Career fair
Potential employers speak to job seekers at the Lone Star Conference Center during the Workforce Solutions Central Texas' Hiring Red, White and You event at Fort Hood, Texas, Nov. 4. (Photo Credit: Blair Dupre, Fort Hood Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT HOOD, Texas - For the first time, Workforce Solutions Central Texas teamed up with the Great Place to host the Hiring Red, White and You career fair at the Lone Star Conference Center here, Nov. 4.

“It’s important because we have to continue to support growth, well being … not just for Soldiers when they come in and when they’re serving, but … after they’ve served honorably and done all these great things for the country. We have to show them that our obligation to them and our commitment to them doesn’t end,” Col. Chad R. Foster, commander, U.S. Army Garrison – Fort Hood, said. “(Soldiers and their family members are) important to us, regardless at what point in their service they are. Even as they’re moving on to that next phase, we’re showing we’re still committed to them, they’re still important to us and we’ll do whatever we can to help them.”

Nearly 200 employers were on hand, looking to inform members of the Fort Hood community of more than 140,000 job opportunities.

“There’s a lot of opportunity here and hopefully everyone comes out and takes advantage of it,” Foster concluded.

Amber Winter, marketing and communications manager at Workforce Solutions Central Texas, said this is the first time that the organization has teamed up with a military base for Hiring Red, White and You, and she hopes the event can be used as a blueprint for others to follow.

“Being near Fort Hood, we knew that we had a connection to veterans that no one else in the state had,” Winter said. “This is the first time it’s ever been done with a military installation, so it was a little nerve racking to see if they would approve that and they did.”

“It’s a win-win situation for us because, ultimately, we want to hire transitioning Soldiers or military members and their families as they leave active duty,” added Jerry Hernandez, a transition services specialist with the Fort Hood Transition Assistance Program.

Winters said she hopes this is the first of many collaborative efforts, adding “... we hope this is a partnership for the future.”