U.S. Chamber, USO, and Hire Heroes USA Partnership Will Put America’s Wounded Warriors Back to Work

‘Career Opportunity Days’ to Begin at Ft. Carson, Ft. Belvoir

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Building on the success of its ‘Hiring our Heroes’ initiative, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced it will collaborate with the USO and Hire Heroes USA to host transition workshops and career opportunity days for wounded, ill, or injured military personnel and their families. These events will provide wounded warriors, their spouses, and their caregivers with the foundation of skills they need to pursue higher education, obtain civilian employment, or fine-tune their military skills as they transition to the private sector.

“Let there be no doubt, the U.S. Chamber is committed to our military heroes for the long haul, and we are proud to work alongside organizations like the USO and Hire Heroes USA that are making a difference for military families every day,” said Kevin M. Schmiegel, LtCol, USMC (Ret.) and vice president of the U.S. Chamber. “As we work with the Administration, Congress, and the business community to put Americans back to work, we should pay special attention to the military veterans who have protected our freedoms.”

The first component of the Chamber’s partnership with the USO and Hire Heroes USA will be hosting career opportunity days starting at both Ft. Carson, CO and Ft. Belvoir, VA this spring and expanding to other locations in the second half of 2011. These will be intimate gatherings that allow the prospective employers, the wounded warriors, and their spouses to have one-on-one conversations in a less intimidating environment than a traditional career fair.

“These events take into account the unique transition from the battlefield to the workplace,” Schmiegel said. “We’re committed to helping make this as seamless of a process as possible for the young men and women who have sacrificed so much for our nation. And we believe the Chamber can play a unique role in bringing together companies of all sizes and sectors to help with this important effort.”

The second component of the partnership will be to serve as a resource for the wounded warriors and their spouses as they re-integrate into their local communities and home towns. The state and local chambers of commerce are well-connected in both the public and private sectors and can help to build a network of support in the communities where our nation’s heroes and their families are living. This initiative, which focuses on wounded warriors, is part of a larger effort by the U.S. Chamber to help all military families transition to the civilian workforce.

“By reaching out to local military commanders, partnering with American companies that have a nationwide presence, and energizing our extensive network of state and local chambers, our hope is to create an environment in which thousands of military veterans and their spouses can find meaningful employment in their home towns and local communities,” continued Schmiegel.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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