Senior Leadership Positions Available to Women Veterans at Walmart

Business & Professional Women Foundation has partnered with Walmart to recruit 15-20 women veterans for senior management positions (no retail experience is necessary). This hiring initiative targets women veterans who possess leadership skills and qualities making them excellent candidates.

If you are interested or know a woman veterans who would be please share this message. Selected candidates will be required to complete an additional screening process. Finalists will be notified no later than Sept. 30.

Submit resumes to wjf@bpwfoundation.org by Aug. 31st

Business & Professional Women/USA, a membership organization, recently merged with the BPW Foundation, located in Washington, DC. The former organization had developed a program called Women Joining Forces around 2006 as a means of assisting women transitioning from military service to the civilian workforce.

Chicago, Illinois State Employees Sign Public-Private Partnership

Employer Partnership Initiative Supports Careers, Strengthens Economy

CHICAGO – The Army Reserve and the National Guard signed partnership agreements today with dozens of Chicago and Illinois State employers to work collaboratively to enhance job opportunities for America's Soldiers and Veterans. The alliances, launched as part of the Army Reserve Employer Partnership Initiative (EPI), will help strengthen the community, support Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers and their Families, and maintain a strong economy.

"I'm pleased to begin lasting partnerships with the State of Illinois and so many of the Chicago area's leading employers. I look forward to collaborating with our newest valued partners to achieve mutual goals to attract, develop and retain a quality workforce," said Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, chief, Army Reserve. "This is a natural partnership because today's partners have always been great friends of the military."

Through the EPI, employers and the Armed Forces secure and share the talents of trained professionals. Businesses and organizations benefit from the employment of men and women with Army values, experience and proven leadership skills. Since its inception in April 2008, nearly 500 public and private employers have joined the initiative.

"The men and women of the Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve are highly motivated, seasoned professionals and some of the highest caliber potential employees for private industry. This partnership is good for our Soldiers, local communities in Chicago and around the Nation," said Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, adjutant general, Illinois National Guard.

The Army Reserve and Army National Guard are teaming up with business leaders and public officials across the country to develop staffing solutions to meet industry demands, tackle the issue of workforce preparedness, and reinvigorate the employee base in order to remain competitive in the global economy.

"It is our duty to take care of Veterans, who have answered the call to duty and bravely defended our country," said Gov. Pat Quinn. "I salute Helmets to Hardhats and all the partners here today. We join together in signing this memo of understanding so that we can help provide our Servicemembers and Veterans the jobs they deserve."

Among the partners who joined the EPI are: the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, Chicago 2016, Cook County, Teamsters Joint Council 25, The Chicago and Cook County Building Trades Council, Chicago Federation of Labor, and SEIU.

"The Teamsters are committed to ensuring Veteran Soldiers forever play a role in strengthening our economy and contributing to the future of our communities," said John T. Coli, president, Teamsters Joint Council 25. "Joint Council 25 is honored to bring the Army Reserve and National Guard together with so many of Illinois' esteemed employers in support of our Soldiers and their Families."

ABOUT THE UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVE

The Army Reserve provides trained and ready units to complement the Army, ready to perform their mission during peacetime, overseas contingencies and war. Our Soldiers are highly skilled full-time patriots whom civilian employers share with the Army Reserve. The value the Army Reserve brings to America is embodied in these professional men and women who possess the skills and capabilities that can be used on the battlefield and in the civilian sector. The Army Reserve is a reservoir of trained and experienced professionals in transportation, management, law enforcement, health care, information technology, telecommunications, construction, engineering, and human resources, among other fields. Army Reserve Soldiers have played a vital role in every American military and humanitarian mission of the past 100 years. Today, roughly 206,000 trained Army Reserve Soldiers in units across the country stand ready to serve the Nation when called upon by the President of the United States. Our Soldiers are one of the best returns on investment American citizens make for the security and freedoms they enjoy.

ABOUT THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL GUARD

Since 1636, the U.S. National Guard has brought glory and honor upon itself and its soldiers through quiet and selfless service. The National Guard is an elite group of warriors who dedicate a portion of their time to serving their nation. It is the only branch of the military whose existence is actually required by the Constitution. The National Guard has a long a noble history of serving at home and abroad to ensure the safety and freedom of American citizens. We have combated natural disasters, supported regular Army troops, and when called upon, borne arms against America’s enemies. Nearly 400 years ago, the Guard mobilized for the first time to help neighbors in times of need. This is still our main role: helping the community during natural disasters and civil emergencies.

ABOUT TEAMSTERS JOINT COUNCIL 25

Founded in 1911, Teamsters Joint Council 25 is the governing body representing 22 Teamster local unions in the greater Chicagoland area. The Joint Council assists its local unions in coordinating Teamster activities, solving problems, and organizing.

Four Employer Partners among the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Awards recipients

Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc., of Westlake Village, Calif., First Data Corporation, of Wilmington, Del., Microsoft Corporation, of Redmond, Wash., and TriWest Healthcare Alliance, of Phoenix, Ariz., were among the 15 employers for their outstanding support of their employees who serve in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve.

The 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award represents the highest recongnition awarded by the Department of Defense.

The 2009 recipients include:

FMC Technologies – Houston, Texas

AeroDyn Wind Tunnel LLC – Mooresville, N.C.

AstraZeneca International – Wilmington, Del.

Cambridge, MA Fire Department – Cambridge, Mass.

Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc. – Westlake Village, Calif.

First Data Corporation – Greenwood Village, Colo.

Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Department – Jonesboro, La.

Marks, O’Neil, O’Brien & Courtney, P.C. – Philadelphia, Pa.

Microsoft Corporation – Redmond, Wash.

Mid America Kidney Stone Association – Kansas City, Mo.

NetJets – Woodbridge, N.J.

Ohio Department of Public Safety – Columbus, Ohio

Perpetual Technologies, Inc. – Indianapolis, Ind.

Santa Ana Police Department – Santa Ana, Calif.

TriWest Healthcare Alliance – Phoenix, Ariz.

“In the eight years our nation has been at war, America's employers - almost universally - have done an outstanding job of supporting their Citizen Warrior employees, said Dennis M. McCarthy, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs. “These fifteen employers are the ‘best of the best’ this year. They reflect the powerful synergy that exists between the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve, and their employers.”

A record 3,200 National Guard and Reserve members or their family members from across the country nominated their employers for the Freedom Award this year. A national selection board comprised of senior Defense officials and business leaders selected the recipients. The Freedom Award will be presented to these employers during a formal ceremony Sept. 17, 2009 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to recognize exceptional support from the employer community.

More information about the Freedom Award is available at http://www.FreedomAward.mil or by calling the ESGR office at (800) 336-4590.

A positive investment for America

Maj. Elizabeth Gagot, from the Army Reserve's Employer Partnership Initiative, talks to Pooja Chauhan, a Talent Acquisition for Abbott, about how the Army Reserve can help her company with recruitment issues.

By 1st Lt. Olivia Cobiskey
EPI Director of Marketing - Media

NEW ORLEANS - Job security continues to weigh on the minds of workers in the United States.

The number of employees who believe their job is "not at risk" dropped slightly to 47 percent compared with 51 percent roughly six months ago, while those who think their job is "significantly at risk" held steady at six percent.

The findings are detailed in a poll, "The Continued Economic Downturn: Employee Perspective," released Sunday by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) at its 61st Annual Conference and Exposition in New Orleans.

Even as 50 percent of employees fret over pink slips, the importance of job satisfaction continued to rise for the third year -from 79 percent in 2007 to 86 percent in 2009, said Steve Williams, director of research at SHRM.

"Although employees say the weak economy has no negative impact on overall job satisfaction, the recession is the reason why job security is the top ranked factor to workplace satisfaction among HR professionals and employees in 2009," said SHRM President and CEO Laurence G. O'Neil. "Job security is the number one aspect for job satisfaction this year, topping benefits, compensation and feeling safe at work."

According to the 2009 Job Satisfaction Survey, employees at organizations "somewhat affected" by the recession are more likely to be satisfied than employees at organization that have been "greatly impacted" by the economy.

Employers have said the economy has directly affected employee benefits, according to the SHRM 2009 Employee Benefits Survey Report. Companies are scaling back on health care and welfare, housing and relocation, and business travel benefits.

"The recession plus rising health care costs are causing companies to evaluate all operating costs closely, even employee benefits, where a reduction in some benefits is required to survive the economic crisis," O'Neil added.

Mental health coverage was the only benefit in this category to be offered by more organizations in 2009 than 2008. More companies also started offering money management courses and retirement funds employees could contribute to.

Soldiers from the Army Reserve's Employer Partnership Initiative were on hand at the annual conference to help HR managers tackle some of those issues.

The EPI program is a new initiative with three interrelated training and credentialing, as well a potential health care sharing.
Employers who hire Army Reserve Soldiers will see a drop in employee costs for recruiting, training and health care benefits.

Army Reserve Soldiers are pre-screened, and can apply their credentials in the workplace almost immediately, said Lt. Col. Kris Carle, an Outreach STRATCOM Officer with Army Reserve Communication, in her booth at the Convention Center Sunday.

"The Army Reserve is a positive investment for America," Carle said.