REDSTONE ARESENAL, Ala. -- The U.S. Army Materiel Command's Always a Soldier program recently celebrated 10 years of hiring and placing veterans in government positions.
Kimberly Reese is one of 532 veterans placed in a position since the program's inception in 2004. Now an executive assistant for the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command's deputy commanding general, Reese says she is happy to be surrounded by soldiers and working for the Army. "I love the military and with this job, I'm still with the military," Reese said. "That's very important to me."
She spent more than 20 years in uniform and retired as a non-commissioned officer. She worked contract jobs that took her overseas before the Always a Soldier program helped her land a Department of the Army civilian position.
Always a Soldier is an initiative that helps veterans like Reese find jobs both within the Army Materiel Command and outside the organization.
"We provide a continuity of support for service members as they transition to civilian life," said Debra Coleman, the program's director.
As one of three Army command's, AMC has a presence in all 50 states and 144 countries. Ten Major Subordinate Commands, including the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command where Reese now works, report to the headquarters. This broad reach provides access to various professional positions.
Always a Soldier launched under the direction of Gen. Paul J. Kern, who was commanding general of AMC from October 2001 to November 2004.
"At that time, warrior transition programs were effective in placing veterans, but they didn't reach everyone," Coleman said. "The idea for the Always a Soldier program was to assist veterans who didn't have a targeted disability."
In 2011, the program expanded by joining forces with the Naval Sea Systems Command's veterans hiring program. The two commands combined employ a total of more than 150,000 civilians, Coleman said.
Honorably discharged veterans from any U.S. Armed Service who served during a conflict, or veterans with at least a 30 percent disability rating qualify for the program. The program allows a non-competitive hiring action for selected positions. Always a Soldier also partners with outside agencies and contractors to help place qualified veterans.
"Candidates must be fully qualified for the position," Coleman said. Civilian personnel officials evaluate candidates resumes for government positions like any other applicant.
Not only has she seen the program's achievements for veterans, Coleman has experienced its success on a personal level. As a disabled Air Force veteran, Coleman applied to the program while she was serving in a temporary civilian position in Alaska.
Coleman was hired as the program's director in October 2008. At that time, the program had about 60 participants. She began attending career fairs and advertising on the Internet to raise awareness about the program and to help it grow.
"I started educating hiring officials and reaching out to all the major subordinate commands to establish contacts," Coleman said. Now each major subordinate command has an Always a Soldier representative. Those representatives are volunteers who take on the role as an additional duty.
"We have quarterly meetings and I encourage these representatives to go to career fairs and spread the news about the program," Coleman said. "A lot of our advertising is by word of mouth."
As she educates hiring officials, Coleman helps them understand that using the program can speed the hiring process. Positions hired through the program can often be filled in three to six months, she said. Hiring officials also have the prerogative to expand the position descriptions making them developmental positions. Doing so often allows them to provide training and advancement to the new employee.
Part of the program's success is the database that tracks the candidates. Coleman said the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of the Army have expressed interest in replicating AMC's tool.
"Our database has evolved over the years," Coleman said. "We now have a searchable system that makes our process easier and more effective."
Mike Mullins, deputy chief of AMC's Commanding General's Initiative Group said he used the program to fill a position in his office. "The program helped us match a veteran's skillset to our position," Mullins said. "Veterans do well in this environment because they come with a solid understanding of the military and how we operate."
Besides being an asset for the organization, that military understanding is also good for the veterans who are placed through the program.
As she wraps up another day on the job, Reese said she is glad she connected with the Always a Soldier program. "For me, it's a great way to use what I know to continue my Army service," said Reese.
Social Sharing