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CAREERS & the disABLED Magazine, established in 1986, is the nation's first and only career-guidance and recruitment magazine for people with disabilities who are at undergraduate, graduate, or professional levels. Each issue features a special Braille section.

CAREERS & the disABLED has won many awards, including several media "Award of Excellence" acknowledgments from the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.

This magazine reaches people with disabilities nationwide at their home addresses, colleges and universities, and chapters of student and professional organizations through a paid subscription.


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 Finding a Federal Fit

 
Veterans of all abilities find their career niche in the federal government, where their military backgrounds dovetail with sought-after skill sets in the public sector.
 
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says the jobless rate for all veterans declined from 4.3% to 3.7% in 2017. And about 41% of Gulf War-era II veterans had a service-connected disability in August 2017, compared with 24% of all veterans.
Furthermore, the same BLS report released earlier this year showed that in August 2017, 2,287,000 veterans with service-related disabilities had transitioned into the civilian workforce. And 10.3% of them were employed by the federal government.
It’s clear to federal employers and others that veterans bring leadership, team-building and critical-thinking skills, mastered during their military service and valued in the civilian workplace, both in the private and public sectors. Highly sought-after, vets are finding themselves in demand across industries, and particularly in the public sector.
The five veterans profiled here work for different departments of the federal government. They say it was their military experience that shaped how they transitioned into the civilian workplace and helped forge their new career path. Glean sage advice that will help you follow in their footsteps of federal government success.
 
PM’s Le Investigates Candidates for Federal Employment
Tuan H. Le was an infantryman and then a team leader in the U.S. Army, where he served from 1997 until 2006. During that time, he was deployed to Iraq, where he was wounded during a rescue mission.
“I received a Purple Heart for being wounded in combat and an Army Commendation Medal with Valor for my actions on that day,” he remembers.
For the next two years, Le served as an operations sergeant in the Texas Army National Guard, and then was a training instructor in the Maryland Army National Guard. His college experience includes IT and criminal justice.
Today he’s an investigative assistant in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the chief human resources management agency for the federal government located in Washington, DC.
“My background is in security and law enforcement,” he says. “With this position at OPM, I help with the security field, taking my knowledge from my previous security positions and applying it toward conducting background investigations.”
Le continues: “As part of my job, I conduct searches of previous and current federal employees’ employment records. I gather information from their SF-50 (federal employee’s permanent employment record) and report it. I also complete testimonies, in addition to checking passport and education records.”
Three to four days a week, he works in the field interacting with people in his community; he finds that most enjoyable. The challenges he faces are not being able to find subjects’ employment records, and when he does, completing the work on their case before its due date.
Le says he worked for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) before coming aboard at OPM.
“As a requirement to work for the federal government,” he explains, “I had to be interviewed by a background field investigator. The investigator’s job was to visit people’s place of employment, homes, etc., and interview them about the person seeking federal employment.”
That’s when Le knew he wanted to become a background field investigator and do investigative field work for a living. He came on board at OPM in late 2013 as an investigative assistant, his present position. He can become a field investigator in the future.
“OPM requires everyone to have a background check completed before onboarding,” Le points out.
Having worked in the DOD, “I had a secret clearance prior to coming to OPM,” he notes, adding, “Once you apply for a federal government position and complete the interview process, you will be required to complete a Standard Form SF-86. The Standard Form 86, ‘Questionnaire for National Security Positions,’ is intended specifically for use in requesting investigations for persons seeking to occupy positions designated as National Security ‘Sensitive.’”
Two employee resource groups, Feds with Disabilities (FWD) and Veterans, are active in OPM, Le shares. Veterans wishing to come aboard OPM should go to usajobs.gov, create an account, upload their resume (or build one), and apply there. Information about applying for security clearances is available at opm.gov.
Le feels the dedication members of the military have toward completing their job in a timely manner is a skill that transfers easily to the civilian workplace. He suggests that, once a veteran comes on board, he or she should connect with the Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) regarding buying back military time; this allows the addition of civilian service to be added to a veteran’s retirement requirement.
More information about the agency and its career opportunities for both veterans and civilians can be found at opm.gov. Connect on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Hood’s Civilian Career Expands at HHS
After serving in the U.S. Army for 26 years, Daniel Hood, a health insurance specialist at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), says he was helped to transition into the civilian workplace by the Warriors-to-Work division of the Jacksonville, FL-based Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), which focuses on helping veterans transition into civilian occupations.
“I also worked with Orion Talent, which focuses on matching veterans with employers seeking specific types of veteran talent,” Hood continues.
He got his first non-military assignment as a chief logistics planner, however, by networking with other federal employees as part of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee leading up to former President Barack Obama’s first inauguration in 2009.
Hood was also an independent contractor with the U.S. Department of State (DOS), and participated in planning the logistics in support of the G-8 Summit at Camp David.
This led to a temporary appointment at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM); its Feds Hire Vets program assists veterans seeking one- to twoyear appointments to work in federal agencies. While serving his term, Hood assisted in the launch of the Affordable Care Act as part of OPM’s national healthcare team.
Through the many contacts he made at the federal government, he was able to find a new opportunity, and he joined the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at HHS in April 2014.
“Most of my civilian and military career was in the medical sector,” Hood points out, adding that he’s worked in pharmaceutical sales and managed care for a pharmaceutical company. He has also earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.
As a health insurance specialist, Hood is currently working on a partnership with OPM and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to build a training program in cybersecurity for veterans with service-connected injuries.
Since computer hacking, data breaches and cyber attacks are a constant threat, Hood says “veterans selected to take part in this specialized training will augment Office of Information Technology (OIT) staff, and get cutting-edge, on-the-job training in cybersecurity in the CMS Security Operations Center for a period of one year. Once successful, HHS/CMS would become a leader in training veterans in this most important and needed career field.”
Hood’s other duties at CMS include functioning as a contracting officer representative, overseeing and managing the contractor who is responsible for collecting Medicare overpayments and the contractor providing payment for group- and non-group health plans.
He further serves as national chairman of CMS’ Veterans Assistance Committee (VAC), which oversees the veterans’ affinity group, and brings training and veteran-specific programs to all of the CMS regional offices in the U.S.
“I also serve on the Veteran Hiring Task Force (VHT) which was formed to evaluate hiring trends with respect to hiring veterans within the agency,” adds the multifaceted veteran.
“Both the VAC and VHT are working hard to identify and break down barriers that have limited the hiring of veterans so that HHS/CMS will eventually become the agency of choice for veterans seeking employment and extending their military service into the federal sector.”
Hood notes the importance for all veterans who are transitioning into the federal workforce to seek mentors within the agency where they’re employed. “Having a sounding board and solid mentor for encouragement in an ever-changing political and financial environment…can’t be understated.”
Without his own mentor’s support and encouragement, he’d be unable to bring veteran employment to the forefront of policy discussions.
Hood suggests transitioning veterans research and use all available veteran service organizations to see what jobs are being offered, for training in resume-writing and for help in finely honing their resumes.
HHS/CMS participates in career fairs throughout the year, Hood says, but suggests that USAJOBS, usajobs.gov, is the best place for veterans to see what opportunities are available. Veterans interested in careers in cybersecurity can find information about internships and other non-paid work by contacting specialprograms@cms.hhs.gov.
Log onto the HHS website at hhs.gov to learn more about the department and job opportunities. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flickr.
 
Ashton Involves Veterans in Farming & Ranching for USDA
William B. Ashton, who’s currently the military veterans agricultural liaison with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), was drawn to USDA as an employer because of the department’s interest in hiring veterans and in helping returning veterans build farming and ranching communities in rural America.
He joined USDA in January 2018 after a 23-year career in the U.S. Navy that began after he graduated from high school.
In this, his first position with USDA, Ashton provides information to returning veterans, and connects them with beginning farmer training and agricultural vocational and rehabilitation programs appropriate to their needs and interests. This includes assisting veterans in using their federal educational benefits for purposes relating to beginning a farming or ranching career.
“I provide information to veterans concerning the availability of, and eligibility requirements for participation in agricultural programs, with emphasis on beginning farmers and ranchers programs,” Ashton details.
He also serves as the resource for assisting veterans who are farmers and ranchers, and potential farmers and ranchers, in applying to agricultural programs, and he further advocates on behalf of veterans in their interactions with employees of USDA.
According to Ashton, the military’s Disability Transition Assistance Program (DTAP) helped him get some information about transitioning into the civilian workplace. However, it was word-of-mouth and the online research he did that led to his interest in coming on board at USDA.
He explains that his job during his military career was about “customer service,” that is, taking care of sailors. When he retired, he continued working in the customer service area where he oversaw 80% of the Navy’s Personnel and Pay, including 72 detachments worldwide, and all submarines and ships with the exception of aircraft carriers. In that role he was still taking care of sailors and their families.
“Now I have the opportunity, once again, to help veterans and their families by educating them on what USDA has to offer,” he notes.
Ashton takes pleasure in thanking veterans for their service and working with them to help educate them about the Washington, DC-headquartered USDA, as well as in explaining how they can continue to serve our country and our communities by becoming new farmers or ranchers.
What is a challenge for him is trying to educate veterans about USDA months before they leave active service, and finding veterans who have been out of the service for years.
He recommends service members begin thinking about and working toward transitioning into civilian life as early as they can.
“Take advantage of what the military has to offer, both in education within the service and through tuition assistance for college courses,” counsels Ashton.
He also suggest they “build a network of people in an industry you might be interested in and ask questions.”
Open positions at USDA and more information can be found at usda.gov and at usajobs.gov by typing USDA in the search bar. Connect on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, YouTube and Flickr.
 
Miller Transitions from the Army into a Role at EPA
Andre Miller, who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, is a human resources specialist, recruitment and placement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In this role Miller’s responsible for the staffing and placement of individuals in the Senior Executive Service and the EPA’s political appointees.
“I evaluate candidates for positions based on both qualifications and eligibility requirements,” he explains.
Prior to this he worked as both a labor and employee relations specialist in the management services section of the agency.
Miller came to the Washington, DC-based EPA following 21 years of active duty in the U.S. Army.
“I retired in September of 2014 when injuries from a combat deployment in Afghanistan rendered me unable to perform the physical aspects of my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) or job,” he shares.
He was drawn to the agency by its mission, which is to protect human health and the environment. “My initial contacts were with individuals who were actually performing in the job I was being hired for. It was very professional and welcoming.”
Miller’s previous experience with the North Carolina Disabled Veteran Outreach and with the Army have been unique in that they taught him about maintaining good interpersonal relationships, teamwork and being empathetic to others.
Both a former sergeant and his late father have had a significant impact on his life, as well.
His sergeant taught him self-discipline and leadership.
“[My father] was the ultimate symbol of perseverance and adapting to overcome odds,” his son notes.
An active veterans program within EPA has members representing all types of positions and backgrounds.
While the EPA participates in job fairs and other recruiting efforts that are geared towards veterans, Miller says that USAJobs, usajobs.gov, is the best place to search for all EPA jobs.
More information about the agency and job opportunities can be found on its website, epa.gov. Connect on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
 
The Treasury’s Aguilar Fills Procurement Needs at the U.S. Mint
Lawrence Aguilar is a contracting officer/specialist at the U.S. Mint, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Both are headquartered in Washington, DC.
Aguilar feels his military background - he did one tour in Afghanistan and two tours in Iraq for the U.S. Army and was wounded twice - added to and refined his “soft skills.”
Those are self-discipline, confidence, a team player attitude and the ability to adapt to different environments, thus preparing him to transition into the civilian workplace.
“It also provided a diverse view - 360 degrees - [enabling me] to see the big picture and better understand my surroundings,” Aguilar adds.
His combat experience and the hostile environments in which he found himself provided “an adrenaline rush.”
And it’s “harnessing or managing it” that’s the challenge for him in the civilian workplace.
“Time crunches don’t bother me,” Aguilar explains. “The enormity of the challenge isn’t as intimating as me saying [to soldiers], ‘Move out and draw fire.’ You become decisive and take action. You don’t just stand there.”
Aguilar became a civilian in 2006, before veterans organizations began helping transitioning and returning veterans enter the civilian workforce, he points out. By that time, he’d earned a bachelor’s degree in government with an emphasis in international relations. With the help of family members, he revised and updated his resume. He remembers feeling confident.
“I knew deep inside my heart, if I could only get in front of an interview panel, I’d get the job,” he recalls.
So he applied to the Treasury, interviewed there and started work in April 2007.
Today he serves as a warranted contracting officer/team lead with the U.S. Mint, managing the procurement workload of a staff of contract specialists.
“We support all of the procurement needs required by the U.S. Mint facility in the manufacturing of commemorative coins,” Aguilar details.
For veterans interested in working for the Treasury, Aguilar says USAJOBS, usajobs.gov, works well.
Before applying, they should have their discharge papers ready and, if they’ve been injured, a copy of their disability papers.
“The Department of the Treasury Veterans Employee Resource Group (VERG) has made available a letter informing veteran employees of the options available to disabled veterans,” points out Aguilar, who’s an active member of the department-wide VERG.
VERG provides a safe environment where veteran employees can actively engage in discussions of shared issues or concerns to help promote a positive transition and adaptation to the federal workplace, and uncover issues that are specific to the needs of the veteran community.
Aguilar adds that the Treasury’s Veterans Employment Program Office (VEPO) has staff available to communicate with and provide services to veterans seeking employment at the department.
These services the staff provides include in-person consultations, resume-writing and navigating the USAJOBS application process.
In addition, the staff can educate veterans about the non-competitive hiring process available to disabled veterans and newly separated veterans.
∂Veterans can connect with the VEPO staff through vets@treasury.gov or 202-927-VETS.
Go to home.treasury.gov and click on About Treasury to learn more about the DOT; click on Careers to find out about career opportunities. Connect on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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