An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | March 23, 2011

Website links unemployed vets, spouses to jobs

By Terri Moon Cronk American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON - Unemployed veterans, wounded warriors, Reserve component servicemembers and their spouses searching for jobs can find one-stop shopping at a Web portal designed just for them.

Operated by the Army Reserve, the military-friendly Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces at www.EmployerPartnership.org lends assistance not only to those looking for a job - including National Guardmembers - but also to public and private employers who are ready to hire former servicemembers and help to support the troops, said Army Maj. Gen. Keith L. Thurgood, deputy chief of the Army Reserve.

"It's all about connecting supply and demand," Thurgood said.

Employers are attracted to veterans because they are highly skilled leaders from the finely tuned military atmosphere, the general explained.

"That's the crux of the program," Thurgood said. "It's a mutually beneficial program where the employer gets someone who's drug-free, understands collaboration, [and] can think strategically and act at a tactical level to get the job done."

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is a longtime advocate of hiring veterans.

"Veterans bring a maturity. They bring leadership. They bring a life experience," he said last year. "They bring a dedication they may not have had when they were 17, 18 or 19 years old, when they were coming out of high school or in the first couple years of college."

Thurgood said the portal, launched on Veterans Day, still is in its infancy, but already has 7,500 registered users.

"We've got over 1,300 [employers with job openings], including 95 Fortune 500 companies," he said.

While many job websites exist on the Internet, Thurgood said, veterans should know EmployerPartnership.org offers a personal touch, such as a resume-building feature that translates military language into civilian terms. Deciphering "military speak" is a common concern for human resources people in the corporate world, the general added.

"We take and translate it into something an HR professional can understand," he said. "That's a very important piece of what we do."

And it's not just about the military, Thurgood said.

"It's about a national program we need to put in place to share this great resource that we call people, because if you look at the unemployment rate, and the demographic of 18-to-24-year-olds, and then break that down into veterans, it's higher than the national average."

And sometimes, he added, the rate of unemployment among veterans is twice of the rate among civilians.

"We have ability to reach out to you personally to help you get your resume right, help you through the interview process, and make the right connections with employers," the general said. "The personal touch is something we provide that nobody else does."

The portal also has advice for veterans who want to start a business, Thurgood noted, offering training that explains how to become a smarter business person and entrepreneur.

"It's free, it's easy, and it's a great way for us to connect the great skill sets that we bring to corporate America," he said. "In my opinion, our great military does two things well: it delivers results and grows leaders. That's exactly what America needs."

 

 

Related Articles
Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, joins Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, chief of general staff, Saudi Arabian Armed Forces; Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino, Oklahoma’s adjutant general; Army Brig. Gen. Lawrence Muennich, Indiana’s adjutant general, and senior enlisted leaders for a ceremony to formalize the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s entry into the 115-nation Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21, 2025. Under the SPP, Indiana and Oklahoma National Guardsmen will train with Saudi Arabian Armed Forces counterparts to build collective readiness to enhance regional stability and advance global security.
U.S., Saudi Arabia Strengthen Ties Through State Partnership Program
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely, | Aug. 22, 2025
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expanded its strategic ties with the United States by formally joining the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, or SPP, during a ceremony...

Staff Sgt. Hannah Bentley, member of the Oklahoma National Guard wildland firefighting program, digs a handline during an operational readiness exercise at Camp Navajo, Arizona, Aug. 14, 2025. The operational readiness exercise tests the OKNG WLFF program members’ ability to activate, deploy and conduct wildland firefighting operations. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)
Wildfire Response During Training Proves Oklahoma Guard Ready to Fight Fires
By Sgt. Anthony Jones, | Aug. 22, 2025
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Twelve Oklahoma National Guard members training in Arizona proved the Oklahoma National Guard’s wildland firefighting program is ready to respond to wildfires when they were called Aug. 15 to battle a...

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Harry Siegel and Sgt. 1st Class Nikolay Bashko talk with Metropolitan Police Department officers near Nationals Park, Aug. 19, 2025. The President of the United States uniquely commands the D.C. National Guard through the Secretary of Defense. Guard members were activated under the Joint Task Force–District of Columbia as part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force to support District and federal partners in safeguarding property and ensuring the functions of government.
D.C. National Guard Supports Law Enforcement at Nationals Park
By Spc. Carrol Walter Hughes IV, | Aug. 22, 2025
WASHINGTON – Soldiers and Airmen assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia walked the concourse of Nationals Park Aug. 19 as part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force with an ongoing mission to support local law...