we’re going somewhere.’”

Virnig served for five years in countermasures, and as a range coach and block official, before leaving the military in 2004. He applied to the Oregon Lottery as part of a training exercise through the state employment department when he transitioned.

“That was one thing they had you do: just find a job — any job — and apply for it,” he recalled. “So I found a job that said ‘electrical technician,’ and I said, ‘I’ll try that one.’”

Turned out, it was the Oregon Lottery, and they hired him. He’s been there ever since.

When Measure 96 was voted in, it was a “big deal” at the Lottery, Virnig said, especially for him and his fellow veterans.

“I think there was a lot of excitement about getting that measure passed,” he said.

Virnig, who has been an officer at the American Legion Capital Post 9 for over a decade, said the measure’s passage was particularly meaningful for him because he has seen the need that’s out there.

“At Legion, we get a lot of phone calls for temporary support. You know, ‘Something’s happened, and I’m not able to pay my rent.’ Or, ‘I’m a veteran, and I’m living in a tent with my two kids. Is there any way we could get some groceries?’ You get a lot of that.”

The Legislature has directed the funds for this biennium to a variety of programs and community and partner grants that directly impact access to veteran services, education, medical transportation, and emergency needs.

But, for veterans who work at the Lottery, like Virnig, the specifics don’t matter as much as the fact that they are now able to make a difference in veterans’ lives.

“Most people here, we love our jobs, we love being able to help people in the communities where we live. But to be able to now do that for veterans, as well? That’s awesome.”