Military Hiring Campaign Provides Free Hands-On Help For Employers, Candidate: http://bit.ly/1fFhm9I

Big news from major trade publication - Industrial Machinery Digest promotes American Jobs for America's Heroes National Guard and veteran hiring campaign:

http://bit.ly/15ZvA4p

Phillips 66, Lead National Corporate Sponsor of Our Campagin, Ranked as #1 Socially Responsible Employer by Students

Over the weekend, some big news came out about Phillips 66, the lead national corporate sponsor of the American Jobs for America's Heroes campaign.

In a survey of more than 20,800 business students at 320 colleges nationwide, Phillips 66 was ranked as the employer with the strongest degree of social responsibility.

The survey, conducted by research and advisory firm Universum, determined which American companies or organizations students deemed most ideal to work for and why.  The survey found that corporate social responsibility was an important determinant for students.

This is great news for Phillips 66 and we at the American Jobs for America's Heroes campaign are not surprised to hear it.  After all, it is through the company's support that our campaign is able to help the 60,000+ unemployed members of the National Guard.  

In the United States today, about 20% of National Guard members are unemployed.  In one state, National Guard unemployment has soared to about 40%.

Phillips 66 thinks those numbers are unacceptable.  They believe that the brave men and women who have courageously and selflessly fought for our country should be able to find civilian work upon their return.  So they have taken action by supporting our campaign, providing resources to build an alliance that offers a myriad of free services to both employers and applicants.

Watch our video which features representatives from Phillips 66 talking about their dedication to helping our returning heroes find jobs.

Congratulations to Phillips 66 on a well deserved recognition!

Learn more about our campaign and how you can join Phillips 66 in committing to those who have shown unwavering commitment to our nation by visiting the Center for America website.

New Campaign Flyer Shows Diverse Skills of Guard Members

A new flyer for our campaign to connect members of the US National Guard with American employers makes the case that Guard members are qualified for just about any job out there.

These are real photos of National Guard members during drills, events and natural disaster situations.

Check them out and see the skills they demonstrate.  Then sign up to post jobs for unemployed Guard members on the Center for America website.

Legislators Show Bipartisan Support for American Heroes

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

In a Congress deeply divided on partisan lines, one issue has brought both sides together this past week: the importance of our country’s National Guard members and veterans.

Last week, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA) introduced the Veterans and Service Members Employment Rights and Housing Act of 2013 in the Senate and the House, S. 1281 and H.R. 2654.

The legislation intends to end discrimination against former military service members when they apply for employment or housing, citing a study by the Center for a New American Security that reported over 50 percent of employers had a “negative stereotype” of military members and veterans.

In a show of bipartisan support, Congressman Jim Renacci (R-OH) joined Congressman Kilmer as a cosponsor of the bill, declaring that “Under no circumstances should the brave men and women of our armed forces face job or housing discrimination based on the service they provided our country.”

While our legislators attempt to pass comprehensive federal law to improve the lives of veterans, the American Jobs for American Heroes campaign operates at the business level to provide employment opportunities for National Guard members and veterans around the country.

Our country’s heroes deserve every possible opportunity for prosperity, and one way to provide that is to connect unemployed National Guard members, veterans, and spouses with American employers. If you would like to help our campaign or simply learn more, please visit the American Jobs for American Heroes website today or follow us on Twitter @USJobs4USHeroes.

Senator Joe Donnelly Offers Legislation to Help National Guard Veterans

Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN)

American National Guard members who haven’t served overseas are currently at a disadvantage to other veterans when they apply for federal jobs.

Thankfully, Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN) is sponsoring new legislation that will recognize the service of National Guard members who haven’t served overseas and ensure they have every possible opportunity for employment.

Donnelly’s proposed bill would create an innovative, tiered system for federal hiring that prioritizes experience and time served for National Guard members. The legislation would improve the chances of employment for 159,000 National Guard soldiers and 73,000 Air National Guard Airmen.

Although these Guard members don’t serve overseas, they are crucial to the safety and livelihood of citizens all around the country. They are the integral part of the second leg of the National Guard, defending the domestic interests of our country in times of crisis like Hurricane Katrina or the Boston Marathon tragedy.

If you are looking for a way to support efforts to connect unemployed National Guard members with American employers and put their incredible skill sets to use in today’s workforce, check out the American Jobs for American Heroes website today.

How Sequestration and Furloughs Hurt Our Heroes



The Watervliet Arsenal, shown Monday, July 8, 2013,

in Watervliet, N.Y., will be affected by the

federal cost cutting effort called the sequester

starting this week.

(Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

For the next 11 weeks, thousands of National Guard soldiers, airmen, and Department of Defense employees across the country will work four-day weeks for 20 percent reduced pay because of federal sequestration.

Unfortunately, the negative effects of these furloughs do not stop at simple pay cuts for civilians and other Defense Department employees. As these cuts are implemented, leaders and organizations around the country are beginning to realize the incredible breadth of unintended consequences of the cuts.

In three Gulf Coast states, republican lawmakers who previously championed sequestration are now asking President Obama to end sequester-mandated National Guard furloughs. Governors Rick Scott, Bobby Jindal and Phil Bryant, of Florida, Louisiana, and Florida, respectively, have stated that as Tropical Storm Chantal heads closer to Florida, sequestration is “costing the state in readiness.”

Governor Scott spoke more specifically to National Guard furlough concerns in a radio interview recently, saying, “The problem is you’re losing training time, you’re losing preparation time. When will the National Guard make the decision that we stop the furloughs? Right after the hurricane hits?”

Natural disasters are not the only tragedy that furloughs might exacerbate. In Chicago, following a 4th of July weekend where 74 people were shot and 12 were killed, State Rep. Monique Davis has asked that Gov. Patrick Quinn “order the Illinois National Guard…to come to Chicago and work with our mayor, Rahm Emanuel, to provide safety for the children, especially, and for all who walk in Chicago.”

But will the Illinois National Guard have enough resources to help? According to CBS St. Louis, 1,300 employees of the Illinois Guard “will be taking 14 days of furloughs through the end of this fiscal year.”

Just like the needs of the citizens of places like Florida and Chicago do not take a day off once a week, the needs of the families of these National Guard members also don't stop.

The upcoming budget cuts mean that our heroes will need our help more than ever. If you would like to help our campaign connect unemployed National Guard members, veterans, and spouses with American employers, please visit the American Jobs for American Heroes website or follow us on Twitter today @USJobs4USHeroes.