November 3, 2005
ROMNEY DECLARES NOVEMBER "HIRE A VETERAN" MONTH
Governor Mitt Romney today declared November “Hire a Veteran” month in Massachusetts as part of a national effort to help connect men and women who serve our country with employment opportunities.
“Our veterans know the meaning of service better than anyone else, and they aren’t about to quit working when they come home,” said Romney. “The best reward we can provide our vets for their service isn’t a medal or a check - it’s a livelihood and a means of supporting themselves and their families.”
Romney noted that employment issues are especially important for newly retired, but still relatively young veterans who seek training and employment in civilian jobs. He recognized Saints Memorial Medical Center of Lowell for their exemplary efforts in hiring and supporting veterans.
“It is important to Saints Memorial that no employee or their family member experience financial hardship or lose their job while serving their country, this is a moral obligation for us and is just the right thing to do,” said Saints Memorial Acting President Judith Casagrande. “We appreciate this acknowledgement and thank Governor Romney for his support.”
Since October of 2001, approximately 18,000 Massachusetts residents have returned home from active duty. While unemployment data for veterans in the Commonwealth is not officially tracked, Massachusetts’ One-Stop Career Centers have provided employment services to nearly 10,000 Massachusetts veterans per year over the past few years.
The Department of Workforce Development, in partnership with the Department of Veterans’ Services and the U.S. Department of Labor, is spearheading the “Hire a Veteran Month” campaign that will feature special events and information workshops targeting both veterans and employers at many of Massachusetts’ 32 One-Stop Career Centers.
“The need to secure employment and training for veterans is very real,” said Thomas Kelley, Secretary of Veterans’ Services. “Veterans bring character, discipline, leadership skills and a strong sense of integrity to our workplaces. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to help our veteran population gain meaningful employment.”
“Every Massachusetts’ One-Stop Career Center has a veteran employment specialist on-site to connect veterans with employers,” said Jane Edmonds, Director of the Department of Workforce Development. “Through this campaign, we hope to reach out to even more veterans in order to better meet their employment needs.”
The public awareness campaign includes a 60-second public service announcement and posters that will hang inside 100 MBTA train cars and buses and on 25 regional buses.
For information about employment resources for veterans, please contact the Department of Veterans’ Services at (617) 210-5970, go to www.mass.gov/veterans, or visit your local One-Stop Career Center. To find a Career Center near you, call (877) US-2-JOBS or visit www.mass.gov/careercenters.
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