The VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 was passed and signed into law last November in an effort to combat veteran unemployment. Included in this new law is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) for unemployed veterans, which begins on July 1, 2012. Appications for the VRAP can be submitted starting on May 15, 2012.

VRAP will offer 12 months of training assistance to 99,000 unemployed veterans who are at least 35 years old, but no older than 60. Eligible participants will receive up to 12 months of training assistance at the full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program (currently $1,473 per month). In addition, the Department of Labor will offer employment assistance to every veteran who participates or applies to the VRAP.

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center

801 Mount Vernon Place NW, Washington, D.C.

January 13, 2012

8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m

As part of the "Hiring our Heroes" program, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its partners are hosting the nation's largest career forum and hiring fair dedicated exclusively to military spouses. For more information or to register for this free event, job seekers and employers can go to hoh.greatjob.net. Registration closes January 10, 2012.

About "Hiring our Heroes": In March of 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched its Hiring our Heroes program, a year-long nationwide effort to help veterans and their spouses find meaningful employment. The Chamber started the program in partnership with the Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS), to improve public-private sector coordination in local communities, where veterans and their families are returning every day. Working with an extensive network of state and local chambers, DOL VETS, the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), and other strategic partners, Hiring our Heroes matches veteran talent with career opportunities in the private sector.



In December 2011, DoD Reserve Affairs introduced its Hero2Hired (H2H) website (www.H2H.jobs) to connect job-seeking Reserve Component Service members and veterans with employers. Established in conjunction with YRRP, H2H.jobs is a free online search engine and community that enables job seekers to search for jobs using military specialties and other criteria, take a career assessment to match skills and interests with careers, learn about different industries, and find a wealth of training and informational resources to assist in seeking a job.

"Hero2Hired is a powerful, comprehensive employment program designed to serve the unique and specific needs of the Reserve Component. It's unlike any other Service member or veteran employment assistance program currently out there" says David L. McGinnis, acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.

H2H.jobs includes a mobile application for smartphones and tablets, and a search tool for military units to use inside their own Facebook and Twitter sites. H2H will also conduct numerous in-person and virtual H2H job fairs and will use its H2H mobile job resource center and trained representatives to support 200 event days around the country in areas with high RC unemployment. Visit H2H.jobs today!