Hiring Heroes Career Fair provides employment, networking opportunities for service members

Photo By Nell King | U.S. Army Maj. Phillip L. Lust stops to speak to dozens of government and private sector employers at the Hiring Heroes Career Fair Nov. 17 at Spates Community Club on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. More than 180 job seekers came out to the fair, where employers conducted 21 interviews with potential candidates, according to Karen Hannah, recruitment assistance chief for the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service. Hannah said 34 job offers were extended on site, and another 67 offers were projected to be made a later date. (Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall PAO photo by Nell King)  

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, UNITED STATES

11.17.2015

Story by Guv Callahan 

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - Nearly 60 employers gathered in Spates Community Club on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Nov. 17 for the 74th national Hiring Heroes Career Fair, helping transitioning service members, veterans and their family members find jobs.

The event was hosted by the Department of Defense in partnership with JBM-HH’s Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program and other organizations in the area, giving job-seekers an opportunity to meet with employers, hand out resumes, interview for positions and learn more about their options after the military.

Roughly 60 potential employers came out to the fair, including 18 DoD agencies, 11 other federal agencies and more than 30 private sector organizations. Recruiters from the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterans Affairs, Northrop Grumman Corporation and many more were present.

A number of police departments from around the National Capital Region and as far as Henrico County, Va., met with potential job candidates.

“They love hiring service members because of the discipline, the hard work, the tenacity,” said Karen Hannah, recruitment assistance chief for the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service.

More than 180 job seekers came out to the fair, where employers conducted 21 interviews with potential candidates. Hannah said 34 job offers were extended on site, and another 42 offers were projected to be made a later date.

The event was the third Hiring Heroes fair hosted at JBM-HH since November 2014. During his opening remarks, JBM-HH Commander Col. Mike Henderson shed some light as to why.

“We play a vital role to the Soldiers and Marines stationed in the National Capital Region,” he said. “We also provide support to the area’s retired military, veterans, military family members and our civilian workforce. In all, we provide services to well over 150,000 people.

“So it is only fitting that we continue to host the Hiring Heroes Career Fair, as it gives us another great opportunity to further provide support with the prospect of job opportunities for our transitioning service members, wounded warriors, veterans and families.”

Henderson also reminded employers of the benefits of hiring employees with military backgrounds.

“When you hire a veteran, you are hiring somebody who is disciplined, drug free, adaptive, resilient, and most of all, trainable,” he said. “Veterans may not have the technical background, but they can be trained to do just about anything.”

Hannah said she and her organization were thrilled to be on JBM-HH again.

“It’s just good to be back,” she said. “The support we get from the installation is great.”

The first two Hiring Heroes fairs at JBM-HH resulted in a total of 57 job offers and more than 200 interviews.

For more information on JBM-HH's employment and transition services, visit http://go.usa.gov/cjQsY.

• Date Taken: 11.17.2015
• Date Posted: 11.25.2015 13:18
• Story ID: 182888
• Location: JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, US