Government Careers & Recruitment
Michelle Obama Launches Community Network for Veterans
n Veterans Day, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of Mission Serve, a network that links veterans to community service groups, calling upon Americans to commit themselves to volunteering. The initiative, part of the public-service group Service Na-
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tion, aims to help veterans better integrate themselves in their communities, with only 13 percent of veterans reporting that their transition back to civilian life is going smoothly. Mission Serve comes at a time where the unemployment rate of veterans is rising and nearly 2 out of 3 veterans report that they feel their skills are not being sought out by their community. Mission Serve also wants civilians to engage with veterans
in community service that benefits the needs of the military community, whether it be working on a free summer camp for military kids or offering veterans vocational, educational trai- ning and support. First Lady Michelle Obama wants Americans to recognize
the sacrifices of the nation’s veterans by contributing to a grass- roots volunteer and community service network that will ex- pand services for veterans and, supporters say, enrich American society. Since arriving in the White House, Mrs. Obama has been
using her star appeal to bring new focus to the lot of military members and their families after eight years of war. Her efforts are seen as genuine but also politically astute. She is drawing on deepening concern that the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan could create a generation of veterans like Vietnam’s – some nursing war afflictions, others lacking opportunity, and all po- tentially feeling alienated from the rest of society. Only 13 percent of veterans returning to civilian life say the
transition is going well, according to a new study, and nearly 2 in 3 veterans say they have skills to offer but that no one in their community has reached out to them. At the same time, a higher percentage of veterans are unemployed. The idea of Mission Serve is to join groups already engaged
in community service programs with veterans who have a desire to perform public service. A former Marine, for example, could have leadership skills to volunteer or work at a high school. A retired soldier could work with troubled youth. But there is no organized group bringing the skills to the need. ”We need that energy,” Obama said to a rousing crowd of
students and veterans at George Washington University Wed- nesday. ”Whether it’s running a rural health clinic or rescuing a community struck by a natural disaster, our veterans have what it takes for success.” There is a positive flip side to the effort as well – giving re-
gular individuals in the community an opportunity to work with veterans, providing them the help they need, like offering a free summer camp for military kids or pushing initiatives to create
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jobs for veterans. Vice President Biden’s wife, Jill, who accom- panied Obama at the event Wednesday, is active in a group cal- led Delaware Boots on the Ground which ”matches services to needs” for military members and their families. ”There is a role for each and every one of us in supporting
our military families,” said Mrs. Biden, whose son, Beau, is a captain in the Army National Guard. ”In this time of war, we gather here mindful that the genera-
tion serving today already deserves a place alongside previous generations for the courage they have shown and the sacrifices they have made,” Mr. Obama said. ”In an era where so many acted only in pursuit of narrow self-interest, they’ve chosen the opposite.”
www.blackeoejournal.com The Black E.O.E. Journal
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