SALUTE TO MVEs and ARMED FORCES DAY CivilianJOBS.com’s
The Essential Military-to-Civilian Transition Resource May - June 2016
militarytransitionnews.com
by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor
W
hen rating the “value” of a civilian employer, veterans agree that it comes down to knowing who has your back at the end of the day. For some, that means an employer has programs and mentors in place to help them advance their careers and professional development. For others, a valuable employer is one that throws full support their way when they are called to active duty. Some companies make special efforts to roll out targeted programs to recruit veterans as new employees. The businesses that are recognized today as winners of the 2016 Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military presented by DeVry University share these attributes and more. Take Domino Amjet Inc., where Eduard Mekler, Project Engineer is a team member. The company empowered him to expand his Navy background as an Electronics Technician by offering tuition assistance to further his education in electronic engineering. “It is impossible to walk through Domino’s office without walking past a Soldier, Marine, Sailor or Airman. Much like its slogan, ‘Do More,’ Domino goes out of the way to do more for our veterans,” Mekler says.
At Bank of America, Erika Paulo says the Global Banking & Markets Veteran Associate Program was “fantastic.” It provides selected veterans with job training and experience in the sales, trading, research and banking businesses over a nine-week period. “The fact that I was in this program with 10 other veterans was invaluable. I never felt alone in the process. Being plugged into a network was key to my success. I found that my strengths - communication, leadership, motivation, organization skills translated universally,” says Paulo, Vice President, Operational Risk Senior Specialist. Glenn Donelin is the Worldwide Supply Chain Program Manager at Intel – but also a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, serving as a Civil-Military Operations Officer for Pacific Command supporting Disaster Response and Humanitarian Assistance coordination. Intel colleagues recently backed him in a strong way. “In late April 2015, when the Nepal earthquake occurred, I was asked to support the Joint Task Force relief coordination from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. each evening. As a worldwide Supply Chain Program Manager for Intel Corporation in the Customer Fulfillment Planning & Logistics Group, my Intel meetings also can occur at many different times
ANNOUNCING THE
2016 Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military® with partners around the world. Numerous Intel team members pitched in to ensure deliverables continued to be met, meetings held and that I actually had a chance to sleep each day. It was very much like the whole team was helping support the relief efforts. Of course, we all hope these type of events do not occur, but it is great to know the entire Intel team is supportive and ready to step in and help when ‘we’ get called,” Donelin says. Sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most to veterans, especially if they’re still serving in the Guard or Reserves, and especially if they’re leaving family members behind. That was the case for John Freed, the Director of Operations for the 111th Reconnaissance Squadron at Ellington field in Houston (with 21 years of military service). He also is a first officer at Southwest Airlines and the Military Liaison to Flight Operations.
“The Southwest-militar y partnership is critical for our nation and maintaining balance for me and my family,” Freed says. He notes that he was mobilized for two years for Operation Enduring Freedom, and Southwest Airlines was very supportive. “They kept in contact with me and my family while I was on military duty, sending gifts to my wife, such as a little framed flag. The card included said, ‘Thank you for your sacrifice and contribution to our country.’ A little bit of love from Southwest goes a long way when it comes to your family. When I came off my mobilization, Southwest
treated me as if I had never been gone. Southwest treated me like gold; it was a great experience,” Freed says. Many companies frequently say that hiring veterans isn’t just good business – it’s also the right thing to do. DeVry University, which is sponsoring this recognition, notes that the winners have taken steps to support veterans, even beyond that. There’s more. Turn to page 8 to learn about the recruiting, training and retention programs that the 2016 Most Valuable Employers for Military are delivering for military veterans.
“DeVry University is honored to be able to help recognize the companies who value the contributions of military-experienced employees. As an educator of veterans, we are fortunate to be able to witness the contributions that military service members make in Corporate America on a daily basis, and we salute the employers who are the 2016 honorees.” - Russell Gill, Vice President Military Affairs
Military Leadership in Action:
A Q&A with Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President Dale P. Bennett by MTN Staff
D
ale P. Bennett is executive vice president of 2016 MVE honoree Lockheed Martin and their Mission Systems and Training (MST) business area. In this role, Mr. Bennett oversees the execution of programs for the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy, as
well as for international military, civil and commercial customers. MST employs approximately 17,000 people across the globe, including more than 2,000 in Australia, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom and other countries. MST’s portfolio features more than 1,000 programs, such as the Aegis Combat System, Littoral
Combat Ship, MH-60 helicopter avionics, ocean energy, and military and commercial training systems, including for the F-35 Lightning II. Mr. Bennett served honorably in the U.S. Air Force. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of South Carolina-Columbia, a master’s degree in engineering from Johns
Hopkins University and an MBA from the Sloan Fellows Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. To help commemorate the Most Valuable Employers for Military issue and Armed Forces Day, MTN caught up with Mr. Bennett and asked him continues page 4
INSIDE THIS MONTH’S MOST VALUABLE EMPLOYER ISSUE Transition Talk: The First Step ....................page 3
Feature:
Finance:
Career Coach’s Corner:
Job Fairs:
What’s In Your Record? ...............page 6
Maximize Your Benefits ........page 16
The Best Job For You ..................page 19
Coming to a Town Near You ..... page 22