[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.A.S.C. No. 113-37]
=====================================================================
STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE VOW ACT
AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
PRESIDENTIAL VETERANS EMPLOYMENT
INITIATIVE TASK FORCE FOR THE DOD
TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM--
GOALS, PLANS, AND SUCCESS (GPS)
__________
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
HEARING HELD
APRIL 24, 2013
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED]
SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL
JOE WILSON, South Carolina, Chairman
WALTER B. JONES, North Carolina SUSAN A. DAVIS, California
JOSEPH J. HECK, Nevada ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania
AUSTIN SCOTT, Georgia MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO, Guam
BRAD R. WENSTRUP, Ohio DAVID LOEBSACK, Iowa
JACKIE WALORSKI, Indiana NIKI TSONGAS, Massachusetts
CHRISTOPHER P. GIBSON, New York CAROL SHEA-PORTER, New Hampshire
KRISTI L. NOEM, South Dakota
Craig Greene, Professional Staff Member
Debra Wada, Professional Staff Member
Colin Bosse, Staff Assistant
C O N T E N T S
----------
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF HEARINGS
2013
Page
Hearing:
Wednesday, April 24, 2013, Status of Implementation of the
Requirements of the VOW Act and the Recommendations of the
Presidential Veterans Employment Initiative Task Force for the
DOD Transition Assistance Program--Goals, Plans, and Success
(GPS).......................................................... 1
Appendix:
Wednesday, April 24, 2013........................................ 21
----------
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2013
STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE VOW ACT AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL VETERANS EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE TASK
FORCE FOR THE DOD TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM--GOALS, PLANS, AND
SUCCESS (GPS)
STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Davis, Hon. Susan A., a Representative from California, Ranking
Member, Subcommittee on Military Personnel..................... 2
Wilson, Hon. Joe, a Representative from South Carolina, Chairman,
Subcommittee on Military Personnel............................. 1
WITNESSES
Kelly, Dr. Susan S., Deputy Director, Transition to Veterans
Program Office, U.S. Department of Defense..................... 3
Moran, John K., Deputy Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment
and Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor................. 4
Pummill, Danny, Director, Veterans Benefits Administration--
Department of Defense Program Office, U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs............................................... 6
APPENDIX
Prepared Statements:
Davis, Hon. Susan A.......................................... 27
Kelly, Dr. Susan S........................................... 29
Moran, John K................................................ 52
Pummill, Danny............................................... 61
Wilson, Hon. Joe............................................. 25
Documents Submitted for the Record:
[There were no Documents submitted.]
Witness Responses to Questions Asked During the Hearing:
Mrs. Davis................................................... 75
Questions Submitted by Members Post Hearing:
Mr. Gibson................................................... 79
STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE VOW ACT AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL VETERANS EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE TASK
FORCE FOR THE DOD TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM--GOALS, PLANS, AND
SUCCESS (GPS)
----------
House of Representatives,
Committee on Armed Services,
Subcommittee on Military Personnel,
Washington, DC, Wednesday, April 24, 2013.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:06 p.m., in
room 2212, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Joe Wilson
(chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOE WILSON, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
SOUTH CAROLINA, CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL
Mr. Wilson. The hearing will come to order. Today, the
Subcommittee on Military Personnel will hear testimony on the
Transition Assistance Program run by the Department of Defense,
Department of Labor, and Department of Veterans Affairs, which
assists transitioning military members as they prepare to
separate from their military service to civilian life.
Normally, the military transitions just as many service
members back to society as they enlist every year, but during
the next several years as the military reduces end strength
that number will grow.
So it is critical that transitioning service members are
provided with the right information they need to make important
decisions to support their future endeavors. When Congress
established the Transition Assistance Program in 1991, the
military was also undergoing a drawdown, but it this was not
conducted after more than 10 years of combat with men and women
participating in multiple combat deployments. The high number
of deployments and the high unemployment rate for the post-9/11
veterans has generated several changes that affect the program.
First of all, the VOW [Veterans Opportunity to Work] to
Hire Heroes Act of 2011 requires all service members who have
been on Active Duty for more than 180 days to participate in
the program. Second, the Veterans Employment Initiative Task
Force made recommendations to revamp and improve the existing
program to ensure members were provided the information and
services they needed tailored to their postmilitary
initiatives. Today, we will hear from witnesses about the
status of the implementation, the changes and improvements to
the Transition Assistance Program and what mechanisms are
available to identify and share best practices, receive
feedback from service members, and how does each agency define
success.
I would like to welcome our distinguished witnesses. Dr.
Susan S. Kelly, Deputy Director, Transition to Veterans Program
Office, Department of Defense; Mr. John K. Moran, Deputy
Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Service,
Department of Labor; Mr. Danny Pummill, Director, Veterans
Benefits Administration, Department of Defense Program Office,
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Ms. Davis, would you have any opening comments?
[The prepared statement of Mr. Wilson can be found in the
Appendix on page 25.]
STATEMENT OF HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
CALIFORNIA, RANKING MEMBER, SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL
Mrs. Davis. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I am
certainly pleased that we are holding this important hearing
today on the current status of the Transition Assistance
Program. I also want to welcome our witnesses; Dr. Kelly, Mr.
Moran, and Mr. Pummill, thank you so much for your presence.
Today's hearing will focus on how the Departments of
Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs are working together--I
would add Education in there, perhaps you can provide some help
with that, as well--to enhance the transition of service
members back to their communities. Over the past several years,
the unemployment levels of those who have served in Iraq and
Afghanistan has received much attention. Many of these
individuals, following their service, return home to a job
market that has been challenging, to say the very least, and to
the communities that have been hard hit economically.
While the economy and the job market continue to slowly
improve, the transition of service members remains a focus of
attention. Efforts to improve the transition services provided
to service members to ensure that they are provided the tools
they need to ensure a smooth reentry into society, that is
absolutely vital to ensure the long-term stability of these
individuals. In our efforts to help service members transition,
there has been considerable attention paid to how we can
improve the transfer of military skills and certifications.
But what is less clear is whether we have an understanding
of where the jobs in the private sector really are, and whether
these new programs provide the capacity for a service member to
transition their skills to meet the demands of the job market.
For example, in 2012 we authorized the Services to allow
transitioning service members to participate in apprenticeship
programs while still in service. The program in San Diego,
which I have had a chance to visit a number of times, is quite
impressive and has trained a number of marines who have gone
into civilian jobs following their successful completion of the
program.
Transitioning out of the service and back into civilian
life can be one of the most stressful events in a person's
life, and it is important that we provide the tools these
individuals need to succeed. So I look forward to hearing from
our witnesses, especially on how we are doing to implement the
new requirements under the VOW Act and the recommendations from
the President's Task Force on Veterans Employment. I am also
interested in learning how the Departments will measure the
effectiveness of these changes and whether there continues to
be gaps in the program that need further focus.
Thank you all again for being here. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman. We look forward to the hearing.
[The prepared statement of Mrs. Davis can be found in the
Appendix on page 27.]
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mrs. Davis. And we will be having
votes at any time. We would proceed right away to hear your
testimony, and then we will very likely recess and then come
back. And so, Dr. Kelly, we will begin with your testimony. As
a reminder, please keep your statements to 3 minutes. We have
your written statements for the record.
Thank you again for being here today.
STATEMENT OF DR. SUSAN S. KELLY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, TRANSITION TO
VETERANS PROGRAM OFFICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Dr. Kelly. Thank you, Chairman Wilson, and thank you,
Ranking Member Davis and the distinguished members of the
subcommittee. I appreciate the opportunity to be here today,
joined by my colleagues from the Departments of Veterans
Affairs, and Labor, to discuss the status of the Department's
implementation of the requirements of the VOW to Hire Heroes
Act of 2011. Our progress on the redesign of the Transition
Assistance Program, known as TAP, and the DOD's [Department of
Defense] views on H.R. 631, the ``Servicemembers' Choice in
Transition Act of 2013.''
TAP, the cornerstone of the Department's transition
efforts, is now a collaborative partnership among the
Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Labor, Education, the
Small Business Administration, and the Office of Personnel
Management. It is the primary platform used to deliver an array
of services and benefits information to separated service
members. Our overall goal at DOD is to ensure those who are
leaving the service are prepared for their next step, whether
that step is pursuing additional education, finding a job in
the public or private sector, or starting their own business.
To that end, the Department and its partners have
fundamentally redesigned TAP, making the needs of today's
service members and their families a top priority. The
redesigned TAP was built around four core objectives discussed
in detail in my written statement. The culmination of the TAP
redesign efforts, the Transition GPS--which stands for ``Goals,
Plans, Success''--encompasses the requirements of the VOW Act.
Moreover, the redesigned TAP establishes the new career
readiness standards, extends the transition preparation through
the entire span of a service member's career, and provides
counseling to facilitate the development of an individual
transition plan.
The Department and our interagency partners are
implementing the redesigned TAP according to the mandates and
the intent of the VOW Act and the recommendations from the
Veterans Employment Initiative Task Force. We have been
implementing part of the redesign since November of 2012, and
we are currently in the second phase of implementation of
Transition GPS, which is targeted for completion by the end of
fiscal year 2013. Furthermore, we are on course toward
implementing the military life cycle transition model by the
end of fiscal year 2014.
The objective of the model is for transition to become a
well-planned, organized progression that empowers service
members to make informed career decisions and take
responsibility for advancing their personal goals.
At this time, I would like to briefly address H.R. 631. The
Department's view is that this legislation would negatively
impact transitioning service members and would significantly
impede the full implementation of the redesigned TAP. DOD and
the military departments, and our interagency partners, are
successfully implementing the redesigned TAP.
The Department believes that the best course of action at
this time is not to provide another prescriptive legislative
remedy, but to let us and our partners continue the
implementation of a new redesigned TAP. Mr. Chairman, this
concludes my statement. On behalf of the men and women in the
military today, and their families, I thank you and the members
of this subcommittee for your steadfast support and leadership
in this important area.
I am happy to answer any questions you or the other members
of the subcommittee may have.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Kelly can be found in the
Appendix on page 29.]
Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much, Dr. Kelly.
We now proceed to Mr. Moran.
STATEMENT OF JOHN K. MORAN, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY,
VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR
Mr. Moran. Good afternoon, Chairman Wilson, Ranking Member
Davis, and members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the
opportunity to participate in today's hearing. My name is John
Moran, and I am honored to serve as the Deputy Assistant
Secretary for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service at
the Department of Labor. DOL [Department of Labor] is committed
to preparing service members and their families to transition
from the military to the civilian workforce.
The Transition Assistance Program, or TAP, is an integral
part of these efforts. TAP is an interagency effort among DOL,
VA [Department of Veterans Affairs], DOD, DHS [Department of
Homeland Security], and various other agencies. Together, we
work to provide separating service members and their spouses
with the training and support they need to successfully
transition to the civilian workforce. Through TAP, DOL brings
to bear its extensive expertise in employment services to
provide a comprehensive 3-day workshop at U.S. military
installations around the world.
To date, the Department have provided the employment
workshop to over 2.6 million separating or retiring service
members and their spouses. Last year alone, DOL conducted more
than 4,500 employment workshops for over 160,000 participants.
In August 2011 the Department initiated a major effort aimed at
revamping and updating the employment workshop curriculum. The
result is a highly effective workshop that reflects the best
practices in career development and adult learning. Around the
same time the Department initiated the redesign, the President
established the joint VEI [Veterans Employment Initiative] Task
Force to develop proposals to maximize the career readiness of
all service members.
The task force recommended the fundamental redesign of TAP.
This launched a coordinated effort to adopt and implement the
training and service of the remodel, called Transition GPS. The
VOW Act mandated several reforms to further enhance TAP,
including mandatory participation in the employment workshop.
In addition, the VOW Act requires DOL to use contract
facilitators to ensure a standardized, high-quality
professional cadre of instructors. The Department has completed
the transfer to contract facilitation and has successfully
rolled out the new workshop at all military installations.
DOL has worked closely with its partner agencies to ensure
that the redesigned employment workshop is seamlessly
integrated into the overall Transition GPS model. Between
February and April 2012, DOL conducted a 3-month pilot of the
redesigned TAP employment workshop at 11 military
installations. Based on the pilot findings and comments from
hundreds of different organizations and individuals, DOL fine-
tuned the curriculum which is in use today. The redesigned
workshop has incorporated training best practices in adult
learning, and increased emphasis on networking and
communicating the veterans' job skills to employers.
The new curriculum was specifically geared toward the
mechanics of getting a good job. Participants learn how to
explore career interests, understand the labor market, build
resumes, prepare for interviews and negotiate job offers. I am
happy to report that the new curriculum has been well received.
Student feedback from over 2,000 attendees during January and
February of this year gave the employment workshop an overall
rating of 4.4 on a 1-to-5 scale. The data strongly suggests the
Department's revised employment workshop is meeting the high
expectations of its customers.
Finally, I would like to mention the Department has serious
concerns about H.R. 631, the ``Servicemembers' Choice in
Transition Act of 2013,'' which would negatively impact our
transitioning service members. The Department looks forward to
working with the subcommittee to ensure that our transitioning
service members have the resources and training they need to
successfully transition to the civilian workforce.
Mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the subcommittee,
this concludes my statement. Thank you for the opportunity to
testify today, and I would be pleased to answer any questions
you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Moran can be found in the
Appendix on page 52.]
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Moran.
And we now proceed with Director Pummill.
STATEMENT OF DANNY PUMMILL, DIRECTOR, VETERANS BENEFITS
ADMINISTRATION--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAM OFFICE, U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Mr. Pummill. Chairman Wilson, Ranking Member Davis, and
members of the subcommittee, I appreciate the opportunity to
appear before you today. In August 2011 the President announced
his comprehensive plan to address the issues of unemployment
and the educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for
returning service members and veterans struggling to find jobs
suitable with their experience and talent.
In December 2011, the task force provided recommendations
to the President for a redesigned Transition Assistance Program
called GPS. These overarching recommendations intend to
transfer service members' transition to veteran status into a
well-planned, organized process which equips them to make
informed career decisions and advance them toward achievement
of their goals. The end state will be a transform process that
places throughout a service member's military career in
addition to the new Transition GPS program.
VA is also working with the Army in delivering virtual
briefings to service members across the globe. Additionally, we
are working with DOD to develop online courses of the VA
briefing to be housed in DOD's joint knowledge online Web site.
This will allow participants to access courses according to
their own schedules and train at their own pace. Our new format
is dynamic, instructor-led and classroom-based. Quantity
delivery of VA products and services is essential to the
success of the Transition GPS and implementation of the task
force VEI recommendations.
VA continues to make recommendations and improvements to
the curriculum on a quarterly basis through feedback provided
by service members, briefers and VA subject matter experts to
ensure consistency and accuracy of the program and individual
presentation skills. We have set high standards for our
contract briefers delivering the enhanced briefings. During the
2-week training process, where they learn presentation skills
in the VA curriculum, they are required to take a written
examination that measures their ability to research and
understand VA benefits.
The evaluation is also put in place to measure instructor
proficiency in presenting a 4-hour and a 2-hour VA briefing.
Trainees must show proficiency in their platform skills in
order to pass the training. Criteria for evaluating briefers
includes accuracy in relaying content, professionalism, student
engagement, use of technology, and control of the classroom.
Briefers who do not meet the minimum proficiency will be
provided additional guidance, education and assistance to help
them achieve the minimum standards. If they are unable to
achieve the minimum standards, then we let them go.
In conclusion, the VA is honored to continue our role in
assisting with the transition of service members from military
to civilian life. I would also like to take this opportunity to
express VA's respect and appreciation to our partner agencies
in this unprecedented endeavor to assist service members and
their families. This program is designed to give men and women
in the service and their families an opportunity to hear and
learn more about their benefits, research benefits, and fit
their individual needs.
VA continually seeks to improve the quality and breadth of
our outreach service to all Components, Active Duty, Guard and
Reserve. And we continue to work with our partner agencies. VA
fully supports the Administration and congressional efforts to
ensure that transitioned service members are ready for
employment and education upon separation.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be
pleased to answer any questions that you or members of the
subcommittee may have at this time.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Pummill can be found in the
Appendix on page 61.]
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Director. And we will now proceed to
questions. And each subcommittee member will be able to ask
questions for 5 minutes. We have an expert professional
timekeeper. Craig Greene will maintain the time, and very
proficient at this, including me. And even as we begin, I want
to thank you. I want to thank you as a member of Congress, but
I want to thank you as a veteran myself and also the proud Dad,
all credit to my wife, of four sons serving in the military
today.
So we are a military family. And it is just reassuring to
see the services and the thoughtfulness that is being provided
to our service members. So thank you very much. As we proceed,
Mr. Moran, you have already actually touched on this, but
beginning with Dr. Kelly I would like you all to touch further.
And that is, the feedback that you receive on the Transition
Assistance Program. How is the effectiveness? How do you
determine if the program is being successful?
Dr. Kelly. Well, we started first by making sure that we
had the curriculum right and that it was hitting the mark. So
this summer we piloted curriculums. And with that pilot came an
online assessment for participants to provide us feedback,
module-by-module. And that assessment evaluated if they were
mastering their learning objectives. It asked them about the
professionalism of the instructors, the facilities, what still
needed to be done. So that was the online assessment for the
members to give us direct feedback, and they did.
We also had, at each pilot site observer teams from across
the interagency, 10 subject matter experts, go to each one of
the pilot sites and again conduct a very structured assessment.
As well as conducting sensing sessions with service members who
had gone through the previous TAP program and then who went
through the current pilots, and asked them for their
evaluations of the before and the after. Nine hundred fifty-
four military members went through those pilots this summer of
just the core curriculum, and we had very, very high marks.
They were mastering the learning objectives, they gave us
good, strong feedback, and their confidence was increased. And
they thought they were getting the skills that they needed. So
that was good feedback to us. We also received feedback to help
us modify the curriculum and some of with weaknesses that that
they identified for us. We modified the curriculum with subject
matter experts and are relaunched that again. We also have an
enduring online assessment that we set up so that we continue
to get feedback anonymously from the participants of the
curriculum so that they can give us unfettered and direct
feedback on--again, as to the curriculum, the facilities, the
logistics of getting into the courses, et cetera.
And again, we are measuring the learning outcomes, their
confidence, and if they think that these skills are what they
need and how prepared they are. We also have short-term,
medium-term, and long-term performance measures across the
interagency that we will be monitoring. It starts with DOD,
with career readiness standards, how many of our military are
meeting career readiness standards. A medium-term one is how
many military members are receiving credentials or earning
their credentials while they are still on Active Duty.
A long-term example would be the number of veterans who
complete their course of study at the universities, colleges,
and the technical institutes. And that will be a measurement
that comes from both VA and the Department of Education. So
there is a whole suite of performance measures--immediate,
medium-, and long-term--that we will be using to assess our
return on investment.
Mr. Wilson. Good. Thank you.
Mr. Moran.
Mr. Moran. Yes, thank you for the question. We obviously
have been collaborating with DOD and our other partner agencies
and working together with obtaining the evaluation information
at the end of each class. So what we are seeing right now, as I
mentioned in my statement, is that the----
Mr. Wilson. Four-point-four?
Mr. Moran. I am sorry. Four-point-four out of a five-scale.
We are getting very high marks. If--I would like to even read
to you a couple comments that were made. Because in addition to
sort of the numeric scores, they were allowed to put in some
free text. So a couple of the comments that were made. ``I
didn't think I had the skills for a high-paying job. The DOL
employment workshop has changed my life.'' ``I was fearful of
my future--however, after the DOL workshop I no longer feel
fearful, and excited and eager to start my new career.''
``Thank you for creating this course. It has changed my life.''
So we collaborate with DOD and VA to collect all of this
evaluative information. We look at it from the DOL employment
perspective. Right now, our marks are pretty good. That doesn't
mean we are resting on our laurels. In fact, we want to look at
an annual cycle of curriculum review and revision, as
necessary. And we are looking at actually taking our evaluation
process further than what we call the level-one evaluation into
something more sophisticated, where we are reaching out to
these folks after, say, 8 months out on the street to see how
they can reflect back on the course that they did take and how
it how it was valuable to them in their current life
circumstances or what could have helped it a little bit more.
So we are very engaged in the evaluation process. And it is
a great one right now, but we even want to extend it a little
bit further very shortly.
Mr. Wilson. Well, thank you. And I apologize, Director, but
Craig has already tapped me on the wrist. My time is up.
We proceed to Mrs. Davis.
Mrs. Davis. Thank you, Mr. Pummill, I wanted to ask you
first about how the Department of Labor tracks industries and
the types of jobs that are currently available, and where
future job opportunities are growing. How do you see that? And
I am directing that to Mr. Pummill, actually.
Mr. Pummill. I am sorry?
Mrs. Davis. . Well, part of it is that you are being cross-
trained, right, now? And so I think it is important if we try
and understand. Do you see that that information is being
tracked so that you have that information, as well?
Mr. Pummill. Could you repeat the question?
Mrs. Davis. The information about where the jobs are
available. What jobs are available, where they are available,
and where future job opportunities might be. Are you able to
access that information? Do you----
Mr. Pummill. Yes, I am not sure. I will have to find out. I
believe it is all at the Department of Labor, and it is in
their area of expertise. But--I will check with the people at
VA that run the jobs programs and find out what information
they have in additional to this.
[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix
on page 75.]
Mr. Moran. So within the Department of Labor, we do labor
market surveying and research. And we have online tools through
our Bureau of Labor Statistics to do forecasting of job
opportunities and future growth. So we have a very powerful
tool online called My Next Move for Veterans. And within that
tool, a veteran can put in a military occupational series and
look at what the forecast is for similar work in the civilian
sector over the next 10 years down to a city, State or region
of the country.
So online they can go in and they can basically say I want
to be a welder, where are those jobs? What is the forecast for
that type of work over the next 10 years? And they can identify
the specific areas of the country that have better prospects in
that area for them so they can target their job opportunities
and research in that area.
Mrs. Davis. And I think part of what we are trying to
understand is the extent to which everybody who is engaged in
this really is familiar with the kinds of programs and
information that is really out there. Because in many cases,
and I know that we have some phenomenal programs in San Diego,
for example. They have really been working very hard on this.
There are many organizations that want to be involved. But the
reality is that we don't necessarily have the opportunities for
everybody.
And so you have to identify where those jobs are. And I
think that for some programs that have been able to not just
employ two or three veterans, in some cases, but really are
looking for large numbers and how--you know, how you make sure
that those are available.
Mr. Moran. There are actually two other comments I would
like to make. One is that we also work collectively with the
Joining Forces Initiative at the White House. And there are
many companies making commitments to hire thousands of veterans
in--and service members. So one of the things we make sure we
do within our employment workshop is get that information out,
that fresh information out, as it occurs so that our
instructors can tell the folks in the training class who is
making commitments, where those commitments are being made, and
what type of work is available.
The other point I wanted to make is that the Department of
Labor, through its American Job Centers, is also actively
engaged in working with any veteran or separating service
member who is looking for assistance to find the work that he
or she may want. So between those two,the Transition Assistance
Program and the American Job Centers, I think we have a pretty
robust system out there right now to help everybody find the
type of work that they are qualified for and to be able to make
decisions about where to move in this country to find that
work.
Mrs. Davis. All right, my time is up. Mr. Chairman, we will
come back later and try and focus more on that. Thank you.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much.
Dr. Joe Heck, of Nevada
Dr. Heck. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you all for
what you are doing to try to make sure that our returning
veterans can transition to civilian life. I tend to concentrate
on the Reserve Components, having spent 23 years in the
Reserves. And I know that reservists that serve more than 180
days are eligible for the program. But according to the DTM
[Directive-Type Memorandum], they are supposed to begin their
preseparation counseling as soon as possible in their remaining
periods of service.
So right now, most tours, at least the initial tours, is,
you know, 1 year. So how can they mobilize, and you know they
have a 1-year period--and start their transitioning out at the
same time that they are actually still transitioning in? How is
it working for reservists?
Dr. Kelly. That is a very good question. And I will tell
you, that is one of the biggest challenges in this particular--
in the current model of Transition GPS. The Army actually
experimented this summer trying to find out the best way to
give the Transition GPS curriculum and all the services and
information to the reservists as they were demobilizing. The
rule that that is followed, though, is that they have to go
through Transition GPS before they separate. There are some
exemptions in that DTM in reference to the DOL employment
workshop and some of the other parts of the curriculum based on
if they are returning to a job after their 1-year mobilization
or if they are returning to a course of study at the university
or a college.
So some of those reservists, as they were coming back,
those numbers shrank down, if you allow me that term, and not
as many had to stay for the full course. But the issue that you
bring up is exactly why the--we have the second spiral and the
second model of the military life cycle.
So that preparation for a civilian career, aligning your
goals for the civilian career, and reservists go back and
forth, have a continuum of service. The military life cycle
requires the services to identify touch points for both the
Reserve Component, the Guard, and the Active Duty as to when
the parts of Transition GPS will be provided, as well as what
are those touch points that commanders, first sergeants, et
cetera, ask that military member to deliberately do some
planning as to how they are going to use their military
training, not only their technical training, but also their
experiences and leadership in team building, decisionmaking, et
cetera, and how that is going to apply for their long-term
goals in their civilian careers.
Or how can they apply that to the jobs that they are
returning to as reservists or guardsmen. So that is exactly why
we did not stay satisfied with a just before you end your
Active Duty or your mobilization. We are pushing it across the
military life cycle. That was a major concern for us.
Dr. Heck. So as that demobilizing reservist is going
through the GPS process, and they get to that point where they
are supposed to have their capstone, how is that done for
reservists? And what happens if that is not accomplished? You
know, they are back at their demobilization site, or you know
they have got a REFRAD [Release From Active Duty] order that is
going to release them on a certain date, if they don't complete
their capstone what happens?
Dr. Kelly. They are staying to get the through the
Transition GPS and that capstone. They are having their career
readiness standards verified before they are sent home.
Dr. Heck. So they will get an order, an extension of an
order, to stay on Active Duty until they are?
Dr. Kelly. They do not, they do not. So this is an
institutional shift for us. And we have to start embedding that
planning, just like the Department had to adjust to do the
postdeployment health assessments, the redeployment health
assessments. We had to extend that time when they came back,
which decreased the time that they could be in-theater. We are
going to have to do the same in reference to Transition GPS and
getting these curriculums under their belts.
But again, that is also why the virtual curriculum is going
to be so helpful for the Reserve Component, and the Guard.
Dr. Heck. And then just to, in my remaining minute, you
have all expressed concerns about H.R. 631. I know, I have read
through your statements. There is, you know, some detailed
concerns. But what, in your opinion, is the number one issue
behind H.R. 631 that you think is going to be an impediment to
the current transition process?
Dr. Kelly. As I expressed, I think, in my written statement
it is the curtailment of the DOL employment workshop, making
that an optional track. The Department agrees with the original
intent of the Vow to Hire Heroes Act,that even after you
complete college education, technology training, you are going
to be looking for a job and joining that workforce. You need
the skills that the DOL employment workshop provides. We think
that needs to be sustained as mandatory and not an optional
track.
Dr. Heck. And the gentlemen, any other concerns?
Mr. Moran. If I could add one concern to that, and it is
essentially this, that we are in the process now of rolling out
a really nice sophisticated new program. And we haven't really
given it an opportunity to prove itself fully. And to make
changes to that right now, we don't think is in the best
interest. I think it makes sense to see how this program is
working as designed. We think it is meeting the mark. We are
very confident in it so making changes right now just doesn't
seem to be a wise move.
Dr. Heck. Great. Again, thank you all very much for what
you are doing for our service members and our veterans.
I yield back.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Dr. Heck.
And we will now recess for votes. And we will resume with
Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, of Guam.
[Recess.]
Mr. Wilson. Ladies and gentlemen, the Subcommittee on
Military Personnel will resume. And we will proceed to Dr. Brad
Wenstrup of Ohio.
Dr. Wenstrup. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also would like to
reiterate what the others have said about the work that you are
doing to try and help our troops and subsequent veterans make
the transition. And I was just wondering, is there an
opportunity to work with the directors of each State VA?
Because a lot of times, really, jobs available and things like
that are well known on a local level. And would that be a good
avenue to work with DOD directly with the State VAs to try and
transition people into employment?
Mr. Moran. Thank you for the question. Let me first talk
about what DOL has out there, at the very local level that you
speak of, to help that process. We have a network of 2,700 job
centers across the country. And within those job centers, we
employ State employees. We fund State employees, called
Disabled Veteran Outreach Program specialists. Their job is to
work with veterans at the local level to match them with the
jobs they are looking for in that local community.
In addition to the DVOP, Disabled Veteran Outreach Program,
specialists, we have what is called a local veterans employment
representative at those sites. Their mission is to be working
in the local community to find jobs specifically for veterans.
So within the Department of Labor, we have that structure in
place, we are working that every day, and it is proving
beneficial. Now the VA and DOD may also have some programs that
they would like to speak to.
Mr. Pummill. From a VA perspective, how we get involved is
mostly with the service members that have a disability, they
are disabled. And that is through our VR&E [Vocational
Rehabilitation and Employment] counselors. And basically, we
work with them on the military installations and in our
regional offices on a one-on-one basis. Where we provide a
counselor to determine what their individual disability is, how
that impacts their ability to work. And then we coordinate with
DOL to find out what is available and what we can get them
into.
And depending on your disability, depending on what you can
and can't do, determines the length of the time that we stay
with that individual.
Dr. Wenstrup. Thank you.
Dr. Kelly. I would like to add to that. One of the main
emphasis of the TAP redesign was to build a bridge from Active
Duty to the resources that are in the communities where the
military members are relocating. So part of that capstone is a
warm handoff. If a member is deemed at risk or does not have
immediate employment and wants immediate employment, et cetera,
there is a handoff between the TAP managers to the local
resources, the DOL American Job Centers as well as the veterans
centers.
So that is one of the pieces that was deliberately built
into the TAP redesign. The warm handoff to a bridge between
Active Duty and the community resources of our partner
agencies.
Dr. Wenstrup. Thank you very much.
I yield back.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Dr. Wenstrup.
We now proceed to Congressman Austin Scott of Georgia.
Mr. Scott. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And ma'am, gentlemen,
thank you for being here today. And in the testimony about TAP
you highlight the point that service members can select
different self-elected tracks. And so my question, and I think
this would be for you, Dr. Kelly, is when our service members
are selecting these tracks, higher education, technical
training, what tools, if any, are we providing them to make
sure that they are making a decision that is in their best
interest? In other words, not falling for aggressive marketing
towards service members by institutions that, in some cases,
may not be accredited?
Dr. Kelly. Well, we start off first by taking them through
an MOC [Military Occupation Code] crosswalk comparing what they
have gained in their military skills; compare that to the
civilian occupational codes. Then leading them to the DOL, my
next move, looking at the geographic location to which they are
moving, what is in demand in that job market, if the career
field that they had chosen or their MOC is not going to be in
demand in that job market. What is your plan B, where else can
you relocate to? Or what is the career field, the second career
field that you want to choose. Both the technical training and
the education tracks build upon that MOC crosswalk as well as
the DOL employment workshop, which actually is a very, very
detailed step-by-step process to take them through the
employment market.
But the education track guides them through a series of
questions after they have been through the MOC crosswalk, the
DOL employment workshop. What is the best institution for your
career field in your area? What is the best course of study for
the career field that you have chosen? As well as what is your
financial strategy--on top of that Post-9/11 GI Bill, very
generous, but what is your financial strategy to avoid debt
while you are going to school. And then finally, how to fill
out that application.
So it is a lot of information, a lot of Web-based tools
that are kept up to date by the Department of Education and our
other partner agencies that the military members learn to
navigate and use over and over again.
Mr. Scott. Thank you. Can you tell me just briefly what are
we doing with organizations in our efforts to end
misrepresentation to our service members. People that are
there, quite honestly, just to get the money, not to provide an
education that is actually going to benefit the men and women
that have served this country? What are we doing today with
that?
Dr. Kelly. We are steering them towards those Web sites
sponsored and developed by the Department of Education to show
them the accredited schools, either nationally accredited or
regionally accredited, that are recognized by the Department of
Education, that are recognized by VA, as reimbursable for their
GI Bill. We are taking them to the Web sites, the established
Web sites from our Federal partners and educating them about
the institutions that are out there.
The efforts to exploit the service members and use that
Post-
9/11 GI Bill, and they come out with nothing, they are very
carefully warned. And that is exactly why we develop the
technical training track and the education tracks. It is
chockfull of information.
Mr. Scott. Are we requiring them to go an accredited
institution to use the GI Bill?
Dr. Kelly. Yes. And that is the VA has to approve those
institutions for reimbursement for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and
the Montgomery GI Bill. But I will let my VA partner speak to
that.
Mr. Pummill. Yes, the institutions do have to be approved
by the VA. And in the course of instruction that we give the
service members for both in the Transition program, the 4-hour
briefing that we give, we have 1 hour dedicated to education.
The GI Bill is an incredible benefit to service members and
their families, and we want to make sure it is used wisely and
they make the best decisions.
And the same thing on our technical track. And we tell them
things like it is, you know, not just a school. Is it
accredited university? What is the graduation rate, how do you
find out the graduation rate? How much does it cost to go to
that school? What kind of job are you going to get when you get
out? What kind of income are you gonna get? Are you going to
have any additional bills that you have to pay off yourself?
And to think through all those things and to research them
before you make decisions when you want to go to a school.
Mr. Scott. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, I am almost
out of time.
I will yield the remainder back to you.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much, Mr. Scott. And we will
proceed with another round for any persons who want to
participate.
Mr. Moran, I am particularly concerned for disabled service
members. What are the special services that are provided for
our wounded warriors?
Mr. Moran. Yes, thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman.
The programs that we have at the Department of Labor to help
wounded warriors begin where we forward-deploy, if you will,
our Disabled Veterans Outreach Program specialists from our
State offices, to medical treatment facilities. So while the
wounded warrior is going through care, we are working with that
person one-on-one to help them understand the labor market they
may be interested in, how to find a job, help them build a
resume, work with them on interviewing techniques.
All of the things we do in the Transition Assistance
Program for a class of 35 to 50 we do, if you will, on an
individual basis for the wounded warrior right at the bedside.
And further, once that person is moved out of the medical
treatment facility he may or may not go through our TAP
program, depending on the ability. We also make sure they
understand that that DVOP [Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program]
specialist is still available to the wounded warrior when they
leave the service. They can come through an American Job Center
and work again with the DVOP to get the services they need to
find the job they are looking for and prepare resumes,
interviewing techniques, et cetera.
And even take advantage of some training opportunities that
we provide through the Department of Labor if that is necessary
to land the job he or she is looking for. And the other thing I
would like to mention is that we are participating with DOD and
VA in building the virtual TAP solution, as well. So when you
have a wounded warrior who is not able to make it to a brick
and mortar classroom, our virtual solution is going to help in
that case, as well, so that they can take advantage of all the
learning that their counterparts who were able to go to brick
and mortar receive.
Mr. Wilson. And do you feel like they understand they have
reemployment rights?
Mr. Moran. Yes, sir. With respect to reemployment rights,
one of the other things about DOL is we are not only an
employment agency, we also protect employment rights. A couple
programs we have specifically within the organization is
protecting rights around veterans preference and USERRA
[Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act],
Uniformed Services Reemployment Act. So we brief all service
members routinely, prior to deployment, on all of their rights
with respect to USERRA, when they come back from deployment
what their rights are to get back into the job they left, what
they are--if they were to receive a promotion while they were
gone how their rights are protected for that particular aspect,
as well.
We also have, throughout the Department of Labor outside of
my organization, other protection agencies who work with any
issues that may be present; Office of Federal Contract
Compliance, for example, is another area and department that we
make sure the contractors who have Federal contracts are
employing veterans at the appropriate rate.
Mr. Wilson. And to any of the three of you, is there, in
terms of metrics, does anyone maintain any substantiation of
jobs secured? And then additionally, I was very encouraged. We
had a jobs--veterans jobs fair at Aiken, South Carolina, on
Monday. And I was really encouraged. The South Carolina Army
National Guard has a program which is monitoring unemployment
rates among veterans. And in South Carolina, to my joy, it went
from 16 percent to 3.9 percent among veterans.
And so if you want a good example, South Carolina comes in
well. And I just know, in meeting with the personnel, that it
was very encouraging. But has anyone maintained jobs secured
or--and/or the level of unemployment among veterans?
Mr. Moran. Yes, Mr. Chairman. The Department of Labor,
through the Bureau of Labor Statistics, tracks the unemployment
rate not only on a monthly and quarterly, but also a yearly,
basis. Yearly is usually the best statistic because you have a
better sampling of the population. And veterans, generally
speaking as a whole, are employed at a better rate than the
average American citizen. But then when you look at that
further and you break it into various categories, then you see
some differences among the groups.
So, for example, Gulf War I era veterans have a 5.9
unemployment rate compared to the general population at 8.1
percent. Gulf War II veterans have a 9.9 overall unemployment
rate, so it is a little bit higher than the average population.
And then, certainly, within that Gulf War II population you
have that age that we are all concerned about--the 18- to 24-
year-old, the generally younger person. And those rates are
quite a bit higher than most of the other rates. So a lot of
the efforts all three Departments focus on is trying to work
that 18- to 24-year-old group to bring that number down as far
as we can.
Mr. Wilson. Well, thank you again for all of your service.
And we will now proceed to Mrs. Davis.
Ms. Davis. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You know, you all
mention the bridge and the handoff. And I am just wondering,
between the TAP manager, local resources and the veterans'
center we have a lot of organizations that really want to help.
I think every community has them, some perhaps more than others
depending upon their job markets. And I think one of the things
that has been a little frustrating is the coordination of that.
And in some cases, you may have groups of the Chamber that have
stepped in, you may have other military affairs organizations.
How are you evaluating that, or how can you tell whether
there is an interface there that is actually working? And what
role might we have in that, as well? How can we do that better?
I guess the other question is, the use of social media around
some of those extensions of the community that are there. There
is no, maybe one good place to try and look at this information
and understand it within communities. How can we help?
Dr. Kelly. One of the things that we have that has been
mandated is the National Resource Directory, which lists all of
the resources in local communities. And that is a joint project
VA and DOD. So that is open,that is on a Web site, the National
Resource Directory. So that is open to all of our staff members
to be able to use during this warm handoff that I was
describing earlier. So it is not only the agencies of the
Department of Labor and Veterans Affairs, but also any of those
helping agencies that is deemed to be helpful for that service
member or their family during that reintegration into that
local community.
So it is not solely focused on the Department of Labor and
Veterans Affairs. We have that great asset, the National
Resource Directory, and we use that extensively.
But in reference to how each one of those local communities
mobilize their resources and use them most efficiently and most
effectively is a question that we have also asked. DOD, and
with the executive steering committee, we actually have a study
going on right now to try to get at least a peek into that,
into different communities and to find out if we can identify
some best practices at each one of those communities. And there
are different types of communities, and we are eager to see
some of the results of that.
Mrs. Davis. Do you have any idea when some of that might be
available?
Dr. Kelly. It is a year-long study. It is being conducted
by CNA [Center for Naval Analyses] for us, and we are very
eager to see those results. And we will be happy to share those
with you.
Mrs. Davis. And I would hope that there is a lot of good
outreach to the community in trying to really get it from their
perspective.
Ms. Kelly. The researchers are in those communities and
actually talking with those agencies.
Mrs. Davis. Are they able to look at social media as well
to understand how that might be best used?
Ms. Kelly. Within those local communities? I don't think
that is an aspect of the study. No, I am--that is unfortunate.
Mrs. Davis. Yes. Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Moran. But I would like to add, if I could, that you
are on to a very important point. What I have seen over the
time I have been in the Department of Labor is that there has
been a lot of activity among everybody to try to solve the
problem, if you will, of veteran unemployment. And that is
good, and everybody should be doing what they can. However,
sometimes what we see is there are so many independent efforts
that are disjointed that it can become confusing to the service
member who is looking for that help or the veteran looking for
that help.
So one of the things we have under way right now through
the Veteran Employment Initiative Task Force is to look at, at
least within the Federal Government, how can we sort of bring
our resources together instead of DOD, VA, DOL, Education, you
name it, all building some solution for this employment
problem. How can we bring our resources better together for
what we are calling the ``Single Portal Initiative.'' So that
we are able to point--this is our goal--be able to point to
everybody who is interested in trying to find a job for a
veteran to one single portal that is going to bring them to the
best applications that are available out there so that we no
longer have confusion and have veterans hit on a database, for
example, that has duplicative job announcements or outdated job
announcements.
That we know that we are pointing them to the best source
that is out there. That work is under way right now. In fact, a
meeting of that group is happening this afternoon.
Mrs. Davis. Well, that would be good to know. I would love
to get that information.
[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix
on page 75.]
Mrs. Davis. Because I actually think that there is a group
that I am aware of that is working on that in a regional way.
And so that would be helpful also.
And very, very briefly, where you have groups of
individuals, for example, retired physicians who would like to
be helpful in helping bridge the gap between corpsmen, for
example, and other health providers that we really need in our
system today and they want--so how are we organized to take in
some of that interest and to be able to direct people to
resources? Is there any way to do that at this point? Is that
all local, you know?
Mr. Pummill. From a VA perspective, we have had some
success through our Veterans Service Organizations. We have a
long history of dealing with them. You know--the VFW [Veterans
of Foreign Wars], AMVETS [American Veterans], Paralyzed
Veterans, Purple Hearts--that seem to be all over the country
and have a good idea of what is going on in communities. We
have even invited them to our sessions, particularly out in
your district out in San Diego. They attended all the TAP
briefings and stuff like that to give us ideas and give us some
input.
We are also finding in the VA that there are some
organizations out there, private organizations, NGOs [Non-
Governmental Organizations] that do a really good job at this,
at transition. And we are--we don't have a formal method yet,
but we are trying to figure out as part of, you know, studies
VA how do we get to them, how do we get to their ideas and
stuff like that. And we are just at the beginning of that,
though, right now.
Mrs. Davis. Okay, thank you. Thanks, thank you all for
being here.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mrs. Davis.
We now proceed to Dr. Wenstrup.
Dr. Wenstrup. Yes, just one quick question. We were talking
about some of these ancillary agencies that are diligently
trying to help our troops, as well. Are you familiar or have
you have any contact with the Easter Seals program, the Dixon
Center? That seems to be a fairly large one. Admiral Mullen, I
believe, is working with them and people like Gary Sinise. And
I didn't know if you have any familiarity with that agency and
any connection with them at all.
Mr. Moran. I do have some familiarity with it. I am not
steeped in knowledge on it. I know that they are out there.
They are an organization that is trying to help crack this nut
relative to veteran unemployment. We do work a lot with
hundreds of different organizations. We are constantly at the
Department of Labor Veterans' Employment Training Service
meeting with everybody on who is doing what and trying to see
how we can help and collaborate with each others efforts. I am
aware we have worked with Easter Seals, but I don't have a lot
of detail on that right now.
Mr. Pummill. We do, Congressman--on the VA side from VHA,
the Veterans Health Administration, especially with the wounded
warriors, deal with a lot of those agencies in transitioning
them back to civilian life. They have a lot that they can
provide us as far as the severely disabled, the soldiers and
marines that have lost limbs and things like that. They have a
lot of experience with that, and we share a lot of information.
As far as jobs and stuff like that, though, I wouldn't know.
Dr. Wenstrup. I get the impression they are fairly large
because I have seen them in several cities making their pitch
and bringing companies together and giving large presentations
to big companies in my district--Procter & Gamble, Cintas--and
trying to work with them. And it might be a good relationship
to build in some way, and maybe we can help facilitate that
here.
Dr. Kelly. We are actually meeting under the efforts of the
Joining Forces efforts with Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden, with the
Fortune 500 companies and with the companies that are signed up
with the 100,000 Jobs Initiative, looking at mentoring, using
those private corporations who have members or employers who
are willing to mentor service members as they become veterans
and also while they are veterans. The Small Business
Administration has also stepped up to a tremendous commitment
for the service members.
They have developed the entrepreneurship track, a 2-day
curriculum. And at the end of that 2-day curriculum the service
members are invited to complete an online--an 8-week course
online free of charge. And at the end of that course they are
connected to a mentor, small business mentor, a successful
businessman, a successful businesswoman in that same area to
help the service member veteran through those first years as a
small business. So there are lots of mentoring efforts that we
are engaged in, but not one-on-one through DOD. It is through
the Joining Forces, 100 [100,000] Jobs Initiative, the Small
Business Administration, et cetera.
Dr. Wenstrup. Thank you. And along the line of skills
training or getting a 4-year degree, whatever the case may be,
do you feel that the potential students are readily informed of
what the job opportunities are with that? In other words, you
know, not a great time to necessarily get a degree in
philosophy and expect to find a job, you know. No offense to
anyone who has got a philosophy degree. But do you know what I
am saying? I mean, are they aware of what the odds are of
finding employment after going through that training?
Dr. Kelly. Well, again, the DOL employment workshop does a
terrific job of taking those service members to those Web
sites, particularly My Next Move. Again, that geographic
location, the job market, what is the prospect for that
particular career field for the next 10 years. It has green
jobs. And in the pilots that I have sat through, the military
members just jump on that Web site. They are thrilled to see
it; you have a hard time pulling them off of it to proceed with
the rest of the curriculum. Very, very valuable. My Next Move
and O*NET. So those are tremendous Web sites for that.
Mr. Moran. If I could also, if a veteran comes into an
American Job Center that I spoke of earlier a piece of the
process is to sit down with that person and ask, you know, what
are you interested in? What kind of training do you have
already? And be able to assess gaps that may be in that
training. And then through the American Job Center, we are able
to provide veterans with various training opportunities to fill
those gaps.
So they may want to be, as I said earlier, a welder. And
they have so much training towards that goal, but they need a
couple more courses. Through an American Jobs Center service
they can get those courses free of charge, which will position
them for the job. And, of course, American Jobs Center can also
work with them to actually attach them to the employer. So that
is what the DOL brings to the table on that.
Dr. Wenstrup. Well, thank you very much. And thanks for all
you are doing.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Dr. Wenstrup. And thank all of you
for being here today. We can certainly see your commitment to
working with military service members, military families and
retirees. So thank you for what you are doing.
There is no further business. The Subcommittee on Military
Personnel shall be adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 3:44 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
=======================================================================
A P P E N D I X
April 24, 2013
=======================================================================
=======================================================================
PREPARED STATEMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
April 24, 2013
=======================================================================
Statement of Hon. Joe Wilson
Chairman, House Subcommittee on Military Personnel
Hearing on
Status of Implementation of the Requirements of the VOW
Act and the Recommendations of the Presidential Veterans
Employment Initiative Task Force for the DOD Transition
Assistance Program--Goals, Plans, and Success (GPS)
April 24, 2013
Today the subcommittee will hear testimony on the
Transition Assistance Program run by the Department of Defense,
Department of Labor, and Department of Veterans Affairs which
assist transitioning military members as they prepare to
separate from their military service to civilian life. Normally
the military transitions just as many service members back to
society as they enlist every year; but during the next several
years as the military reduces end strength, that number will
grow, so it is critical that transitioning service members are
provided with the right information they need to make important
decisions to support their future endeavors.
When Congress established Transition Assistance Program in
1991, the military was also undergoing a drawdown; but it was
not conducted after more than 10 years of combat with men and
women participating in multiple combat deployments. The high
number of deployments and the high unemployment rate for post-
9/11 veterans has generated several changes that affect the
program. First, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 requires all
service members who have been on Active Duty for more than 180
days to participate in the program. Second, the Veterans
Employment Initiative Task Force made recommendations to revamp
and improve the existing program to ensure members were
provided the information and services they needed, tailored to
their postmilitary initiatives.
Today we will hear from the witnesses about the status of
implementation, the changes and improvements to Transition
Assistance Program, and what mechanisms are available to
indentify and share best practices, receive feedback from
service members, and how does each agency define success.
I would like to welcome our distinguished witnesses:
LDr. Susan S. Kelly, Deputy Director,
Transition to Veterans Program Office, Department of
Defense;
LMr. John K. Moran, Deputy Assistant
Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Service,
Department of Labor; and
LMr. Danny Pummill, Director, Veterans
Benefits Administration--Department of Defense Program
Office, Department of Veterans Affairs.
Statement of Hon. Susan A. Davis
Ranking Member, House Subcommittee on Military Personnel
Hearing on
Status of Implementation of the Requirements of the VOW
Act and the Recommendations of the Presidential Veterans
Employment Initiative Task Force for the DOD Transition
Assistance Program--Goals, Plans, and Success (GPS)
April 24, 2013
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased that we are holding this
important hearing on the current status of the transition
assistance program. Let me also welcome our witnesses, Dr.
Kelly, Mr. Moran, and Mr. Pummill. Welcome. We appreciate all
of you being here.
Today's hearing will focus on how the Departments of
Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs are working together to
enhance the transition of service members back to their
communities. Over the past several years, the unemployment
levels of those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan have
received much attention. Many of these individuals following
their service returned home to a job market that has been
challenging, to say the least, and to communities that have
been hard hit economically.
While the economy and the job market continue to slowly
improve, the transition of service members remains a focus of
attention. Efforts to improve the transition services provided
to service members to ensure that they are provided the tools
they need to ensure a smooth reentry into society is vital to
ensure the long-term stability of these individuals.
In our efforts to help service members transition, there
has been considerable attention paid to how we can improve the
transfer of military skills and certifications, but what is
less clear is whether we have an understanding of where the
jobs in the private sector really are, and whether these new
programs provide the capacity for a service member to
transition their skills to meet the demands of the job market.
For example, in 2012, we authorized the Services to allow
transitioning service members to participate in apprenticeship
programs while still in service. The program in San Diego,
which I have visited a number of times, is quite impressive and
has trained a number of marines who have gone into civilian
jobs following their successful completion of the program.
Transitioning out of the service and back into civilian
life can be one of the most stressful events in a person's
life. It is important we provide the tools these individuals
need to succeed.
I look forward to hearing from our witnesses, especially on
how we are doing to implement the new requirements under the
VOW Act and the recommendations from the President's Task Force
on Veterans Employment. I am also interested in learning how
the Departments will measure the effectiveness of these
changes, and whether there continues to be gaps in the program
that need further focus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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?
=======================================================================
WITNESS RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS ASKED DURING
THE HEARING
April 24, 2013
=======================================================================
RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MRS. DAVIS
Mr. Pummill. [The information was not available at the time of
printing.] [See page 9.]
Mr. Moran. The Department of Labor does a great deal of work with
the Easter Seals program and strongly supports their efforts on behalf
of Veterans, including the work being done by the Dixon Center. In
addition, the Department has provided funding to Easter Seals
organizations throughout the country through our discretionary grants
programs such as the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP).
[See page 17.]
?
=======================================================================
QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS POST HEARING
April 24, 2013
=======================================================================
QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MR. GIBSON
Mr. Gibson. 1) With regard to the VRAP program, according to the
VA, as of today, there are currently 113,914 applications received,
98,132 applications approved, and yet only 43,637 veterans currently
enrolled in training.
a) What is the delay in getting these veterans enrolled into the
training program?
b) What steps have DOL and VA taken to increase staffing to meet
the additional demand for the VRAP?
c) I hear reports of conflicting acceptance letters to the VRAP
program being sent to veterans that are subsequently followed by VRAP
program denial letters. In these cases where an approval letter has
been received and training begun, the veteran is stuck with a bill for
this training. Are you aware if this is happening, and if so, why it is
happening?
d) Does the VA Educational Office in Buffalo have the resources it
needs in order to accomplish their mission?
e) Do you see any issue with the VA centralizing educational and
job training claims at one claims center? (Buffalo)
Dr. Kelly. The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) offers
a limited number of months of retraining assistance to Veterans who
meet specific criteria. This program is managed by the Department of
Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor, who can best provide you with
the enrollment status, staffing, resources, and management of VRAP.
Mr. Gibson. 2) With regard to the VRAP program, according to the
VA, as of today, there are currently 113,914 applications received,
98,132 applications approved, and yet only 43,637 veterans currently
enrolled in training.
a) What is the delay in getting these veterans enrolled into the
training program?
b) What steps have DOL and VA taken to increase staffing to meet
the additional demand for the VRAP?
c) I hear reports of conflicting acceptance letters to the VRAP
program being sent to veterans that are subsequently followed by VRAP
program denial letters. In these cases where an approval letter has
been received and training begun, the veteran is stuck with a bill for
this training. Are you aware if this is happening, and if so, why it is
happening?
d) Does the VA Educational Office in Buffalo have the resources it
needs in order to accomplish their mission?
e) Do you see any issue with the VA centralizing educational and
job training claims at one claims center? (Buffalo)
Mr. Moran. a) The online VRAP application process requires each
eligible veteran to have in mind the course of instruction, their
``high demand'' training objective and the training institution they
have selected before their application is submitted. Once the
appropriate Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) office approves each
application, a certificate of enrollment (CoE) is issued to the
veteran. Each veteran is responsible to take the CoE issued to their
selected place of training to enroll.
b) The VRAP program has a relatively short authorized time period
and no additional resources were appropriated for the Department of
Labor's (DOL or Department) administrative costs. As a result, the
Department of Labor has not increased permanent Federal staff in
response to our VRAP responsibilities. However, the Department did
redirect funding from other activities to implement VRAP including
entering into contracts for technical assistance and information
technology needs that are necessary to support DOL in responding to the
additional demands created by VRAP.
c) DOL sends an e-mail to all veterans who receive a CoE from the
VA. This e-mail is separate from the VA's approval/denial letters and
the Department defers to the VA on issues relating to those letters.
However, the Department of Labor is committed to assisting veterans
that received VRAP denial letters in a variety of ways including
helping them understand the reason for the denial and how to properly
process appeals. In addition, State agencies receive information about
individuals that were terminated from VRAP for noncompliance with the
program requirements in order to contact those individuals to offer
them alternative training and employment related services. Veterans
receive priority of service in all DOL-funded employment and training
programs, including the many programs operated out of the American Job
Centers (AJC) across the Nation.
d) The Department of Labor defers to the VA on subparts (d) and
(e).
Mr. Gibson. 3) With regard to the VRAP program, according to the
VA, as of today, there are currently 113,914 applications received,
98,132 applications approved, and yet only 43,637 veterans currently
enrolled in training.
a) What is the delay in getting these veterans enrolled into the
training program?
b) What steps have DOL and VA taken to increase staffing to meet
the additional demand for the VRAP?
c) I hear reports of conflicting acceptance letters to the VRAP
program being sent to veterans that are subsequently followed by VRAP
program denial letters. In these cases where an approval letter has
been received and training begun, the veteran is stuck with a bill for
this training. Are you aware if this is happening, and if so, why it is
happening?
d) Does the VA Educational Office in Buffalo have the resources it
needs in order to accomplish their mission?
e) Do you see any issue with the VA centralizing educational and
job training claims at one claims center? (Buffalo)
Mr. Pummill. [The information was not available at the time of
printing.]
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