JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - While many service members across the country are struggling to find any sort of employment, one Missouri Army National Guard Soldier has dedicated himself to helping those in need and making job-hunting his top priority.
"There are a lot of unemployed service members and it's hard to find a job right now," said Army Staff Sgt. Jared Stewart, an employee assistance noncommissioned officer at the Ike Skelton Training Site here.
When a service member goes to Stewart looking for job-hunting assistance, they can expect to receive assistance in a variety of ways.
"I help them prepare for interviews, help with résumés, and even job placement" Stewart said. "I can also put together an information packet on companies to give to the inquiring service member – preparation is key in getting people jobs."
There are several organizations that do the same work as Stewart, and he works with several of them like the Department of Labor, local career centers, and the Missouri National Guard Employment Program, to assist him with his mission, but Stewart has an advantage.
"One of the differences between them and I is that I know these Soldiers," Stewart said. "I can go to them one-on-one, I [can] go to employers one-on-one, and I can go to the Soldier's units and talk to their supervisors."
Since October 2010, when Stewart began his current position, he has helped 37 unemployed service members find jobs, but he doesn't limit his assistance to only Missouri Guardsmen. He helps any military member in need – including spouses.
"I help Soldiers, spouses ... Soldiers from other states, active-duty, veterans, retirees, and sometimes the governor's office will send someone to me" Stewart said.
Many times, Stewart's job is challenging, especially when it comes to helping retirees find employment.
"One of the biggest things I deal with is when a service member is retiring," Stewart said. "They have been working full-time earning a good paycheck for years, but they don't have a college degree. So when they retire and try to find a civilian job, their income takes a serious hit because they're lacking civilian education. It's a frustrating thing for them."
Other Service members deploy and don't always have a job to come home to. It's with those Soldiers that Stewart can relate to the most.
Stewart served for several years in the Navy before coming to the Missouri National Guard. In 2009, Stewart went to his 39th country since he enlisted in the military over 12 years ago, and deployed to Iraq with the 1138th Military Police Company based out of West Plains, Mo.
"When I got home I was unemployed, so this job is a personal thing to me," Stewart said. "I like helping them out."