American Legion effort to find jobs for returning service personnel is May 16 Newsmaker topic

A new American Legion program to help returning servicemen and women turn their military training and expertise into private-sector professional certifications and licenses — and improve their chances of finding employment — will be the topic of a National Press Club Newsmakers news conference Friday, May 16, at 10 a.m. in the Bloomberg Room.

The Legion's program is targeted at lowering unemployment among returning military personnel under age 25, which in recent years 25 has hovered around 18 percent.

Speakers will be Steve Gonzalez, deputy Director of Employment and Education Programs for the American Legion, and Bill Brigman, senior policy analyst with the firm SOLID LLC.

They will discuss the program's effort to help soon-to-be veterans attain private-sector professional credentials before they separate from the military. The goal is to win faster placement of returning service personnel into private-sector jobs by providing hiring authorities better understanding of their knowledge, skills and abilities.

Like all Newsmaker events, this news conference is open to credentialed media and National Press Club members. It is free of charge and no advance registration is necessary.