EMPLOYMENT

AMVETS, working with a broad coalition of other veterans service organizations, is committed to seeking full access to employment opportunities for our nation’s veterans. It is important that programs and policies at the federal level continue to help veterans establish private businesses by providing them with technical, financial and procurement assistance, thus allowing more of them to become part of the American work force.

AMVETS will remain vigilant in supporting the delivery of federally funded programs that ensure priority employment and training services for veterans. We believe the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is a quality program and a key component in the assimilation of veterans into the workforce and should be established at every DoD installation.

AMVETS, therefore, seeks actions that will—

• ensure that all employment and training programs not only require veterans preference, but give priority of service to veterans and strengthen general oversight and compliance provisions currently in effect;
• provide adequate funding for DVOP and LVER programs and see that sufficient staff is available to provide adequate services to veterans;
• support efforts to strengthen the Veterans Employment and Training Service and insist that it remain within the Department of Labor;
• strengthen TAP and improve service members’ access to its programs; and
• provide sufficient funding to the National Veterans Training Institute to ensure training of personnel to assist veterans in finding employment in an ever-changing environment;
• insist Congress act on licensing and certification efforts to encompass military training and work experience in the Workforce and Investment Act; and
• call on the VA to set the example of practicing veterans preference on employment opportunities within the department.