Transition summit held on Fort Benning

FORT BENNING, Ga., (March 18, 2015) -- Hundreds of Soldiers, Family members and veterans received assistance with their transition into civilian life March 11-14, as Fort Benning played host to the Fort Benning Soldier for Life Transition Summit.

"It's truly Fort Benning's privilege to host such an important event for our Soldiers, veterans and Family members," said Col. Michail Huerter, garrison commander.

The event was presented by the Department of Defense, Army, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring our Heroes foundation, the Transition Assistance Program, the Army's Soldier for Life program and the Small Business Administration.

Deputy Secretary of Labor Christopher Lu was among the officials present during the event, and he encouraged employers to make hiring veterans a priority.

"If you've slept outside, worked on a tank or commanded troops in a difficult situation, you can basically handle anything in the civilian world," Lu said. "Military members are great leaders, think on their feet, work hard, show up on time, know how to improvise and know how to deal with difficult situations. That's why we love hiring veterans and why we encourage private-sector employers to do the same thing."

He also said the Department of Labor is proud to take a leading role in assisting service members with transition into civilian life.

"All the civilian employers I talk to are eager to get veterans into their workforce, and I know that because we at the Department of Labor are one of the leaders in the federal government in terms of hiring service members and veterans," Lu said. "Last year, about 30 percent of the new hires at the U.S. Department of Labor were veterans. We are leaders in this area, and we work very closely with private sector employers to show them the value of hiring former military members."

The summit included a hiring fair for service members, Family members and veterans; business and career presentations by top entrepreneurs; and one-on-one workshops to help Soldiers, veterans and Family members hone their job-seeking skills.

It also featured events for employers, such as discussion panels, recruiter training and discussions on improving competitive employment for service members, veterans and military spouses.

Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, one of the event's keynote speakers, said the values service members are instilled with are needed in the civilian sector.

"We need to ... infuse (civilian businesses with) your character, leadership, dynamic ability, hunger, innovation and creativity," he said. "The big idea isn't that you deserve to be hired - it's which company is good enough to have you because you're going to change that company the day you arrive. You're a Soldier for life. The mission hasn't stopped - the mission continues. We're going to make America better."

Lu said the event was a great way to kickstart the transition process for many Soldiers.

"The skills you've acquired in military life translate really well to the civilian world - you've just got to figure out how to make that translation," he said. "People who have been in the military are natural leaders, and they're fantastic running organizations from very small to very large. This (was) a wonderful multifaceted effort to begin that transition process for a lot of people."

For any Soldier, Family member or veteran who may have missed the summit, Lu encouraged them to visit one of the Department of Labor's more than 2,500 American Job Centers, the closest of which can be found at 700 Veterans Parkway in Columbus.

"Last year, we served 1.2 million veterans that came through our doors," he said. "We provided services to them, whether it was assessing their skills, helping them with their resumes or connecting them with employers. We often say the Department of Labor is a little bit like Match.com for employers. We help connect employers to people who are looking for jobs. Whether you're a job seeker, we encourage you to come in. If you're an employer looking to bring on great talent, come in. ... Veterans who come into an American Job Center get priority of service. You go straight to the front of the line. We ensure you get top-notch service and you get it first."