Photo By Christine Cabalo | Participants speak with each other after a round table discussion with Secretary of...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii - When Marine Corps Base Hawaii voiced concerns about finding jobs, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez sat down to listen.
Perez met with service members and spouses at the base’s Education Center in a round table discussion, July 7, 2015. The group spoke about challenges entering the job market while relocating or transitioning out of military service. Perez later met with female and native Hawaiian veterans to discuss the challenges of finding civilian employment at the Oahu Veterans Center in Honolulu, July 8, 2015.
“Sometimes there’s this sense of being alone (during transition),” Perez said. “I’m here to tell you that you have a posse of people to help.”
Perez’s posse at Kaneohe Bay included Marine Corps Community Services Hawaii staff, as well as senior leaders with the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
Service members and spouses provided feedback on how transitioning programs are working. The visiting and local administrators spoke about what other opportunities exist for the military community and asked what concerns need to be addressed by lawmakers.
“Opportunities abound,” Perez said. “Whether you’re going to prepare to transition as a family or, in some cases, alone — it can be scary. But you all have got game. You’ve got incredible talent. Every service member I’ve met has been impressive. The future is incredibly bright for you.”
Several service members who spoke said the programs currently offered are helpful, but that it would have been more helpful to know about it earlier in their careers. Other service members expressed the need for programs that better tailor their information to their classes.
“Going to the GI Bill class was extremely helpful,” said Cpl. Jared Kedzierski with Marine Wing Support Detachment 24. “It’s an important class, but not well advertised. I can learn how to do my resume anywhere, but can’t figure out how the VA works (in another class).”
Among the visiting administrators was Daniel Feehan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. Feehan is also a former Army captain and spoke about his success in transitioning into the civilian workforce. He agreed with Perez that the military community has several strengths, the trick is make those skills shine through in their next position.
“There will be a degree of uncertainty,” Feehan said. “But you should approach your final transition in same mentality as you do for any deployment. You learn the lay of land as much as you can, then your training will take over.”
Other service members who were preparing to retire or transition out of military service told Perez having specialized transition classes for their interests helped. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Malissia Chitwood with Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, said the “Boots to Business” seminars held at the Education Center offered her good insight from local entrepreneurs about how to launch and run a business.
“I still feel like I have a lot of work I can get out,” she said. “But I don’t want to do what I did in the Navy. I may be going into the older workforce. I wonder, ‘Am I still marketable?’”
Perez, whose cabinet position looks at all facets of employment in the U.S., said spouses and service members have important skills that employers are looking for. He said one of the military community’s greatest strengths is how they daily work together as a team.
“You lead people, you work with other people,” Perez said. “You know that nothing is done alone.”
The discussion also featured several spouses who spoke about the dangers of downward mobility as they and their service member spouse need to frequently relocate. Spouses spoke on the challenges in finding General Schedule and Non-Appropriated Fund positions with shorter job histories. They also raised concerns about how frequently relocating can impact vacation time, promotion and retirement benefits.
“Our greatest challenge is reaching out to spouses who need it the most,” said Jocelyn Pratt, a personal and professional development instructor with MCCS Hawaii.
Thaiha Vo-Le, a military spouse as well as an education and career specialist at the base’s Education Center, said the discussion featured a good mix of viewpoints. She said she was impressed with how receptive Perez and the other visiting administrators were for comments. She said she was glad he could stop in to hear the real concerns of Marines, Sailors and their families.
“The participants were candid with representatives who came,” she said. “They expressed challenges with employment both for service members and spouses. (Perez) was very receptive to what everyone saying, and I think he’ll take back what we said to Washington.”
| Date Taken: | 07.07.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.10.2015 22:36 |
| Story ID: | 169743 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 165 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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