More than a job fair as thousands gather at JBLM
Oct 21, 2014, 8:08 AM | Updated: 8:57 am
"I think where we need to really focus now is making sure that these veterans actually have a career path, not just something to do," said Kristine Reeves, with the Washington Military Alliance. (AP Photo/File)
(AP Photo/File)
As the U.S. military scales back its forces, thousands of service members in Washington each year are looking for a new line of work. A three-day career fair, possibly the largest of its kind, is underway at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Veterans are streaming out of the gates at JBLM.
“Joint Base Lewis-McChord is transitioning anywhere from 13,000 to 15,000 people a year out of the service and we know that about 50 percent of those folks are staying right here in Washington state,” said Kristine Reeves, with the Washington Military Alliance, a coalition of 25 agencies working to protect the military-defense industry and promote military workforce development.
This is an annual event that has been expanded to three days and renamed the Service Member for Life Transition Summit.
It includes one day of training for senior military leaders on their responsibility to departing service members, which is something of a shift in attitude.
“The military has spent hundreds of years saying, ‘Well, this is the mission we’ve assigned you. This is what we brought you into the military to do. If you’re not going to be with us anymore, it’s not really our responsibility to figure out what to do with you afterward,’ right? Well, that culture is really changing,” Reeves said.
Days two and three are for service members to find out about key industries, job sectors and career tracks, such as aerospace, government and retail, and learn what it takes to have a career outside the gates.
“Another unique thing about this is that we are also highlighting education as a track at the event so you’ll see representatives from the four-year institutions, the community and technical colleges, and the private institutions, as well,” Reeves said.
And, of course, there’s a traditional job fair. Senator Patty Murray is a featured speaker Tuesday.
“I think where we need to really focus now is making sure that these veterans actually have a career path, not just something to do,” said Reeves.
Organizers expect as many as 6,000 participants who plan to leave JBLM and other state military bases in the next year.
