Transition Support for Veterans

Starting in February, DHS began hosting monthly support workshops for transitioning service members, retired or separated veterans, and their spouses in the Washington, D.C. area. Participants can get valuable knowledge on how to apply for federal jobs, federal resume tips, DHS job opportunities and special veteran hiring authorities. Click here for a flyer with information on upcoming workshops.

This program, developed by the DHS Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, is one of several new programs aimed at helping veterans transition into employment opportunities at DHS. These workshops are meant to complement Military Transition Center activities.

For more information on the transition support workshops, visit www.dhs.gov/veterans.

"I am a veteran. I am homeland security."

In November 2009, DHS launched a redesigned www.dhs.gov/veterans page to make it easier for veterans to get information about opportunities with the Department. Veterans make up one quarter of the DHS workforce, so we’re committed to making sure they have all the information they need to interact with and conduct business with the department. The website now provides veterans and veteran service organizations a one-stop shop for information about employment, contracting, and volunteer opportunities in the Department.

We updated this page again today to highlight additional exceptional veterans that currently work with the Department, so stop by our veterans profile page and see why our employee veterans find DHS a good fit.

Last year, Secretary Napolitano committed to employing 50,000 veterans by 2012 – during fiscal year 2009, we hired 5,142 veterans. Today, we boast more than 46,000 total veterans among our ranks.

Recruitment and hiring goals are one way we are engaging the veteran community. We are also creating greater opportunities for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses to work with DHS. In 2009, veteran-owned small businesses competed for an won more than $931 million in contracts from DHS.

The nation benefits from the service of our veterans in the work that we do at the Department; they bring proven experience and dedication to the job and we welcome veterans to join DHS and continue their service to the nation.

Visit www.dhs.gov/veterans for more information.

On this Day

A soldier stands guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetary

“The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world.”

That quote is inscribed on the Kennedy Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. JFK delivered it as part of his inaugural address in January of 1961, and was referring not to a scientific venture, nor to contentious legislation, but to the cause of “defending freedom in its maximum hour of danger.” He went on to challenge the nation, asking us to find it within ourselves to better serve our country. Generations of Americans have answered that call and many others through service in our armed forces; we honor them today.

Today is Veterans Day, and the Secretary, the President, the Vice President, and other government officials participated in events around the country today to pay respect to our veterans' contributions.

Secretary Napolitano and Admiral Thad Allen participate in a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetary on November 11th, 2009

Secretary Napolitano joined U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen at a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Ceremony to honor all those who have served in the 219 years since its inception:

“Today we pay our deepest respect to the courageous men and women of who have served the U.S. Armed Forces and who currently risk their lives at home and abroad. The tragic events of recent weeks remind us of the tremendous sacrifice those in uniform make every day for our Nation, and I am proud to count the Department of Homeland Security’s 47,000-strong veteran workforce and the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard as colleagues in our mission to protect the country,” said Secretary Napolitano.

The Secretary also penned an entry in our Leadership Journal - committing the department to employ 50,000 veterans by 2012 - and reminding us that we must work to honor their contributions throughout the year. We encourage you to check it out, and to visit the White House Blog for a roundup of events and remarks from the President, Vice President, and other cabinet secretaries.

dhs.gov/veterans

President Barack Obama signs an executive order on the Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government, in the Oval Office, Nov. 9, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Earlier today, the Secretary recorded a message honoring our nation’s veterans, nearly 47,000 of who continue to serve today at the Department of Homeland Security. These veterans bring with them special skills and experiences that are invaluable to our ability to carry out our mission. As the Secretary said in her message, we are proud to have as many veterans among our ranks as we do, and we’re working actively to bring even more veterans – along with their proven skills and dedication to protecting our nation – on board.

To support our recognition and recruiting efforts, we launched a new page on the DHS website last night to provide more resources for veterans who want to work at or with DHS. At www.dhs.gov/veterans, you can see profiles of a few of the 47,000 veterans within the DHS workforce and read how their military experience prepared them for work at DHS, in their own words. We are grateful every day for their service, not just on Veterans Day - we encourage you to take a look at the new page, and share any thoughts you might have in the comment section there.

Secretary's Remarks to the American Legion

The Secretary just wrapped up remarks at the American Legion's 2009 National Convention. She spoke about the Department’s ongoing support and outreach to American veterans, and announced her commitment to employ 50,000 veterans at DHS by 2012. The department currently employs over 46,000 veterans; one quarter of its workforce.

“The men and women of the armed services work tirelessly every day to ensure the safety and security of the American people,” said Secretary Napolitano. “We are honored by the thousands of veterans working at DHS who use their unique experience and extraordinary dedication to help DHS protect our nation from threats and prepare for disasters.”

The 2009 National Convention, in Louisville, KY this year, is the governing body of the American Legion, and brings together the Legion's 55 departments to chart the course forward for the Legion.


After her speech, the Secretary stopped in a meeting of the Women's Auxiliary and discussed her own adolescent experiences at the New Mexico Girls State session. Girls State is sponsored by the American Legion, and provides "hands-on citizenship training" to high school juniors around the country. This year, Girls State is emphasizing "Patriotism, Participation, and Progress." You can visit the American Legion's website for more information.

The Secretary also spoke to the Women's Auxiliary about the importance of preparedness, particularly around the topic of H1N1. She emphasized that we all possess a shared responsibility when it comes to being ready for any kind of national situation; be it H1N1, a natural disaster, or a terrorist incident. She ended her impromptu remarks to a standing ovation, with one member of the women's auxiliary reportedly yelling out, "Yeah, girl!"

You can check out the Secretary's remarks here.

From the Veterans Job Fair

We are proud that 26% of our workforce is made up of veterans, but we aren’t stopping here.

Today at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel in downtown DC, DHS recruitment specialists greeted veterans for a job fair. Attendees got information on career opportunities and how to apply for positions within the department. Over 700 veterans signed up today for more information.

Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute, herself a veteran, stopped by the fair and addressed attendees. She spoke about the importance of providing veterans the opportunity to apply for jobs at DHS, and expressed her personal thanks for their service.

We at DHS want to be a model in veteran hiring in the federal government, and our efforts so far have significantly increased veteran representation within the department. We promote veteran hiring, contracting and procurement in all recruitment efforts, recognizing we owe veterans more than gratitude; at DHS, we feel we owe veterans opportunity.

Veterans Job Fair Today

We noted it just now in the morning roundup, but this one is worth mentioning again.

DHS is hosting a Veterans Job Fair today at the Grand Hyatt from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM EDT. It's open to all active duty, retired, former service, Reserve/National Guard servicemembers and their spouses. Straight from dhs.gov:

July 17, 2009
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel100 H St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Constitution Room A, Level 3B(Take Metro Center stop, exit at 11th
Street)

The job fair is open to all active duty, retired, former service, Reserve/National Guard servicemembers and their spouses.

Explore career opportunities in law enforcement, immigration and travel security, prevention and response, and mission support by attending the job fair and talking to representatives.

Learn more about the Department that touches the lives of all Americans and find out how Departmental careers contribute to the mission of defending America. Speak to Department professionals about continuing your service to America.

Workshops

• How to apply for federal jobs
• Understanding and applying veterans preference in federal hiring