Anne Baye Ericksen

 

VETERANS APPLY THEIR EXPERTISE TO FEDERAL AND STATE EMPLOYERS

 

THE OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF ESTIMATES 250,000 SERVICE MEMBERS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE MILITARY PER YEAR OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. TO HELP TRANSITIONING VETERANS, PRESIDENT OBAMA ESTABLISHED THE VETERANS EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE IN NOVEMBER 2009, TASKING FEDERAL AGENCIES TO MAKE HIRING VETERANS A PRIORITY. IN FISCAL 2009, 24 PERCENT OF ALL NEW FEDERAL HIRES WERE VETERANS; IN 2012, THAT NUMBER INCREASED TO 28.9 PERCENT. IN FISCAL 2014, APPROXIMATELY 33.2 PERCENT OF NEW FEDERAL AGENCY HIRES WERE VETERANS – UP FROM 31 PERCENT IN FISCAL 2013.

 

THESE VETERANS, INCLUDING THOSE WOUNDED IN ACTION, BRING TO THEIR JOBS CHARACTER, TEAM-BUILDING SKILLS, AND DISCIPLINE, TRAITS THEY LEARNED WHILE IN THE MILITARY.

 

THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE CULTIVATES A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

AMONG THE MOST ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION WERE THOSE OF THE DUST BOWL BY DOROTHEA LANGE. ASA RESULT OF THAT ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOUNDED THE NATURAL RE - SOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRI CULTURE (USADA) (WWW.NRCS.USDA.GOV).

 

Today, the organization partners with landowners to develop conservation programs and restore wetland and wildlife habitats. Of course, ranching and farming are critical components to the national economy—consumers spend more than $545 billion on food grown or raised on domestic farms and ranches. But what do agriculture practices have in common with military training? More than you think, as Michael Bacon found out when he joined NRCS four years ago.

 

“When I was first hired, it was a bit of culture shock. I went from training for war to training to help farmers,” he says.

 

Bacon enlisted in the US Army in 1993 and served several years. After leaving active duty, he joined the Air National Guard and was activated after the 9/11 attacks. A few years later, he rejoined the Army and was deployed to Iraq. While a section leader for a security detail, Bacon’s convoy came in contact with an improvised explosive device, and he was seriously injured and medically discharged. Once he recuperated, Bacon returned to Iraq as a civilian contractor.

 

As that contract completion date neared, Bacon decided he’d like to make a permanent transition into a non-military job, and he knew he specifically wanted to work with the government. That said, Bacon didn’t have his heart set on a particular position or agency.

 

“I just knew I wanted to work with logistics,” he recalls. The NRCS was the first to extend an offer, and he accepted.

 

Before assuming his role as facility management specialist in the National Centers Servicing Unit in the Fort Worth, TX, office, Bacon attended a business leadership program. “I met with farmers and landowners. I helped them build ponds and fences. I got to see what they go through day in and day out, and that helped me understand NRCS better than heading straight to a desk,” he remembers.

 

Among his current responsibilities, Bacon oversees all activities related to facilities in his region. “The issues I may have to deal with are anything from the lights going out to signing new leases for field offices,” he says.

 

He also appreciates the large veterans and active duty military population both around Fort Worth and within the agency. Bacon has found support among his peers in coping with his traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

 

“Surprisingly there’s quite a bit of veterans in the administration side of things with the USDA,” he says. “If you want to be with people who have gone through similar things, and be a part of a viable aspect of the civilian job market, the USDA is the place to go.”

 

FEELING AT HOME WITH THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES

LAST YEAR WAS YET ANOTHER BUSY YEAR FOR THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES (ATF). NOT ONLY DID IT RECOMMEND MORE THAN 7,500 CASES FOR PROSECUTION, BUT ALSO MORE THAN 5,300 PROGRESSED TO INDICTMENT AND 4,482 ENDED IN CONVICTIONS. THE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION ALSO COMPLETED MORE THAN 10,400 FIREARMS COMPLIANCE INSPECTIONS. INDEED, THE ATF (WWW.ATF.GOV) CARRIES OUT A MULTITUDE OF DUTIES, INCLUDING INVESTIGATING FIRE AND ARSONS, OPERATING THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED BALLISTIC INFORMATION NETWORK, AND EXAMINING FORENSIC EVIDENCE.

 

When Holly Korzilius applied for a position with the Bureau approximately three years ago, she was generally aware of the various areas in which agents worked, but not the full extent of its capabilities. “Every day I learn something more about the ATF,” says the budget analyst in the Bureau’s Center for Talent Solutions within the Office of Human Resources (HR) and Professional Development at its headquarters in Washington, DC. “I’m surprised by the amount of science and rigor behind the investigations, including the specialized equipment and training it takes to solve crimes.”

 

Korzilius spent a decade with the US Marine Corps. Upon her exit from active duty, she landed a job in the private sector. “But it was not the best fit for me,” she admits.

 

So Korzilius switched career paths and accepted a supply IT specialist position with the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Although she enjoyed serving fellow veterans, Korzilius missed the hierarchical nature of the military, which is a characteristic she recognized in the ATF.

 

“It’s a more rules-based organization, and that regulations structure appeal ed to me,” she says.

 

At the ATF, Korzilius has assumed numerous roles.

 

HOLLY KORZILIUS, BUDGET ANALYST, BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES

First, she manages budgets and contracts for her division. She’s also an inventory manager for the HR department. Plus, Korzilius functions as the point of contact for the mass transit program offered to employees working in the district. She’s the records manager and safety coordinator, too.

 

“Also, as an IT specialist, I’m the intranet manager for the HR department,” she adds.

 

These administrative duties may seem more typical to a business than a law-enforcement body; however, Korzilius begs to differ with that assumption. “Most of the American public thinks about our agents in the field, the boots on the ground, so to speak. But there are also people who support the mission. The people in the field could not do their jobs effectively without the people managing the budgets and equipment inventory, for example,” she states.

 

Another of her activities revolves around the ATF veterans and people with disabilities employee resource groups. Korzilius suffered a significant head trauma during her military service.

 

“I now have titanium bits holding my skull together,” she says. “And as is common with traumatic brain injuries, I experienced depression. However, I’ve received quite a bit of counseling and no longer suffer from it.”

 

Korzilius has acted as spokesperson for both groups at Bureau-sponsored events. “Because I’m both a veteran and an individual with disabilities, I can relate to the questions others may have. There’s a significant veteran population in the ATF, and because it’s significant, the Bureau is very supportive,” she concludes.

 

MEASURING SUCCESS WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS & TECHNOLOGY

“I WISH I HAD STARTED HERE 20 YEARS AGO,” DECLARES MONROE “BUTCH” CHARLTON, CPP, PSP, AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER FOR THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT DIVISION OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS & TECHNOLOGY (NIST), BASED IN GAITHERSBURG, MD.

 

By the time he joined NIST (www.nist.gov), Charlton’s career already boasted an impressive list of employers and clients, starting with the US Navy and including government entities, such as NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Few jobs, though, have brought him as much satisfaction as his current position.

 

“At this point in my career, I figured I would finish out sitting at some desk, drawing a paycheck, and I would be happy. But, as I told my wife, this is the first time in my career, except for the Navy, that I really appreciate what I’m doing,” Charlton asserts.

 

Established in 1901, NIST is charged with three primary objectives: Cutting-edge research in state-of-the-art laboratories; the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership that collaborates with small manufacturers on policies, economic opportunities, and technical operations; and the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program that consults with businesses in education and healthcare as well as nonprofits. Charlton concentrates on the safety of NIST laboratories.

 

In fact, he’s developing electrical safety policies for each facility. “We have to comply with the safety regulations, but we have to balance the intent of the code with the labs’ requirements. There’s so much going on here that’s unique about its operations, so when dealing with electrical safety, it’s not cut and dry,” Charlton explains. “I have to figure out what researchers do and what about what they’re doing can be hazardous, and what can be done to mitigate the hazards.”

 

It’s that interaction with NIST scientists Charlton looks forward to every day. “The people here are so smart. They care about the miniscule details and want top-level safety,” he says.

 

Charlton also appreciates the support he’s received accommodating his physical limitations. “They identified my needs before I even came on board,” he says. “They’ve given me a workstation designed so I don’t get stressed too fast in terms of my shoulders and arms. And it’s not just for me. NIST is very ergonomic and accommodating for everyone.”

 

After spending decades working in a variety of environments, Charlton confesses NIST is most likely his last stop before retirement. “It’ll probably take me close to five years to get this program refined, but I like the idea of going out with a nice ending,” he notes.

 

REHABILITATING CAREERS AT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION

 

FEDERAL AGENCIES AREN’T THE ONLY GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN THE EXPERIENCE VETERANS BRING TO THE WORKPLACE. STATE BODIES ARE EQUALLY INTERESTED. NOR DOES IT HAVE TO BE A LITERAL MOVE, SUCH AS MILITARY POLICE OFFICERS JOINING MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, BRIAN PALLARES’S EARLY ASSIGNMENT DUTIES IN THE US NAVY FOCUSED ON DENTISTRY; HOWEVER, THROUGHOUT HIS 17-YEAR CAREER WITH THE BRANCH, HE GAINED MANAGEMENT, LOGISTICS, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS, WHICH HE NOW EMPLOYS AS SERGEANT WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION (CDCR).

 

Upon retirement from the Navy in 1994, Pallares held a variety of positions before applying with the state of California. After a lengthy credentialing process, he accepted a job with the California Employment Development Department, concentrating on adjudication and unemployment law. Meanwhile, though, acquaintances kept buzzing in his ear about how his military experience was well-suited for the corrections setting. “A family friend was always talking to me about it,” says Pallares.

 

By 2007, he was convinced. Unfortunately, CDCR (www.cdcr.ca.gov) was under a hiring freeze at the time. Still, Pallares remained optimistic about his career potential with the department and it paid off. In 2009, he entered the CDCR Academy for a 16-week training period. According to its 2013 annual report, CDCR operates more than 30 adult, juvenile, and community corrections centers throughout the state.

 

After spending some time as a corrections officer (CO), Pallares was promoted to his current job as background investigator in the Office of Peace Officer Selection in the CDCR Southern Selection Center in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. And he is busy— CDCR has announced plans to hire 7,000 COs by 2016.

 

“We have approximately 1,800 staff retiring each month, so right now, the challenge is getting qualified applicants into the academy. I determine who has hiring potential,” he says. “That requires heavy attention to detail when deciding who to send off for evaluation.”

 

When he comes across applicants from veterans, Pallares becomes particularly enthusiastic. Not only does CDCR offer a veteran’s preference hiring process, but Pallares believes the military skill set and attitude transfer seamlessly.

 

“I would rather work with ex-military because of the teamwork and camaraderie they value. Veterans also tend to communicate more effectively and that increases morale,” Pallares comments.

 

He also says veterans with disabilities should not be discouraged from considering corrections careers—Pallares has a hearing disability. While CO candidates must pass physical and vision tests, there are opportunities in business and administrative roles, too.