Every month in the United States, about 20,000 military service members leave active duty and return to civilian life. Many experience struggles during this time of transition, which can lead to serious problems, including depression, homelessness, and increased risk of crisis.
Disabled veterans, which make up more than 20 percent of the United States’ nearly 20 million veterans, are particularly vulnerable.
To aid those who served our country, DAV (Disabled American Veterans), headquartered in Erlanger, helps more than 1 million veterans every year. This free assistance for veterans of all eras comes through multiple channels, including helping veterans find meaningful and sustainable employment.
DAV hosts hundreds of job fairs throughout the country, including some that are online and virtual. So far in 2023, more than 9,800 job offers have proliferated through these job fairs, which help connect veterans and employers. Since the program’s inception, veterans have received nearly 178,000 job offers.
DAV Assistant National Employment Director Lamarr Couser said it’s important veterans and employers engage in conversations. He said veterans can tend to shy away from talking about their success and it’s not always readily apparent to the employer or job seeker how skills gained from military service transfer to a civilian job.
Arlinghaus Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning is one local company participating in DAV job fairs. Arlinghaus Human Resources Manager Amber Smith said their company is very process-driven and they know veterans have process-driven skills, are reliable, and will follow through on what they say they are going to do.
DAV National Employment Director Ryan Burgos said many employers’ biggest concern is getting employees to show up on time.
“If you’re going to get anybody to show up on time, it’s going to be a veteran,” said Burgos.
Arlinghaus currently has four veterans on their staff. Smith said many people join the military because they want to help other people. She said Arlinghaus hires based on character and they want people that are passionate about helping others.
Arlinghaus has also been recognized by DAV as part of its Patriot Employer Program. This program recognizes companies that not only hire and retain veterans, but also take care of these employees and support other veterans in the community.
Smith said they are proud to partner with DAV and it’s important for employers to be open to opportunities and flex their schedules to attend job fairs.
“We’re fitting it in because it’s important,” she said.
Along with hosting job fairs, DAV also features many other employment resources on their website at jobs.dav.org.
For employers, they offer The Veteran Advantage, a free, online guide to hiring and retaining veterans with disabilities. Burgos said they will meet with human resources departments to educate companies about the skill sets veterans bring to the table and some benefits that come along with hiring veterans, such as tax credits.
Their website also features the largest veteran job board in the country. According to Burgos, there are more than 255,000 active job vacancies.
DAV also offers help in many other areas besides employment assistance. Some of their main work involves helping veterans and their families navigate the world of veteran benefits.
DAV employs more than 250 national service officers that assist veterans with medical records review, claims filing, and claims tracking. In 2022, DAV-represented veterans received more than $26.4 billion in earned benefits. DAV will even visit employers to discuss benefits and bring the necessary tools for veterans to file claims on the spot.
DAV also offers support for caregivers of veterans and can connect veterans to services. They organize the efforts of volunteers nationwide, who assist veterans with everything from lawn care maintenance to grocery shopping. The organization also coordinates the nationwide DAV Transportation Network, which assists veterans with getting to and from medical appointments.
DAV is just one of many organizations that create a welcoming environment for veterans in Northern Kentucky.
Northern Kentucky University (NKU) has been voted and ranked nationally as one of the Best for Vets universities, one of the Top Colleges and Universities for Advanced Education and Transition, and one of the top Military Friendly Universities. NKU’s Veterans Resource Station provides links to a multitude of resources, including for female veterans, family support, and mental and behavioral wellness.
KY Valor is an organization that helps veterans use their military experience to reach career goals. They partner with Kentucky employers to connect transitioning service members and their spouses to open job opportunities.
According to KY Valor, there are more than 150,000 job opportunities and more than 44 accelerated career pathways in Kentucky that give veterans credit for the education and experience they gained in the military.
BE NKY Growth Partnership also works to connect veterans and employers as part of our workforce development initiative. In partnership with other local organizations, our Veterans Welcome in Northern Kentucky website gives veterans insight into what it’s like to live in the Northern Kentucky region.
“Veterans might not realize the breadth of opportunities and resources available in Northern Kentucky,” said BE NKY Workforce Development Manager Kim Spreder. “There are so many people and organizations working to help veterans take steps forward in their civilian lives and connect them with career opportunities in our region.”
Spreder is an Army veteran and many DAV employees are also veterans.
Burgos, who has worked for DAV for 12 years, served in the Army and Air Force.
“It’s full circle,” said Burgos. “It’s veterans helping veterans.”
Couser is an Army and Navy veteran and has worked at DAV for 17 years. He has received assistance from DAV in the past and said he doesn’t know where he would be if this organization wasn’t there for him. He said many people are conscious of how businesses and employers are giving back to those who have served.
“I’m finding myself wanting to support businesses that support me,” said Couser.
Burgos and Couser encourage all businesses, large and small, to reach out to DAV to learn more about hiring and supporting veterans and other ways to give back. They can be reached at rburgos@dav.org and lcouser@dav.org.
“Anything they can do to show appreciation to veterans is vitally important,” said Burgos.Â
Written by Angie Mulberry, director of business retention at BE NKY Growth Partnership