Hiring our heroes

  • Published
  • By Peggy Hodge
  • Space and Missile Systems Center Public Affairs
LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) --  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, attended and spoke to more than 1,500 veterans and their spouses July 10, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hiring fair in Los Angeles.

The job fair, called Hiring Our Heroes -- Los Angeles, was designed to connect veterans and military spouses to 21st-century job opportunities with nearly two hundred Fortune 500 companies, said retired Marine Lt. Col. Kevin Schmiegel, the vice president of veterans employment programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"With more than 100,000 unemployed veterans in California, representing 10 percent of the nationwide total, we are making this the biggest of the 100 hiring fairs that we will conduct in all 50 states over the next year," Schmiegel said.

"We are especially grateful for the participation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge," he said. "Given their own service as a military officer and spouse, they have an appreciation for the challenges military (members) face on a day-to-day basis. There is no doubt that their involvement helped raise awareness of the need to connect talented veterans and military spouses with employers who require a skilled workforce in local communities across America."

Veterans and military spouses from the active, National Guard and Reserve ranks from all services, including the Coast Guard, were eligible to attend the event.

Various Los Angeles agencies offered preparation workshops prior to the hiring fair in areas such as "dress for success," with some agencies offering men's suits and ties and women's shoes. A salon in Beverly Hills offered haircuts, manicures and makeovers. Resume review services were also available.

For "Hiring Our Heroes Los Angeles," the U.S. Chamber and the Los Angeles Area Chambers of Commerce partnered with ServiceNation: Mission Serve, the Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service, the Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, Employment Development Department of the State of California, the Society for Human Resource Management and United Way of Los Angeles.

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.