H.R. 501 Veterans And Service Members Employment Rights and Housing Act of 2015

An important piece of legislation now in the House of Representatives will help ensure fair and equal treatment of Veterans and Military members

avoid potential discrimination in the housing market and in the workforce.

Everyone please contact your Representative ask them to become cosponsor to bill H.R. 501 Veterans and Service Members Employment Rights and

Housing Act of 2015.

Many active duty service members, and many veterans, face difficulty in obtaining Housing due to the fact that it is still a commonly held

opinion that said members or veterans might turn dangerous at some point.

The same outdated beliefs apply in the job market. Veterans return from active duty to find in some cases that the job they held before

military service no longer exists (or has been filled..etc). 

Some veterans, (or active duty personnel seeking additional employment) have struggled for years in hopeless search for a job. Employers find

it difficult to accept military training as equal to civilian job skills.

Other employers may in fact think that an active duty, or former military member would be disruptive to their current workforce, and

might become violent at any moment. 

H.R. 501 would make it illegal to discriminate against anyone for their military service, in the workplace or in housing 

There are currently several dozen bills in the House addressing discrimination with many cosponsors. It is important that this bill to address

citizens in the Veteran Community and all members of our Armed Forces be acted upon quickly. It is time to protect the men and women

who protected our nation.

Our friends and brothers and sisters in arms, members of AMVETS agree and believe that this important legislation should have

every Representative sign on as cosponsors and that this bill should be passed immediately.

---- Jerald Terwilliger Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Veterans Job Corps Act of 2012 Down In Flames

The Veterans Job Cops Act of 2012 which would have in the next five years spent $1 billion dollars
to create jobs for veterans working in police and fire departments as well as tending to federal lands
was defeated today.

Forty Republicans voted against the bill, reinforcing in many veterans minds the fact that Congress
just does not care about our nations veterans. This has been a hit and miss year, while many good
bills were passed, many others just as important,  did make the grade; going down in flames in
either the House or the Senate.

The Republicans opposed the bill that was introduced by Sen. Patty Murray, a long and hard fighting
friend of our military and veterans.

Could it be that John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Saxby Chamblis and the remainder of Senators who
have not always been friendly to veterans saw this as a chance to take another shot at President Obama?

Five Senators voted with the Democrats, Scott Brown (MA), Dean Heller (NV), Lisa Murkowski (AK)
and both Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe from Maine. All staunch supports of our military and veterans.

Senator Tom Coburn claimed that there is "no evidence that jobs for vets will work.

So the Republicans claiming the bill was too expensive decided to thank veterans by denying them
a chance for employment. And then it appears that the Senators declined to take any questions
concerning the bill at their weekly press conference.

If your Senator voted against this bill ask them WHY?  Go to one of their events, as many of them
are gong home soon in an attempt to gain voter support. Ask them why a veteran should support
them.

More important when it come time to vote, vote them out of office. If they don't like us, we sure
don't like them.

---- Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Unemployment Continues to Rise For Young Veterans

A new report from the Bureau of Labor shows that the unemployment rate for young veterans
aged 18-24 is now at 13.1 percent.

That means that one out of three veterans in that age group were without a job in the last quarter of 2011, that is up from one out of five in the final quarter of 2010.

Paul T. Conway, president of Generation Opportunity said "Those who made the decision to serve
our nation and to defend the freedom of all Americans are selfless individuals who, along with their
families, have made sacrifices for a cause greater than themselves. The fact that unemployment is
disproportionately high for young veterans should be a concern for every American."

Conway went on to say, "When young veterans-highly trained and tested professionals with a proven
ability to learn quickly, operate on a team, and produce results-are unable to find real opportunities
in the job market, it speaks to the poor state of our economy. The root of the problem does not
rest with the American veteran-the issue is the faltering economy and leadership in Washington
that is committed to higher regulations and job killing taxes that inhibit ingenuity and business
expansion, limiting opportunities for all Americans."

Facts like this make on wonder, is the economy getting any better? Is there any chance for change in the
near future?

No mention in this report of the effects on older veterans, many of whom have been out of work
for long periods of time. Many of these veterans have given up hope, and many of them have
become homeless, which is a completely different story.

Nor does it reflect on the enormous effect that will be felt by the thousand
of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who are coming home to find that their jobs
are no longer available.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Obama Announces Job Initiatives for Veterans

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2011 - President Barack Obama announced executive orders today to give tax credits to employers who hire post-9/11 veterans and wounded warriors, as well as enhanced career counseling and related services for veterans.

The president, flanked by veterans association representatives in the White House Rose Garden, expressed concern that unemployment continues to increase among post-9/11 veterans, despite the skills and attributes they have to offer.

Today's 9/11 generation has performed heroically in some of the world's most dangerous places, he said, and "done everything that we've asked of them."

"We ask our men and women in uniform to leave their families and their jobs, and risk their lives to fight for our country," he said. "And the last thing they should have to do is fight for a job when they come home."

"And that's why we're here today," he continued, "to do everything in our power to see to it that America's veterans have the opportunities that they deserve and that they have earned."

To incentivize employers to hire them, the president announced a new Returning Heroes Tax Credit that will provide companies up to $5,600 in credits for each unemployed veteran they hire. Similarly, a new Wounded Warriors Tax Credit offers employers up to $9,600 for each veteran with service-connected disabilities they hire.

Obama also announced new initiatives designed to make it easier for veterans to find jobs.
Effective today, post-9/11 veterans can download a Veteran Gold Card that entitles them to six months of personalized case management, assessments and counseling services at roughly 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers nationwide. This service, which makes good on a pledge Obama made during a speech at the Washington Navy Yard in August, could benefit more than 200,000 post-9/11 veterans, White House officials said.

In addition, the Labor Department today launched an online tool, My Next Move for Veterans, where veterans can enter information about their military experience and skills to identify civilian careers that put that experience to use, the president explained.The site also offers information about salaries, apprenticeships, and other related education and training programs, officials said.

Meanwhile, a new job bank that also took effect today will help connect unemployed veterans to job openings at companies seeking to hire veterans, Obama said.

Developed in partnership with leading job search companies, the registry enables employers to tag job postings for veterans. Obama noted today that more than 500,000 job openings already have been tagged.

Meanwhile, the president urged Congress to move forward with his jobs bill that he said will further increase employment opportunities for veterans.

Obama recognized the leadership capabilities and specialized skills veterans bring to the workplace at a time when the nation needs those capabilities to stay competitive.

"Connecting our veterans to the jobs they deserve isn't just the right thing to do for our veterans, it's the right thing to do for America," he said.

"Recognizing that Americans are commemorating Veterans Day this week, the president called it a time to honor those who have served in uniform and to "commit ourselves to serving them as well as they have served us."

"As commander in chief, I want all our veterans to know that we are forever grateful for your service and for your sacrifice," he said. "And just as you fought for us, we're going to keep fighting for you: for more jobs, for more security, for the opportunity to keep your families strong and to keep America competitive in the 21st century."

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"


---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996