Two events in Oregon for HireVetsFirst campaign to connect employers and veterans WASHINGTON, D.C. — In observance of Veterans’ Day, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced plans for a 25-day blitz of 107 veterans’ job fairs to be held in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico between October 23 and November 16, including two in Oregon.

“The qualities America’s service members are known for – discipline, a strong work ethic, leadership and technical skills – are in high demand by employers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “These job fairs are an important part of our effort to help America’s service men and women transition back to civilian life when their tours of duty end and a tremendous opportunity for employers looking for great workers.”

The two veterans’ job fairs in Oregon are: Nov. 3, Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City; Nov. 7, 2201 Lloyd Center, Second Floor, Portland.

“The United States military is the finest, most technologically advanced in the world,” said Charles S. Ciccolella, assistant secretary of labor for the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). “Our nation invests billions of dollars annually to train America’s armed forces, instilling and developing valuable hard skills in our service members. Equally important are the skills service members learn, such as loyalty, discipline, selflessness, leadership, and the ability to follow instructions and perform under pressure. These are all inherent to the military culture. The HireVetsFirst campaign is about increasing employer awareness of the skills veterans bring to their businesses, and to encourage employers to hire veterans, not just out of a sense of patriotism, but because it makes good sense for employers who want to grow their businesses.”

A list of job fair locations by state and more information about the HireVetsFirst campaign are available at www.hirevetsfirst.gov. For more information on all the veterans’ employment programs offered by VETS, visit www.dol.gov/vets. # # #