Friday, February 27, 2009

Alaska Airlines® Soars as Leading Employer of Veterans

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Peopleclick Inc., the leading global talent acquisition solutions and Equal Employment Opportunity compliance and diversity provider, announced that Alaska Airlines, a Peopleclick® Affirmative Action Solutions client, is a recipient of the Good Faith Initiative for Veterans Employment (G-FIVE) award. Alaska Airlines is one of five companies to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) as being a leading employer of veterans.

“We are honored to receive the G-Five award, as Alaska Airlines strives to build a diverse workforce,” said Laura Harlos, Manager of Equal Employment Opportunity for Alaska Airlines. “Alaska Airlines is extremely proud that the OFCCP has recognized our efforts as being a top organization in which veterans can continue their careers.” Harlos also said that Alaska Airlines employs over 800 veterans in several departments throughout the organization, and they will continue to work with the military and transitioning soldiers.

“Peopleclick applauds Alaska Airlines for being recognized by the Department of Labor for their best practices under the G-Five Initiative, and we are pleased that our solution has helped them implement an award-winning program,” said Randy Jesberg, Peopleclick’s General Manager of Affirmative Action Solutions. “Peopleclick is committed to providing best-in-class Affirmative Action solutions that enable our clients to comply with federal regulations and improve the quality and diversity of their workforce.”

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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Give an Hour's Volunteer Mental Health Professionals Provide More than $1.2 Million in Services to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Give an Hour, a national nonprofit organization providing free mental health services to troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their loved ones, announces results of its February survey.

Give an Hour periodically surveys its volunteer providers to gauge its impact and effectiveness and to determine how programs and services can be adapted to best meet the needs of this population.

The February 2009 survey found:

-- 12,421 total hours have been donated in mental health services, not
including volunteer hours spent on operations
-- 4,325 hours were given in direct, face-to-face counseling
-- 679 hours were given in phone counseling
-- 7,417 hours were given in education and outreach

At the nationwide average of $100 per hour for mental health services, Give an Hour providers have donated $1,242,100 since Give an Hour began providing these critical services in July 2007.

"We are very grateful to our generous providers," says Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen Romberg, founder and president of Give an Hour. "While we know how critical our work is to those who serve our country, these numbers help to illustrate the impact we are having. Our survey also revealed that we have many providers who have not yet been contacted by someone in need of assistance. We are working to engage these providers in other ways -- to help educate communities and to promote our services, for example. We still have a great deal of work to do to reduce the stigma attached to mental health care and to normalize the experience of those who experience combat. We are, however, very hopeful that as we educate the public about these issues, more and more returning warriors and family members will feel comfortable coming forward and getting the help they deserve," Dr. Romberg adds.

Give an Hour has more than 3,600 licensed mental health professionals on its network, in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Give an Hour aims to recruit 40,000, or 10 percent, of the nation's 400,000 mental health professionals to this cause.

Give an Hour providers offer assistance to individuals, couples, children, and families. In addition to direct counseling, volunteers give presentations, provide consultation, teach skills, offer support, and demystify mental health care for those who serve as well as for those who seek to support our troops. Give an Hour has excellent relationships with the VA, the DoD, and several Veterans Service Organizations. Give an Hour also has the support of the major mental health associations in the United States, including the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.

Mental health professionals interested in joining Give an Hour can complete an easy online form at www.giveanhour.org. Visitors in need of services can log on and use the zip code finder to locate a provider who meets their needs. If there is no provider in their area, Give an Hour will locate one.

Give an Hour (www.giveanhour.org) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), founded in September 2005 by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen Romberg, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area. The organization's mission is to develop national networks of volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society. Currently, GAH is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of the troops and families affected by the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Give an Hour currently has providers across the nation -- in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico -- and continues to recruit volunteer mental health professionals to its network.

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Sunday, February 15, 2009

Papa John’s Founder John Schnatter Serves Pizza to Troops Stationed in Kuwait

(BUSINESS WIRE)--In 2003 Papa John’s International (NASDAQ: PZZA) made one of its most important deliveries ever when it delivered pizzas to air force troops stationed in Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. This week, Papa John’s Founder John Schnatter did one better by visiting the region and helping serve more than 250 troops stationed at Camp Buehring in Kuwait.

Schnatter also was able to speak with the troops, thanking them for their service and all they do to keep America safe.

“It was an honor serving the troops and giving them a little taste of home,” said Schnatter. “I think sometimes we take for granted the sacrifice our troops and their families make so that we are able to enjoy our freedom at home. On behalf of all of Papa John’s, this was just one small way of saying thank you.”

The event was organized by Khalid Alrashid, Papa John’s franchisee in Kuwait, who brought all the equipment necessary to make the pizzas, including an oven, to the base. After serving the troops at Camp Buehring, the group made an additional delivery to the local USO.

“Doing events like this helps demonstrate how committed John, and Papa John’s, is to our core values,” said Myles Felt, Papa John’s vice president of international operations. “John spent many hours saying hello and taking photos with every soldier. He once again showed that people are the most important part of our business.”

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Thursday, February 12, 2009

I’m A Relic

From 1948 to 1973, young men were required to register for the draft when they reached the age of 18 years of age, during both peacetime and times of conflict. The idea was that these men would be drafted into the military, to fill the positions that couldn’t be filled through voluntary enlistment. In 1973, the draft ended and the registration requirement was suspended in April 1975. Men who were drafted into the military during that time period, saw combat in several combat situations that our country was involved in. In 1980, the registration requirement was reinstated by President Carter and it continues today. However, since the draft ended in 1973, no men have been called to duty through the system... (click below to continue reading, it will take you to A Soldier's Mind blog)

We highly recommend this blog to our readers:
http://soldiersmind.com/2009/02/11/im-a-relic/
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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Wounded Veterans to Get Laptop Computers

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three hundred soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan will soon receive specially-adapted laptop computers, thanks to military support nonprofit Soldiers' Angels and The San Antonio Area Foundation (SAAF). The laptops will be funded through SAAF's Texas Resources for Iraq-Afghanistan Deployment (TRIAD), which has awarded Soldiers' Angels a $210,000 grant to fund Project Valour-IT in the San Antonio area.

The grant is expected to purchase at least 300 laptops, which will be distributed as gifts to wounded veterans undergoing treatment at San Antonio's Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) or living in the surrounding area. The computers will be used for communication, post-military employment preparation and physical and occupational therapy, and will be fitted with adaptive technology from the Department of Defense for severely injured users, including voice-control. As one of the largest treatment facilities for wounded veterans in America, BAMC is a major hub for Project Valour-IT and Soldiers' Angels works closely with caseworkers there to identify recovering service members in need of a laptop.

Wounded veteran and Valour-IT co-creator Chuck Ziegenfuss knows firsthand the power of Valour-IT. He reports that using a voice-controlled laptop while he recovered was "the first time I felt whole since I'd woken up wounded."

This is the third SAAF/TRIAD grant for Soldiers' Angels, forming a growing bond between the two organizations and furthering the reach of Project Valour-IT, which has already distributed 3,000 laptops nationwide. "With the money from this grant we will be able to touch many more heroes who need Valour-IT Laptops," says Soldiers' Angels Veterans Support Team leader, Twyla Choate. "Soldiers' Angels is thrilled to once again be given the opportunity to help those who have done so much for us."

About SAAF: The San Antonio Area Foundation aspires to significantly enhance the quality of life of our community by providing outstanding service to donors, producing significant asset growth, strengthening community collaboration and managing an exemplary grants program. A publicly supported philanthropic institution, the San Antonio Area Foundation is governed by a board of private citizens chosen for their knowledge of and involvement in the community. For over 44 years, it has successfully administered funds from individuals, agencies, corporations and others who contribute or bequeath assets for the betterment of the community. For more information, visit www.saafdn.org.

About Soldiers' Angels: Established in 2003, Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, as well as veterans and military families. For more information, see www.soldiersangels.org or call 615-676-0239. Tax ID# 20-0583415

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Friday, February 6, 2009

Hooters and Operation Homefront Launch Valentine Fund for Special Forces Personnel and Families

/PRNewswire/ -- Operation Homefront and Hooters have joined together to establish The Valentine Fund in honor of fallen hero SOCS Thomas J. Valentine. The fund will support the families of Special Forces service members and other military families.

On February 1, 2009, Hooters across the country started raising money for the cause through local charitable events as well as selling heart-shaped card cutouts in their 389 restaurants across the country.

Thomas J. Valentine, a Navy SEAL troop chief, was killed during a training exercise Feb. 13, 2008. He left behind his wife, Christina, a 15-year member of the Hooters family, and two young children. In honor of his sacrifice, Hooters established a fund in Valentine's name through Operation Homefront.

"The Valentine Fund is a tribute to all our service members and their families," said Amy Palmer, chief operating officer, Operation Homefront. "We are proud to be part of an effort that recognizes their sacrifices and provides a means to help them."

Hooters has a long-standing reputation for community initiatives. Last year when Valentine was killed, Hooters raised money to support Christina and presented her with a $100,000 check to go toward her children's education. The Valentine Fund is another opportunity for the company to stand behind those who serve and honor Tom's memory.

"Military families make daily sacrifices, the greatest of which is when a service member is killed," Christina Valentine said. "Through the Valentine Fund and the efforts of Operation Homefront, we can help Special Warfare families in all instances. The Valentine Fund not only honors Tom, an 18-year veteran of the Special Operations Warfare community, but all those who have given their lives and those who remain and continue to serve this great nation. It is an honor to be a part of this effort."

The donation drive will continue until April 2009. In addition to the Valentine Fund, Hooters and Operation Homefront will partner in various local efforts throughout the year in support of military personnel and their families.

For more information: www.operationhomefront.net or contact: Tranette Ledford, director of Public Relations: Tranette@operationhomefront.net; 210-659-7756 or 210-788-8778.

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Monday, February 2, 2009

Vets Helping Vets

(NAPSI)-There is hopeful news for veterans who are pursuing an education.

They may well find someone like Dan Standage, a student at the University of Arizona and a Marine Corps veteran. He offers his fellow students a receptive ear and assistance from someone who understands the challenges they face.

As a member of the Blinded Veterans Association-also known as BVA-and a Vice President of its Southern Arizona Regional Group, he's taking to heart the organization's mission of helping other veterans.

Standage helps student veterans through his volunteer work in the Veterans Education and Transition Services Office on the university campus. He attributes his willingness and initiative to serve others to his own successful rehabilitation and the inspiration provided by other members of BVA.

Said Standage, who encourages others to go to residential blind rehab, "The area I focus on is reducing the stress of coming to college. Removing barriers reduces anxiety."

To learn more, visit www.BVA.org or call (800) 669-7079.

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