Veterans
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced that it will offer two new training courses for recently discharged veterans next year that will provide a career path into the energy industry through the utility’s PowerPathway program.
PG&E is offering the veterans-only energy training courses at American River College in Sacramento, part of the company’s commitment to helping recently discharged veterans find work and to growing a pipeline of skilled utility workers.
PG&E expects more than 40 percent of its workforce will be retirement-eligible within the next five years and believes veterans can be high-potential candidates for these positions.
As a former officer in the U.S. Navy, PG&E Chairman, CEO and President Tony Earley is committed to creating career paths for veterans.
“Unemployment rates are as high as 29 percent for young veterans – about 65 percent above those for other Americans in the same age group,” Earley said. “PG&E has the opportunity to match our workforce needs with the great technical skills and leadership ability that veterans offer.”
In addition to veterans-only courses, PowerPathway partners with community colleges, universities and community-based training organizations throughout Northern and Central California to offer other industry-related courses that are open to all qualified candidates.
As part of its commitment to the White House’s Joining Forces initiative, PG&E has set a goal for PowerPathway to provide career and technical training to approximately 250 California residents, including 100 veterans, and place about two-thirds of those into energy and utility industry jobs through 2013.
“Taking care of our veterans is a sacred duty that we must never turn from,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento). “As these brave men and women transition to civilian life, both the public and private sector must ensure our veterans have the support they need, and that includes educational and job opportunities. The energy training course being offered by PG&E will help our veterans find good paying jobs and will provide an ever-growing job sector with a highly skilled workforce.”
The PowerPathway Bridge to Utility Worker for Veterans course offers 240 hours of training designed to strengthen participants’ candidacy for employment and increase their knowledge of the energy and utility industries, including pre-employment test preparation and soft skills development.
The course will begin in January 2013.
The PowerPathway Welding for Veterans course provides fundamental training on the pipe-welding techniques and safety procedures unique to the utilities industry.
The course will begin in May 2013. Both veterans-only programs are being funded through a California Employment Development Department grant to the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency, one of several PG&E workforce development partners.
PG&E has already successfully completed six veterans-only Bridge to Utility Worker courses. Through 2011, nearly 150 former military personnel have been trained through the Bridge to Pre-Apprentice/Utility Worker and Bridge to Utility Equipment Mechanic programs at Fresno City College, City College of San Francisco and American River College in Sacramento.
Approximately 72 percent of those trained have been hired by PG&E and other companies in the energy industry.
A schedule of PowerPathway programs that will be open to new enrollment in 2013 – at nine community colleges, universities and community-based training organizations throughout Northern and Central California – can be viewed at www.pge.com/powerpathway .
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SAN ANTONIO – Air Force Airman Barrett R. Muller graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas on Oct. 18.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Airman Muller is currently attending Air Force Technical School at Lackland AFB specializing in Security Forces.
Barrett’s proud parents are Kimberly and Chuck Norton of Hidden Valley Lake, and Robert Muller of Middletown.
He is a 2012 graduate of Middletown High School.
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Air Force Airman 1st Class Kyle J. Young has arrived for duty as a vehicle maintainer assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
Young is the son of Kimberly and Macario Vargas of Middletown, Calif.
He graduated in 2010 from Middletown High School.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Saturday, Nov. 3, several professionals are joining forces with Operation Tango Mike to support the troops.
Support Our Troops Spa Day will take place at Blondie’s Alley Cuts, 1255 S. Main St. in Lakeport, in the Shoreline Shopping Center.
Services offered will include haircuts for men, women and children as well as mini facials, mini pedicures, mini manicures, chair massages and nail polish color changes.
The following individuals and businesses are volunteering their time and talents: Blondie’s Alley Cuts, Mary Cantrell; Ye Olde Barbershop, Matt Miller and Cheri Dye; Head Feathers, Dawn Perez; Lori Adams Massage Therapy, Lori Adams; A Touch of Tranquility, Karyn Thelen.
All services will be offered for donations to support the troops. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Support Our Troops Spa Day will provide an opportunity to indulge yourself or someone special with a professional treatment.
Consider a having fun outing, giving a gift, or a thank you for a deserving friend or loved one. You’ll be enjoying treatments for the troops!
Proceeds will benefit Operation Tango Mike in purchasing supplies and paying shipping fees for Christmas care packages to troops deployed to combat zones.
For more information call Lori at 707-245-8036.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Habitat for Humanity Lake County is proud to announce the award of a grant from Home Depot’s Military Veterans Home Repair Program that will facilitate the repair and rehabilitation of five veteran’s homes within Lake County.
The maximum expenditure per home will be $15,000.
Qualified veterans must live in, and own, their homes, have been honorably discharged from the military, and have limited other assets.
Income will be considered and clients will be required to participate in the repair process as able.
Habitat for Humanity is seeking volunteers to help in out reaching to local veterans who are in need of these services.
For more information or for an application, please call Habitat for Humanity Lake County at 707-994-1100 or come by our office at 16285 A Main St., Lower Lake.
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FORT SILL, Okla. – Army Pfc. Joshua B. Salazar has graduated from the Fire Support Specialist Advanced Individual Training course at Fort Sill, Lawton, Okla.
The field artillery specialists serve in intelligence activities including target processing in field artillery, cannon battalions, division artillery, artillery and maneuver brigade, and headquarters and fire support elements.
The course is designed to train students to establish, maintain, and operate radio and wire communications and speech security equipment, including encoding and decoding messages.
They also must prepare and maintain daily staff journals, fire support situation maps, charts and other fire support and target processing procedures, records and documents.
In addition, students assist in initiating requests for field artillery, mortar, naval gunfire, and aerial delivered munitions, and emplace, maintain, and assist in the operation of laser range finders, target designation and night observation devices.
Salazar is the son of Lori Salazar of Salinas, Calif., and brother of Rachel Salazar of Santa Rosa, Calif.
He is a 2008 graduate of Lower Lake High School in Lower Lake, Calif.
He earned an associate degree in 2012 from Santa Rosa Junior College.
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The Department of Defense has announced recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for fiscal 2012, through August.
Active component
Recruiting: All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal 2012, through August.
- Army: 53,325 accessions, with a goal of 52,700; 101 percent.
- Navy: 32,622 accessions, with a goal of 32,592; 100 percent.
- Marine Corps: 25,872 accessions, with a goal of 25,833; 100 percent.
- Air Force: 26,738 accessions, with a goal of 26,738; 100 percent.
Retention: The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force all exhibited strong retention through the eleventh month of fiscal 2012.
Reserve component
Recruiting: Five of the six reserve components met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal 2012, through August. The Army Reserve is down 567 for the year; this was intentional as they work to rebalance the force.
- Army National Guard: 44,067 accessions, with a goal of 42,503; 104 percent.
- Army Reserve: 23,783 accessions, with a goal of 24,350; 98 percent.
- Navy Reserve: 7,471 accessions, with a goal of 7,471; 100 percent.
- Marine Corps Reserve: 8,606 accessions, with a goal of 8,423; 102 percent.
- Air National Guard: 8,294 accessions, with a goal of 7,753; 107 percent.
- Air Force Reserve: 7,839 accessions, with a goal of 7,839; 100 percent.
Attrition: All reserve components are on target to achieve their fiscal year attrition goals.
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The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and California State Library have formed a coalition to help women veterans connect to their state and federal benefits and the local veterans services available to them.
A recent survey of the needs of California women veterans found that many programs available to veterans are unfamiliar to women and as a consequence go underutilized.
The statewide survey of more than 900 women veterans, conducted by the California Research Bureau (CRB) of the State Library, is believed to be the first of its kind by any state. The survey was requested by CalVet and the commission.
Five briefs, highlighting data from the survey, are being released this week by CRB and indicate that California’s women veterans experience levels of unemployment, military sexual trauma and mental health concerns at rates higher than reported by national sources.
Yet, despite a wide range of available services, many women veterans are unaware of the services or unsure how to tap into them.
“The formation of this coalition represents a solid commitment to California women veterans,” said CalVet Deputy Secretary for Women Veterans Affairs Lindsey Sin. “By using our collective offices and resources, we will continue to identify the most pressing issues women veterans and their families face, create effective solutions for those issues and increase awareness and outreach to women across the state.”
“When the governor created the Interagency Council on Veterans, this was the kind of intergovernmental collaboration he was seeking to develop,” said CalVet Secretary Peter J. Gravett. “Women veterans have served this nation and state honorably and without hesitation so we must all work together to ensure they receive the services and assistance they need to successfully return to their families, their homes and their civilian lives. This new coalition will help us achieve that goal.”
The members of the coalition are committed to taking concrete steps in the coming year to improve the lives of women veterans.
Each partner will focus on strategies to help build leadership and empowerment in the women veteran community.
The Commission on the Status of Women and Girls is announcing an outreach and education campaign designed specifically to target women veterans.
This effort will coordinate voluntary initiatives involving business, non-profit and community-based organizations, community colleges and local government.
The initiatives will be designed to secure commitments from different sectors of our community to provide direct information about the services available to our women veterans.
CRB and the State Library will continue to support CalVet’s efforts with substantive research about women veterans and the key issues they face.
“Our survey breaks new ground by asking women veterans about their needs and experiences.” said Brian R. Sala, acting director of CRB. “The partnership is a great opportunity for us to share this information with other agencies.”
See below the briefs the CRB and the California State Library have made available online.
California’s Women Veterans and Military Sexual Trauma: www.library.ca.gov/crb/12/S-12-004.pdf
California Women Veterans and Mental Health: www.library.ca.gov/crb/12/S-12-005.pdf
California Women Veterans and Employment: www.library.ca.gov/crb/12/S-12-007.pdf
California Women Veterans’ Benefit Utilization: www.library.ca.gov/crb/12/S-12-008.pdf
California Women Veterans At A Glance: www.library.ca.gov/crb/12/S-12-009.pdf
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“Honoring Veterans” license plates are available to all California motorists and are customized with the distinctive military branch or veteran service organization logo of choice.
Proceeds from the sale of these plates support efforts of CalVet and 56 county veteran services offices to connect veterans and their families with the benefits they have earned through military service.
Sequential veteran license plates are $30 a year, in addition to regular DMV fees. The fee will be raised to $50 Jan. 1, 2013.
For an additional one-time $10 fee, personalized “vanity” plates can be ordered.
“California veteran license plates honor the incredible service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes all year long,” said CalVet Secretary Peter J. Gravett. “What’s more, when you purchase a plate, you support statewide efforts to help California veterans of every era pursue their education, buy a home, get health care, find a job and more.”
To purchase your veteran license plate, go to www.cacvso.org .
Click on “Veteran License Plates” to view available logos. Then, go to www.dmv.ca.gov . Click on “Vehicle Registration,” click on “License Plates,” and then click on “California Special Interest License Plates” to complete the online application.
Sequential plates can take up to six weeks and personalized plates up to 12 weeks to receive, so order early.
The veteran license plate program is a partnership between the California Department of Veterans Affairs the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Association of County Veterans Services Officers Inc.
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