Welcome Home Plan

to Transition Veterans from Active Duty to New Jobs

Providing the Vision and Leadership Needed to Help Veterans Transition to Employment

Councilmember Carl DeMaio

City of San Diego January 2012

Veteran Unemployment in San Diego

Asaproudmilitarytownwithalargepopulationofservicemembersandveterans,SanDiego mustbeacitycommittedtoensuringourveteransaresuccessfullyemployeduponleavingthe militaryandenteringthecivilianworkforce. Therewereroughly200,000moreveteransinthelaborforcethisJunethantherewereayear earlier,accordingtotheBureauofLaborStatisticsandtheLosAngelesTimes.(VeteransFace HighUnemploymentAfterMilitaryService.LosAngelesTimes,July11,2011)

Veterans Employment at a Glance

UnemploymentrateforCalifornia veteransage18to24istwicethe averagefornonveterans. 200thousandmoreveteransinthe USworkforcenowthanlastyear. 252,898veteranscurrentlyin SanDiegoCounty.

Unfortunately,ahigherpercentageofveteransendup withoutemploymentthantheaveragepopulation.Infact, recentveteransfaceunemploymentratestwiceashighas therestofthepopulation,accordingtonewsreports. (UnemploymentRateTwiceAsHighforYoungWar Veterans.KPBSSanDiego,November23,2010.) Wecannotstandbyasthosewhofighttoprotectour freedomsreturntocivilianlifeunpreparedtosuccessfully entertheworkforce.ThatiswhyCarlDeMaiohas proposedhisWelcomeHomePlantotransitionveterans fromactivedutytonewjobs.

Therearecurrentlymanyorganizationsandvolunteersouttherealreadyworkinghardtohelp veteranswithjobtraining.However,manyinvolvedwithveteransjobtrainingprograms explainedatCarlDeMaiosrecentPathwaytoProsperityTownHallForumsthatthereisaneed formorecoordinationandcooperationbetweenthevariousagencies,nonprofits,and employerslookingtohireveterans. TheproposalsincludedintheWelcomeHomePlanaimtoaddress thoseconcernsandprovideabetterframeworkforSanDiegos veteranstoaccesstheresourcesavailabletothem.

We cannot stand idly by as returning veterans face unemployment rates twice as high as the rest of the workforce.
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Carl DeMaio
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The Welcome Home Plan by Councilmember Carl DeMaio

Proposal 1 Launch Veterans Helping Veterans Volunteer Initiative to Assist with Career Training
CarlDeMaiosWelcomeHomePlanfirstproposesthecreationofaVeteransHelping Veteransvolunteerinitiative,modeledafterasimilarprogramthathasprovensuccessfulin Houston,Texas.ThisprogramwouldincreasetheCitysoutreachtotransitioningveteransand theirfamiliesbyrecruitingandtrainingpeermentors(veteranswhohavesuccessfully transitionedtocivilianlife)tohelpthemaccess servicessuchasjobandcareertraining,housing assistance,andmentalwellness/healthcare. Manyveteranshaveastrongdesiretohelptheir fellowveteransreintegrateintocivilianlife.This programwillprovidetheavenuetodojustthat byprovidingveterantoveteranmentoringopportunitiestothosethatneedassistance reintegratingintosociety,increasingthenumberofmentorsandvolunteersavailablefor veteransassistance,offeringveteransopportunitiestoassisttheirpeers,andincreasing awarenessofveteransissuesthroughoutSanDiego. CarlDeMaiohasproventhatvolunteerruninitiativeslikethiscanbesuccessfulviaeffortsto cleanupthecommunitiesherepresentsinSanDiegosFifthCouncilDistrict.Andwhilethe WelcomeHomePlanenvisionsthisasavolunteerruninitiative,theCityshouldconsider workingwiththeSanDiegoWorkforcePartnership,lookingatCommunityDevelopmentBlock Grantfunding,andotheravailablegrantsandprivateinvestmenttomakethisprogramas robustandeffectiveaspossible.
Houstons Successful Veterans-Helping-Veterans Volunteer Program The Houston Veterans Continuing Service initiative recruits and trains peer mentors (veterans who have successfully transitioned to civilian life) to help returning veterans access services such as job/career training, housing assistance, and mental wellness/health care. Goals include: Helping veterans that need assistance reintegrate into society Increasing the number of mentors and volunteers available for veterans assistance Offering veterans opportunities to assist their peers Increasing awareness of veterans issues throughout the City of Houston.

The Welcome Home Plan by Councilmember Carl DeMaio

Proposal 2 Partner with regional governments to provide a liaison to military TAP classes & encourage veteran employment within the City of San Diego
TheCitymustworkwiththemilitarysexistingTAPprogramtobringjobopportunitiesand jobtrainingprogramstotheveteranswhoneedthem.Theseclassesprovideagreat opportunitytorecruitthebestandbrightestmilitaryveteranstotheCityofSanDiegos workforce.Additionally,theCitymustmakechangestoitshiringpoliciestoattractandretain moreveterans.TheWelcomeHomePlanproposestworeformsinthisarea: CreateaTransitionAssistanceProgramLiaison TAPclasses,orTransitionAssistanceProgramclasses,helpservicemembersduringtheir periodoftransitionintocivilianlifebyofferingjobsearchassistanceandrelatedservices. ThelawcreatingTAPestablishedapartnershipbetween thefollowingfederaldepartments:Departmentof Defense,DepartmentofVeteransAffairs,Departmentof Transportation,andtheDepartmentofLabor'sVeterans' EmploymentandTrainingService(VETS).ThegoalofTAP is,togiveemploymentandtraininginformationtoarmed forcesmemberswithin12monthsofseparationor24 monthsofretirement. AccordingtotheNavy,Anindependentnational evaluationoftheprogramestimatedthatservice memberswhohadparticipatedinTAP,onaverage,found theirfirstpostmilitaryjobthreeweekssoonerthan thosewhodidnotparticipateinTAP.(TAPclasshelps outprocessingsailorsadjust.MikeEngland,NavalAir StationJacksonvillePublicAffairs,Navy.mil,11/12/2003) Clearly,thereisasignificantvalueforveteranswhoparticipateinTAPclasses.However,ata recentPathwaytoProsperityTownHallForum,hostedbyCarlDeMaio,multipleindividuals involvedinveteransjobtrainingprogramsremarkedthattheCityofSanDiego,otherlocal municipalities,nonprofits,employers,andoutsidejobtrainingprogramsshouldworkwiththe militarytobetterconnectwithTAPparticipants.Oneparticipantremarkedthat,sometimes theTAPinstructorspenthisentirecareerinthemilitaryandhaslittleornoexperienceactually transitioningintothecivilianworkforce.

The Welcome Home Plan by Councilmember Carl DeMaio

CouncilmemberCarlDeMaioisproposingthattheCityofSanDiegopartnerwithotherlocal municipalitiestohavearecruiteronsiteatTAPclassesandrecruitretiringservicemembersto jobsinlocalgovernment.Additionally,thisliaisonshouldprovideinformationaboutveterans jobplacementprograms,andprovideinformationonjobopportunitiesintheprivatesector. Thisliaisonwouldprovidethebridgebetweenmilitaryserviceandasuccessfulcareerincivilian life. ImproverecruitmentandretentionofveteransinCityemployment CarlDeMaiosupportedlastyearschangetotheSanDiegoCityCharterwhichincreased employmentopportunitiesforveterans.AnoutdatedlineintheCodeprovidedanadvantageto veteransapplyingforCitywork,butonlyifthatveteranwasadraftedmemberofthearmed forces.Withthenationsallvoluntarymilitary,veteransreturninghomefromIraq,Afghanistan, andelsewhere,werenotabletotakeadvantageofthatbenefit. DeMaioandhisCouncilcolleaguesvotedunanimouslytochangethatlanguageandamended theCityChartertoincreaseopportunitiesforveteransinCityemployment. Movingforward,theCityshouldprovideadditionalincentivesforourlocalveteranstoapplyfor employmentwiththeCityofSanDiego.Additionalweightprovidedforcombatveterans, injuredveterans,andothersimilarcategorieswouldensurethatthosewhosacrificedforour freedomsherewouldreceiveanincentivetoapplyforCityemployment,andwouldfind themselvesmorecompetitiveforthosejobs. TheCityofSanDiegowouldbeluckytohavemoreoftheworkethic,expertise,anddedication thatveteransbringtotheworkplacehereattheCity.

The Welcome Home Plan by Councilmember Carl DeMaio 4

Proposal 3 Partner with San Diego 211 to improve one-stop access for veterans resources
SanDiego211isa24/7phoneservicededicatedtoconnectingpeoplewithcommunity,health, anddisasterservices,aswellasveteranspecificresources. WhenSanDiegansdial211,theyareconnectedtoalive,trainedClientServiceRepresentative (CSR)whocannavigatethecountyssystemofresourcesand,accordingtotheirwebsite, prescreenyouforpossibleprogramandbenefiteligibility,andconnectyoutothebestmilitary orveteransresourcesandbenefitinformationbasedonbranchofservice,statusofservice includingveteransandactiveduty,andbycategory,suchasbehavioralhealth,education,and employment. Withsuchausefultoolcurrentlyavailableforveterans,theWelcomeHomePlanproposesthat weshouldbeutilizingthisandactivelypartneringwiththeCountyofSanDiegotoexpandand improvethisprogram. ArepresentativefromSanDiego211shouldbeincludedintheTAPproposalabove,andthe CityshouldconsiderallocatingsomeCDBGfundstotheseprograms,ifpossible.

The Welcome Home Plan by Councilmember Carl DeMaio

Proposal 4 Work to streamline licensing and certification processes so that skills learned in the military can be more easily translated into a civilian job.
AnotherissuethatcameupduringthePathwaytoProsperityJobCreationForums,hostedby CouncilmemberCarlDeMaio,wastheinabilityofveteranstosmoothlyandeasilytakethe trainingtheyreceivedinthemilitaryandtransitionthatintothecivilianworkforce. Manytimes,aveteranwillhavetogothroughtheentireprocessoflicensingandcertification requiredinthecivilianworldtoperformataskthattheymayhavemasteredduringtheirtime asaservicemember.TheWelcomeHomePlanproposesasolution. WhilemanyoftheseskillsarelicensedandcertifiedbytheStateofCalifornia,theCityshould partnerwithlocaltradeorganizationsandveteransjobtrainingorganizationstodetermine whichprofessionshavethegreatestneedforreforminthisarea,andworkwithlocalstate legislatorstoimplementthatreforminSacramentotostreamlinethecertificationprocessfor skilledveterans.

Proposal 5 Ensure that the USO has a permanent facility in San Diego so that military members can integrate into San Diego life even before leaving active duty
TheUSOofSanDiegocurrentlyoperatesinaCityownedbuildingdowntown.Withthesaleof thatbuildinglikelycomingwithinthenextyear,itisvitalthattheCityofSanDiegoensurethat theUSO,andalloftheprogramsitbringstoservicemembers,continuestohaveastable, permanenthomeintheCityofSanDiego. DeMaioproposesworkingwiththeUSOtoensurethatthisimportantresourcecontinuesto providesupportandassistancetoSanDiegomilitarymembersandtheirfamilies. DeMaiohashadextensivediscussionswiththeCitysRealEstateAssetsDepartment,theUSO, andotherstodiscusspotentialsolutionstoensurethattheUSOcontinuestohaveafacilityto operatefrom,whetheritisthecurrentlocation,oranevenbetterlocationinthefuture.

The Welcome Home Plan by Councilmember Carl DeMaio

OnepossiblefuturelocationisLibertyStation,SanDiegosformerNavalTrainingCenter,which hasamplevacantspaceandprovidesacentral,easytoaccesslocationforbothveteransand activemilitarypersonnel.

Proposal 6 Creation of a Military and Veterans Advisory Board for the City of San Diego
TheCityofSanDiegohasanumberofBoardsandCommissionswhichdealwithvarioustopics rangingfromthePlanningCommissiontotheMissionBayParkCommitteetotheInternational AffairsBoard. Whilesomehavearguedthattherearetoomanyboardsandcommissionsatthecity,one boardworthhavingisaMilitaryandVeteransAffairsAdvisoryBoard.Thisboard,madeupof veterans,servicemembers,representativesfromSanDiegosnumerousmilitaryfacilitiesand bases,andthedefenseindustry,wouldprovideguidanceandadviceonimportantissuesfacing themilitaryandveterans. IftheWelcomeHomePlanisadoptedbyCityleaders,oneofthefirstactionsthisboardwould beencouragedtotakewouldbeapartnershipwiththemilitarysTAPclasses,aimedat transitioningoutgoingservicemembersintothecivilianworkforce.Detailsonthatproposalcan befoundbelow. The Welcome Home Plan by Councilmember Carl DeMaio 7

Proposal 7 Expanding city contracting opportunities to companies hiring veterans

ManyofSanDiegossmallbuisnessownerswouldliketobidoncitycontracts,whetheritisa constructionprojectorprovidingotherservices.Unfortunately,theprocesstobidonthose contractscanbeconfusingandoverwhelmingformanysmallbusinesses.Evenlargecompanies havefoundtheprocessdifficulttonavigate,withsomeoptingoutoftheapplicationprocess altogether. WhiletheCityneedstomakethisprocesseasierforallbusinessowners,theWelcomeHome Planencouragesaspecialemphasistoattractcompanieswhichemployalargenumberof veterans. CouncilmemberDeMaioisproposingthatcompanieswhichwillcompleteaprojectwithatleast 50%oftheworkdonebyveteransreceivea2.5%bidpreference,andcompanieswhichemploy atleast75%veteransonaprojectreceivea5%bidpreference. Thisprogramshouldbepilotedfor2yearsaspartoftheCityssmallbusinessprogramto measuretheamountofveteranemployingcompaniesthatreceivecitycontracts.

The Welcome Home Plan by Councilmember Carl DeMaio